METHODIST UNION

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1668, 7 February 1913, Page 6

METHODIST UNION

\ THE FINAL STEPS. .-..':,.

( JOII^T^ONFERENCE ■ MEETS. |^3S'-.: INTEItESTING. SPEECHES. ■'/■■ I \ 'the declaration signed. ■ f ■■: J• % ' 'iAfipfiK fcNOli; V: t-; i <\:Tta_ , tJMie(l>M«thodisVChurches';of New V ■!;Zealand met--for 'the-first : time iri-confer-■ \:S- erice yesterdnfl In'the morning the rct>;■>presentatives' of the'-two- -churches—the' I-.;';';Met.hodist'',and ! the primitive .Methodist— 1. ,. ; '; : met' in 'conference.-separately, •• and .'passed 1 ;'!.■■ -certain formal ■resolutions in; anticipation ;:',:,: of,.,union. In : tho'afternoon; they met I-. : . separately .'• again;. tben' :met: ■ together oh !■; 'neutral .'ground, at the \Town Hall,. and ,' rinov.pdv in:-,procession to .Wesley Church, }■•■';; vWhe.ro;. the ..raited cqnf erence; opened.;" ". _ [' ; ;' thelmethodist church. -..;■■ [■: ,'.',■'■ .The, MetfiodisV-Conference ''resumed', in f -.: - Wesley ChurchT." and;;p'asscd- • resolutions t;,.agreeing>vto"unite,/;;with; the... Primitive i : .V? Methodist'-Church Sppn the terms': set ji'i..::. forth in thoßasis/bEUnion':adopted.. ■:. ;'.-. {■„ ,' \Th'e;.fbllfiwjng, repr,ese.ntatiyes..wcre-. em: T; powered, to sign ■ .'for*' ."-the •■■ Methodist sS' i Church the \Declaration-.6f Mfniori•—The f,' i'.Ecvs. -S. Lawry (president),'C. H.'lnws, 'i : ;'. '..(secretary), W. Ready*(ex-president),; W. .(representing" the' Aiaofi' Mission), Uris\ (convener of tho *£?- Legal Committee);'..>Thoßevs.Dr. Young- ''.;[• :-inan Australasian ;ieprejS; eentlitjyes,'iveroj nominated to; .witness;thb; j;.'v''''documenfc'-,'>'yiy , v'vi'. r ijl.'..;- .-" .-..,, '■-.-'■« -.- H ' : : ; The'fonp ( wiflg'ilay;memhpr3,.to ; the Staj'\:, tioning-GomimtteV : were l [■ Peak ah'd'J.'Veaie; Wa-" ; Iv/'iigariui: Messrs. E. Dixon and.T. R. Hod-' f, ;i ,der;'"VVcllirigto'nV.Mes3rs.vCj'E.lDahiells t;' ;■' :and';W'.' ; "E.'"Redstone; Nelson: Messrs.' A';..' .'A.'Lucas'rand 'W:'B,'Pike,- 'Canterbury $ (,-': Messrs. J.,-Hv Blackwell and W. 'ffiSeed;- |;.';, Otago : i'jMfssr3."E;"Aslih;arid;E. Roseveerj' [;';'. Wtru-'fepresenf'ative: : sfivC. Sv Howard/ r t : > v :; :^PRi;MITTVE; 'METHODISTS"";';;? hv-,'•'•. ./Similar!ofirial .resolutions werb'adopted ["'■'•'.'•'■'■ by the Primitive" Methodist; Conference in lii.i.Webb.Street,:-: '•'■•/ -',: T Vv;:- -: r .-,■ .-; |- V, The Hon; C. M.-. Liike.V(pre'sident), tho | ; "; ; ;-, Rev., C. E.; Ward "' (vic£president)j r \Xhe '~; Rey.^G. Knowles; >:■ ■■' nnd Mr. C.'E. Bellringerf(secretary. of/ the !."' Union' Committee) weri appointed -to'sign I the Declaration of• HnjonJ >''(■ -'..it l ''■'■>'.■ ] ■-.<.. j ; The Revs'. John D'umbeli; Pe'ter- Wright, |; : !'"'