METHODIST CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 25 February 1911, Page 7

METHODIST CONFERENCE

RETIRING PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. By Telegraph.—PreßS Association. Christchurch, Friday. The retiring president, the Rev. C. H. Laws, in his address said that the honorable company of the church supernumeraries was to be added to this year by one who, by a ministry of forty-three years, had won a peculiar place of regard in the affections and esteem of the whole church, the Rev. Henry Hull, who left a record of unostentatious and effective service which would inspire many a younger man.

Since 1901 the conference of tko Methodist Church has acquired 153 new freehold sites,an increase of 20 per cent; 80 new churches had been erected, an increase of 30 per cent.; 45 parsonages had been erected, an increase of 48 per cent.) and 25 Sunday Schools, an increase of 32 per cent. The original value of the freehold land held by the church stood at £73,271, of which £20,819 represented the value of the land acquired during the last decade. The estimated value of the buildings was £358,30(1, an increase of £118,383 since the century began. Fifteen years ago the income of the foreign mission fund from freewill offerings was £fio9, ten years ago it had risen to £1285, and to-day it was £2852.; In 1901 the income of the homo mission fund was £IB7O, today it was £4OOO.

Regarding the consent of the supreme court of the Methodist Church to the independence of the New Zealand chinch, he said the working scheme adopted by the New Zealand Conference had been modified in certain respects with the concurrence of the New Zealand churches' representatives, and would be laid before them at an early stage of the proceedings. It would be found conservative in spirit and statesmanlike ia its arrangement. He be-: lieved it would provide a basis upon which all parties might unite to build up a great New Zealand Methodist Church,

In further remarks, Mr. Laws referred to the necessity of a trained and effective ministry, for an attempt to bring the church into fuller touch with the life of the Dominion at every point, to the fact that the accomplishment of independence brought into the realm oi practical ecclesiastical politics the question of completing the Methodist union in New Zealand. In the last-mentioned matter ho had received a cordial approach from the recent Primitive Methodist conference.

After the.result of the ballot for the new president, the Rev. Mr. Spence in an address returned thanks for his election.

To-morrow evening a great citizenship meeting will be held, and will be addressed by the Governor, the Hon. 6. Fowlds and others.