UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 223, 8 February 1913, Page 6

UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

AX HISTORIC (H'CASIOK. I Per Press Association. I Wellington. Thursday, j The i'liioii f.f tin- two branches of'the | McthodM Church hitherto working in j New Zealand wa-> consummated in Wei- \ lingtou to-day. The two sectional con- i fcrenccs completed their sittings in the I

morning. 1m tlic afternoon they met as one in the Wesley Chinch. Taranaki street, where tlic new Methodist Church i of New Zealand was constituted and the ', first officers elected and installed. The ] declaration of union was signed at a big I public meeting in the Town liall in the i evening. The formal resolutions in re- ! spect to union, which were parsed by the I two separate confereuees. were praeti- J tally identical in form. Each branch of I tlic cbtireh through its conference re- I solved forthwith to unite with the other ! lipon the terms and conditions set forth ! and embodied in the basis of union which J had been prepared. Following upon this j each conference signified its approval of j the declaration of union, and authorised | representatives to sign and execute the j document upon its behalf. ] At the Town Hall meeting the Method- j ist Conference empowered tiin following to sign for it:—The Revs. S. La wry (president). ('. 11. Laws (secretary), W. Ready (ex-president!. Y\". Gittos (representing the Maori Mission) and Mr. .1. A. Flesher (chairman of the Legal Committee). Drs. Youngman and Morley were nominated as witnesses. The signatories appointed by the Primitive Methodist Conference were the Hon. C. M. Luke. M.L.C. (president), the Revs. C. E. Wark (vice-president), G. Knowles ( Smith (ex-president) and Mr. C. E. Bellringer (secretary of the Union Committee). The Revs. .T. Dumbell and P. Wright and Mr. 11. Holland were nominated as witnesses to the deed. The next step was for each conference to authorise and empower the delegates to the separate' annual conferences to meet together in a united conference. In the united conference was vested all > the powers hitherto exercised by the separate conferences, and it was author- j ised to transact and deal with all business and matters that they previously have attended to. • Further than this, . each conference in the representative j session is to adopt, allow, ratify and i confirm whatever the united conference ] might do or cause to be done under or . by virtue of the powers and authorities then conferred upon it. Finally. ] both conferences authorised the making j of such alterations and amendments to ■ the laws and regulations of the church ] as might be found requisite to bring them into harmony with the provisions ir' the basis of union. The sectional conferences passed votes of thanks to their respective officers and ' to those who had been foremost in bring- j ing the union about. The Methodist j Conference passed special votes of thanks j to the General Conference of Austra- ! lasia for delegating the Revs. Drs. Youngman and Morley to visit Xew Zealand for ; the consummation of union, and also to ' Drs. Youngman and Morley for their addresses the previous evening. \ The following lay members to the stationing committee were elected by the Methodist Conference: Auckland: Messrs J. Peak and -T. Veale: Wnnganui. Messrs E. Dixon ami T. R. Hodder; Wellington. Messrs C. E. Daniell and W. E. Redstone: Nelson: Messrs A. A. Lucas and W. D. Pike: Canterbury: Messrs J. H. Blaekwell and W. H. Seed: Otago: Messrs E. Aslin and E. Roseveare: extra representative: Mr. C. S. Howard. A picturesque ceremony was witnessed after luncheon, when the delegates. Jto the separate conferences came together for the first time. It had been arranged that they should meet on non-ecclesi-astical ground, and the space before the Town Hall was chosen as the most fitting spot on which the representatives of the two branches of the church could assemble, no longer as separate churches, but as one: so there , they met and mingled as the new Methodist Church of New Zealand. Hearty hand-clasps were exchanged, and in all directions were to he heard cordial congratulations on the consummation of the union. Soon the delegates were made known to each other and then they were formed up by districts in readiness for the march to the conference meeting place. Striking up , with vigor "Praise God, from Whom all Blessings Flow." the procession moved of! along Lower Cuba street, thence along manners street and up Taranaki street to Wesley Church. Several well-known hymns were sung en route.

A PUBLIC MEETING. fIREAT ENTHUSIASM. AYcllington. Thursday Xight. Tlio Town Hull was filled this evening, when a public mooting was held to celebrate (be consummation of the union of the two churches. His Excellency the Governor presided, and was supported on the platform by the Hon. TV. F. Massey (Prime Minister). Hon. C. M. Luke (vicepresident of the Conferenc}. Mr. M. L. Tsitt. M.P.. Mr. IT. Holland (Mayor of Christchurch), Tiers. S. Lawry ami C. H. Laws, Drs. Youngnian and Morley. Canon Garland and others. A strong combined choir participated in. the proceedings. Lord Liverpool said that all the churches were carrying out the mission of Christianity. Though they might differ in ideals in the colonies, the younger generations carried on the institutions on a line in unison with those of the Old Country, whence their fathers came. While they were sealing this union of the churches they must keep in view that other union which the churches could do so much to cement. Thus not only would they further unity in religion, but would hiiid all classes and creeds together in that spirit of brotherhood which alone tended to maintain the great community of -the Empire, banded together with common ties for the peace and happiness of the whole world. The deed of union was then signed by the Rev. S. Lawry (president of the Conference). Rev. C.' TT. Laws (secretary). Rev. \Y. Ready (representing the Maori vaee) mid Mr.' AY. Eiesher. The signatures were witnessed by Lord Liverpool and T)rs. Youngnian and Morley (of the Australasian Conference). The Rev. Mr. Lawry. Dr. Yormgman and the lion. C. M. Luke brietly addressed the gathering.