WESLEYAN CONFERENCE AT PLYMOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1848, 6 September 1913, Page 9

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE AT PLYMOUTH.

MARKS OF TRUE METHODISM. After an interval of eighteen years tho Wesleyan Conference met 11 July for the second time in its hi'storj in Plymouth. During itliat period muc water has flowed under the Metliodisl bridgo (says the. "Christian- World and proposals .which were considered iul vanced and daring in 1895 have now he come practical politics. The pcrsonrie ' of the Conference, too, • has great-li changed, and the names of tlio major ' ity of those who sustained the cine: part in the debates then- aro now onl: 5 a memory, and a now generation hoty: " the field. The place of meeting,'liow >' ever, King Street Chapel, was the same , and there is tho identical ugly plattorn ' which allows tlio occupants of tho Ironpews to see lit-tlo or nothing of tin 3 "venerables" who are seated there. 1 Tho opening exorcises were not un 3 duly prolonged, and in a short tinio wi v.-ero all standing to sco tho passing o ; tlio presidential insignia from tho hand; of Mr. Wiseman to tlioso of Mr. Col 5 lier. In a few clioiccly-phrased sen 3 fences the ex-president said that tin ' name of "Collier of Manchester" wa: 3 known in all quarters if the globe, an< ' that through his work in that cit.v tin i Methodist Church had been ablo to di something towards pointing tlio way t< ' tho solution of somo of tho great prob i»ims in tho social condition of tho An 5 plo-Saxon race. It was fitting that on. should ho called to fill John Wesley' chair who had done so much to appl; to tho needs of tho present generatioi tho spiritual ideals of that great leader ! As a Church they needed at tlio pre > sent time the word of strategy and com ; maud, and tliey were confident that ii j their new president they would find it In formally accepting office tho presi dent spoke modestly of his sense of th- ) honour conferred upon him; confossini - that lib was not a Wise-man but onl; a Collier—and yet a Collior who ha< , liover been on strike or out of work - Requesting the Conference to be i ho proceeded to give a proof of his cali k l>ro J>.v delivering one of the most time! 1 : and courageous addresses of recen 1 years. Although much longer thai . usual, it did not flag in interest _o: - vigour; "its excellence justifies it.' - length", was tho comment on over; hand. i Methodism, said Mr. Collier, in com s moil with all the churches, was passinf - through a tinio of transition and test ) ing. Men wero doubting tlio power ant , efficiency of tlio churches to meet mod - ern needs, and wero regarding then i as colourless and worn-nut institutions . or wero criticising them as being oui i of sympathy with the people. Tlio question -tion tho eonfcronco had to faco was "Had Methodism a message for .to dav?" Methodism had stood from tlu ! first for, "a distinctive presentation o! ; tlio Gospel, and its outstanding charac t toristic was fervent, aggressive, defini ito evangelism. Their ' fathers ■ knov ; little of "defence, but (they wore for : midablo in attack. It was part of tin ■ mission of Methodism to revive tlio emoI tional in religion; a passionless evango ; was useless. The need of . tlio hour was i a revival of glowing evangelistic ferI vour, combined with tho note of certainty in their preaching and cxperi

enco. Too many people wore busy (lis* sectiug or elso defending tho Gos|jel, when they ought to bo heralding it with triumphant confidenco. Men were tired of nogativo criticism, and their appeal' would only bo effective according as it was positive. That did not moan that tho spirit ,of Methodism was intolerant of criticism and research. Thoro was far rnoro liberty of thought among thorn than was generally supposed, and Methodism, liko her founder, crampcd 110 man's mental outlook. Anothor characteristic of early Methodism was tho appeal to experience. Nothing was more remarkable than th'o emphasis laid by modern writers aud,ithiiikers on the testimony to experience as the-sovereign verification or tho reality of the spiritual life, but in .this way they wero anticipated by "Wolso.v, whose appoal to experimental religion constituted his great contribution to tho lifo and thought of tho Christian Church. A re- ■ vived, joyous spiritual experience would solvo all their difficulties and bring i about a speedy. revival of religion. Yet another important characteristic of 1 early Mothodism was its closo touch with tho democracy and its luiowledgo and sympathy with the needs of tho people. Wesley, was essentially philanthropic, and his programmo anticipated many modern popular schemes of social reform. Tho Churches wero blamed for neglect of social reform, but they had played a far moro. important part in creating tho present eagerness for such reform, and m raising up tho very men 1 who were tho leaders of it, than they, ■ got credit for. Many of tho social reformers of tho last fifty years, and the first and more prominent leaders of tho Labour party wero born of Methodist stock and trained in Methodist schools. Public opinion ought, therefore, to bo fair to the churches in this respect, and givo them their due. Tho Church of to-day was fully recognising that ita business was to brink, tho universality of the Gospel into the region of actuality, and refusing to bo captured by tho politician, or dragged at the heels of a party, or itempted to mako capital out of a popular cry, they, must reooguiso wrongs that existed, teach tho principles of right social relationships, help to create .a national and civio oonscicnce, and ' co-operato with tho State where tliero wero evils to bo exposed and fought, and strategic positions to bo occupied by tho best men. There was a mighty reserve of strength" still in Methodism, and if' this could he called out into activo service tlioy could adequately, moot tho .needs of the hour. The now standing orders stato that' tho president's address .must bo followed by the conversation on tho work of God.' It was opened as usual by tho ox-presi-dent, who said that as a result of what ho had seen'and heard all over the coimttry during his year of office, he waa 1 convinced that there was throughout Methodism a growing desire for-a deepened spiritual life. Ho .did not at all agreo with his distinguished fellowtowsuman, Sir Oliver Lodge, in his assertion that men wero not troubled about sin to-day, but ho believed thaib tha real root of all modern unrest was the consciousness of sin. The time was ripo for a. great evangelistio campaign. The Rev. William Goudio reported on tho progress.of tho Missionary Ceutein* j ary Movement, which culminates in October next with a series of great gatherings ih London and tho provinces. I Towards tho Thaukoffering Fund in connection with tho celebration they had up to tho present received promises totalling £151,374, of which £103,242 had already been paid into the Mission House. They still required £50,000 in addition to what tlioy had in sight, if they wero to reach the quarter of a million guineas which they sfct out two years ago to obtain. It was well within the capacity of tho-Methodist people *co givo this, but there would be 110 badgering or dragooning of an unwill0' ing church. The fund would bo closed 6 in October, whatever tho amount realiso ed might ho. i- ' Tliero woro- four vacancies in tho Legal Hundred, one-of which was filled " up by tho nomination by the Irish Con--3 ferenco of tho Rov. William Budd. lo !. tho other vacancies, tho Revs. Henry o lia|jb, of Dovonport, Richard Lloyd [- Jones, of Bagilt, and Arthur Hoyle, of ■. Leeds, wero elected. For tlio presio dency next year, tho Rev. Dinsdalo 1. : Young, of London, received tho highest o number of votes, and the Rev. Simpson o Johnson for tho secretaryship.