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(JALVIMSTHJ METHODIST I ASSOCIATION.

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(JALVIMSTHJ METHODIST I ASSOCIATION. MEETINGS AT BEATJMAKIS. lleligiclls Education in Elementary ° School? The quarterly meetings of the North Wales Calvinistic Methodists were held at Beaumaris on Tuesday and Wednesday, under the presidency of the Rev Griffith Parry, D.D., moderator. During the early portion of Tuesday preliminary meetings were held, followed in the afternoon by a meeting of the Association. THE DELEGATES. The delegates wet o the following :— 0 Ex-moderators.—Revs Hugh Jones, D.D., Liverpool; James Donne, Llangefni; Daniel Rowlands, M.A.; John Williams, Rhyl; Thomas Owen, Portmadoc; Owen Jones, B.A., Llansant- ffraid; W. James, B.A., Manchester; T. J. Wheldon, E.A., Bangor; N. Cynhafal Jones, D.D., Colwyn Bay Thomas Roberts, Bethesda; and John Roberts, Tai Hen, Anglesey. Anglesey.—Revs R. Williams, Llangwyllog; Evan Jones, Llangristiolus; Messrs John Hughes, jun., Bryndu and W. Hughes, Beaumaris. Lleyn and Eifionydd.-Revs John Evans, B.A., Pwllheli; Griffith Parry, Portmadoc; Messrs Wil- liam Jones, Pandy, Pwllheli; and Joha Rowlands, Pwllheli. Arvon.—Revs JR. D. Rowland, Carnarvon; D. W. Jones, Upper Bangor; Messrs D. Griffith, Nebo; and W. Edwards, Glasinfryn, near Bangor. Yale of Conway.—Revs H. Barrow Williams, Llandudno; Evan Hughes, Talybont; Messrs" David Jones, Llwynfryn, Llandudno; and W. M. Jones, Maenan. Vale of Clwyd.—Revs Thomas Gee, Denbigh R. Ambrose Jones, Trefnant; Messrs Robert Jones, Voryd, Rhyl; and. R. Roberts, Llansannan. Flint.—Revs Robert Davies, Holywell; R. Jones, Rhosllanerchrugog; Messrs Edward Hughes, LIa*erchymor; and David Roberts, Holywell. East Merioneth.-Revs W. ;W. Lloyd, Gwyddel- wern; Isaac Jones, Llandderfel; Messrs W. T. Owen, do.; and John Jones, Rhydlydan. West Merioneth.-Revs David Roberts, Rhiw; John Jones, Penrhyndeadraeth; Messrs T. E. Richards, Llan Festiniog; and Lewis Jones, J.P., Barmouth. Higher Montgomery.—Revs John Pritchard, Birmirgham; D. B. Edmunds, Newtown Messrs John Jones, J.P., Welshpool; and John Jones, Llangadfan. Montgomery Presbytery.—Rev John Davies, Berriew; and Mr John Jones, Gnildfield. Lancashire Presbytery.—Rev O. D. Jones. An- Held Messrs W. Evans, Bottle; and Lavid Richards, Chester. Liverpool.-Revs W. Jcnes and E. J. Evans; Messrs J. S. Jones and Edward Smallwood. I; Manchester.—Rev W. Wynne Davies and Mr W. Williiams. THE NEXT ASSOCIATION. It was decided to hold the next Association at II Ruthin on the 21, 22, and 23 of April. 1896. ELECTION OF MODERATOR. I Fourteen gentlemen were nominated for the office of moderator for the current year, but the scrutineers reported that the Rev Josiah Thomas, M.A., and the Rev Owen Owens, Liverpool, had obtained the highest number of votes. The voting on the above gentlemen resulted in the election of the former. COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION. The secretary (the Rev J. Owen, M.A.) submit- ted the report of the proceedings of the Association Committee held in the mining, which stated that a letter had been received from Mr J. Bryn Ro- berts M.P., respecting the Chapel Leasehold .En- franchisement Bill and the Chapel Sites Bill, in which he stated that those measures had been brought forward in the House of Commons every year fcut they had been lost owing to want of time'to consider them, or the action of the House of Lords in rendering them useless. On one oc- casion he had been successful in getting the for- I mer Bill through the Committee of the House of II Commons, but no day was appointed for the third reading. It went a second time through the House of Commons, but because of the Lords in- sisting upon a Provisional Order before a land- owner was compelled to sell, they considered that II it would be too costly. Consequently the Bill was abandoned. The committee recommended that Mr I Roberts be asked to bring the Bills again before the House of Commons during the next session, I and to thank him for his services in past years. On the motion of Mr W. Edwards, Glasinfryn, seconded by Mr Edward Griffith, J.P., Dolgelley, I the report was adopted. ELECTION OF SECRETARY. I A large number was nominated for the post of I secretary for the next three years, the Revs John I Williams, B.A., Dolgelley, and R. Lloyd, Holy- head, receiving the highest number of votes. On a subsequent vote being taken the former was I' declared elected. HOLYHEAD ENGLISH CHURCH. A communication was received from the Anglesey Monthly Meeting asking the Association to recon- 1 sider their action in reducing the annual grant to ] the English church at Holyhead by 115. The Rev W. James, B.A., Manchester, main- i tained that this matter ought to be referred to the < English cause sub-committee.. 1 RavO. Hughes said that the Association might j do more harm than good by refusing to consider < the application. 1 After a shcrt discussion it was decided to ask < the Anglesey Monthly Meeting to refer the matter to the consideration of the sub-committee. II EXAMINER. 1 The Rev J. Williams, Princes' road, Liverpool, j was appointed to examine applicants for the ministry during the next two years. j CONNEXIONAL TEMPEBANCE SOCIETY. The secretary submitted the report of the General Assembly, held at London, having refer-l, ence to the formation of a connexional temperance 80The'Rev D. Rowlands, M.A., observed that other denominations hpd established temperance societies, and it was high time that the Calvinistic J: Methodists should do likewise. •; The Rev J. Eiddon Jones suggested that the matter be referred to the various Monthly Meet- ings for their consideration. After further discussion the suggestion was adopted. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY 1:1 SCHOOLS. IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. SB The Rev John Williams, B.A., Dolgelley, read an able paper on this subject. He said that the I question was the most important which was now before the country, and demanded the most serious attention 8f the Association. He referred to the terms of the compromise of 1870 as embodied in the Cowper-Teaaple jClause, that no catechism or formulary of a religious body might be taught in Board Schools; and the conscience clause enabling parents to withdraw their children from such edu- cation in all elementary schools—whether board or voluntary. He gave statistics showing the present position of these schceb. Number of Voluntary Schools, 14.605; average attendance, 2,449,008. Number of Board Schools, 5151; average attend- i ance. 1,805,306. The voluntary schools are divided as followsChurch of England, 11,897 Roman Catholics, S85 Wesleyan, 503 British and unde- nominational, 1220. There are over 10,000 parishes in which no School Board s have as yet been formed. In nearly all of these the schools are Church of England schools, and 'the teachers and i pupil teachers belong to the Church of England, J and the children are taught the catechism, creeds, I and formularies of the Church of England. This is what the Archbishop of Canterbury calls, The religion of Jesus Christ.'1 Towards schools where the children are taught Church of England prin- > ciples, the Government paid in grants last year f the enormous sum of £ 2,592,980. He refuted the fbara-e that board school education is Godless edu- cation- According to a recent return, out of 2392 boards iormedup to April, 1894, only 57 bad no Bible reading or religious observanees-two only of these are in North Wales. Out of 1,805 306 cbildren in average attendance at board school j ci e aIf enly about 8000 in schools with no reiigiou observances. In nearly all the most important board schools elaborate schemes for religious in- struction had been drawn out. London, Liverpool, and Manchester, were mentioned as instances. In these schools Biblical, as distinct from sectaria* instruction as perfect as CJan be desired is given. The Birmingham School Board was mentioned as an instance of where the Bible ¡ was read daily without comment, am i the schools are rented to religious bodies for the purpose of I religious instruction. Comparing the religious in- struction given at the board schools with that at J the Church of England schools he maintained that I, the former was more Biblical and likely to carry a far healthier influence over the children. In most Church schools they are taught to regard Noncon- formists as heretics outside the pale of the only true Church. He quoted the testimony of a Church of England teacher that religion is best taught in Board schools free from the visits of Diocesan inspectors. The religious instruction in far th" greater number of the Church schools is controlled by Ritualistic clergymen. The circum- cised never despised the uncircumcised more than the children cf the Church of England are taught by these clergymen to despise the Nonconformists. The instruction at the Board schools, on the other hand, is strictly Biblical. This is the incorruptible seed which is sown daily in the minds of more than a million and a half of children in Board schools, and the Bible without catechism or creed can make wise unto salvation. This instruction is no given in vain. Statistics show that juvenile crime is on tne decrease. If Lord Salisbury c ills this a system of religious teaching, which is practically the Nonconformists ,own, it is not Nonconformists who have to complain. Non- conformists know what religious instruction is, as evidenced by their Sunday schools. They know also that the essentials of it are found in the Bible. According as they value religious teaching in elementary schools they are anxious to maintain its unsectarian character. Once it loses this the public conscience will not long tolerate it. It would be better to do away with it altogether than to make it sectarian. He gave some statistics as to the finances of the voluntary schools. The aver- age cost per child in these schools last year was 38s lfd. Of this sum only 6s 6 £ d came in volun- tary subscriptions. Out of 14,145 voluntary schools whose accounts had been published, .1061 had no voluntary subscriptions at aU, and 4797 had less than 5s per chilpl, while the Government con- tributed directly 28s 3id per child. In St. John's School, Birkenhead, the grants last year were JE1577 14s lOd, while the voluntary subscriptions were only S7 7s. In the Swansea National Higher Grade School the grants amount to more than JE2300 a year, while the subscriptions were only jEll. They should, in the face of the present crisis, expose the sectarian character of the re- ligious instruction in the Church of England schools and the strictly Biblical character of that at Board schools, and they should demand that schools which derive their main support from the public funds should be placed under public con- trol, and