METHODISTS. 



527 



Subsequently, Mr. Arthur modified his mo- 

 tion by adding a provision that, if the resolu- 

 tion were adopted, the laymen at the subse- 

 quent district meetings should be invited to 

 express their views on the system of national 

 education which the Conference ought to fa- 

 vor. The resolution was debated during three 

 sittings. While a considerable number of the 

 younger members were in favor of unsectarian 

 education, a large majority, including most of 

 the older and more influential members, were 

 strongly attached to the denominational sys- 

 tem with state aid. But, as the Government 

 had signified an intention to propose altera- 

 tions in the act, it was thought advisable to 

 secure the means of ascertaining and express- 

 ing the views of the Wesleyan body on the 

 subject. Mr. Arthur's resolution gave way to 

 the following substitute, which was carried by 

 a large majority: 



Jtesolved, That this whole subject be referred to a 

 committee to meet during the autumn and before 

 the meeting of Parliament, to consist of the General 

 Education Committee, the Committee of Privileges 

 and Exigencies, and a layman and a minister to be 

 elected at the September meeting of each district, 

 with power to act. 



The candidates who were ordained to the 

 ministry were questioned as to their views 

 in enforcing attendance upon class-meetings. 

 They were expected to answer that they re- 

 garded the subject as obligatory. A plan for 

 the formation of a company for the insurance 

 of connectional trusts was approved. The 

 profits are to be applied 1. To the support 

 of the worn-out ministers' and ministers' wid- 

 ows' auxiliary fund ; and, 2. For the benefit of 

 chapel trusts insuring with the company. The 

 subject of making a protracted effort to in- 

 crease the contributions to the home mission 

 and contingent chapel and theological insti- 

 tute funds was referred to a committee for 

 consideration. The resolution passed by the 

 Conference two years previously, calling for a 

 reform in temperance legislation, and recom- 

 mending that rate-payers be authorized to 

 control the issue of licenses within their re- 

 spective districts, was readopted. A memo- 

 rial was presented from the French Confer- 

 ence asking permission to introduce lay dele- 

 gation. It was referred to a committee ap- 

 pointed to sit during the year. A declaration 

 was adopted unanimously*: 



That, in view of the demand lately put forth in re- 

 gard to national education by the 'Roman Catholic 

 oishops of Ireland, the Conference resolves to use 

 every legitimate means in its power to oppose those 

 demands as contrary, not only to every interest of 

 Protestant Christianity, but to the principles of civil 

 and religious liberty. 



A resolution was offered for a committee to 

 be appointed : 



1. To obtain legal opinion as to whether lay rep- 

 resentation in Conference is non-permissible under 

 the provisions of the poll-deed ; 2. If permissible 



nl%A4.1%,... ii. 2_ J -_-!_ 1 _ T / ' . -f . . i 



Review may be consolidated, and made more truly 

 representative. 



This resolution was withdrawn, together 

 with another looking to a modification of the 

 plan of stationing the ministers, on account 

 of the want of time to consider them. Both 

 these resolutions were referred, with some 

 other unfinished business, to a special com- 

 mittee, to be reported upon early in the next 

 session of the Conference. 



The number of new members received dur- 

 ing the year was 34,852; total number on 

 trial in March, 20,058 ; total number of mem- 

 bers, 346,850 ; net decrease from the previous 

 year, 240. 



The preparatory meetings of the Committee 

 of Review, which are always held before the 

 opening of the session of the Conference, be- 

 gan on the 26th of July. The Educational 

 Committee reported the number of day-schools 

 to be 910, being an increase of 21 over the 

 number for the previous year; number of 

 scholars, 166,405; year's increase, 15,640; 

 number of Sunday-schools, 5,612 ; teachers 

 and officers, 107,727; of scholars, 654,577, of 

 whom 40,218 are in Society or on trial. The 

 cost of the schools was 40,429.65. The in- 

 come of the Chapel Committee was 8,616 ; 

 capital of the loan fund, 42,030 ; local con- 

 tributions for new erections and the reduction 

 of debts, 219,236, new sittings provided, 

 49,000. Five of the proposed fifty new chap- 

 els for the metropolis had been opened, and 

 fifteen new sites had been secured. The 

 amount of money actually promised in re- 

 sponse to the offer of Sir Francis Lycett was 

 57,072 Is. Id. This gentleman had pro- 

 posed to give 50,000 for the erection of 

 chapels in London, on condition that the mem- 

 bers of the connection in the provinces should 

 give a corresponding sum. A large contribu- 

 tion, which was really offered before the prop- 

 osition of Sir Francis Lycett was announced, 

 is not included in this amount. The Mission- 

 ary Committee reported that 28,279 had been 

 received toward the fund for the payment of 

 the debt of 17,000, and for the evangeliza- 

 tion of Eome and Naples. The cost of the 

 home missions, and of Methodist work in the 

 army and navy, was 10,707. One hundred 

 and twenty-three chapels, providing sittings 

 for 55,071 persons, had been built in connec- 

 tion with home-mission stations since the 

 home-mission work was revived. Fifteen 

 more chapels had been commenced. 



The committee appointed, in pursuance of 

 the resolution of the Conference, to meet in 

 the fall and consider questions in relation to 

 secular and denominational education, met in 

 Centenary Hall, London, early in December. 

 After a full and free discussion of the subject, 

 it adopted by a large majority the following 

 resolution : 



That this committee, while resolving to maintain 

 in full vigor and efficiency our connectional day- 

 schools and training colleges, is of opinion that, 



