THE PIONEERS OF METHODISM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 680, 3 December 1909, Page 3

THE PIONEERS OF METHODISM.

IN THE YJAIRAKAPA. The members of the Methodist Church ot v l Cartcrton issued in connection «iUi y their reccnl tuno cvttibitiou and sato ot \\or|v a pamphlet wlucli ga\e some early ot iilulliodisin m Ihii distnct. It seems irom tins (taji oui local conespoudenl) that tho pionoub oi Jlethodisin in the Wanaropa migintod from Uutl and Wellington Mr. Hart Lu\, and lns,slal«.ut sons, i and Mctsrs J, Hail, and W Fibliti, settled in Giejto«n, and were boon , lolloncd bj Messis Wilkee, Hoi- "^slavd, bajwell, and while Mr U Jones, and Mesirs, Tcicy. and Shutc, found a homo m Masterton \orv earlj suitable sites for churches wpio seemed in tho Unco pimcipat > townships ot Masteiton, Gnytowu, and l'eathcrston. The iir>>t churches wtro eieetej at Greytottii, Maslerten, and Carlorton, nono of them being either largo or ornate The first pulpit supply was prouded chiefly by local preachers, \iz, Missr.. Udj, Jones, l'eny, Cundy, and S. Hart, with un occasional miuiiteiial Msit fiom Wellington. In 1857 tho Wellington quarterly meeting appioved of a resident minister, and two yoaia later tho lJcv, It L Vickeis was gnen the pastoral o\ersight Tho earliest quarterly, contribution gnen was only 30s. and three months it was increased to J. 75s Cd To-day the quaiterlj nicorao averages bomething liko JJISO. in 1867 the Ke\. J. liishwoith ■was' appomljod uiinistei, and located at Grcjtowii. 'lho first quartcrl} niectingi w,is hold at Greytawn, at the end ot June, JB6f), -'Jioso prespnt on thn occasion being *lhn Ee\. J. S Rishworth, J Messrs H. Jono«, H Udj, ken, and H Vih, jun, Hall, AVilkie, and Tool. Tho present parsonage , -was then erected, and in 1880, during the Rev. M Thomas's torm, the present Grejtown ehnrch was ereclci Prler to this, Carlerton was a dcuco bush, with onlj a nariow ooach load cut through it, , bmee then Caitcrton has grown to 6uch an extent as to become tho head of th* circuit. Tho first church was erected m 1871 on a section donated b\ Mr. H. Calhster. This church -wos.subsonuenUy removed to tho piestat site, nnd mado a schoolroom, the prescnC church being erected in front, and a church parlour added later Country churches ha-\* been erected at South Foatherston, Dilefield, and Bolvcdero. There aro to-day six churche* and seven other preaching places, one parsonage, two ministers and a homo missionary, nine local preachers, 19G members, six Sunday schools, '■•thirty- teachers, . ; ;250 scholars, COO ' volumes_\in'the':librarics;;tt'nd:a'bout 900 attendants at public worship; Tho' ehnrch property is Valried at JE5000,: and the various organise- ' tions' are in^very.^opd,working order. s