METHODISTS. 



491 



Much of the time of the Conference was given 

 to the discussion of the rule on secret soci- 

 eties. Several amendments to this rule were 

 offered, with the view to make it more strin- 

 gent, and of wider application. A resolution 

 was adopted "that we deem it inexpedient to 

 change the law as embraced in the 22d section 

 of our Book of Discipline, and recommend its 

 application to all secret societies." The rule 

 referred to in this resolution reads : 



We will on no account tolerate our ministers and 

 members in joining or holding fellowship with secret 

 societies, such as Freemasonry and Odd-Fellowship, 

 as, in the judgment of the Wesleyan Methodist Con- 

 nection, it is inconsistent with our duties to God to 

 hold such connection. 



This action failed to give satisfaction to the 

 more earnest opponents of secret societies, and 

 the following resolution was afterward adopt- 

 ed, expressing the final action of the Confer- 

 ence upon the subject : 



Resolved, That the 22d section of our Book of Dis- 

 cipline be changed on the concurrence of the requi- 

 site number of annual conferences, so that it shall 

 read thus : 



SECRET SOCIETIES. 



Question. Have we any direction to give concern- 

 ing secret societies ? 



Answer. We will on no account tolerate our min- 

 isters or members in joining or holding fellowship 

 with secret societies, as, in the judgment of the Wes- 

 leyan Methodist Connection, it is inconsistent with 

 our duties to God to hold such connection. 



Y. METHODIST CHURCH IN CANADA.* The 

 first anniversary of the Missionary Society of 

 this Church was held in October. The Treas- 

 urer reported that the entire income of the 

 society, from all sources, for the year had been 

 $147,168, and the expenditures for the same 

 period had been $185,268, showing an excess 

 of expenses over income of $38,100. The fol- 

 lowing summary presents the statistics of the 

 missions of the society: 383 missions, 392 mis- 

 sionaries, 30,070 communicants in church-mem- 

 bership, 31 day-schools among the Indians, 31 

 teachers, 25 interpreters, 5 ministers supplying 

 small bands of Indians, with 13 native assist- 

 ants ; making a paid agency in the missionary 

 department of the Methodist Church of 466. 

 Encouraging accounts of progress in the mate- 

 rial and spiritual interests of their work were 

 read from the missionaries laboring on the 

 Pacific coast, in Japan, among the. Indian, 

 French, and German populations of the Do- 

 minion, and in the domestic fields of the Nova 

 Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward 

 Island Conference. 



VI. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHUECH IN CAN- 

 ADA. The following is a general summary 

 of the statistics of this Church, as reported at 

 the meetings of the Annual Conferences for 

 1875: Number of ministers, 247; of members, 

 23,012; number of Sunday-schools, 332; of 

 officers and teachers in the same, 2,736; of 

 scholars, 17,654; value of church property, 



* On the origin of this Church, see ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA for 

 18T4. 



$888,805; amount contributed for missions, 

 $11,631.86; for the superannuates' fund, $3,- 

 101.51; for the college, $1,452.80. The re- 

 turns show an increase from the previous year 

 of 22 ministers and 512 members. The Church 

 is divided into three conferences, the Niagara, 

 Ontario, and Bay Quinte. 



VII. PEIMITIVE METHODISTS IN CANADA. 

 The twenty-second Annual Conference of the 

 Primitive Methodist Connection in Canada met 

 at Guelph, June 4th. Eobert Walker, Esq., 

 was chosen president. The question of Meth- 

 odist union was discussed, and the following 

 conditions were adopted as constituting a basis 

 of union, that must be accepted before the 

 Conference would consent to union with any 

 other Church: 



A basis of union to be acceptable to us shall admit 

 an equal number of laymen with ministers in all 

 Church courts, and give them equal rights with 

 ministers to take part in all the business of said 

 courts. It shall also provide that all business meet- 

 ings be allowed to elect their own chairmen, and 

 circuit quarterly meetings to nominate their own 

 officers. 



The Conference directed that this paper be 

 sent to the union committee of the Methodist 

 Church of Canada ; that the reply of this com- 

 mittee, if in any way favorable, be sent to the 

 General Committee of the convention, and be 

 by it submitted to all the members of the Con- 

 nection, who shall send their views of it to the 

 Conference of 1876. 



VIII. BIBLE CHRISTIANS IN CANADA. The 

 twenty-first Annual Conference of the Bible 

 Christians in Canada met at Bowmanville, June 

 3d. The Eev. J. Kenner was chosen moder- 

 ator. The report of the Committee on Statis- 

 tics showed that an increase had taken place 

 during the year of six ministers, five churches, 

 and 291 approved members, and a decrease of 

 nine local preachers. The Committee on Finan- 

 ces reported that there were balances on hand 

 of $648.80 in favor of the beneficent fund, and 

 of $116.09 in favor of the Church loan fund. 

 Debts stood against the other funds of the 

 Church as follows: Contingent fund, $288.57; 

 missionary fund, $8,354.45; children's fund, 

 $73.83. A collection was taken during the 

 meetings of the Conference for the reduction 

 of the debt of the Missionary Society, when 

 $6,100 were subscribed. Eight churches had 

 been built, and four parsonages added, during 

 the year. The increase in the value of church 

 property during the year had been $41,467.26, 

 making the total present value of church 

 property within the Conference $347,846.26. 

 The property was subject to debts not yet pro- 

 vided for amounting to -$59,749.01. The Eng- 

 lish Conference was requested to take such 

 steps as would secure an equal representation 

 of laity and clergy in the Conferences. 



IX. WESLEYAN CONNECTION (BRITISH). The 

 following is the general review, published offi- 

 cially, of the British and affiliated Conferences 

 of this Church : 