. Jonesj arid' -Mr: : H; r .Holland r r (Mayor.iof [:';.: Chfistchurch) :"were' nominatedJ:as.:->wij;-r .;'' : ; nesses to the deed. ~•,;.,•, ■>':■] .'Vi'v VSrv'-' |;'l ; ■.dphe-;at-;the' ! Prim'itivo f ; ;v Methodist Conference; had rmainly: to',, do is':'- '/with v'thp; preliminaries' 'of/.the ~ TJnited I .-.' Conference.',--.-.' -rrif- :l};''-' : ■.-■' ■/ f.. : .'.''v.'.'Mr.'' : A'(7J.' Lrilo'was'appointed rhoriprary f,-' -connexiorialrsolicitor.^'lt was reebmmendfc •• ,-ed .that- the new. Methodist paper, should P-."5i ; . ;Ve Methodifetv"-, i>.;;';-;'^;™rfiT T ED;.cg^ i-- :: ''','; it "was 1 , agreed. J by the '-joini;.'" conference !>.-','.'that.the'Rev. Dr. Younginon, President f::'':;Vof'^tfiei6ene^al ; i:'Au.stralosiW.'C6rifßfence< ;.''..;.■■'operi the United.Conference;: ''!. (;; ~-.' AfteribrieMcvotional'exercises,--tho.con-[V.; "■' fercrice' 'prooeeded to' the .election '~of p/y ..officers.'"!,'i*"". -, .' ,r,J .■.l'-'i' Ci'% : -. ,• ',"'.%■"-:;:;■' !.;:;'. ~ ,Ther»fbll6vinß-.--'''officers ';wer'e(elected:— ■ !; ;.',-, President, "thb 'Rev.'' .'.vice-presi-. ■f ■'■ .'.' deritiithe'Hori.':C;'.M'.';Liike; 'secretary^'the ;■-.•.'.-••':Eev.i ):'' i,-;tion of '.'president.; and 'secretary' "was laV k~'t. /rriost, iihanimo'ns, : arid' for. ''tho positiori.'df j:-".;.• ivjce^residen^every "voteo recorded ,was, I '■;'■!.:. cast for the ;H6n. C. ..Luke.!- .._' : > ':; <; ■ .• : Tlio' Rey. f;' : :■• ;conf(:ferj9'e.'!.- k Ho:'Baid ho'.woUld ftov. all' his ?;';■• ■.'Hfe.gFsteem-it a'.'very higf.distirictlon to S ;';.ha^e,',been, : {,<>' confer->:•;-•'■'■■'erice.': All : 'that was now, needed Ho'.coni-". f! i .-■ nleta.Methodist union under.rthe'Southern \tf:' 'JroSs was;the uniting;df;,the tworMethod[rs.- -. .ist.i'Churbh't's in'Tonga.'MTnion had' cbmo. l r '■• ; 'slowly ;|n jAustralaslfi! .it. as f'-':..;fthey .were, found -ready/for -iti ; " But. it ['.., ■'■\\as one thing to bring "about 'union, and E-; .;•■';'• another,, to it.a success.- .'There had;; \ ■;,;' -; already be'eri .much..labour arid -.many trials" ;; ;\, to be borne by .those Winging about.union, I; : ;i:.;but.he believed it'had'been.a good thing. ( ■■•'--■ -iT-'-It had. a'f qn'ce''' .'given ',the;,'Methb<lis.t aigfeat deal.more;social prestige, i■:-'''< 'and it had enabled';'the'' Church' .;to l-v ■■■■■. economise, its, resources,""and to' ! devote ■ 3'' ; ,more. .",-fully.. to 'lk6 •■ .'work'' of: $ :,.':. evangelisatr6ri.''- '.' The'Tnnion"'inight > mean''; ji ;'v ; ;that>there-'would 'be need' sometiines' for■ I, -X some''• self-effacement.". There : should' be' fcr'' , :.-''.'nb.',''insUr)era^l©"'dirfictill^'in,; i thls i rißgard,'' i'. *; ;for he had -been, pleased -i ,to'"notice how' f■'■,;■'. .Bmo^thly,-'the'negotiations.;. betWcen r ".tlio : r.-:' •; t\vo"%ectioiis:'t)f'.'-Methodists;-■ha'd ,I 'r'rlh"iu" f" /New Zealand up to the present; Hesnw \;VS,' in the conference,..evidences of force, inf '';..:;itelligenco; arid-devotiori'.' .''Methodists in f ibalised' that' a most-' important }'.