WESLEYAN CONFERENCE, DURHAM STREET.

Globe, 31 January 1877, Page 3

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE, DURHAM STREET.

The Conference assembled on Mondaytnorning at ten o'clock. After devotional exercises and confirmation of minutes, the usual business waß resumed. Mr 0. W. Turner moved—" That the sura of £l6O, placed on the estimates for the support of students in the theological institution, be increased in order that two probationers now in circuit, be sent to the inuti ration for further training." Mr Turner, in sneaking to his motion, pointed out how church fuuds are crippled by being required for the support in whole or in part ot illequipped mipisters. The motion was with-

drawn, on the understanding that the stations next year would be so arrauged that special facilities for study would be provided for the yonng men in question. It was agreed that instead of the £203 voted on Saturday to Mornington, Dunedin, the sum of £IOO be substituted. 1 The estimated expenditure of the home mission fund for the ensuing ye-".r was £1764; the estimated income was £1462, which amount is to be raised as follows:—Auck land £IBO, Thames £25. Waikaio£io, Manukau, £2O, New Plymouth, £3O, Wanganui £45, Rangitikei, £.lO, Patea £5, Manuatu, £lO, Wellington £IOO, Nelson .£3O, Hutt £2O. Napier £lO, Motueka £5, Blenheim £2O, i-okitika £lO, Grey mouth £ls, Christchurch £l5O, St Albans £3O, Lyttelton £2O, Springstou £ls, Leeston £ls, Kaiapoi £ls, Rangiora £2O, Timaru £2O, Waimate £lO, Temuka £5, Dunedin £3O, Port Chalmers £lO, Mornington (Dunedin) £IOO, Balclutha £5, Invercarpill £2O, Oamaru £lO, mission properties, £372. It was moved by the Rev W. Morley—- " That th 3 thanks of the Conference be presented to the Rev T. Buddie, secretary of the home mission fund, and Messrs Prime and Turner, treasurers, for their services during the paßt year." Passed unanimously. The Revs T. Buddie and W. Morley, with Messrs Turner and Harris, were appointed a committee to revise the proposed constitution of the Home Mission Society, and report to the Conference. It was agreed, on the proposal of the R«v A. R. Fitchett, that in future deputations be appointed to circuits to aid in holding missionary meetings. It was agreed that a report of the Home Missionary operations for the year be printed under the direction of the executive committee. It was reported that £167 2a lid had been raised during the year for Foreign Missions. The Rev A. Reid moved the following resolution :—" That this Conference recordß its devout gratitude to Almighty God for the Buccees with which He has been pleased to favor the Mission to the Islands of New Britain and New Ireland, and earnestly commend this enterprise to the prayers and sympathies of the Wesleyan Methodist Churches of New Zealand." The following were appointed the book committee for the ensuin g year—The mini stc-rs of the Christchurch, St Albans, Lyttelton, Springston, Kaiapoi, and Rangiora circuits, with Messrs Gould, Turner, Harris, Ballantyne, Mouldy, Cumberworth, J. L. Wilson, H. Jones, R. Wood, W. Lawry, Blackwell, and Joseph Thompson. It was moved by the Rev W. Morley and seconded by Mr Lawry—" That the thanks of the Conference be presented to the Rovs A. R. Fitchett and James W. Wallis for their able and efficient conduct of the New Zealand Wesleyan for the past year." The Rev A. R. Fitchett declined re election to the editorship of the Wesleyan in consequence of the distance of hia residence from Christchurch. By the unanimous vote of the Conference the Rev W. Morley wes appointed to the editorship in Mr Fitchett's place. The report of the theological institution, at the Three Kings, near Auckland, was brought up by the secretary of the Conference. The report was considered highly satisfactory. The institution contains three European and eight Maori students, and is uuder the superintendence of the Rev T. Buddie, the classical and mathematical teaching being conducted by the Rev Dr Kid-1. The financial report of the institution showed that about £IOOO had been expended in buildings and furniture to begin the institution ; the ordinary expenditure for tho nine months of the year amounted to £529. The thanks of the Conference were presented to the Rev T. Buddie, for his efficient conduct of the institution, and his reappointment was agreed to. The committee of the institution was reappointed, and their names were ordered to be printed. Mr Turner brought up a series of resolutions upon the formation of a Wesleyan Methodist Church Extension Association for the colony, which had for their object the better organisation of the Home Mission work. These resolutions were adopted. It was agreed to hold the next Conference at Wellington, beginning on Thursday, January 17th, 1878. Tho Bev W. Morley and Mr Gould were appointed a committee toarrange terms with the Union S.S. Company for travelling to future Conferences and ministers' removals. On the motion of the Rev A. Reid, the Conference recommended the formation of branches of the English Wesleyan SundayKchool Union in all the districts in New Zealand. On the motion of the Rev J. Berry the Conference agreed to recommend to all the Sunday schools in connection with the church, the adoption of the lessons and notes upon the lessons issued by the Wts leyan Sunday School Union in London. It was agreed that permission bo given to the trustees of Grahamstown Church Thames, to sell the church upon the terms mentioned in a telegram from the secretary of the trust to the Conference. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr Turner, that the consideration of various recommendations to the General Conference be deferred until the next annual Conference, which immediately precedes the General Conference. A resolution upon the temperance question was adopted, and ordered to bo printed in the minutes of the Conference. A conversation arose upon the desirability or otherwise of forming a fire insurance society for all properties belonging to the Conference; the Bev J. Crump and Mr Manchester were appointed to consider the matter and report to the next Conference. A committee was appointed, consisting of the minieters and circuit stewards of the three Christchurch circuits, to correspond with any committees appointed by the other Methodist Churches in the colony, on the subject of Methodist union. It was agreed to recommend to the general Conference that iuvitatious to ministers shall in future issue from the September Quarterly Meetings, instead of December as heretofore. Prayer having been offered by the Rev T. Huddle, the business of the Conference, eonmating oE ministers and laymen, came to a close. In the evening a special session of the Conference, consisting of ministers only, wss held. A list of books, containing a course of rending for probationers, was brought up by the Bev J. Berry, and passed the Conference. The stations of ministers for the ensuing year was than finally fixed. The alterations agreed upon were as follows:—Christchurch, Colombo road, J. S. Smalley; Christchurch, Hast belt, W. Worker; Springston, Joseph ■ Berry; Aehburton, W. B. Martin; Waimate, U. Ellis; Dunedin, Mornington, J. J. Lewis; Nelson, Richmond, T, F, Reeve; Motueka, J.

T, Shaw; Kumara, W. 8. Harper; Napier, J. H. Simmonds; Rangitikei, S. Lawry; Manuatu, W. Oannell, T. G. Hammond ; Pukekoe, S. Garhck. It was directed, upon the motion of the Rev A. 8. Fitchett, that a letter be sent to the Rev F. 0. Dewabury, expressing the sympathy of the Conference with him in his long and severe fcffl'ction. It was agreed that Mr S. Lawry, who has completed his studies at the Three Kings Institution, be anpointed to a circuit. The Rev A. Reid moved, and it was agreed —" That the Homo Missionaries in the Otago district be under the direction of the chairman." The Rev E. Neilaon, who has been laboring hitherto as a missionary to the Scandinavians, was received as a minister on probation. The Conference adjourned until 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning.