METHODIST DISTRICT SYNOD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8004, 15 December 1905, Page 3

METHODIST DISTRICT SYNOD.

JtIIILICAL CRITICISM AXH LOCAL OPTION'. (IVr Press Association.) AtX'KLAXII. Dec. 1 i. At the Methodic Synod, the Chairman (Hfv. C. 11. (»urland) to IVrfdical criticism. stated * It is good tfor us to reflect on ihc (act that Bilffica) criticism is having no deleterious effect upon our religious ilife as a people. Whilst keimiv alive to the vast iswuc* ojKTud up by the application of modern to the documents in which Holy Scriptures are.involved. yet our people quietly rest in \th«» truth that personal experience is. lit** gran'! and final test of all spiritual truth. 'W# know in Whom we havn fce'ievcd.'

IValing with the laical Option poll. j Vr Gnrland snid ; "NV.w th.-i ano»h*t lmttle hns been fought, «ju| yon ere weary from the fray. and ■nine of yoii. perhap*, dispirited at the r* frnl't of the fight. suffer me to point cut the Vonward movement your ranks have made in the province; of Auckland. In litfK), out of J1 ilectorates in thtf province. 10 recorded a majority for license and 4 i>.r Xolicetise. Last week tln**» numhexa mere {exactly reversed, and to-day the liquor party is in the ascendant in four electorates and in ten. In 1002 Auckland City showed that Xo-license vote® were in a minority of 821, whil»» last week w« chungHl that i minority into a majority of 242. In other words, while the other sldj bad increased iu vote tiy 311. we have increased our* i»y 1474. In 11903, throughout the fourteen electorates of the province, &1,145 votew were recorded for continuance, and 28,<562 for prohibition, that is, wo were then in a minority of 1481. Lost) week 36,810 votes were cast for continuance, and ft»r No-liccns* 11.092;.(to that we have changed the provincial minority of 448:1 into a majority of tl.V*. or made a total net gain of ,8611. The license vote increased hr 3750. tHe NVUcuwe \yy 12,420. Whilst the other side have advanced 11 per cut. we have advanced 43 per cent. In even- one of the provincial electorates, without exception, the prords of la«t week shifrrpd a relative increase of strength on the side ol Xolicense. Somo reviewers profess to see in these Mums an evidence <>f our exhaustion, and the discovery of what they cull a "set hack" to Xolicense. This sentiment they are wul£ome tn. ami ail the comfort d»«riv«Wo from such a Conclusion- As for .ourselves. we thank (red and take lourags."