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NORTH WALES CALVINISTIC METHODISM. QUARTERLY MEETINGS AT BARMOUTH. THE REVOLT CAMPAIGN FUND. FUTURE OF 3ALA COLLEGE AGAIN d:scussed. The North Wales Calvinistic Methodist Association opened the business çJ. its quarterly meetings at Barmouth on don. day. Tho Moderator, the Rev. J. J. Rob- erta lolo Caernarvon") presided at tho afternoon conference, which was attended by several ex-moderators, including the Rev. Griffith Ellis (Bootle), and by and minisLevijal delegates. tpon the Invitation of the Anglesey Moaithly Meeting the next quarterly asso- ciation was to be held at Llonerch- yinedd towards the end of June. The secretary (tho Rev. J. O. Thomas) presented a list of those who had een selected for ordination, and the same was referred to the deacons' committee to re- port upon the regularity of tho selection. The names were those of Messrs. R. R- Parry, LLandynan, Flintshire; W. D. Mar gan, Llangurig; Robert Davies, B.A., Tref- eglvv vs; John Williams, B.A., Carno; M. R. Mosrsj Machynlleth; T. W Itpanlli, Groeslwvd; Siu'.on G. Evans, B.A., Birken- head; Griffith Hughes, B.A., West Kirby; J. E. Hughes. B.A., B.D., Engeii, West Merioneth; John Smith, Nantglvn J. O. Jones, Denbigh; O. G. Griffiths, Peniel; and John Elias Hughes, Portdinorwic. VALUABLE GIFTS. Several valuaBIe gifts of land, etc., to the Connexion were reported. Reference was made to the generosity of Mr W iiliam Thomas, formeily of Bootle, a.nd his son All- R. J. Thomas, in building, almost en- tirely at their own expense, a handsome chapel at LlanrhyddLaid, Anglesey, and undertaking to subscribe liberally towards maintaining the ministry at that place. Both gentlemen were heartily thanked by the Conference. Thanks were likewise re- turned to Mrs Humphreys, of Cerni; Mrs Pritchard, Penrhyndeudraeth: and Mrs Bennett Owen, Lkwryglyn, for gifts of land for CotinexionaJ purposes At the request of the Arvoai Monthly Meeting p&rniission was given to sell or lease the old TabernacLe at Bangor, one of the best known chapels-belonging to Welsh Oalvinistic Methodism. "INSPIRED WITH HOPE." In inviting tho Association to appoint delegates to the Triennial Conference of the Liberation Society, the committee If that society pointed out that the confer- ence would meet under exceptional circum- stances. The failure of the Government to pass their Education Bill was a matter of grave importance. Tho report of the Royal Commission on disorders in the Church dJe- manded the gravest consideration, while the promise of the Government to introduce at an early date a bill for the disestablish- ment of the Church in Wales inspired the friends of religious equality with hope. FUTURE OF BALA COLLEGE. The subject upon which interest centred at this session was that of reorganising the staff of the ccnnexional college at BaJa. A committee whose report was submitted by the Rev. John Owen, Mold, recommended inter alia the appointment of five pro- fessors, instead of, as at present, three professors and two assistant lecturers, the work of the college to be divided thus:— Christian doctrine, Professor Ellis Edwards, Church history, Dr. Hugh Williams; the Old Testament, Professor Stevenson; the New Testament, professor to be appointed: philosophy and history of religion, pro- fessor to be appointed. The scheme also included the appointment of the Rev. imiis Edwards as Principal and the Rev. Dr. Hugh Williams as Vice-principal. A rough financial estimate was appended showing on expenditure of ,288 and an income of £1,1O, leave a deficit both on the college and on the pre- paratory schools connected therewith of £6(30 a year. Attention W'3B called to the fact that the rearrangement suggested would involve additional expondfrtuxe of JE700 per annum. In moving the adoption of the recom- mendation touching the appointment of ad- ditional professors the Rev. John Owen dwelt upon the extreme importance of placing Bala College at this juncture on a sound and safe basis. During the present religious controversies he rejoiced to find men who had received their training at Bala to the forefront of those who defend- ed religion against its assailants.The month- ly meetings having opposed the colleges amalgamation scheme, he ventured to say that there could be no two opinions as to the necessity of reorganising Bala College. A statement of accounts of the college for the last three years was also submitted by Mr R. C. Jones, Menai Bridge, from which it appeared that the average jet credit balance on both college and pre- paratory school was JE44. The total capital amounted to nearly £50,000, invested m mortgages, ground rents, and railway securities. Mr J. E. Powell, Wrexham, in seconding the