METHODIST CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 6 February 1913, Page 10

METHODIST CHURCH.

i. . : . n FIRST INDEPENDENT CONFERENCE. J' •' ' . —' p CONGRATULATORY SPEECHES. The first independent General Conference of tho Methodist Church, in New Zea- ~ land was opened in Wesley Church, Tara- •, naki Street, last night. The retiring pre- - sidcut, the Rev. W. Reading, was in the a chair. In his address to the conference the retiring president said that the Methodist Church appreciated greatly the generous and hearty manner in which it had been ' set free from the Australian Church, anil f invested with legislative and administra- J 1 five power. The union of tho two branches of tho Church in New Zealand 0 had been brought about not by force, but " by both Churches manifesting the true - spirit of Christ. Both had ,a past of which they might well be proud, and now * their union was about to take place. It 2 would, lie trusted, mean a new Church,, s with tho best elements of both sections n welded into one closo organisation. Ho a hoped also that it would mean they would c get far away from contention, controversy, c and competition, and that they would t live for the future in tin; zone of bro- 1 therly love, According to their faith, J courage, and hard work, so should it lw I done unto them. ]lo spoko in terms of 1 the highest appreciation of -the work be- V ing done by the Rev. Principal Garland, 1 of tho.Thcolojical College.. lie urged that i although tho site of the new building was c not yet fixed, and could not be fixed until t the site of the now University at Auck- i land was a determined, people'should not 1 their efforts or lessen their sacri- c fices for the good object . of building a '( suitable college. He was glad to lw able t to announce that tho Orphanage Commit- £ tee had some definite proposals. Method- 1 ism was not dead yet, and it never would t be dead so long as it was evangelical in 1 spirit, co long as it was Aggressive, and ] ro long as :its people showed<such a'fine ( spirit of liberality. Ho referred especially < to the fact that this year tlm Church ; .would celebrate tho centenary of o'r<;ariis- 1 cd foreign missions. lie hoped, that the : occasion would bo marked by ihcreas- \ cd -liberality for this ver'v -line - object. \ Ho strongly urged all Methodists to work < hard and show a whole-hearted interest < in the movement to have the Bible rein- ( stated in tho schools, no discus-scd at { length the attitude' of Labour to tho < Church, saying that Labour was wasting | much of its now-found power in passion; ■ hatred, organised violence, strikes, and, J he feared, atheism. Tho Church had to ] meet a good deal of opposition from soino j men in the'ranks of Labour; fortunately, , not from all. After all, the problems be- i setting mankind would, never be solved by \ economics, but only by applied Christian- , ity.. , No real reforms could be effected j withontjjesus Christ, and social problems must be'solved by spiritual power, living, , and voting. He deprecated the tendency j sometimes exhibited in the Church to cry out that tho Church was sick. Ho Vras sure tho Methodist Church had .not failed- in hor mission, for she was still in tho van of progress. He had no fears for tho future of the Methodist Church: Tho pressing need of the day was that people should think more, pray more, aiid work.more. They must make aggressiveness " the first feature'of their conrtitution. Tho Rev. S. Lawry, conncctional secretary in Christchurch, was elcctcd president of the conference. The new president, having been installed in L tlt6 chair, acknowledged the honour.done him-by the : conference in electing-him. I-lis elevation to tion of presideiit was due lio doubt to' the fact that he had been'called upon to take mine part in tho movement': for independence. They had not all been unanimous on that question, all the tilno, but .his position in the chair was an evidence at least that if they. had not always agreed with him, they had respected his motives. 1 Ho promised to do all in his power to discharge tho'duties of his ofiice. ' . Mr. J. A. Flesher, convenor of the Legal Committee, submitted the following report:—"Tho Methodist Church Trust Property Bill, introduced into the Western Australian,.. Parliament last year, embodying provisions .sanctioning the constitution of tho New Zealand Conference as an Independent Conference, was passed last session. This being tlie Parliamentary sanction-required to comply with the conditions laid down by the General Conference, the president of the General Conference, by notice in writing signed by him on the-sixth day of December, 1912, a copy whereof is-attached hereto, .fixed the Ist day of January, 1913, as tho date on which "the Annual Conference of the : Methodist Church of Australasia in New Zealand'should bo. constituted an Independent Conference. • Certified copies of such notice have been published in the Government Gazettes of the Common- .< wealth of Australia and of each State thereof and of the Doinjnion of New Zenland." . Tho report was adopted without discus- ; •ion.Mr. Flesher then moved the following resolution:—"That this conference of tho Methodist Church of New Zealand desires to express its gratification at the successful termination of the efforts put forth during a great number of years to secure independent legislative powers for the Methodist Church in tho Dominion of New Zeoland. It appreciates tho manner in which matters connected, therewith have been facilitated by the General' Conference and Annual Conferences of the Methodist Church of Australasia. Whilst ' feeling the great responsibility, cast upon the Cnurch in consequent thereof, this conference confidently believes that increased publio influence and spiritual power, greater glory of God, and moro

