DISTRICT METHODIST SYDNOD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2305, 12 November 1914, Page 3

DISTRICT METHODIST SYDNOD

MEETING AT MASTERTON. (By Toleeraph.—Bpeciel Correspondent.) Masterlon, November 11.

The financial session of the Wellington District Methodist Synod' opened here to-day. The Itev. J. Serpell (President of the Now Zealand Conference) presided. '•

After a lengthy debate it was resolved that it be a recommendation to the conference that the Levin-Otaki circuit be divided as follows, provided only that a home missionary with a suitable grant be appointed to reside at Paraparaumu, at the southern end:—(a) The Levin, circuit to include Levin, Koputaroa Arapaepao, and the district north of the •Waikanae Hiver, with one'married minister; (b) the Otaki'Circuit to include Otaki, Manakau, Te Horo, Waikanae,; Paraparaumu, Paekakariki, Waihonga, and Otaki Sanatorium, with one married minister and a home missionary. .

It was resolved that South W'airarapa should fulfil its obligation to provide for a married minister, with the aid of a suitable home missionary.

A return was presented showing the state of the circuit funds in the district. It'snowed that only one circuit (Taranaki Street) had a credit balance, the others having debit balances of varying amounts. A return showed there were forty churches in the district, and thirty' other preaching places," 23 schoolrooms, 13 parsonages, 1 probationer, 3 deaconesses, 81 local preachers, 12 class leaders, 2539 > members on roll, 10 on 'probation, 469 junior members, 1661 communicants, 61 young people's societies, 6 bands of hope, ana 8588 attendants on public worship. ' Sunday school returns showed thero were 48 schools in the district, 427 teachers-on the roll, 4132 scholars on the roll (271 of these were church members), with an average attendance of 2802; 938 names on the cradle roll, 8660 works in school libraries ; 202 in Young Men's Bible Classes, and 260 in Young Women's Bible Classes:

The district secretary for church properties (Mr. H. T.' H. Grave) presented his annual report. The financial po'si-' tion of every, church property throughout the entire district was .fully reviewed, and the report showed that, the Snancial •' position on the whole " wasj most satisfactory. 'Mr. Grave was thanked for the excellent report, which was adopted, and Mr. Grave's reappointment to the position was' unanimously recommended. It was decided to recommend that a home missionary be' stationed at the new Otaki circuit.

The position of the Eketahuna. cir-. cuit was' sympathetically, considered, and it was decided to endeavour to raise £100 towards liquidating the building debt. A resolution was passed protesting against, Parliament refusing -to lessen the iniquitous' and unfair handicap of the three-fifths majority on the liquor question, and that the time was ripe for an effectual use of influence for', the removal of the disability."

A Naval and Military Committee was sot up, with an advisory committee, to consider, and carry out plans for the effective ;work of '„ the .Methodist Church among the naval-and military forces. A resolution ■~was passed opposing a change in the' itinerary by 21 votes to 12. ~''■•■'■

The synod passed a resolution strongly urging those interested to use influence to secure a referendum on the Bible-in-Sphools question in the next Parliament. OTAGO METHODIST SYNOD. . (By T«l«gro,i>h—Prosa ' Aeßoolfttioa.l Dunedin, November 11. At a meeting of the Otago' District Methodist Synod held to-day, a motion was carried in favour of altering the law of the Church to provide that a minister may .not be appointed by conference for more than ten years in succession to any Church or. premises appointment or reappointment to be an annual one, each appointment for the fourth year and thereafter to bo made only on the request of a two-thirds majority vote of those present at the September quarterly meeting, and the Stationing Committee not to be permittod to station a minister for moro than five years unless the proposal be carried 'by a two-thirds majority of reserves of those present and voting.