■:/;'.',■ event was happening in New .'•' Zealand, lvv..'hn(VtheJ''.iopeu-itwouldbe;the beginning "■■- ( : V'-';:b£'a new era, of .a.yery true,.a .very, wides.';, spread, and a very permanent revival and I;' • succesa. -;v ■'■'.:'. :•:' '■'".'.'■'./.'.:'".'-.'.'. : -.-• [■,"":■' v /The Rbv.' 'Dr."'Mbrley,' tKe"btlibr-reprc-, t'':! ~: s entativ;e.ofvtne 'Australa»ian| Conference,' i.':' 'S- .congratulated the' officers' on "their elecj tion/i.JIe „>vas., yery-.glad.to be piblo to, [',■ .■"' congratulate the' Methodists |in ,New .Zeaf ; lo,ri(l bn*having "united, because he was old I.'.',;■.'. enough!tO"bave;known .thejresults of. disU- <-.'■ iaixiSiil . Heiridulgedin a :pumber-of-"per'-. f.;:?..'.,sonali.aridyother;,rerriiniscences,.connecte(l 1;,./; with;the growth/fand development.of tho r :..', Methodist Church. .He,noted with pleaf,; (sure the advances made in organisation \■'■'., . -in ,tliß Methodist .Church in the last forty ■ ff. years, and this organisation was being )£>:'. 'perfected by the rinion. For ho felt sure f' •; the two branches \of Methodism wero ?■>'.'.-';; going /to 1 merge into one church, and he j'.;|, /also ielt sure that although New Zealand i".■•;;was separated : from';Australia'; they.'.worild .-'■! bo'united in spirjt.t,; It would, bbVfl. very [•"';'; great gain to both '*» the -Australian arid r/:,,New.Zealand church'eV'Tf_:there'*,,s«'eTe.lbci. - . casional interchanges of rhiaisters-between, t' . them. Ho, ventured : to say that the !. evangelisation of tlie cities wasthe work '■'."now before the^Methodist. Church., They } . , must have no more bi'g.circuitsj.,' tliey; |r''"' must concentrate, in tlie; cjties,",for::;the f" -..drift: of population set \very. strongly UoV t : '■>'.-.■ ;the cities, and the';country Would bectfme'. V.-. ' 'Svhat "the. cities made it.:' :' - is '.■■•'■ The newly-elec'ted/.ofii<ieK.,were.' inducted ['.'>.,'■: by the Rev...l>l^"''Y6rihgm'an^"•v'■-'•''."-" l -'' s •'■• , is' - , The Rev. S. Lawry said ho'esteemed tho i honour donb him. in' being chosen presiv ."'■; ; dent the greatest Of t all.'his Mot '''He; had ! ; , worked steadily-for-thb" object of nnibri, j for,ho had seen,tlie.crjririg'need,",fi>r?ijt. ;.■■ s He did not think the' Union now'could be J >.'.- anything but ail ,unriuajined success, al- • i '■-,' though it was Jnie^.that .thereiwas ,much's| j',-•;.'.■; -work to: be don'e.";"'He prayed 'that"' tlie": ; . Messing .of God shouldi>bo. upon,.,the ' . -'-fcrence and upon the uniom= - s--- : . --■; '. .' -' The Hon. CM. Liiko acknowledged his f : -... ..election as vice-pTesident, confessing l that ;; 'he felt but ill-fitted to 'discharge "thb {'■■■' ; .-..-duties of that,,, responsible'' officer"' Ho' j- ; -'V- thanked God for the union, which/ho believed would be for tho extension-of His }■ Kingdom,. and for *.thj£>i.gpfJd #} riiarikind !;,'■ "in ouf conntry. S'f, '*•■§ 'i -j: -?',

