WESLEYAN HOME MISSION SOCIETY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 274, 19 November 1874, Page 2

WESLEYAN HOME MISSION SOCIETY.

A public tea and : meeting in connection with this Socieiy look place yesterday. The schoolroom in which the tea was held presented a very beautiful sight, the tables btibg tastefully set out with flowers, aud crowded with tho goo'l things of this life. At the after meeting, held in the church, the Rev. T. Buddjej occupied the chuir; and interesting' addresses were delivered by the Revs. W. Keall, J. H. Simmonds, G. S. Harper, and T. Buddie. The Rev. 6. S. Harper, the Secretary, read the. following REPORT OF BOMB MISSION *ck», r 1 874 The objects of this fun I have hiiherto been twofold. First, to defray contingent expenses incurred on account of District Meetings and Conference ; ani second, t£ aid depen 'ent circuits and the work of extent ion to outlying districts. At present it is in a transition ftate, the expenses of last conference are clmrgrable upon it for this y»-ar,;biit } in future j the fund will be employed exclusively in Home Mission work proper. In fact, it is contemplated to. unite the present mission fands of the respective districts in dae, general fund for the benefit c f New Zetland. The proent large influx 6f population from the old counttie* will bring upon the new Zealand churchi s . increased responsibilities. Aa population spreads and new settlements are forme I, the Churches will have to follow with the appliances of the gospel, that setters who go out to subdue the yet unbroken paits of the country may not be It ft destitute of the means of jince The new settlements t i be formed will not be able to at once provide gospel ordinances for themselves, and the Churthes will htve to aa.«ist them. Where the population is sparse and scattered, their spiritual wants mutt be supplied to some extent, and; for some time to come, by the congregations that exist In the centres of population To provide auch means will be the main object of this fund, while it will also aid poor congregations and circuits that can only partially support- their own Ministry It is hoped that when all the districts in hew Zealand have united in this work, thot some* thing worthy of Wesleyan Methodism, whose mission it is to spread scriptural holiness through the land, will be accomplice .l. The fund has hitherto been small,- etch- district, in fact, has had its own fund, confining its operations within it* own boundaries The richer districts hare therefore been able to do the most, and a good deal has been accomplished with but small resources The change contemplated will bring richer nnd poorer together, and the whole colony will be henefltted. We have now demands for Ministerial aid that cannot be met till we have larger means at onr disposal, and our hope is that: our Metholist Churches, and the religious public generally, will liberally support a fund that' has for its object the be?t interests of the country in spreading that righteousness which aloue ezalteth a nation. • ; ' The receipts and expenditure for the present year cannot b; furnished, as we have not yet received the accounts from the West Coast circuits. The choir, assisted on this occasion by an abie violinist, rendered several pieces of sacred music in a most creditable manner, and contributed largely to the evening's enjoyment. : Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies who provided the sen, and to tho choir for their able services. The benediction was pronounced by the Chairman bringing to a close what all agreed in calling a most interesting and profitable meeting. {For remainder of News see fourth page.)