TELEGRAPHIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1846, 22 November 1884, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

(United Pbkbb Association,) Ohristohurch November 21. . At the Wcsleyan General Conference to-day it was resolved that the next general conference be held in Melbourne in May, 1883. The revision of the book oMiscipline was completed, the Conference agreeing to adopt the book now revised as containing the laws by which the Australasian Wesleyan Methodists are governed, with the understanding that the legislation of the present Conference be inserted therein, The cordial thanks of the Conference were presented to the Committee in Melbourne, who have had this subject before them during the three years, and especially to the Revs J. C. Symons aud W. P. Wells. The Rev George Martin read a draft of the address of the General Conference to the British Conference, After greeting the fathers and brethren of the British Conference, the address continued : "It must surely be gratifying to you to know that, as the result of your wisdom and foresight in extending your mission operations to these colonies in the early part of the present century, Methodism of the old land is now doiug noble work in leavening the religious life of the people of Australasia with those great truths which we have received as part of our Christchurch heritage. Whilst looking on the past with thankfulness we look on the future with hope." Reference was made to the material progress in New Zealand and Australia, One of the difficulties in church work arose from the scattered and migratory character of the population, and the conference found itself straightened to meet the spiritual necessities of theselands where the conditions are widely different from those of the old country, but Wesleyans here were anxious to build up a firm, compact, and united Methodism which shall stand as a bulwark against the encroachment of disbelief and become mighty for the dissemination of Christian truth. In connection with Home and foreign missions, the lamented death of the Rev. Benjamin Capman was referred to, whose office of secretary for the foreign missions had been filled by the Rev. W. Kelynack, D,D. The language of the savage natives of New Britain has beea reduced to writing, and the gospel of St Mark translated for the natives. The election of the Rev J. H, Fletcher, president of Newington College, Stanmore, Bhowed the value of the Australian Methocist's placed in the educational institution, The establishment of a Ladies College at Hawthorne, near Melbourne, was a- new departure, and under the management of the Rev_ W. Pitohett, rendered good service to the cause of religion and the culture of Australasian Methodism. The address concluded with an expression of renewed confidence in God and the best wishes for the continued prosperity of Methodism in the Fatherland. In the afternoon a number of the Conference had a picnic at Lincoln, which was attended by about 600, and passed off very successfully,