WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1800, 27 November 1879, Page 3

WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Wednesday, November 26. The meeting was opened with the usual devotional services at 10 a.m. The Bev. J. H. Simmonds, Timaru, took his seat. The Secretary read the record for the previous day. Preliminary to the financial meeting, to bo held on Thursday, the charges likely to be made upon the connexional funds were estimated. Onp item gave rise to some discussion.

The Rev. H. S. Harper wished to bring before the notice of the meeting the fact that the charges.for the eonnexional funds for the Temuka circuit had heen remitted by last Conference. The Bey. J. S. Smaller inquired if such charges had actually been remitted. The Kev. W. S. Harper replied that application for their remission had been made, and as no reply had been received, silence had been taken for consent. [Laughter.] The Chairman wished it to be distinctly understood that the Annual Conferences had no power to remit the payments due from the circuits to the various connexional funds. All that could be done in such cases was for the circuits desiring remission to make application for a grant from the contingent fund equal to the amount of the charges. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Rev. Te Kote, of Raupaki (interpreted by the chairman), in reporting on his work among the Natives of Canterbury for the year, said that he wished he could give a more satisfactory account of his work than he was able to give, and that he were not like a tree fruitless. Although the Maoris had had the Gospel preached to them a number of years, they did not seem to him to have laid hold of it as they should have done._ He waß sorry to say that while his people in former years were numerous, now they are few. It was diffioult to give a reason for their declining numbers ; perhaps it was due to their own folly. In 1863 this island had many people in it. Then, as he went from village to village, the people under his spiritual charge numbered about 1000, This year the follow-

ing were the numbers :—Baupaki, 89 ; Taumutu, 28; Little Biver, 73 ; Akaroa, 47; Temuka, 74. The deaths during the year had been 55, births 16. Altogether, he had now 355 persons under his charge, consisting of 129 men, 89 women, and 137 children. He had ten communicants, being two at Akaroa, and eight at Baupaki. He had paid visits to the above-named places during the year. The Bev. H. S. Harper (of Temuka)- Did he understand that the Bev. Te Bote had visited Temuka ?

The Bev. Te Bote—Yes ; three times. The Bev. H. S. Harper did not remember to have seen him there. The Bev. Te Bote—When the hawk gots a-hunting, it does not see a mouse. [Loud laughter.] I will call and see Mr Harper next time I am at Temuka.

The Bev. Te Bote resumed his report — At the other plaoes besides Baupaki and Akaroa, no desire was expressed for the administration of the Lord's Supper. There were four churcho?, three of them in good condition, one dilapidated. Sunday schools were held in all the churches. The number of Sunday school teachers was seven. The contributions of his people had amounted to £l4 13s 9d, and in addition to this he had received £SO from the Home Mission Fund. The devotional aspect of the people was, on the whole, satisfactory; but he would like to see more evidences among them of the fear and love of God.

The Bev. W. H. Beck brought up the motion on the training of candidates for the ministry whioh he had been instructed to prepare. He moved—" That in view of the acoesiion of ministers now on their way from home to join the New Zealand ministry, this meeting urges upon Conference the importance of taking advantage of this fact to place as many young men as possible in the Three Kings Institution, to be trained for the ministry; and further, that the Conference shall insist on the enforcement of the law whioh requires that no student shall be withdrawn for circuit work until he has been at least two years in the Institution." The Bev. J. B. Richardson seconded the motion.

The Bev. J. S. Bmalley thought it was altogether useless. Similar motions had been passed for the past few years, but they had not been carried out, and it would be so again. The Bev. J. Armitage pointed out that circumstances were now entirely different from what they had been. Hitherto the necessities of their Church had rendered it imperative that men should be sent away from the Three Kings Institution sometimes before the year's end, but as their ministerial supply was likely to be found quite adequate next Conference, that body would be in a position to see that its own resolution was carried out. The Bev. J. H. Simmonds asked if the Institution could not be made more efficient than it was.

The Chairman replied that he belioved all was being done at present to make it efficient whioh their limited means would allow. They might rely upon it that, as their resources increased, all would be employed in giving their young ministers a fit training. The Bev. W. H. Beck was glad Mr Simmonds had asked the question he had. While the time given by the professional staff was, he believed, insufficient for much solid work, he had heard with regret that the European students were in turn required to teach the Maori students, which must necessarily interfere with their own studies. The Bev. J. B. Bichardson would like to see the work done at the institution as varied as possible, and more of it, but did not think any improvement with their present income possible. The more urgent thing was to take a determined stand against the removal of any of the students before the completion of their full term.

The Bev. J. Armitage hoped that their church would henoeforth address itself earnestly to the work of training its own ministers, and in future rely upon neither England nor the Australian colonies for their supply; for, with the utmost use of their own limited appliances for this muoh-needed work, he had not the slightest doubt that it could be done.

The Bev. Taylor hoped that their action in drawing ministers from England and Ireland this year would be regarded as quite exceptional, and would not be repeated in future, as he for one believed it was quite unnecessary. The motion was carried. The written sermons of the candidates were read.

The obituary notice of the Bev. Henry Ellis was read by the Bev. W. Cannell, and ordered to be sent on to conference.

The meeting adjourned at 5 p.m.