thus secure unsectarian schools in the ten thousand parishes where now Noncon- formist parents were obliged to send their children to Church schools. The Chairman observed that the question was one of the greatest importance, inasmuch as edu- cation was calculated to Jwork a great change in the country. It behoved them as a body to watch the public movements in connection with educa- tion. The Rev D. Rowlands, M.A., said that they as Nonconformists had^hitherto been too quiet in view of the attack that was being made upon them. The allegations made by the Churchpeople should not be allowed to pass unnoticed; they were en- tirely true. The Bishop of Bangor had said on one occasion at Carnarvon that had it not been for the Church the children of this country would have been without any education. Such an assertion was intolerable, and it was a healthy sign to see the Nonconformists making a protest against what was being at present mooted by Church- people. Lord Salisbury had said the other day that the children ought to be taught according to the wish of their parents. He (Mr Rowlands) asked what about the 10,000 parishes in this country in which there were only National Schools? Were the children in these parishes to be taught according to the convictions cf their parents ? I Un- doubtedly there were many Nonconformists living in these parishes, where the Church of England parson was the monarch of all be surveyed. 0;,) The voluntary contributions towards these sectarian schools became less every year, but the grants showed an increase. The Churchmen at present had a voice in the control of the Board Schools, but not content with this they wanted the public money to support their own voluntary schools. He was glad to observe that the Duke of Devon- shire bad said the other day that such a thing was impossible, and Lord Salisbury had also re- marked that it was hopeless. He (the speaker) was glad to know that the Nonconformists of the country were awakening to the importance of this matter. The Wesleyans tand the Congregationa- lists had already raised their protests and he trusted that they as Calvinistic Methodists would follow their example (cheers). Mr Powell, J.P., Wrexham, proposed a resolu- tion protesting against the violation of some of the principles of the agreement come to in 1870, and against subsidising ont of public funds schools which are wholly under sectarian control and carried on chiefly not for the benefit of education but of sectarianism; that the Association pledges itself to do all.in its power, and invites all friends of education 4to unite to oppose every movement which aimed at changing the unsectarian character of the Biblical education given in Board Schools, and not to relax their efforts until all schools supported by the people were placed under the popular control; and further that they call the attention of the different Monthly Meetings to this matter, andtowrgefthem to watch the developments of the next few months. In the course of a conver- sation he had with a Churchman the latter gave it as his opinion of Nonconformists that the dis- obedient children of God cannot inherit the king- dom of heaven (" Shame."). He (the speaker) firmly believed that this was the opinion of great many Churchmen in the country. The time had come for them in Wales to speak out their minds plainly upon this question, and he Velt sorry that, so far ,as he knew, not a word had been hitherto spoken upon the subject in either North or South Wales. The English Nonconformists bad already spoken out. They were now face to face with one of the most audacious attacks made upon the revenue of the kingdom (hear, hear). The supporters of the voluntary schools wanted to have the 17s 6d limit removed, and asked for an in- crease of 58. This would give them an additional sum of one million of money to enable them to carry on schools for the purpose of proselytising the children of Nonconformists. A friend told him the other "day that Jhe knew of a national school which was attended by about 100 children, only two of whom were the children of Church- people, the remaining number being Nonconform- ists. Did they think thatjjlrishmen would suffer such injustice as was advocated ? They in Wales were a little too innocent. He was extremely sorry to see those who should take the matter in hand quarrelling with each other-(hear, hear)-they were at variance with each other when they ought to be leading the van at this crisis in the history of Nonconformity (cheers). They as a connexion, ought to sppak out in no unmistakeable manner, and in order to Cirry this into effect communica- tions should be sent to all the Monthly Meetings asking them to take the matter in hand with Si asking them to take the matter in hand with all seriousness. Their fathers had suffered, and should they be less than men ? (hear, hear). He hoped that me long the Nonconformists would be able to fhow the supporters of the voluntary schools that it would have been better had they not moved in the matter. The Dukeof Devonshire, in answer to a deputation of the supporters of voluntary schools, said: We cannat shut our eyes to the fact that a lare;e amount of this additional money is bound i to be wasted, because a large number of schools at I the present time are self-supporting therefore, we cannot grant an extension of 17s 6d limit to some schools and exclude others." This matter would affect the small