PRIMITIVE METHODISTS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10529, 16 January 1912, Page 6

PRIMITIVE METHODISTS

.CONFERENCE AT GH FUSTCHURCH. (iiy Telegraph—Press Association.) CHKISfrCIH L'llCH, Last Night. 'i'iie PiriimtLve .Methodist Conference resumed this morning, the Pre- : siden.t ltev. <->• IvnowiesnSmith) J ■presiding. , j A imputation from the Canterbury I iNo-license League, consnituig w j Messrs L. M. Isitt, iM..P., J. __ McCoombs, and. A. Cole, was introduced J ,to the Conference. Air Isi ct delivered a prohibition address, and urged further ell oris in the ihattle against the liquor traffic, j jVIt MeCooiftbs rejoiced at the maginifrcen.it vote polled this year for national prohibition, and at the remarks of the ex-President of the Conference oil the -subject. They must .next tiro:* bring 48,000 fresh vot&is tto the poll. They 'were, h'e sai'd, 30 j years o ikite goal n the .t'lwee-ftftlns j majority was continued. 1 Mr Isitt: "It win not be." I Mir MeCoombs said if they wished success they must secure the elimination of the three-fifths majority. .Replying on behalf of the Conference, iVls* *C. E. Bellii'inger said he and lids CBiurch rejoiced with the deputation at the .strong vote for national no-license at the last poll. He itihoug'ht they were all agreed as_ to (the iniicj'uity of rthe three-fifths majority. As a*church the Alliance might rely upon their united support. He recognised the prospect of union, because it 'helped the prospects c<f the other reform mere than- when • they were divide^. A deputation from the Methodisi Qhurch of Australasia," consisting oi the Revs.' C. H. Laws, L. Lawry ant A. OPeters, and Messrs C. E. Salter J. A, Fie slier and Jas. McCullougli ii-ifvn/lnr>.f>rl IIV tillfi ReV. S. H®ll

derson. The Rev. 0. H. Laws said . that itliey met that morning under peculiarly 'lianpy circumstances. The proposals for th'e union of the two clrareltes had been .going backward and forward, and things- were now in a very happy condition. He refcried to* -the" excellent results of the meeting of the Union Committee. Tf. as mally of them hoped, this union would be consummated:, it would he a true -union! of two vigorous churches), mot an .absorption. | Mir J. A. Flesher referred to the j Jack of religions instruction pa-rents imparted to their children. Not m'oivj J 'than 20 oca- cent, -of their people attended itlie two church services on « | : Sunday, and not more than .half tibe j | children in it received religious ,in-i li&tructiion. These lie considered we-i;e> -two grave evils which in the interest Sof the Dominion would have to be ' (remedied. j Tlie Rev. S. La wry, secretary of the 'Methodist Conference, said Ire had often■ "thought that it was not -a. good thing when two churches' so j imuch alike should we in, "conflict, however harmlessly, wllien they could do i /so much more for the Kingdom of; , G-od iby uniting their it'orces. Tilie , union would mark a new era. ' Replying on behalf of the .Gonfeii- ' e-ice, the Rev. Guy said lis realised that they couM not live <on love- They 1 were one great li on selinM, • and this I anawiage itliey (had in view was one i 'between' very close relations. He (hoped it was not within, the forbidden j decree. The Primitive Methodise j Church had -wished for .missions like | the Methodists among the Maoris, | and in the Isiands, and they looked ' fo-nvard to. assisting i© these-works j when united with the Methodists. .