TOWN HALL^MEETING*

!: THE SIGNING OF ] : ' I'UTUKB; ' : ;.:- v The Methodist churls of New, Zealand celebrated the •consummation of their i union in tho Town, Hnjl last evening.-'. At, ('■■ 6 p.m. there was .a.'.publie tea,', and/tires' 'attendance at it established a new record i for such functions in this city, a record f which will probably- ( stand unbeaten:; for : many years. ''■•■'■ '•■• . ■■'•-'••: •• '• *•'■ At eiffht o clock a public -meeting teas ' : '■ held, at .which the deed, of union, .was '■■'■' signed by the "repfeseritatlvds/'.appoirited. ~ by/the contracting parties. His Excel- :•■ •■ •" lency tho Governor, tho Earl of Liverpool. h'.. ; ■•-.■'. presided, and the,'. Prime -Jlinisjor, .(tho.. ' Hon. W. F. Masscy)- | WB,s-;»lsq : -present,. U:'' 'Others occupying, positions.'on ;th'e-plat-: "• ■ "'■' form were the Kev. S.'Lawry (first prcsi-- \ ■■'■■■ dent of the United ,Conferonco),,tho-Hon.. ■'■■■• C M. Luke (vice-president).; th 6 Tlov. GV !'• ' 11. Laws (secretary), thc'Ecv. Dr. Morlcy, ! : and the Kcv. Di\ Youhgm'an (representai tives from tho Australasian Conference),

tho Rev. Canon"Garland, and tho Mayor of Wellington (Mr. D. M'Laren). Every part of the auditorium was crowded. The Governor on Unity. His.. Excellency tbo Governor delivered a brief address. • '.'.'. ..:'." "I am very-glad," ho .said, "to preside to-night at tnd meeting which is the consummation iof tho -negotiations for the union of these' two churches. Wo who oclong to tho British Empire should bear in mind the fact that wo carry: into our "colonics and dominions our institutions and customs.-be they religious or bo they civil. Our forefathers never lost sight of anything which reminded , them -of the country from • which they came. (Applause.) Somo may belong to ono denomination, ami somo to anothor; that matters little when we consider the religious question from a broad point of view. (Applause.) Each church has its own views, it is true, but; none the less, each.church carries the mission of Christianity, and is .doing its best in every' way possible for -.those .who have need of ifS ministration. .'Let us for ono moment still further broaden these views. In these fnr-off dependencies there has been reared a popu-, lation which is the-younger generation of those'men who first cam© and carried out tho great work of developing, tho resources of this Empire. They speak tho samo language; they have'modelled, their Governments on the system existing in tho Mother Lantl, and it is becauso of these tiesthat the'basis of oiir'unity is king While you are sealing this union'' to-night, you niust keep in view at tnesniiie time thi3 other union to which I have alluded, a union which reh'gious bodies'can do so much to cement. This doss-hot mean that it is-the. duty of ministers of religion ■ to inculcate' these yiiws without co-operution. ' But it: is the unty of, all'who profess the tenets of Christirfriity<to see that; t,h6 younger generation is reared' in,these' "principles. (Applause.) In this way'will'you.not, only further tho. cause'of unity-'-in;-'religious matters, but you will.bind all,classes;and grades' together in of brotherhoocf which alono-tends*to maintain the great and united- Empire, banded together with common, ties, with., the peace and uVppiness,'.of the world." (Applause.)' The- Declaration., of "Union . was then .signed'"by tho' deputies 'appointed, and .their/signatures-wefb' attested by his Excellency, who afterwards handed the.sealed, document to the' President of the Con•ferencb (the Rev. S, -Lawry), ■■;'...;'■

j/.'.;;; - President's Address. ' ""The,Rev.- S;-I*iwryy.who next addressed "the-meeting; welcomed his' Excellency on ■behalf of Methodists of New Zealand, and : assured'him-of''.their linswervirig"loyalty •to tho'Sovereign..'-He/, ; further'expressed their great indebtedness ; to-his-Excellency for having .'agreed, to i>resjde attheirieet.'ing-. Ho held.it'ia.vcry .distinct' honour to;speak ■to tho audieHce. as 'tho' representative of Methodism in New Zealand. The question before them was what was 1 to be the future,of the Church in this."Country. Having grown up amongst ministers'and laity in the Methodist people, he-:elainied to.know'something of theni, ond';hrst of all ho would say that the' .Church must 'be faithful to the evangelical teachings handed down to it by their fathers. =rhey had wish to throw over the things which were precious to their fathers, and which had; made:.them what ..they.were foklay. Without .evangelical.'' experience and teaching there could be'. no 'Methodism ris'it was known to-day. Although, in; order to make this union, the Mgthodjisi[ Church, in New-Zealand had had to '■ sever \ its connection'.with;the Methodist iChureh in -Australia, and the Primitive •Methodist Church in Zealand had ha_d to sever connection.with the Primitive Methodist 'Church in Great Britian, only the geographical or visible bonds had b?en broken", the invisiblo bonds of sentiment and-amity werb'na strong as ever, and the. severance and. union had been .made with the full consent of both parent Churches. The Methodist. Church in New' Zealand would, he trusted, endeavour to meet of this new age. If they decided to go on as-their fathers went.they would not;act as. their fathers. ,had acted. There' were problems nowadays clamant for attention, which had 'not appeared en the social horizon in the days of. John. Wesley. /■. If . Methodism could not'adapt itself to the needs of the ;ago,.it •.must', fail, and "it would deserve -to fail because it would serve no useful purpose.' Even "the glorious > victories of. Wellington and Nelson could not be won tp : day: if ■they f had to fight; with the 1 same, weapons and,ships, and'thoso great fighters would bo the last to demand that they should use the same weapons and' the'same'means.' So with the Church, '•'new problems and new evils must beniet withTneiv' mean's and-, new weapons. The greatest- ecclesiastical opportunists of all ■time;'-"he'' said, -were 1 , St. Paul and John Wesley, : who' were • content to be all things to all'men-at all times, if by any means they could save some. The Methodist. Church in New Zealand would still develop ■' the missionary , spirit at home and abroad. -.The union would simply ■mean the setting free of a 'certain amount of energy in one place to be diverted to points now neglected. : The policy of the Church must-still be progressive and "aggressive, that they -might do their own part towards,the evangelising of the, world. .. ; , -■'■ '-■•.-'■:.'.• '■. ■ '

