UNION OF METHODISTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 98, 16 July 1927, Page 9

UNION OF METHODISTS

LEGISLATION SOUGHT AN IMPORTANT MOVE Ry Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright LONDON, Thursday. The Wesleyan Conference carried, by 400 votes to 166, a resolution approving a request being made to Parliament to pass an enabling Act facilitating Methodist union, but providing that a majority of 75 per cent, is essential. The "Daily News’* points out that the failure of the movement will create serious consequences for Wesleyan Methodists and also confusion for Primitive Methodists and United Methodists, who have repeatedly adjourned discussions on unity projects in view of the negotiations being carried on. The conference later adopted a resolution urging that a reconstructed committee should draft a new scheme of unity. After the vote was announced the Rev. W. R. Maltby, last year's president. speaking with emotion, said Scotland, Australia and Canada had united in Protestant work with amazingly good results. “There is division among us,” he added. "We are wasting our resources.” Sir Kingsley Wood led the opposition, declaring that the time was not ripe for union, although he favoured Sreater co-operation.—Suu.