PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 12, 15 January 1902, Page 2

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

THB QUESTION OF MBTHODIST j UNION. PEa PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington, January 14. Never in the history of the Primitive Methodist Church of this colony has there been such a debate in the , annual conference as the one jus* closed, upon the question of Methodist TJoion. The discussion began on Friday morning, and continued each session until to-day at 6 p.m. Able ' speeches were delivered on each side. Mr D. Ooldie, in moving his resolution and in Lis reply spoke for three hours and fifty minutes. After several amendments had been voted upon, the following was the final decision of the conference: "That this conference heartily reciprocates the kindly spirit of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference of New Zealand in again inviting us to consider the question of union. We do not see our way to accept the present basis, as no concessions »w offered, and the distinctive principles of our church are sacrificed ; but we reaffirm our willingness to consider a union, with a view to the formation d a Methodist Church for New Zealand, in tho direction of the bisis drawn up by a joint committee of four Methodist churches in the colony in 1884; that inasmuch as this question has not been formally brought bef >re the notice of our official", Ave submit the question and our fiadiugs thereupon to the March quarterly mee'ing for approval or otherwise; and fm thar, thit a committee of six be appoints i by this conference to prepare a statement to be submitted to the quarterly meetings. • The vo'.ing was 45 in favour of ttiej motion and 22 against, |j