METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 222, 7 February 1913, Page 5

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

THE QUESTION OF UNION. ENTHUSIASTIC SPEECHES. (Per Press Association). Wellington, Last Night. The first United Conference having assembled, the Rev. Dr. Youngman, President of the General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, was elected to open the United Conference. In addressing the delegates, Dr. Youngman said that he would be thankful if this was indeed the completion of Methodist Union in Australasia, but, unfortunately, it was not. They would all hail with joy the coming of the day when once again there would be a Unit|ed Methodist Church in the Commonwealth, and then Methodist union under the Southern Cross would indeed be • complete. The bringing about of the union had been a. great work, but some of them might find that the greatest work was yet to come. It was one thin'i to advocate union, and quite anotli! r to make it a success. This was what had to be done in New Zealand. They would need a great deal of tact, patience and wisdom, for many difficulties not lying on the surface would havo to lie surmounted. There would be need for self-effacement, devotion and hard work, lie could assure the Conference that Methodists in Australia recognised that there was that day taking place in connection with the Methodist Church an event of which, they would earnestly pray that it would be the beginning of an era of ■.<. very true, very widespread and very permanent revival and . success. Dr. Morley, the, other representative of the Australian General Conference, spoke of the evils and bitterness which had accompanied disunion, and said that he was indeed glad to see union actually brought about in New Zealand. He recalled the old simple times, and wished that they could return. There was need for more simplicity now. There had been a number of transfers of ministers from the smaller section of the Church the other, and it said a good deal or both sides that there had been no bitterness. In any case he noted with satisfaction that there had been a great advance made in New Zealand 1 in organisation. Until the coping stone was put . upon it by the present union, though i there was a severance legally between I Australia and New Zealand, he hoped j that there would still be union in spirit Occasional changes of ministers beJ tween Australia and New Zealand would • > be exceedingly beneficial on both sides I *JIS c " nvincwl that the great work . of Metiiodism lay in the cities, and that | the day of big circuits was past. j The first officers of the new Conference were chosen by ballot. The Rev. S. Lawry was elected president by an overwhelming majority, receiving 218 of 'the 226 votes cast. . The Hon. C. M Luke_ was elected vice-president by a unanimous vote, and the Rev. C. H. Laws was elected secretary, practically unani- • niously. t ' ; Dr."Youngman inducted the newlyelected officers. To the president he handed as his insignia of office the two President's Bibles" which had previously been used in the old Conference, been used' in the old Conference The Rev/S. Lawry said that he ac- . cepted the vote of the Conference as an expression of their .confidence in him and the position to which he had been elevated as the highest honor of his life He did not think that the union could ' be anything other than an. unqualified! success though there certainly remained a great deal of work to be done. They must not he surprised if the mingling of . the two bodies was not immediately completed hut he trusted that soon it' would! be so fully accomplished that they would never ask from which source any eame After transacting formal .business th* ' Conference adjourned until to-morrow. '