AUCKLAND METHODIST LOCAL PREACHERS' ASSOCIATION. Auckland, December 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 430, 21 December 1889, Page 5

AUCKLAND METHODIST LOCAL PREACHERS' ASSOCIATION. Auckland, December 18.

The fifth anniversary of the above was celebrated on Monday last, in the premises of the Pitt-street Wesleyan Church. The Revs. Best, Dukes, Simmonde, Garland, SaUcr and Spence (of Oamaru) were present, and apologies were received for the absence of the Re* s. Taylor, Rishwoith, Laycock, and Woodward. There were brethren in attendanco from the Pitt-street, Graftou Road, Devonport, and Manukau Wesleyan Circuit?, and from the Primitive and Free Methodists. About half-past three in the afternoon the Rev. E. Best conducteJ a sacramental &ervice, in which the Rev. G. W. Spence and Bros. Booth, Tucker, Beaumont and Field took part. A paper was then read by the Rev. C. H. Garland on " Tho Local Preacher of the Future." " Had he a future?" asked tho essayist. This was answered by the fact) that ho had a Divine call, and Scriptural authority, and tho Methodist Church recognised no difference between the call of him who was bet apart to give all his time to the work and him who inisepai aled from business gave what time he could. In the Jewish synagogue laymen spoke. The preachers of those times were not the piiests Jesus Christ was a layman, ttnd not even the Pharisees objected to Him on that account. Laymen planted the first Chiistian Church outside Jerusalem. And whilst the Church remained true to the teaching of God's Word and the spirit of Christ, there would be a place and work local preachers. In a most admirable manner Mr Garland then sketched some of the characteristics of the preachers of the future, specially emphasising the fact that the pulpit must have a v, ider sweep. The subject was then fully discussed until 6 o'clock. After tea together in tho schoolroom, tl»o evening meeting was held in the Jecturehall. The report for the past year was presented and adopted. The following office bearers were appointed : — President, Thos. Booth ; vice-presidents, W. Singer and W. Hanson; secretary, H. Field ; committee : Messrs Knifht, Scott, and Markham. IVlr F. Norris then read an excellent paper on "The Social Aspects of the Gospel." The duality of man's nature and the brotherhood of ail men were fully recognised in Scripture. The Church of Christ had its relation to the life of the maeses of men in the world today. Thus t-he writer proceeded to discuss the condition of the poor, the fallen, the tempted, and troubled ones, the relations between capital and labour, the duties of employers and the employed, social purity, gambling, sweating system, long hours of labour and kindred topics. He took the high ground that the Church must herself be free from the evils complained of, and with dilligence and zeal must reek to remove them. Mr Norris was commended for the able paper ho gave, and the conversation, which thoroughly agreed with his views, was continued by the Revs. Spence, Garland, Salter, Mr It. French and a number of the brethren. The singing of the "Hymn of Brotherhood," which was sung to the tune of " Au'd Lang Syne," brought the day's stimulating proceedings to a close.

Dairy produce in London ig thus dealt with in the last New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency circular : Butter.— Since the date of our last issue the market has been quiet, and all descriptions haNO declined from 2s to 8s per cwb. The consignments per Arawa (t>) consisted of last season's make, a portion being: very inferior. The prices ranged irom 40s to 70a per cwb. We quote : Prime Danish, 106s to 120s per cwt ; prime Normandy, 92s to 108s per cwt; prime Friesland, 100s to 104s per cwt. ; prime Brittany, 80a to 92a per cwt. ; prime New Zealand, 40s to 70s pec cwb. Importations from New Zealand during the pasb month amounted to 544 packages. Cheese : The improvement in the inquiry for fine Ameri* can and Canadian reported in our preceding circular has been well maintained, and quotations for these mark a further advance of 3s per cwt. Summermade descriptions, however, continue slow of sale at irom 44s to 46s per cwb. In the absence of ai rivals there is nothing tresh to leporb in New Zealand sorts. We quote : — Prime American, 53a to 55a per cwb ; New Zealand, nominal, 50s per cwb. Brett's Auckland Almanac and Provincial Handbook for 1890 is now ready. It contains specialties of a new and attractive character, including a splendid lithographic picture of the great native feast held at Kemuera in 1844. This large and unique representation of a greab historical event is suitable for iraming, and will be issued gratuitously to all purchasers of the Almanac. The work describes, in an in teresting manner, the vast resource 3, the climate, and the scenery of the Auckland Provincial Distiict ; its mountains, harbours, rivers, and lakes ; its forests and its plains ; its cultivated and its waste lands ; and to show foreign capitalists that our genial ciime, rich lands, mineral products, and intelligent go-ahead people offer inducement to intending investors or setblers supeiior to those of any other part of the world. Other Colonial Handbooks have invariably misrepresented this naturally rich and beautiful Province, while many pages of the above work are devoted entirely to sotting forth Auckland's capabilities and its many superior advantages ; in addition fco which the fullest information is, afforded of all political, social, and religious matters of Provincial or Colonial importance. The contents having been rewritten, and the statistical informabion brought up to the latest date, this annual volume becomes a valuable work of reference, worthy of a peimanenb place in every colonist's library. The book has now become a work of daily reference in the home of every settler throughout the province, and is in use in all public offices throughout the colony, and in leading offices abroad. The return which has just been published of the convictions for drunkenness in England and Wales, during the four years from 1885 to 1888, inclusive, is not particularly cheerful reading. The total convictions decreased during the first three years, falling from 154,601 in 1885 to 139,482 in 1887. Bub in 1888 there was a sudden rise of 156,809, a number which happily does nob necessarily mean that about six persons out of every thousand not only get drunk, but disgrace themselves in such a manner as to be taken before a magistrate. We may take comfort from the reflection that there are repeated cases of the conviction of t ha same person. Liverpool yielded last year 15,000 cases of drunkenness from a population of a little over half a million. This » about bhe highesb ratio presented by any gieab town. The Metropolitan police aroa, with its 4£ millions of people, yields only 2,000 cases more than Liverpool. Tjik Exhibition Regatta Committee through the New South Wales Commissioner aie forwarding resolutions of condolence and sympathy to Searle's relative* in New fc>Q«th Wales,