METHODIST UNION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10526, 13 January 1912, Page 5

METHODIST UNION

DISCUSSED IN CHRISTCHURCH. AUCKLANIToPPOSES IT. ' (By Telegraph — Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. Last, Nig(ht At the Primitive Methodist Conference to-day, the basis of Union with the Methodist Church was discussed- The Rev. G. Knowles Smith (President) presided. The Union Secretary (Mr C. E. Bellringer) reported on behalf of the Committee on. Methodist Union' appointed by the last conference that the committee approached the important subject having in mind the very earnest and Ilong-coritinued consideration it had received at the hands of the Conference, as showtn. by the many resolutions passed from time to time. The Ihinedan Conference of 1908 had passed a resolution in favour of union, and the Wellington Conference of 1911 had re-affirmed it. ■ The. Oom^ . mittee haid met the Committee of the sister, church at' Wellington cd 7th "Juhe>";last. >"cThe proceedings ■: all.[: sessions were of The of differenoe were discussed, freely' and, fully, and at the ecd a- basis of union was unanimously arrived at. The basis of unobn was now laid before the conference. The secretary moved the adoption of the report,, and mat the (basis of union/ be received, to be considered seriatim. The principle of union, he ? said, had been agreed to, and it was now for the conference to discuss the OfLfilS fIMQp iW. King (Runedin), who seconded themoJEion, said the question had been before the Methodist churches for 28 years, and it was time it was settled. Mr D. Goldie (Auckland) opposed, union, on the ground that it had not been a success in Canada or Australia. He quoted extracts in support of liis remarks. He had ibeen< conmected with the Church for 49J years. The Hon. C. M. Luke (Wellington.) spoke strongly in. favour of union. He answered many of Mr Goldie's arguments against union. ■ Th« Rev. J. Dawson. (Wellington) considered there were one hundred reasons wihv once more there should be one Methodist Church in New Zealand. Whatever reasons there might have been' why they, should remain a separate Gliuriiß., those reasons did not exist now. Union meant better work. Tn several places in New Zealand where there were ) Primitive Methodists there was no I Primitive Methodist chairch, and the I result was these* Primitive Methodists attended the Methodist Church Thev were asked to join a Church which had .shown the way ui several of the largest branches of service ' Mr T. Moore (Auckland)' said that .' one hundred years ago, before the ilhurch (had secured a more settled position, it had secured far better results. He objected to the basis of umion. 'Their sister church was at present not at alt progressive, and thev wanted to know whether they were going to improve themselves by joining the' Methodist Church. In the Auckland churches the union spirit was not very strong. There was a big bod|y of people m the Cfliuroh whose desire was- to see the Kingdom 1 of God prosper;,but stiir they did not desire union with the sister church. „,.,,' ,» 1 Mr W. Dobbs (Ohristchui-eh) advocated union. They would find a great many concessnous had been made bv the other side. ,The Rev. N. Hvde /Auckland) opposed union.. r l»io Primitive Methodist Church had not received assistance from the Government, as the Methodist Church had, otherwise it might have done as much work. It was not a bit of good a minister comjW to the conference and voting tor union and trying to shove it upon his people witiiout their desmng 1 'The President said he did not wish to interrupt their young brother, but ■he was departing away from the hasis- of union. . , ~ „, r In reply to a question, by Mr Pugh (OhristXrch)asto whether the basis i hould be submitted to a (eferentom of memibers or merely to the qutnte - ly meetings, the President sairl it was te be submitted to the quarterly m Artef''further discussion.' resolution in favour of unum was utkui. ZSy adopted .and tlte baas agreed upon. *