Methodist Union.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5347, 27 August 1895, Page 4

Methodist Union.

* The question of tho Union of the Methodist Churches of this colony haa boen before the churohea interested for the last twelve years. So far back aB 1884 a scheme for the union of the Wesleyan, Free Methodist, Primitive Methodist and Bible Christian Churches waa drawn up by joint oommittees, but was rendered futile by the action of the Australasian WeUleyan Conference, which refused autonomy to the Wesleyan Church of New Zealand, and thus prevented it from being able to unite with the other churches. Little further was done in the matter until between jtwo and three years ago, when the qnestion oame to the front in all the colonies. The governing* bodies of thevarious Methodist Churcher* passed resolutions in favour of union, and appointed committees to seek for a practical means of carrying them ont. The Primitive Methodiist Chnroh of New Zealand took the initiative with this object in 1893 and 1894-. It had decided that any basis of union must provide for the absolute equality of ministers and laymen in all matters of church government, and incorporated this principle in its scheme for Methodist Union ; its efforts, however, for the time proved abortive. The Austral- 1 Asian General Conference of the Wesleyan Church, wbich met in Adelaide last year, denned a basis upon wbich it authorised any of the annual conferences of the \ Church to effeot union with any or all of the other Methodist churches within their respective boundaries. Each of the Methodist churches of New Zealand, with the exception of the Primitive Methodists, had appointed speoial committees to deal -with tlie question of amalgamation ; and these committees submitted the Adelaide scheme to their respective churches, which, in their quarterly and annual meetings, decided to accept it. In March last, the New Zealand Wesleyan Conference resolved to unite with the Free Methodist and Bible Christian churches, subject to the lastnamed receiving permission from ita English Conference to do. so. Thia permission was received last week, and the union of the three churches may be looked upon as an accomplished fact. The New Zealand Methodist Federal Concert, a body ap* pointed for the purpose by the conferences of the three ohurcher*, is now engaged in considering the questions of the adjustment of circuit boundaries, disposal of properties, and other arrangements consequent on the union. The conferences or the churches will meet for final sessions in their separate capacity next year, and in 1897 the first conference of the united Church will be constituted. It may be noted tbat the last censuß showed that there are about 63,000 Methodists in this colony, and upwards of 57,000 of them, with 24o churches and 142 ministers, belong to the uniting churches.