Primitive Methodist Connexion.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 75, 25 September 1895, Page 2

Primitive Methodist Connexion.

This Church is the second largest Methodist Church in the British Empire; and has a membership of 200,000, and 600,000 adherents, 1120 ministers, and 16,728 local preachers, 600,000 scholars and teachers, and the Connexion pro* perty is valued at j;63,708,143. It has four colleges, three of which are for the training of young men, and one for the training of young women. It has an evangelists' home, an orphans' home, a book room, and publishing premises, additions to which have cost £10,000 during the last "year.' It has 'social missions in London, Manchester, and other places, when the Gospel 'is preached and the poor are fed and* clothed. There are branches of the Church in all parts of the United Kingdom, the Australasian colonies, in different parts of Africa, and America. As the Connexion has only been in existence for little over eighty years, its progress has been phenomenal, whilst its democratic policy is adapted to the democratic spirit of the times. Primitive Methodism was introduced into this colony over fifty years ago by the Eev. Robert Ward. For a number of years progress of the work was slow owing to the missionaries confining their labors alniosfc exclusively to the Maoris, es? pecially during the time of'&ie' to But in 'this land the Church has no need to be ashamed of its record. At the present time there are in New Zealand 24 stations or circuits with 126 Churches or preaching places, 28 ministers, and 2 home missionaries, 128 local preachers; about 5,000 scholars and teaqligrgj 'liStMJ members, "and' Church property to thla value of £80,412. With a debt of only one-fifth the original cost, the value of Church property averages about j£2o per member. The Church in this town was built in the year 1876 by the Rev. Mr Standing, and was one of the first building in the, towi?, and it became the ileioj of a large station which stretched from Foxton'to Halcombe, and from Woodvillel to Campbelltown. The one station has beeij divided into three, with three ministers laboring then;.' ' The town has grpwn since those early days and even " the Makiho, which was then a murmuring brook across whioh the boys used to leap quite easily, has become 'a rushing torrent in time of flood, and though during the years that nave passed the members have worked hard in reducingthe debt on the Church, making alterations, they determine^ some time ago to enlavgo and beautify the Church to keep up with the times, and accommodate the increased congregations. This has been done, and the Church will be re-opened on Wednesday, October 2nd, by flap Mayoi? of Wellington. In 'tfcd evening $ tea and public^ nieeting : wtfi be held, to be presided over T>y- F. 1? Lethbridge, Esq., when addresses wjfy be given by speakers from n.ear and feft and' a special choir and orchestra have prepared special musical" items. The services i« connection with the re. opening will be conducted on Sunday October 6tb, and on Wednesday, 9tu October, a sale of woisk and concert will be held in the Assembly Rooms, to be opened by the Mayor of Feilding. A busy week is expected,