CHURCH UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 199, 22 August 1919, Page 10

CHURCH UNION.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As the above question is a. very vital one just now, it might be well for those interested to consider the question from the opinion of a New Zealander, who gives his opinion of Methodist union as it appeared to him in Australia after union had been consummated there. Tie says: "I considJ ered at one time the ideal was splendid, I and before I left Xew Zealand I was I entirely in favour of it, but since having ' seen it in operation in Australia I have !becn forced to change my opinion. In the circuit I have been connected with I have found it work very badly indeed —continual strife, friction, and jealousy; and though T have done my I best in my humble way to create a I better and more sociable feeling, it ' seems an impossible task. My brother 'has found it the same in Brisbane. Our Melbourne manager told mc the last time I saw him it was a failure there. A Dunedin gentleman, who for some time has been living in Adelaide for eighteen months, says he has been forced to form the same opinion. I have come in contact with old Primitive Methodists in my travels, I have asked their opinions, and I have yet to find a single layman speak in its favour, and most of them denounce it in very strong terms. The old Primitive Methodist ministers soem to he about equally divided. I believe moot of them ■have gained financially, but they have as a rule been relegated to the worst circuits. Nevertheless, personally, I do not judge the question from an £ s. d. point of view, or as to w_ether it prevents overlapping or other minor defects. I view it from the "aroad standpoint. Has union helped to advance the Church of God? I maintain it has not. In fact, it has had the opposite effect. For instance, I take my own circuit. When union took place one Primitive Methodist chcreh was closed, and three Wesleyan churches and one Primitive Methodi-t were kept open. All these were well attended when union took place, but although -the population has increased considerably in the circuit the congregations are much smaller, and it is a constant struggle to finance the circuit. In spite of special appeals, the ministers' salaries have generally to be made up at our quarterly meetings. There is no doubt that union has stopped over-

lapping, though to my mind overlapping is not such a eerious defect as some ivould 'have us believe, i wotdd rather see overlapping- than see our churches being closed and neglected as they are. j A bit -of friendly rivalry would keep I tlieni all alive; it is good on the whole, I and acts as competition does on trade. | We Methodists, as an argument in favour lof temperance, say the fewer hotels j there are the less temptation ito drink. IBy the same manner of reasoning, the j more churches there are the greater tho inducement and incentive for being and doing good. All I can say is that I hope union in New Zealand -will not be consummated for a long time to come. The ideal lis all right, but it does not seem attainable in practice." —I am, etc., A METHODIST.