WESLEYAN MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1309, 14 April 1883, Page 2

WESLEYAN MEETING.

A MEETING was held at the Wesleyan Church on Thursday evening, when the annual ad* diess of the Conference was read. According to this the number of members are 4.915, increase 569 3 hearers, 43,472, increase 2,579 j Sunday school scholars, 16,148, increase 1624. Last year there were 730 members on trial for church membership, whilst this year the numbers are only 315, Last year the number of catechmens were 610, whilst this year the return shows the number to be only 508. “ Does thia decrease point to leas effort or less success in gathering onr children into the church 7” The necessity for care* fully preparing and training children ia strongly pointed out, and the pressing need for liberation of the churches from debt made another point of, as tending to cripple and stultify all their workings. Attention is also called to the efforts now being made “towards a union of all the Methodist Churches in New Zealand.” At the close of the address, the Rev. J. Pinfold spoke of some of the needs of the church in reference to individual work, saying that he was confident, if all did their duty, they would doubtless have a year of prosperity. The rev. gentleman informed the meeting that it was his intention to commence a Band of Hope in connection with the church. All present appeared to take a deep interest in the matters under discussion.