PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1025, 14 January 1911, Page 10

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

ADDRESS BY THE REV. S. HENDERSON. THE RELIGIOUS DUTLOOK;, ' At the Primitive .Methodist Conferk Mice which is sitting at tho' - Webb I' , Street Cliurch, tho Stationing Commit- : _ tco -announced yesterday. tho v first, draft of ministers' stations for,-th6 circuits of Hie, Dominion.as follows:—' ;; TARANAKI DISTRICT. Now Plymouth: Rovs. Ralph J. Lidjell and Harold Sharp. . Inglewood: Mr. W. Gatman, H.M. Stratford: Rev. Basil Met-son. ■Eltham: Rev. D. B. li'otd. Ca'rlislo.-' Wanganui: Rev. Samuel Bailey. ■East Egrnont: ,one, wanted. .■, • WELLINGTON DISTRICT. Wellington I.(Sydney,Street): Rovs. ! Percy'J. Cossum, Harry , Cotton, and John. Dumbe'll. . Wellington II (Webb Street): Revs. ; William S. Potter,. Archer 0.. Harris. Slid . John'Dawson (without pastoral charge). i i Wellington, HI ifDonald M'Lean Street): Rev. Charles A. Sims. Foxton: James .Clover and Mr. Samuel B. Maidan. I > Feilding: Kevs. Joseph Sharp, Albert B. Fowles, and p. jW. Jones. . Halcombe: Rev/'Thomas Coatsworth. -I WEST COAST MISSION. Denniston: Rev. J. Southern, Mr. J, F. Doherty, H.Mi, and. one wanted. AUCKLAND DISTRICT. • : Auckland I (Alexandra Street): Rovs. . James Cocker, 1 Hedley : 'JVhite," arid Frank. Faulkes. Auckland, ll,.(Franklih- Road):' Rev.: R. Raino and Mr. J. Carlisle; H.M. Auckland 111 (Eden Terrace): Rev. J. .. - Olphert, N. .Hyde,' and T. : H.,- Lyon ■ (without pastoral charge); Tliames: Rev.,G..C. Hunt. ■ ' Waihi: Mr.- C. J. Mairs, I-I.M. '' ■ Hamilton: Roy; H. Daniel. Cambridge Branch:'. Mr. H./Foxtoh, H.M. (under supervision of- Auckland ■ ; I). • . ■' : . « DISTRICT. Cliristchurch I (Cambridge Terrace): /-'. Revs'; S. Henderson, E: 0. Ward, and iW. Harris. - ■.' Christchurch -II (Battcrsea; , Street),:Rev.vG. Clement. -' ■ ■ v. Greendale: Rov.-A..Harding.. Ashburton; Rov. Tlios. R. U. -Woollo- . -lall. - Geraldine:-Rev. G. -H;'Mann. Timam: Rev; J. -FeatheTston. Waimat-o and Oaniaru: Rev. J. Guy. Temuka: Rev. 1 J. Harris.- .v OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND DIS- . TRICT. 1 Dunedin li(Dundas Street): Revs. G. . Knowles-Smith; J. B.'.Suckhng, and F. Frost. , Dunedin II -(Ken):. R-evs. E. Drake, . and E. Bandy. Invereargill (Don. Street): Rev. W. , . 1 Lnycock. • ■ lnyercargill II (Elles Road): Rev. T. ; 'A. I'ubus. Bluff: Rev. B. Dudley. • . Waikouaiti: Rev. F. A. Thompson.. ! Edendale: Rev. J. Benniiig.. RETIRING PRESIDENT'S! ADDRESS; . TII9 Rev. S. Henderson, retiring 'preeident, in addressing the conference,, stated thfat,-.it ;only'jfitting that at i * that'.jun&turo hc-lliould makoVretrospcc- % reference t6 v the history? 6f j their v Church arid: speaK.of-the prospects'for ■ " . the futuje. ; ;' Ho said':'?'. ' • ' "Tho year was not very old when we, with'.other parts of tho British ;Empire, ! wore plunged into grief by the death of . our beloved King Edward.' Seldom has 1 » . man passed, away more , beloved- ,oi' : ! " more firmly established in the aifections' of his'people.- Wo have; also hailed, tho 1 . accession of King George. • May the Lord assist him ! .. We have also been 1 called ...upon to. '.farowell our Governor: and/welcome another. I ':' A message, to' the new Governor, which wo sent on. bo-half'-of tlie Church,' Was duly acknow- ' ledged. , Speaking of matters > hearer home'j we .have to record the fact that death has' been , manifest'among our people. DuriiJg -tho past year some 6f . our 'trusted.-laymen have lost their, partners;' and wo extend them our sin- i oere sympathy." ' . .