WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2108, 25 November 1880, Page 3

WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Wednesday's session was opened with devotional exercises. The record of the preceding day’s business was read by the Rev. W. H. Beck, assistant secretary, and ordered to be entered upon the journal. The Rev. Te Kote (Raupaki) took his seat. Arrangements were made for the public meeting to be held in the evening, in Durham street church. It was decided that the subjects for discussion should be (1) Church membership, (2) the composition of the quarterly meeting, (3) the Sunday school, (4) the Ashburton circuit. A telegram expressive of sympathy with the Rev. B. Best, Dunedin, who has recently suffered family bereavement, was ordered to be sent to that gentleman. A return relating to Sunday schools in the Canterbury district was road by the Rev. W. H. Beck, We make the following extract :

The Rev, W. H, Beck laid cue statistics ot church membership on the table. It was reported that the Lyttelton circuit had returned seventeen junior members. The Rev. J. S. Smalley pointed out that there was no column in the church schedule headed “ junior members.” He continued that these could not be returned, or if so, it could only be as catechumens or as members on trial He would be glad to hear the chairman’s ruling as to what catechumens are. The Chairman said that catechumens are those who are under pastoral instruction, especially in Bible classes, with the view of their being admitted into membership. Junior members are young persons who have given evidence,' after due probation, of fitness for church membership, and have been admitted thereto, but may not yet be able to meet the financial responsibility of membership. The Rev. W. H. Beck explained that he had returned the seventeen young members as ‘' juniors" because, while he was satisfied of their qualifications for membership, ho could not, for financial reasons, return them “ full and accredited members.”

The Rev. W. Worker thought it would be correct to return such young members under the heading in the schedule of “ Members on trial.” The Rev. J. Armitage hoped this would never be done. If so, it would just be this—that our young people might, in Methodist phraseology, bo soundly converted, be living i n the enjoyment of the witness of the Holy Spirit, and walking consistently with a Christian profession, but for the one reason that they did not, in moat instances because they could not, contribute to Church funds, they must therefore be denied fall Church recognition. The Rev. A. Reid contended that it was proper to return them as ‘‘on trial,” and in doing so, they would be giving them the warmest nurture their Church had as yet supplied. In the case of these young people the one condition of membership implied in contributing to ministerial support was wanting, and ho did not think there was any hardship in returning them as “ members on trial ” until they were placed in a position to enable them to fulfil it. The Rev. S. J. Garliok pointed out that many senior members who do not contribute are returned, and he could not see why a distinction should be made in the case of junior ones. Rather, he thought, a concession should be made in their case. The Rev. J. S. Rishworth took exception to a distinction which in itself was novel, and a departure from the practice at present obtaining, The youths referred to were in the best sense true members of their church, and were therefore entitled to rank in the returns in the columns for “ full and accredited members.” The monetary aspect of the question should not be considered as a reason for membership on trial. In the meantime every encouragement should be given for contributing to the church’s support. The Rev. J, J. Lewis pointed out that the meeting was bound by existing rules as to the return of members. If another column for junior members wore needed let such be recommended to conference; but that was the question. In his own circuit ho (the speaker) returned such as fully accredited members, and received from them sufficient to pay the 4s per head required by conference as each circuit’s contribution to the children’s fund.

The Chairman said, that as there was no column for junior members in the returns, those of the Lyttelton circuit must be amended by the superintendent so as to moot the requirements of the schedule. The Bev. Te Eote presented the report of his work among the Canterbury Maoris during the past year. In the course of his address (which was translated by the Bev. A, Eeid) he said that in former years the aspect of the Maori mission was encouraging, but latterly busy death had thinned the numbers. One cause of this was the decreasing fear of God. Formerly the Maoris were a devout people. Of those to whom he ministered forty men had died during the year, while there had only boon thirteen births. Ho returned four places of worship and five local preachers. He regretted that ignorance of the English language prevented him from following the business of the meeting. The remainder of the session was devoted to the preparation of business for the financial session of Thursday.

Schools. o S * 5 g No. of Scholars. Average Attendance. ** a> Scholars. Teachers Christchurch — Durham at. 79 946 598 _ Colombo rd. 42 510 373 32 St. Alban’s 57 536 379 46 Lyttelton 30 277 230 — Springston ... 40 280 — — Leeston 20 190 — — Kaiapoi 26 210 184 22 Kangiora 53 460 342 42 Amberley 6 117 — — 'limaru 21 235 155 — Waunato 24 234 160 19 Temuka 3 j 220 150 — Ashburton ... 17 139 77 — 445 4315 2653 161