METHODISM

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 31, 6 February 1913, Page 2

METHODISM

m BUSINESS AT YESTERDAY'S CON* FEKENCE. The Primitive Methodist Conference waa continued in Webb-flfcrflet Church yesterday t afternoon, the Hon. C. M. Luke presiding. The report of the Youth 1 of the Church and Orphanage Committee presented by Mr. J, H. Pugh, recorded a decrease in the total membership, and in one or two departments, but an increase in other departments, notably the Christian Endeavour. The report was received. In tho report o! the Bnilding Committee, the church property was stated as 80 churches, 41 other meeting places^ and 46 houses, of a total value of £80,346 ; with a debt approximating £20,000. Buildings erected during the year in* eluded new brick church at Tim&ru, Young Men.** Institute at Invercargill, new church at Foxton, addition tjo church . at Shannon. FIRE INSURANCE. The Fire Insurance Cominitt»>e reported that, during the past year it had suffered the largest lobb it had ever experienced by the destruction of the Foxton Church. But for this losa the profits for the year would have been a record (£221). Actually the profits amounted to £121. The value of the assets of the fund, all interest-earning, was £2276., as against £2153 last year. On the suggestion pf the Auckland Synod a Bum of £16 was voted to the Rev. Ja*. Cocker, editor of the New Zealand Primitive Methodist, in reduction of expenses incurred by him in the course of 1m editorial work. The Pub* lishihg Committee reported a, profit of about £15 on the year's work. The report of the Superannuated Ministers and Widows and Orphans' Fund was to the effect that greater progress was made last year than in any previous year. The fund had increased by £553 6s 3d, and the balance of assets over liabilities was now £5420 2s Id. It was reported that the income of the Home Mission Fund had been £763 14s 6d, and of the Unified Fund £705 13s sd. The Jubilee Loan Fund was reported to stahd at £1532 7s. STUDENTS TO BE PASSED. On the recommend ation of the Examining Committee, it was resolved that the following student* be passed in their respective years :— Fourth year : Harry Cottom, 524 marks ; Joseph B. Suckling, 529 marks j Edward Bandy, 531 marks. Third year : Archer Harris, 483 marks j Harold Sharp, 512 marks. Second ycav : Frederick Frost, 513 marks; James Chartem, 419 marks. The threo students who passed in their fourth year were recommended for ordination. INVITATIONS TO MINISTERS. A recommendation was made by thp Stationing Committee that the following cases of invitations to ministers be deemed special cases, and referred as such to the Stationing Commitleo to bo set up by the United Conference :— Wellington District— Wellington 1., «£& J» .Coßgyaj, fourth x©jjr_i SVeUiiitf. ,

ton 11., llev. W. &. Pottoi. fifth year ; Feilding. P.ev. .). Sharp, fouilh year. Auckland Distvict—Aucklnnd 11., Rev. I\. Raine. fifth year. Canterbury District— Geraldine. Rev. O. H. Mann, ninth year. Otago and Southland District— Dunedin 11., Hey. E. Drake, fourth year. t U was stated that the recommendation was necessary to prevent any difficulties being put later in the way of acceding to the wishes of the congregations concerned. ENGLISH CONFERENCE. A report upon fche lecent English Conference was made by the Rev. Q. H. Mann, New Zealand delegate thereat. He had, he said, been able to remove o,uite a number of serious misunderstandings in respect to the work of iho Church here. Had what he had been" able to do been done many years ago it would have prevented a great deal of trouble and misconception. He was tstruck by the enormous leakage in Church membership which occurred on the journey between England nnd Now Zealand," and was certain it would never bo stepped until some statesmanlike plan for dealing with it were evolved. nTr. Mann was thanked for his Very, valuablft eevviceß and his report. ( Delegates to the English Conference in 1913 were appointed as follow :— Ministerial, Rev. 1 J. D. Jackson * vice* ■ ministerial, Rev. Henry Gool 5 lay, Mr. Watkmson ; vice-lay, Mr. Holmes.