• ! Mr. Henderson then spoke'm eulogis-' • tio terms of tho valuable work, perform- ] ed by- several lately ■ deceased' laymen, i Continuing, he said: "The inntir state ! of our beloved Church lies near to our : hearts, and .wo. rejoice .that- progress i has been made. - Tho membership now : -'i stands, at 3273, an incrcaso since last i conference of 127. -. When I arrived in ! ■ -). New Zealand in'lß94 the .membership stood at 1443. Since then. tliero has ; been 'an annual incrcaso of 114.. Con- ! • sidering our resqurces, this compares i with other Churches. In 1694 tho value i of ' the Church property was £23,563, now it' stands ;.at : £80,000, an average ' annual.increaso"of. £3339. Our" funds ) are all hi a sound condition, and from" a material, standpoint.;wo have little. ' : to complain of. ' Notwithstanding'- the; fact that wo belong essentially to'a'' , workingman's . Church, our people con- ' ■ tribute liberally, to tho funds. Nothing - is 'more ; desirablo '. to 'us than to .: have a iChurch of . clean-living,' ! hard-working,', industrious men,- and- • women. A Church with such, a record : as we liavo , had is a vf.luablo asset to '- the State-in-which it-exists.' Tlia :atmosphere, of the world to-day is not j conducivo. to the clearness. .of the n Churches.'', light, and wo fear ,'tlio: light-. ' is dim in'coi)soquenco.'.'Wo liavo no I sire to return to the. strict ; PuritMr' I theology-,.- hut-.wo do wish to bring our' • Church '.back'- to a' senso . of ' the. Divine - reality. Tho . criti- ! cism-, . levelled;, . aga'inst the Church " 'from outside'js .not half so dangerous ', as that coming from within. . 'This, i what ye ought to have dono cr ought ( to-havo left undone' may b«j said in 1 regard to some of our. achievements. 1 .We, have great enemies ,to contend ; against—drink, gambling, vice, and infidelity. The missions held in tho Do- \ minion during the past year by tho Rov. , Dr. Henry and tho Anglican missioncrs have done a great deal to draw tho i hearts and minds of. men and women 1 away from materialism to thoughts of I their .spiritual 'welfare. Through them. 1 they made to .feel that God was ! a factor in their lives. We have 110 I timo. for the now theology—tho theol- J ogy that eliminates 'tho doctrine of i Christ's atonement. Tli'q'absenco to-day i of a' sense of sin is a contributing factor : to our' low standard of morals. The 1 fact thatlwe are higher than some other . countries does not make our position ono of |less grave: concern. The appalling ' number of' illegitimate children .tliero are in ou; midst, every community, large or small, having its quota, is a. deplorable fact. If all those'were of the criminal class wo should at once i know how to treat'tb'em, but, as is well known, many come frim respectablo homes; The number of 'forced marraiges' is also astonishingly large. This \ is a matter in which.the Church needs to , lift its voice; wo havo been too'long silent. The. law can also 'do something to raise tho moral: tono of the ; community. We welcome' Rladl.v tho new legislation of our Parliament on gambling and drinking. The abolition of the bookmaker on the one'hAnd and of tho barmaid on the other are distinct advances. It is sa'd ' to sec so little regard to the sacred character of tho Sabbath. The defence.' forces ill their recent eii'' , .'>m" v "ciits have been special offenders in this resi>ect. Tliey seem to cliooso Sunday as tho, day of greatest toil for tho men. The Sabbath rest is a boon to the work-

