UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2157, 24 January 1881, Page 3

UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH

The district meeting 'on'inued its ? tting on Friday. After the opening of the meetiD t r and the calling of the roll, the meeting ea' with closed doors, for the examination o' ministers' characters. At the afternoon sittin/z it was decided to recommend the Annua! Assembly in England to empower tho district meeting to appoint a district trcaßur r. A conversation took place relative to the establishment of a connexional book-room, but it was considered too early to enter upon such «n enterprise. The meeting will rise at one o'clock to-day, and resume on Monday, when it is hoped all the business will be got through. The ministers attending the district meeting will conduct services to-morrow in the various churches of the denomination as follows:—St. Asaph street, Rev. J. Parkin and Rev. T. Hodgson; Addington, Rev. T. Hodgson and Bev. J. Parkin ; Colombo road, Rev. H. B. Bedstone and Rev. R. Taylor; ilangiora, Bev. J. W. Worboys j Bpreydon, Bev. J. J. Pendray. The numerical statement laid on the table shows for the past year :—ll ministers, 3 supernumeraries, 37 local preachers, 35 leaders, members 696, on trial 50, removal 61, withdrawals 40, deaths 4, net increase 71; chapels 18, other preaching places 11, chapels enlarged during the year 1; Sunday sohools 21, Sunday scholars 2073, Sunday school touchers 231, average congregations 1170, Sunday scholars who are church members 47. A congratulatory and fraternal resolution was passed, to bo forwarded by the president of the Annual Assembly to the Methodist CEoumenical Council, to be held in London in August, 1881.

The fifth day's session of the district meeting of the United Methodist Free Churches was held in the St. Asaph Church on Saturday. The meeting opened at 9.30 a.m. by devotional exercises. The best thanks of the meeting were given to the district committee for their careful attention to the business of the district during the year. The following gentlemen were elected members of the district committee for the ensuing year:—Bevs. M. Baxter, T. B. Fisher, E. O. Perry, and Messrs W. Bowron, G. Booth, W. Flesher, J. T. Brown, E, Oatway, J. L. Scott, and J. Withers, with the chairman and eeoretary. The second draft of stations was read. A j temperance deputation, consisting of the Bev. S. Slooombe and Messrs J. T.. Smith, H. Bennetts, J. A. Efford, B. Olephane, J. W. Jervis, and F. E. Buckland, waited on the district meeting, and addresses were given by Rev. S. Slooombe and Mr J. T. Smith, and, on behalf of the district meeting, by the Bev. J. White and Mr G. Booth. On a recommendation from the Auckland circuit, a hearty resolution as to the advisability of Methodist union was carried unanimously. The address to the churches was submitted by the Bev. T. Hodgson, and adopted by the meeting.