WESLEYAN METHODIST DISTRICT MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 275, 26 November 1870, Page 2

WESLEYAN METHODIST DISTRICT MEETING.

The annual district meeting of the Wesleyan ministers in the North of New Zealand commenced on Tuesday hist. Tlie sittings began in the High-street Church, and have been rej sumed daily in the Pitt-street school-room. The affairs of the Methodist Church in New Zealand,from Taranaki northward, are brought under review, "arid reports are prepared, and recommendations are submitted for the approval of the ensuing conference. As the business is all transacted in a conversational manner, and in answer to certain definite questions annually submitted, we can oniy present our readers with a condensed report of the proceedings. There were present, besides the Rev. J. .Buller (Chairman), the Rev. Messrs. Hobbs, Wallis, Warren, Buttle, Lawry, Bigg, Schnackenberg, Gittos, Rowse, Crump, Smith, Berry, Law, and Simmonds. The sittings liave been held daily from nine to one o'clock, ench Bitting beginning with singing, reading the Scriptures, and prayer.—lt was found, upon enquiry, that no ministci had died during the year, and that there were no cases for the exercise of discipline arising from the character, conduct, or teaching, of any minister present. The moral and doctrinal purity of the Methodist ministry is carefully guarded, by an annual enquiry on each of these points, in the case of every minister.—lt was decided that the name of Mr. Jaggar, together with those of Mpssrs. Hudson and Worker, be placed upon the list of the ministers duly authorised to solemnize marriages in connection with the Wesleyan Methodist Church in their respective districts. The two probationers—the Rev. Messrs. Law and Simmonds —preached trial sermons on Wednesday evening, in Che presence of ministers deputed to hear them. They were examined in theology and general literature on i Thursday morning. As the usual four years' 1 term of "probation has not expired in either case, both remain on .trial for the present.— The Chairman stated to the meeting that he had received official intimation of the sailing for New Zealand of four Wesleyan ministere.

They left London in tne*City of Auckland, in the middle of September, and may be expected to arrive here next, month. One is for Auckland, another for Coromandel, and two for the South. ' The news of their coming was an occasion of joy, as the need for more laborers has long been deeply felt. —The fol-io-wing list of ministers' stations for the ensuing year is recommended for the adoption of Conference:—Auckland, the Revs. C. W. Eigg and J. Berry (Grafton Road), and one from England; supernumeraries, the Revd. J. Hobbs and H. H. Lawry; Thamesi, the Rev. J. Buller, and one from England for Coromandel; New Plymouth, Rev. J. Crump ; Raglan, the Rev. C. Schuackenberg; Otahuhu, the Rev. J. Smith ; supernumeraries he Revs. Messrs. Wallis, Warren, and Buttle ; Waiuku, Rev. J. H. Simmonds; Kaipara, Rev. W. Gittos; Whangarei, to be visited quarterly, under the direction of the Rev. J. Buller; Hokianga, Rev. W. Rowse ; Mahuraagi, a Catechist; Kaukapakapa, a Catechist; Waikato, Rev. «T. Law.—A petition was unanimously -signed, for presentation to the Provincial Council, praying them to reconsider the Act by which they propose to exclude all religious teaching from the Government schools of this province, and to leave the teaching of religion or otherwise under the exclusive control of the committee of each school.—The following is the plan of appointments for the Home Mission sermons in and around Auckland, to-morrow.. —Pitt-street, morning, Rev. J. Buller: evening (special sermon to the young), Rev. C. W. Rigg; High-street, morning, Rev. J. Smith ; evening, Rev. J. Law. Grafton Road, morning, Rev. J. Berry; evening, Rev. W. Rowse. Parnell, morning, Rev. J. Hobbs ; evening, Rev. J. Smith. Mount Albert, Rev. J. Warren, at 11. Whau Road, afternoon, Rev. J. Warren. North Shore, Rev. W. Rowse, at 11. Shortland and Grahamstown, Revs. J, Crump, and W. G itto_. Onehunga, morning, Rev. C. W. Wrigg; evening, Rev. C. H Shnackenberg. Otahuhu, morning, Rev. H." H. Lawry; evening, Rev. J. H. Simmonds' Mangere, Rev. J. H. Simmonds, at 11. Woodside, Rev. J. H. Simmonds, at 3 p.m.—The sittings are to be r-esumed on Monday morning.—On Monday evening, tbe public Home Mission meeting will be held at Pitt-street; and on Tuesday evening the Rev. J. Hobbs will preach, in the same church, an official sermon to the ministers attending the district meeting and the public.