THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1373, 26 February 1912, Page 3

THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

A * — OPENS IN 'AUCKLAND THIS WEEK. THE' BUSINESS OUTLINED. The thirtx-ninth conference of the Methodist. Church of Now Zealand will open in the Pitt Street Church on Thur.iday evening next (March 1). Nearly two hundred representatives will bo in attendance from all parts of tho Dominion, tho ministerial mid lay members being about equal in number. _ For the first tiino in tlio hJ-story of the New Zealand Methodist Church a lady will take her place as a duly elected niomber of the conference. This honour falls to Mrs. Dellow, tho widow of tho late Rev. J. Dellow and the daughter of tho late Rev. Thomas Huddle, ono of thepioneer missionaries of the Church, there will also ho in nltomhinco eight Maori ministers and two Maori lay representaSeven young men having completed their courso of seven years' literary and theological training, will bo ordained to the full work of the ministry. No fewer than twentv candidates for tho ministry presented themselves to tho Synods, this number has, by . various tests, been reduced to twelve, and from these the conference will solect those who are to be trained in the Theological College. Perhaps the most important question to he dealt with by the conference is the establishment of a fully-equipped Theological Institution. An Auckland committoo has been engaged upon this scheme during the year, and . has purchased a splendid site of ten acres at Epsom upon which it is proposed to erect a brick college of modern dosign. Several large donations liavo already been-promised, and a banquet, is to bo held in tile Concert Chamber of the Town Hall next weili, when it is fully expected that'a very large sum will be raised for I'lie new college. Mr. A. C. Caughey will, preside, and anion? the speakers will be the president of the conference, the new principal of tho college, the Rev. C. 11. Garland, and Mr. L. .M. Mtt, M.P. Another important matter which will receive the attention of 'the conference is that 01" Meihodist union. The two churches interested, .through their committees,have agreed with ]>ractical unanimity upon a basis-of-union and this basis has already been sanctioned by tho Primitive .Methodist Conference. There is no doubt (hoi the larger rhureh will also agree to the union proposals and a united Methodist Church will probably be an accomplished fact in New Zealand within the next year or two. , . Arrange/iieiits "ill ;>l'-o ho marie for the complete independence of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, and its sop- I aration from Australia. All the Australian State legislatures' have passed the Bill, legalising I his separation, and all tho Australian State Conferences have given their snnetinn: Provision will now have to be made lor the government of the New. Zealand Methodist Church by its own conference. The re!iring pre.-ideilt is the. Rev. G. \Y. .1. Spence, of I'alracrston Novih. There , i? considerable speculation as to his suc- ' ce.-sor. The choice will probably be (says the Auckland "Star") between tho minister of tile leading Auckland Methodist Church, and the editor of the "New Zealand Methodist Times." Several public functions of an lntcrcsiI ing character will be held during the eon- • feienw. Two of these will take palce in , Hie new Town Hall. Tho oratorio, "Juil.is Me.ceabnens" will bo rendered by the I'niied Msthodist choirs of the city under i the baton of Air. K. J. Gotland. A conI versazione will also be held in the same placo at which Hie Mayor of the Citv will ' be one of the spjal'.ers. There will also ba a young people's rally and a mission- . nrv demonstration. A harbour excursion has been arranged, [ so that southern visitors may sec the i beauties of the Waitcmata, and a re- ' ception will also be tendered to the re- ; presentatives and their hosts at 'Dunholme." Remuera, the present location of ' the Theological College.