The important missions in Southern and Western Africa must not be forgotten, nor those in Honduras and the Bahamas.

The present policy throughout our actual mission-field is as far as possible to raise up native agents.  Probably the heathen lands will be won for the great Captain of salvation by native soldiers; but for a long time they will need officers trained in countries familiar for generations with the blessings of the gospel.  The number of our missionaries may be stated at 400, more than half being native agents; there are 2,680 other mission workers, 52,058 Church members; 84,113 children and young people having instruction in the schools.  But these figures would give a false idea of the progress of the work if compared with the statistics of 1837; for then our missions included vast regions that have now their own Conferences.  When the Queen ascended the throne Fiji was a nation of cannibals.  Two years before her accession our Missionary Society commenced operations in those islands.  John Hunt laboured with apostolic zeal, and died breathing the prayer, “God, for Christ’s sake, bless Fiji, save Fiji.”  The prayer is already answered.  All these islands have been won for Christ, and are trophies of Wesleyan missionary toil.  There are 3,100 native preachers under the care of nine white missionaries; 1,322 chapels, 43,339 members and catechumens, and more than 42,000 scholars.  Fiji has become almost a nation of Methodists.  But it were vain to look for traces of this vast achievement in the “Minutes of Conference” of 1896; for a special feature of our missionary policy is the establishment of affiliated Conferences, which in course of time become self-supporting.  In 1883 all the branches of the Canadian Methodists united to form one Canadian Conference.  The first French Conference met in 1852.  In 1855 the Conference of Eastern British America was formed.  The same year the first Australian Conference met, and took charge of the Missions in Fiji, the Friendly Isles, and New Zealand.  The first South African Conference met in 1882, and the two West Indian Conferences in 1884.  Although more or less independent of the mother Conference, they still retain the characteristics of Methodism.  A distinct branch of Mission work, known as the Women’s Auxiliary, has been established, and sends forth ladies to engage in educational, zenana, and medical work.  They are doing good service in India, China, and other parts of the world.  In 1896 they expended more than L10,000.

The total expenditure last year (1896) was L124,700, incurred by our own Mission work and by grants to the affiliated Conferences.  It is satisfactory to note that in the districts helped, including those covered by these Conferences, an additional L185,000 was raised.  We have magnificent opportunities; and with full consecration of our people’s wealth there would be glorious successes in the future.  Foreign Missions have been the chief honour of Methodism, and it is to be hoped the same affection for them will be maintained; for wherever Methodism is found throughout the world, it is the result of mission work.