METHODIST CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1670, 10 February 1913, Page 6

METHODIST CHURCH.

r THE CONFERENCE. ADDRESS TO THE GOVERNOR. i .Y'i The cqpference of the United Methodist Church'of Zealand was resumed on Snturday'morning. Tho vice-president, tho Hon." C. M. Luke, was in tho chair. On the motion of tho Rev. J. A. Luxford, tho conference adopted tho following form of address to his Excellency the Governor, and Ordered that it. bo transmitted to him:— "To his Excellency the Right Hon. Arthur Saville, Earl of . Liverpool;' "May it Excellency,—. "Tho-members'of' the conference of . the Methodist GhMrch of New Zealand . assembled.in Wellington desire to approach your Exc'e)loncy with' assurances of devotion >'a)n'd loyalty, and to tender to your Excellency congratula- , tions on your appointment as'repre- - eontativo of his Maji?sty in this Dominion. Permit, ug ft) v assuro your Excellency that our welcome is cordial and, unreserved. ' " '"; ■ "To the Throne .andYpc-reon of his Most Gracious Majesty,! King George, we cherish a profound" and loving ', loyalty, and wo pray .-that in tho providence of God our bfeloVed King may enjoy a long, prosperous, - and happy reign. ■ '. . •■'■*' ' ■•: • . ■ ■'•'Wo pray that .the blessing of God may rest upon your Excijlltmcy and tho Countess of Liverpool s ,'duhng your resident in New Zealand, 1 that your Excellency may b9 privileged,!© see tho people of this Dominion; adynnce in .. spiritual, : moral, and material 1 power, and that ypur Excelloncy'.jna'y'always ' have happy memories of ; tion as' his. Majesty's representative with this oversea Dominion. '*<•' t "On behalf of the conferencei'l "We.have the honour uf, be, your • Excellency's humble serf ants, ."S.'LAWRY (president)'.* • "C. M. LL'KE (vice-preii'dent). "C. H. LAWS (secretary;)." i The. Examination' Committee mended, and' it was' agreed,* • that John D. M'Arthur, Edward BanaV'Harry Cottom, and Joseph B. Suckling bo ;" acl- 1 ;nutted as ministers into full connection with tho conference. ' .{.

Probationers.were passed in their respective years as'follow:—Albert F. Burcliell, William A. Burley, M.A., Charles H. Olds, 'James Richards, Archer- O. Harris, Harold A; Sharp. Alexander Allen, Walter J. Enticot.y Arthur Hopper, William Lea, Leslie B."Neale, Horace :L. Richards, James Chart'eris,' Fred. Ffo'jst, Clyde L. Carr, Matthew- J % Evans, Robsrt B. Gosnell, Henry H. Marshall, John il. 'Parsons, Arthur H. Serivin, William Walker, William A. • Watson, •; Samuel 'J. : Werren. . 1

t Preachers received on probation' wereGeorge B. Hinton and Arthur A. Bensley. The following candidates were received for theological training:—Percy Batley (Richmond); Stanley Cross (Palmorsfon South), Harold T. Peat (New Plymouth) Erne-st E..!Sage (Ashburton), George B; Sheridan. (Christchurch). Messrs. Batlev and Peat were received for immediate' 'employment, and Mr. Sheridan was received for training with a recommendation that "he bo admitted to the college aa opportunity offers. ' . . 1 The committee, dealing with theological training, recommended that the Collego Committee be directed to make arrangements for three additional students, and that the following be recommended for admission:—R. R.Gordon, S. J. Moeeridire. E. T. Olds, W. G.Slade, and Jas Char' teris, tho additional cost of. .£IBO to be met as follows:—From tho contingent fund, ~£120; from tho Primitive Methodist student fund, If they could not find accommodation inithe building, they proposed to purchase and erect a tent for the accommodation of the- three extra students.-. ■.*. . ■■'~ .

The' report was adopted. Messrs. Georgo Kirkwood, Davis Wilcox, and Edward Te'-'Puhi were passed in their respective .'year's las'"Nativo -preachers on probation. . "- -■

In the afternoon the delegates, with a number of others of the Methodist community of Wellington, went for a harbour .excursion to Day's Bay, where they spent an enjoyable afternoon. ;

. '■ A.CAMP MEETING. ■'.'''". GATHERING ON THE BASIN UESERVE. ~,.. , . -• j' A camp meeting, or, in other words, ah ; open-air service, was held at tho Basin Reserve yesterday afternoon in connection with'tho'Methodist Conference. The weather was. perfect, a glorious siin shining "out of still, clear heavens. -The seating accommodation in front of the grandstand was. filled, whilst the overflow extended on : to the paths ■ and adjacent bonks. The service was led by the Hon. C. M. Luke, , and , addresses, readings, hymn singing, and selections by the Central Mission Band were given during the afternoon. v The Rev. Mr., Brooks, in the MUKc.of a short address,'!, remarked that ;they were told that there were a" great many, people who, think that ;the. Gospel of;. Christ has lost its power.and emphasis, and that it is no longer suitable to the age in which we live. Jesus Christ, he.said; was just as much the Saviour of tho sinner to-day as ever He was, and' there was the same need of him as ever. We might-be more highly educated and ■ more progressive to-<lay, but putting'all the emphasis''possible on education and social polish; these things did not touch the. question unless a.man had faith'in 'the.Gospel of, Christ. This, would give a' man that character and persistency to carry him through: . We should get into' living personal touch with Christ. • Thero was only ono way of doing this,'and it was a personal matter with each and everyone, everything dopending on the personal surrender to the' Lord Jesus Christ. The speaker urged all who had not done so to make this personal surrender and enthrone the' Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts.

The Rev. J. Cocker also addressed <he meeting, and incideptally he TemaTked that camp meetings had onco upon a time .been ; conderaned.- He, however, 'was glad that jthey were celebrating the union of the two Churches by a good old-fashioned camp 'meeting. Open-air treatment of their religion would, make it the more vigorous and health/. Personally ho liked the old-fashioned religion. He liked to get back to the Cross. This was tho theology he tried to preach, and if it were old-fashioned he could not help it. No-man, unless he know his sins wefo forgiven, could, said' Mr. Cocker, claim that he was a Christian. There were many, from tho highest to tho most lowly, that needed forgiveness', and it was only by faith in Jesus' Christ that- sin could ho forgiven. ■ •

SERMON BY REV. C. E. WARD. Preaching at Sydney .Street Methodist Church yesterday mornin?, the Rev. C. E. Ward, of Christchurch,' took a 9 his text. "He Shall Baptise you with tho Holy Ghost and with fire." Ho said that Methodism was one of the great facts of Christianity—and Christianity was tho mightiest pow.ir in the world to-day, ever appealing to the best in mon. Tho union that took placo on Thursday wns the last ;progressvvi:i step thrrfb Methodism had made. The growth :,of Methodism under the-. Southern Cross 5 was indeed wonderful. When, the Battle of Waterloo was being fought by that great soldier after whom this city was named, the first Methodist missionary, tho Rev. Samuel Liegh, was on,his way to Australia and New Zealand, nnd now they could bo counted by hundreds of- thousands—both white nnd bronze. Tho special need of the new Church was a baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.