WESLEYAN CHURCH—DISTRICT MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1478, 22 November 1872, Page 3

WESLEYAN CHURCH— DISTRICT MEETING.

: ■»■ •Thursday, November 21. The morning session was opened by siugiug .the 480 th hymn, after which the 90th psalm was read, and fche Revs T. F. Reevo and G. Uewlitt offered prayer. It was resolved — " That the cordial thanks ■of the district; meeting be presented to the »Roy A. Reid for the very able discourses delivered in Durham street Church on Wednesday evening, and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the same for the 'New Zealand Wesleyan.' " This Mr Reid promised to do. A report as to a student for the ministry was read by the Rev. A. R. Fitchett, stating the work in which he had been engaged during the year. The report was received, and the thanks of the meeting were accorded to Mr Fitchett; for hia services as tutor. Messrs Beck and Keall having honourably fulfilled the usual probationary term, were unanimously recommended to the Conference for ordination. Messrs Isitt, Reeve, Marten, and Hewlitt were commended for their diligence, and a report upon their ' examinations forwarded fco Conference. j The Revs. W. Morley and J. S. Rishworfch | obtained permission to attend the next conference. It was resolved that in the event of a separate conference being established in Now Zealand, that the meeting recommend the division of fche district into two, to be designated the Canterbury and Otago districts, respectively. Afternoon Service. — Prayers were, offered by the Rev. A. R. Fitchett. Tho following is the list of appointments for the circuits of the district recommended by the Conference : — Christchurch — Revs. Jas. Buller and J. Marten. Sfc. Albans— Revs. A. R. Fitchett and W. B. Aldred. Lyttelton— Rev W. Morley. Springston — Revs W. , Keall and W. S. Harper. Kaiapoi — Revs R. Bavin and W. G. Thomas. Dunedin— Rev C. W. Rigs. Balclutha— Rev F. W. tatt. Port Chalmers and Waikouaiti — Rev J. T. Shaw. Lawrence — Rev W. H. Beck. Roxburgh— Rev G. E. Hewlitfc. Timaru — Revs W. Lee and F. DewsburyInvcrcargill — Rev G. S. Harper. Oamaru — Under the charge of the Timaru minister. N.B.— Revs A. Reid, W. Kirk, J. Rishworth, H. Bull, and T. F. Reeve, will receive appointments in the Auckland and Wellington iistricts. The annual report upon the 6tate of the Donnexionai property was read by the Rev JV Aldred. Ifc appears thafc there are in the listricfc forty-nine churches, the total cost of which up to date has been £31,148 13s. Twenty of these are free from debt, upon tho jthers there yet remains a debt of £5117 8s Jd. Twenty four of the churches are nsured in various offices for a total of £16,550 ; tho remaining twenty-five are mmsured. There are 7763 sittings in :,heße churches. The total income for the year from seat rents, &c., has been 62097 ss, the income in every case except sne exceeding the expenditure. The value jf tho church sites is estimated at £2920. Nine parsonages havo been erected in tho Sißtrict at a cost of £5061. Four of these we without debt, the total liabilities upon the remainder being £2062. They'are insured tor £3475. There aro several schools in connection with the churches, and several others in detached buildings, the estimated value of which is £2251. The report as read was adopted, and it was resolved .: — 1. " That the Superintendents of Circuits roe required to insure those buildings that pave not already been insured. 9 Zi -"'That tho thanks of tho meeting bo Igiveh to the Rev J. Aldred for his full and pble report, and that it be inserted in the district records as an appendix to the Financial District Meeting." It being probable that the Rey A. Reid may, next year, be stationed in Auckland, it was resolved, " That the cordial thanks of the meeting be .presented to him for tho very efficient services he haa rendered to the district ■during tho three years in which he has susItained theafficeof chairman." 1 Nearly all the members of the meeting lapoke to this resolution, expressing their Bhigh sense of Mr Reid's character and labours, Sand the regret felt afc his approaching removal §£o another part of tho colony. I On the motion of the Rev W. Lee, seconded by the Rev J. S. Rishworth, it was resolved — " That tho very cordial thanks of tho district meeting be given to those friends who have ao kindly and hospitably entertained the ministers during the session. The completed minutes were read by the Secretary and confirmed, and a cordial vote of

.thanks was accorded to Mr Aldi'ed for his services. The 537 th hymn was sung, the Revs W. Kirk and A. Reid engaged in prayer, and the district meeting of 1872 was closed by the Chairman pronouncing the benediction.