ing man—let us treasure and guard it. Let tHo Church" continue her de'ferico of it. (Applause.) Wo are to have an opportunity at this.icoiifo.rciico 'of discussing tho questions' of "union between ourselves ami tho other branch of tho Methodist family. , Tho. union of tho New Zealand' Methodist." Church has long been the liopo of many loyal sons of tho Church, and tho time has now arrived when -Vo may-unite and, form one mighty river which ..will carry 'on its bosom 'almighty■ freight of ; human souls. If, after duo consideration, tho members b'eliovo that, we could do mora for our Master in separate denominations, then we .sliall act on their convictions."" «Miv 'Henderson concluded with Jail appeal-tfiTttho members of tho Church* to 'act ;up to their convictions, saj'iiig," "Tho'world judges Christ as i7C'. roveal'Him; We are guardians of Christ's Kingdom. The future is ours, and'wo can profit by the failures of tho past? Christ is tho same, and His Gospel is tho mossago. the world needs.-" -Oh- °.-tho.fponclutioff-ofc ilie address, a motion By"{Bo Rev." G. Knowles-Smith, ''.That, a he.arty„voto;of thanks be.given to the-'''retiring president -for'his address, and that he pass-it "on for- publication in -thoPrimitive ' -Methodist organ," was carried amidst applause. . . An application by the Kev. J. iVickson for temporary employment-was approved of, and- it-was recommended to the Stationing Committee that, he - be placed temporarily in charge of a'station. . J EAST EGMONT DISTRICT. ' The Rev. G. . Knowles-Smith 'moted that the application for division of the East.Egmont district for ; a division of the circuit iijto two.: stations bo' not granted, but that, a "saddle-bag missionary" be appointed, t-o that district, under the control of' tho Missionary : Exeoutive. —This* was carried. . ' ' TIIO president ,exp!ained that there was a difficulty in regard to tho salary of the missioner. Ho thought there should be some special provision made, aild appealed to the delegates assembled -for donations. This met with a ready.-response, and in a . few minutes it was announced that £110 had been subscribed in the church. •

, INSURANCE COMMITTEE'S • REPORT. . The iFire Insurance Committee , reported "that no claim had "been made upon tho fund since last conference. .During ,tho-. year - , £448 had- passed through- their hands, arid a net profit of £170 had been made. The amount carried forward-to tho accumulated fund was £145.,. The ' assets of . the ■fund up. to December 31 last totalled £1943. ''MISSIONARY BALANCE-SHEET. The Missionary balanco-sheet was read and adopted. The expenditure for tho . year amounted to £578. 10s. lid.. , The .income'from/stations' was.£slß 65., whilo £50 had been acquired from tho publishing fund. These amounia, including "a balance ; carried'ovfer': frpm. 'last year, caiiio to £560 18s. lid., leaving a deficit of £17 12s. , j,, - EVENING;JIEETING., ' A public meeting was held at the Sydney. Street, Church..last.' evening,. the Rev. G.* H. Mann; president'of tho conference, occupied tho chair, and: a number of speakers, including the Rovs. J. Sliarp and J. Clover gave addresses res-pecting-matters to bo dealt with at the conference,, aii'd also briefly outlining tho history of *these_ , annual • assemblies.. During .the;evening, appropriate hymns word 'given "by -tho chdir, and several songs were also contributed. \ Tb-DAY'S PRbtrRAMME.' ~ - j This " moriiing, ; .'at .8.30 .'o'cloek, ' the delegates will mc-ot to hear'.-a fsermon bv a" candidate for ordination.' lAt 9.30' o'clock the session will bo resumed.' In the afternoon, at 3 o'clock, : a missionary 'garden is to.be given at tho residence of Mr. 'R. Keene, Island Bay, and .the/delefjates'.'will assemble.for!-an..qpen--air meeting in Boulcott: Street tonight.