adoption of the committee's recom- mendation, said that Bala College was sad- ly deficient in equipment compared with theological institutions in Scotland and elsewhere. The Welsh colleges and sec- ondary schools turned out thousands of thoughtful young men and women who sat Sunday after Sunday in their chapels, and it therefore behoved the Connexion to equip their preachers in the best possible manner. TOO GREAT ALACRITY. As an amendment tho Rev. Wm. Thomas ( Uaairw st, proposed that the scheme as ft whole be first submitted to the monthly meetings for their consideration. He object- ed to the too groat alacrity shown to in- crease the salaries of the professors while hundreds of quarry men scarcely earned enough to live, and the quarry district of Festiniog had, for instance, 200 empty houses (hear, hear). En allowing the soheme to be the best possible, he objected to a collection being made at present. Tho Rev. H. Barrow Williams seconded and expressed his great regret a.t oeing obliged to oppose the recommendation of a committee of which he was a member, but which he could not attend on the occasion of the framing of the scheme. He also re gret-ted that the facts now disclosed were brought out at the time of the proposal to amalgamate the colleges. He doubted the fairness ctf comparing Bala College with colleges outside the Principality. The work performed by the college was satisfactory, even upon the admission of the committee. Why then effect a change which would 'm- pose an additional burden upon he country ? The Rev. John Pritchard, Birmingham, depreciated sending the matter to the monthly meetings, while the Rev. John Williams, Brynsiencyn, also disa.pproved f such a course, unless the association save the monthly meeting a lead in the matter. The Rev. Evan Jones, Carnarvon, fore- Saw the greatest difficulty in adding 1:700 to the income of the College, and. urged that the present resources of the institu- tion should be better maniouLated. CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES. The Rev. T. J. Whaldcwa earnestly ap- pealed to the Association to recognise the great and important changes which were quietly but surely going on about them. In the past the Oalvinistic Methodist Con- nexion stood unchallenged at the head of tho nation, but they no longer occupied that position. Other denominatioaas had a large sharo in imparting inspiration to the people. He asked the Conference to take a more optimistic view of the future of Bala College. Let them do what they could What they proposed was a mere nothing compared with the power possessed by the Connexion. Why had Mr Barrow Williams not come to the committee and advanced his objections there (Mr Barrow Williaras, interposing, essayed to speak, but was not observed by the Moderator). Mr Wheldon continued, declaring that, as the committee was unanimous in its recommendation, was not right for any members of the committee to oppose. The Rev. Barrow Williams, who mea.n- while had remained standing, offered his protest against the personal a/ttack of the last speaker. When the committee met he wiaa doing duty elsewhere. The Rev. Owen Owen, Liverpool, amd Professor Hugh Williams continued the discussion, and at its close The Rev. Evan Janes moved, as a com- promise, that the scheme be referred back to the committee, with instruction to re- consider the same in such a way as to obviate the necessity of appealing far a collection at the present time. The resolution was passed almost unani- mously. The proposal to appoint Professor Ellis Edwards as Principal and Professor Hugh Williams as Vice Principal was unan- imously adopted. THE REVOLT CAMPAIGN FUND. The Rev. Aethwy Jones, Liverpool, re- ported that, exclusive of the collection made by Manchester Methodists and a few subscriptions from Liverpool, the total collected towards the campaign fund by the monthly meetings in North Wales was 1:2290. A sum of £1,L50 had been paid to the treasurer of the Central Committee, leaving a balance of £1,060 in the hands of the Connexional Committee. It remain- ed to be decided what should be done with the balance. The two direct objecta of the fund had been achieved to some extent temporarily, and the central treasurer had more in hand than was necessary to meet immediate demands, but ho would not be surprised to find two Welsh county coun- cils being soon declared in default, even with a Liberal Government in. power, a.nd he was therefore going to propose that the balance in hand be retained to await events, and so make it impossible for the Central Committee to spend it in their own way- The Rev. David Janes, Fefjtiniog, second- ed the proposal, and declared that the Central Committee did not act fairly to wards Merionethshire in oa.11ing upon ooor localities to provide their own school build- ings. The resolution was carried. THE NEW MODERATOR. At the evening sessior « retiring Mod- erator delivered his «s on handing oven- the chair to tl John Williams, Brynsiencyn, the ne .ilodemator. An ad- dress was also delivered by the Rev. R. Humphreys, Liverpool, on "The Sunday School." TUESDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The meetings of the Association were Ie- sumed on Tuesday. The chair at the Conference was taken by the Rev. John Williams, Brynsiencyn, the newly elected moderator. