Victorian Wesleyans in Conference.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 127, 23 March 1901, Page 2

Victorian Wesleyans in Conference.

The Wesleyan Conference has been sitting in Melbourne, and has attracted rather more public attention than usual, says the Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, The Conference carried this extraordinarily worded resolution—“ That while we thank God for the hymnals with which He has blessed our church to the present time, we are persuaded that a complete revision of the book now in use may be undertaken to our great spiritual advantage.” It next attacked the cigarette question. The Rev. T. Collins made a motion asking the Government to pass- legislation preventing boys and youths from using tobacco in any form. “ His own experience showed him that tobacco smoking was a hindrance to Gqd’s work, because in many instances it was found to be an obstacle to perfect consecration and sanctification. He would not say that a smoker could not be a consecrated man, but be could not be fully consecrated.” Mr Collins indulged in the language of exaggeration; but, strange to say, none of the’ members had a good word to say for tobacco, and the motion was adopted. An affecting incident marked the close of the session. A resolution was adopted of gratitude to God for the long life and beneficent favours vouchsafed to those venerable fathers of the church—the Rev. J. Watsford and the BSv. W. A. Quick. The. acknowledgments of the two elderly ministers were very affecting, their voices being broken by emotion. Mr Watsford said that for himself he knew the end was not far off, but he had nothing to fear. Mr Quick began his career as a minister in 1840.