Service the" Greatest. Honour,

.His, Excellency'thanked: the audience for the great..welcome given him as the representative'of ■ his' Majesty the King. Whenhe first came to New.. Zealand he had taken, 'first 'opportunity to. convey to the peo,ple of New 1 Zealand his ;Majesty's' messa'ge: '■ ''Tell the people .pf'New Zealand that.l take tho : greatest, interest;in .their country : and in their .doings"! He had always held, as he be-, lieved ■ everyone'.'in the room held, that, the highest .honour'that 'could • he ■'con-' ferred. upon-'a subject, was to' be called . to' do something, ■ great or.small, for his '•Kingand' country. While in this Dominion he would do his best and hardest to do whntover ho could for the good of this country. /■'."'

Good Wishes from Australia. The Rev. Dr. Youngman said, they were all very grateful to hear Irom his Excellency that .religion was one, ;of 'the .bonds-{.holding: theEmpire together.' .Some,of them were old fashioned enough', to'' believe that religion was the bond that was g'bing to cement the Empire, and not i only thevEmpiro,, but the world together in peace and prosperity.; 'Every Methodist ought.'to glory, in the" name' Methodism, a term which connoted /experience and ' evangelism. ' The •Methodist of the future'mUst be known as &■ man, With a warm heart, a clear and sound head, and a righteous will. iThe Eov. Dr. Morley conveyed the good ; ; w;ls_he"Of: the Methodists of Australia to tho Methodists of New Zealand for success in their newly-achieved independence and unity. Ho recalled how.in the early days in New Zealand, in the days of tho Maori wars, there had been serious strife :jn {this colony, but now ho was glad that the p'akelia and the Maori lived in peace and unity. But the heroic work of colo-nisation-was going on in those days, and the fathers of the present generation built 'well, and people were fiving now iti luxury as a result.. He congratulated them,upon it, but he bid them noi to forget-what their fathers had done, rHe reminded thorn of the dream of the great pro-Consul, Sir George Grey, that New Zealand should be the head and centre of !hvconfederation of the islands of tho Pacii'flc.,, i'Ho was sorry that dream had not i-been/made to corao truo;'probably it would have been better for the Erapiro if tho scheme had been carried nut. New Zealand had set an example in loyalty to that,'Enipiro which, he thanked God, was w.orth"' fighting for. Ho sketched the growth" of the centres of population in New Zealand, and with their growth Methodism had progressed. He urged ,tho church'in New Zealand to maintain its honourable record in activity in forcing on mission work. He was t thankful to be at the meeting, and thankful to see that: Wellington Methodists could still c'rriwd' tho Town Hall.

The Hon. C. M. Luke said ho was exceedingly pleased to be present at tho celebration of the unity of Methodist churches in New Zealand. By the consummation of the union he believed better; results would'be achieved for the <r'ood of the kingdom of God. He believed that the union was only tho fore-' runner, of a greater unity—an indication that the'time was coming when a union of all. Christian churches would be possible. vTlic time had already come when be co-operation.'