CHURCH UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1892, Page 3

CHURCH UNION.

THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH COUNCIL.

Last evening a meeting of tho United Evangelical Church Council of Auckland was held in bhe V.M.C.A. Rooms. The Rev. J. Chew presided, and there were also present: The Revs. J. J. Berry, T. F. Robertson, and Messrs F. A. White, H. Field, J. Posbles, R. D. Sbewarb, G. A. Bubtle, Service and S. Rout.

The business of the meeting was to considor tho desirability or otherwise of extending the basis of organisation of the Council, on a plan proposed by tho Rev. Mr Robertson.

Mr R. D. Stewart said ho thought the material for tho basis of organisation was lacking. The church courts took matters into their own hands, and as bhings sbood ab present, the Council's recommendations were nothing more bhan advisory, and pracbical operabions were apparenbly oub of the quesbion. The difliculbies ab present were over-organisabion, and bhe facb that the evils of sectarianism were nob yeb euflicieiibly appreciated by the Christian community at large to give a raison d'etre for tho existence of tho Council.

Some discussion ensued as bo the advisability or necessity of widening the basis of organisation of the Council. Mr White said ib was rather strange that so few of those gentlemen who had attended the first meeting evinced sufficient interest in the Council and its objects as to keep up their abtendance. The Rev. Mr Robertson moved,in accordance with notice previously given, " That Rules 2 and 3 of bhe Council's consbibution regarding tho election of laymen by bhe Church courbs to the Council, bo scored out, and that Rule 1 be altered to tho effect that the Council consist of all ministers and Church members willing to join."

Tho Rev. J. J. Berry wa3 sorry ho could nob support Mr Robertson's motion. If the organisation of the Council wero altered so as to allow any layman to enter it, however sincere and well-intentioned he might be, the inevitable result would be to cause the mosb weighty and mosb able of bhe church memners to fall out. He was greatly grieved and disheartened at the miserable cheese-paring way in which many ministers from whom they might have expecbed botbor, approached Christian work, and ho was sorry bo see bhab the people had nob yet as a whole wakened up to the necessity for some sweeping action such aa that set oub in the sbatemenb of objects of the Council. However, the Council had already done valuable work in Auckland, in attracting attention to their aims and objects, and this work of education should bo pushed forward by them with all their endeavours.

Mr Stewart thought that the Council .should not accept Mr Robertson's suggestion. Tho Council might, in its work, _be able to point out the evils of over-organisa-tion in country disbriebs for example, and by obher means he able to do some pracbical work, and thus justify its existence. To alter the constitution of the Council at present would be wrong, and would tend to nullify all bho little' good bhab their body had yet been able to do. Mr Roberbson said he was sony bo see thab so much opposibion to his scheme had been made manifest. Ho felb thab the present constitution was unworkable, and thab the membership should bo widened. For insbanco, there were many good ar<d worbhy men in bho Anglican Church who might be willing and anxious bo help in bhe work of the Council who were debarred from nbtending by the presenb constitution.

Mr Berry said that owing to the small and non-representative attendance ab the Council meetings they were unfortunately preventod from doing any practical work. For instance, thero was ab presenb under considerabion by the local' Presbyterian and Wosleyan Church Councils a question regarding over-organi-sation at Tauranga, which was exactly one of tho questions which lay within the Council's province, but which could not bo satisfactorily considered at the Council's meetings owing to the small attendance. The proposal of Mr Robertson, if given effect to, would hardly tend to give the Council more weight as far as its decisions wero concerned with tho various church courts. He moved as an amendment, " That the Council be adjourned sine die." He thoughb bhey should rest on their oars for a while and go on educating the public. Mr Buttle suggested thab the churches should stir up their courts, and all send their delegates •to the meetings of the Council.

Mr Stewarb moved, " Thab this Council deems ib expedienb bhab a general meeting of members and adherents of Christian churches be called, with a view to ascertaining whab sympathy and supporb bhe Council may expect, from bhe churches, the arrangements for such meeting to bo lefb in tho'hands of the Executive Commibbee."

Messrs Robertson and Berry withdrew their proposals in favour of this motion. Mr Stewart's motion was seconded by Mr Jones, and carried unanimously. The meeting then adjourned sine die.