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION. A prolonged discussion ensued upon sug- gested alterations of the rules affecting the oidnuniiiitration of the Auxiliary Fund, but ultimately tho matter woq deferral. In- cidentally Mr Peter Roberts (St- Asaph), treasurer of the fund, expressed his opanion that in the absence of a more odequate financial position, the Connexion was rais ing too many preachers. He asserted that no denomination possessing the same means paid so little a.s Oalvinistic Methodists to those who had entered the ministry, and on the other hand there was no denomina- tion which paid more for seimons The Rev. Lewis Ellis (Rhyl) spoke out at length in support of a resolution beseeching the North Wales Association to transfer same of the forward movement churches to the home mission, as the South Wales As- socia.tion had done so on the assumption that the North would follow suit. 'This step was suggested in ordter to enable the forward movement to start new causes in populous districts. He moved that the ohurches at Oswestry, Ruabon, Acrefair, and Brymbo be so transferred. Mr Peter Roberts, in seconding the reso- lution, pointed out that the Home Mission Fund had £18,000 at its disposal, and he urged tha.t it should not be kept in hand whale weak causes struggled for existence. An amendment was moved by the Rev. Robert Roberts (Pernrhyn), and seconded by Mr James Venmore (Liverpool), that the question be deferred till the next Aæoci tion, and upon a division thia waa almost unanimously carried. THE CHURCH COMMISSION. Referring to the crisis in the history of the Church Commissi an, the Rev. Evan Jones said that probably the crisis was at on acute stage that day. He hod never had any great zeal for the appointment of the Commission, nor for its proceedings, and yet he should be sorry to see its labours coming to nought. In view of the peculiar circumstances of the case, he moved that the following telegram be dispatched to the 9eoretary of the Commission: The North Wales Galvinistic Methodist Associa- tion assembled at Barmouth desires to re- peat that it is ready and anxious to pre- sent its evidence to the Commission." Such a resolution compromised nobody, but it W'88 a. olear declaration that the Com- rmæion did not wish to with-hold its evi- dence. The Rev. Daniel Rowlands, Bangor, hav- ing seconded the resolution, The Rev. D. E. Jenkins (Denbigh) pro- tested that the telegram displayed too much anxiety on the part of the Associa tion. He should first of all be gLad to know what was at the root of the attitude adopt- ed by the three members of the Commission He apprehended that it hald some relation to something vital in Nonconformity, and it was necessary to see that they were given every opportunity of presenting their evidence fairly. The Rev. T. J. Wheldon supported the resolution in view of the doubt entertained in same quarters that the Association was not keenly desirous of presenting its evi- dence before the Commission. After an explanation by the proposer, Mr Jenkins withdrew his objection, and the sending of the telegram was unanimously agreed to. The Rer. Evan Jones was appointed to represent the Association at the forth- coming triennial conference of the Libera- tion Society, and Mr J. Harrison Jones (Liverpool) was appointed on the Bala Col- lege Committee in succession to Mr R. W. Roberts (Corwen). In response to a re- queet read from the South Wales Associa- tion, it was resolved to co-operate with thnt Association in a i vemont to be here- after decided upon for recognising the long a.nd valuable services of the Rev. Thomas Levi (Aberystwyth) to the Connexion, and to Wales generally. REPORTS. A statement about the position of the cause in West Merionethshire was present- ed by the Rev. T. R. Jones (Towyn). The Rev. R Aethwy Jones and Mr James Venmore, as secretary and treasurer of the Ministers' Fund, brought up tho com- mittee's annual report, showing that the capital value of the fund was close upon £40.000. There waa also submitted the draft of a scheme for the superannuation of ministers..

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