Feilding Wesleyari Church

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 100, 14 February 1891, Page 2

Feilding Wesleyari Church

An interesting' meeting in celebration of the Jubilee was 'held in ' tbis Church last merht. The Rev. \V. Cannell presided, who gave a brief outline of his introductory experience in . New Zealand as a probationer 30 years ago. The principal speaker was the Rev. W. Morley, who stated- that this' Jubilee" celebration was of the opening of the European churches, the. Maori missions -having been established 20 years previously* He dwelt on the significance of the term jubilee to the children of Israel, and gave a graphic description of the rejoicing which would ensue if the year of l'nbilee could be ' carried out at the' present day ; he also spoke of the importance of small churches, giving practical illustrations, notably, the Rev. Win. Arthur, whose early life was spent in a village whose Methodist congregation never exceeded 60, and which church had been regularly receiving aid. The following statistics were given by Mr 'Morley— At the present time there are " 464 Methodist congregations, about 200 of whom have no churches of their own r the number of ministers is about 80 -with 3 to 4 hundred . local preachers, and 300 Sunday Schools; the adherants of the Wesleyau Church numbering one in 12 of the whole population of New Zealand. Several sum's were promised to the Jubi- . lee Fund which is being raised for aggressive wor!:. Daring the evening selections of music were rendered by the choir with instrumental accompaniment. The attendance was very good considering the unfavorable state of the weather