parishes in England and Wales to a great measure, it being felt that in these parishes the Establishment was powerful and influential. The Rev J. Roberts (Tai Hen) seconded. Mr R. Rowlands, J.P., suggested the advisability of organising public meetings, and drawing up petitions throughout the country against the in- justice which was advocated. The resolution having been unanimously passed, Dr Roberts, J.P., Menai Bridge, moved a resolu- tion urging upon the Welsh Members of Parlia- ment to take this matter in band, and that copies of the previous resolution be sent to Lord Salisbury, leadar of the Opposition, and the Welsh Whips. Mr R. Rowlands,|J.P,. seconded, and the resolu- tion was unanimously adopted. I WEDNESDAY. At 9.30 a meeting of deacons was held in the English Presbyterian chapel, when Mr T. Ellis, Cynlas, opened a discussion on Our duty to support and cultivate church pastorate." At the j same Tiour, in Trinity chapel, the Rev John Wil-j liams, Liverpool, opened a discussion on The doctrine of the Incarnation." I In the afternoon a meeting of the Association was held at the Trinity chapel, under the presidency of the Rev G. Parry, D.D., moderator. THE CAUSE IN THE COUNTY. The Rev O. Parry, Llanfair P.G., submitted a report dealing with the cause in the county. The hearers numbered 21,000, a little over one-third of I tha whole population of the county, whilst the I communicants numbered 11,000, an increase of 200 during the past two years, the increase during the past „ten years ending 1894 being an I average of lOi) a year. The Sunday School scholars j numbered 13,oOO. This again showed satisfactory increase. frhe collections for the past year amounted to £ 12,700, this being an increase I of E1200 on the previous year. The Sunday School in the county was in a satisfactory state, and the connexion proposed building branches in various parts of the county. Inquiries had been made, and it was found that it would be advisable to establish eighteen or t venty branch schools. Fire had already been established, aud three or four other branches were about to be established, At present there were only 29 ehurches out of a total of 80 under the charge of ministers, this being I due in three or four instances to removals. The report concluded by stating that a great im- provement was to be observed in the social con- dition of the county. Drunkenness had greatly decreased on fair days, and it was now a common thing to see the streets deserted on these occasions, without there being the slightest evidence of riot. This. was certainly a matter of congratulation, be- cause they as Calvinistic Methodists, who were greatly in the majority in the county, were to a great extent responsible for the social condition of the county. The Revs J. Roberts, Tai Hen; D. Rowlands, M.A., Bancor; T. J. Wheldon, B.A., Bangor; and James Donne (Llangefni), made observations on the report, the latter remarking that there was a great deal of drunkenness in Llangefni on fair days. He was sorry to say that a great number of deacons and members of churches frequented public houses in that town. THE LOAN FUND. The Rev O. Jones, B.A., Llansantffraid, sub- mitted a report showing that the receipts during the year, with the balance already in the bank, amounted to S450 14s 7 id; expenditure, zCl3 3s 7.d, leaving a balance in hand of S437 lis. It was recommended that J6430 should be given on loan this year. Sixteen churches had made applications for loans, but as the fund was too small to meet one-half of those applications, the committee recommended that the X430 be dis- tributed as follows: Cwmyglo, Cesarea, Lodge, Vroncysyllte, Aberdovey (English), Cefn Oanol, Oakfield road (Chester), and Oldham, JEoO each They further recommended that a vote of con- dolence be sent to Mrs Dickens Lewis in her bereavement.-The report was adopted. BALA COLLEGE. The Rev W. James, B.A., Manchester, directed attention, at the request of the committee of the College, to the action of the churches inviting students before they had completed their course of education in the College. In answer to the Rev J. Williams, Liverpool, The Rev R. H. Morgan, M.A., stated that there was nothing in the way of churches coming to an understanding with students as to accepting pas- torate at the end of their college term. TEMPERANCE AND SOCIAL PURITY. The Rev D. Jones, Garregddu, submitted a re- port from the Temperance and Social Purity Com- mittee, and after some discussion it was decided to submit a number of resolutions to a public meeting to be held in the evening, at which the speakers announced were: Mr Herbert Lewis, M.P.; the Revs H. Barrow Williams; Francis Jones, Aber- gele; D. Jones, Garregddu; and J. R. Williams. ENDOWMENTS. The Rev J. Williams, Dolgelley, brought up the report of the Endowments Committee, which re- commended that the attention of the various Monthly Meetings be called to the inquiries now being made into the endowments of the country. It was stated that some of the denominational en- dowments were not placed on a sound legal basis, and if the money were lost the trustees would be held responsible. The recommendations of the committee were adopted. Preaching services were held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and throughout Thursday. The catering was aatisfactorly carried out by Mr G. Walmsley, Restaurant, Margaret street.

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