rapid advancement of Christ's kingdom in this Dominion will .result therefrom. It believes the movement has been of 3o<l, and would record its devout thankfulness to. the Almighty for the measure success He has been pleased to jive." lho Rev. W. J. Williams seconded the [notion, which was carried, J-he llev. 0. 11. Laws was elected secretary of the conference. The Hav. H. Youngnmn, D.D., president 11 S ,ollcra ' Australasian Conference, uldrcs?ed Hie mooting, Uistory, he said, ivas being made very rapidly at this inlopendent conference, aiul tho occasion ivas one which ho hoped they would 1m imo to recall in later years ivitli satisfaction. Ho conveyed the earnest sympathetic prayerful goodwill of the General Jonferenco .to the independent Methodist Jhurch in New Zealand. The next general conference would feel lho absence of the Now Zealand contingent. '■ Tho Rev. AY. .M or Icy, O.I)., also a delegate from the Australasian General Conference, delivered a brief address. - He congratulated the New Zealand Methodist Church on having achieved independence. He assured the audience that the Australasian Conference had granted independence without any fears, or misgivings. • .To-day's Work. This morning the Methodist Conference and tho Primitive Methodist Conference will meet separately to pass resolutions preparatory to tho imioji. In tho afternoon the United Conference will meet, and in the evening there will be a public meeting in the Town Hall, at which tho Declaration of Union will be signed by representatives of both' churches, who have yet to be nominated. His Excellency tho Governor will be. present at the public meeting. . Declaration of Union. Following is the-draft of the Declaration'of Union which lias been prepared by a legal committer it has,-to bo tinally approved to-<lay:— i . Declaration of ' Union between tho Methodist Church' of New Zealand and t'ho Primitivo Methodist Connexion, in New Zealand: . : W'herons at tie annual conference of the Methodist Church of.New Zealand, held in tho city of Wellington, in the Dominion of New Zealand, this sixth day of February, lfllij, it was resolved and 1 agreed thai tho Methodist Church of Now Zealand unite with the l'rimitivo Methodist Annexion, commonly known as the'.■Primitive Methodist' Church in.New Zealand, upon the terms and conditions set lorth and embodied in and incorporated ivitli the Basis of Onion prepared by a joint committee representing tho said churches; and approved by the annual conference and circuit quarterly meeting, thereof, and by the members of the said Primitivo Methodist Connexion in NewZealand, and duly, consented to by the British jConfcrenco o£ the Primitive .Methodist Connexion, a printed copy whereof is attaeht-d hereto, and also published in. tho printed minutes of tlib. annual conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia in New Zealand, held in tho city of Auclciarid,-in tho said Dohiinioii, in the months of I'ebruary and March, 1912, aiid whereas at the.annual conference of ' tho Primitive Methodist Connexion in Now Zealand, alsit Held in the city of Wellington aforesaid, this sixth day of February, 1913, it' has also been resolved and agreed that tho Primitive Methodist Connexion in New Zealand unite with tho Methodist Church of New Zealand; upon the terms and conditions sets forth and embodied in and incorporated with the said basis of union, and whereas it has been agreed by and between tho said churches that such union as aforesaid shall take effect on and from •tho 6aid sixth day of February, 1913, and whereas it is 'advisable that' 'these prej sents should be executed for of evidencing tho fact of such union as aforesaid. Now, therefore, it is hereby agreed and declared in . tho Methodist Church of New Zealand and the Primitive Methodist Connexion in New Zealand shall enter into mi organic union as one church, with a common name, .common' laws, common funds, and equal rights upon tho terms and conditions set forth and. embodied in and 1 incorporated with; the!-Basis of Union aforesaid, and, fur-' ther, that the said union shall tako effect on and from the sixth day of February, 1913. . ; Signed for and on behalf of:the 6aid churches this sixth day of ..February, 1913. • ■ .