RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 248, 16 October 1920, Page 18

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

THE UNION OF THE CHURCHES. Tin: i'NCXSS o\ THE 01.1 l i"HI"ROH si , IRK. I'.y \\ K. IK i\\ ITT. i I)r i.il.h ha- .-iiiiv l.ivk from i »'• I i'viiu i.i.inl, iiml r.:i\- tJial In , thinksi j> prnjrrc.-— i- Ireing ma ]<■ with nvrard ; " liir iinixn m" ihr Kvunp-li.-a! Chutvhcs m •■• i '~1 i Diintry. I'li.ii tin- i- so goes I" j.r.n, Mull t lit" old sc, l.ir: in .liuVrence-; ~! .1 u ei..-r.i.:ion a-., .in' .. Iniiia of tne pi-t I in.■!, ~f .1 \U- .ii! ilr linatiotif .lilFiTi in ■■- i\.-n- in-, i- w.-\ Mmnj; in ~nt vi \ I lirnilv lii'lii-vi- iluu U" , union mi ln-a'rl- ...i- :i- i-U--'ii U ' ,i- tin- iiiii"!i or li.-a.U i- in ilii\ . ll\ ilii* I ni'-aii tiiat we limy -.Mm hliv.- ,i'l.._'iii in- formal linkin U iujfi-thcr ni iiniin i>( tin- .•liurelipn, I.vi ill.- hi-iiri .iiii.'.n l< .ni: a;:' >' •'» warmer i'i.ui t u< i ..i io (lav. which has Imcn .1,--.ri:,.-.l l.\ inn- nl "n'lr L-iiiliiiJ! I liml..iri.in- ;i- .i ii n< tin ~i .-onwnicni-c Hml nut of iI.N-p --ai.-d I." . ■ li. support I hi, ir' pint.- ,ill ill -1.111 ■• ■ .'I a rlUiri'll which I Hlti-mli-.l tliiiiii.' '..m all m.V ymithfiil y.-ar-. simoiinliiijjr tn nearly two IliTiuli-x. i'lii.l wlii. li. .n't. i- ii Inpw i.f mvit •JO j -;ir-. I atl. ii!.'.! α-j "T .i ; i-ri "I \\ h.-ii Kn.iv i linr. li. at I'al.-u. .Minn-, t. ,| ,ii il iirl\ ■ I.i> - it WHi. ■ "ti -id.-red .i vi-rv liiiii'.U addition in Hie -M.-.r.'.l , diti. .■-. ,n tin- pluce. With tii.' addition of a M*iry ut tlif kick, il yf.iintl.-i l.wliiy c-sm-i'ly ,v- .1 vva* pill Hi , . vvilli tliw .litV.-r.-Ti •!•: lliilt a liPillM itlll .•r..«. uhi.-l, v-,. It . iiilnrn il ■*, hial;i*t |...irrt 11ii.. di-appi-ar.-d unil an T pie." ..f tiinbi-r lia- taken its place. I'r.'sliv-li-rinii pbieis nl uur-iiip ..f.' known all hit tin- ivnrlil .i- -nml.n- lunUni},' Imililii.«-. I,nt in the si-vcntirri ami in I hi* i-niiirtry iiu-n lia.l liwnni- tolornnt inixiniT ..f tin- .lillVr.-ni min.Ht.T-. and iiltlioiijili we lii-nr. a lot nboiil i-luiri-li union nnwa.lav-. i'hti- whu jlii'illlT in-liTi-ours- liplwim-ii tin- ililTcn-nt .I.■nominations fi.rly yoar. H«o than ; li.-ri- is 10-dn.v. 111,. -~..,1 points of efti-h ■ lilT.-i-ont rclijrious vip\v< wen- n-spectcd iii-cnriiitiL'ly. ' Most ..| the rni-n who had foitiul,.,! Kn,,\ rlmr.-li were m.-ii who hml irnvi'lli-d ii "ooil d.-al ami rubbed -limililer* with fiioir f.-llows in dillVrcnt |~irti ~f the worl.l. and tin- brotherhood i.f man's,.|.„,,.(! U pparcnt in the kindly fi-i-linjrs whit-li really existed betw-een all .lasses of men. Thi- Christian name was iniiri' iisi-iI than now, anil men paid more attention to the wishes of o-thero than ii< ihi' -ii-ni-ral nil.- to-day. Well, there were three oilier rhuroni'd in the plai-C two had crosses on them and the other had not. The new managers of the , Inireh which was being erected wanted In show as kindly n spirit as possible to the other chureihes, and ufter much disciirwion and deliberation they decided in fall in line with the majority, ami put ii cross nt the front of the new edifice.. That would make three churches with crosses and one without. There were not many precedents that could be found for ,i l'res-byti'ritj.n place of worship having a cross on it, and when some ot 111i> big Rims of the church came up to open the buildincr or to visit thp place art. different intcrvuM, they marie strong protest against what they called the innovation, lurt the managers and adher-i-nts wen- adaniiint. The cross had been |.iit up with the. most sincere feelings, and was the emblem of their faith, and they wished to throw precedent to the v'inds. They wanted to draw closer to their neighbours, and despite theological theories they wished to live at pence with all men who worshipped the same Creator, -and who believed in the same (iospel. For decades that cross reared its symbolic head heaven wards, and worshippers entered the church under its shadow for many a lonj; year. Children grew to manhood and womanhood, and it was still there. Young lovers plighted their troth beneath its benediction, and their firsat kiss as man and wife was beneath the sign that reminded them of the <"!oil -Man -who blest the marriage feast at tana. When the old pioneers died the young people made wreaths to place on the bier of a similar design to that which praeed their church and the two other churches of the town; and over all the life of the people at a time when the churches seemed to exerciso a greater influence over the minds of their followers than is the case now, mid when the large attendance in the family pew was tli-e rule rather than the exception, that cross exercised its most potent force. A new body of worshippers in course of time came into existence wlio knew not that the cross had been erected—despite sectarian protest—in the cause of church unity and tolerance l>y men who were seers, and who saw further than their advisers that day when all churches would be united, and the old symbol of the united religion which ie known throughout 'the. world would have a place on every church. We knniv not how, or we know not when, the cross disa.ppeared. but it is not there now to fulfil the mission it set out to accomplish, but with church union in the air, mijjht it not. in memory of tli-c great breadth of view of the founders of the church be replaced with all due decorum and respect, and v\ ithout any sacriliee on the part of anyone. because this is the. great master spirit by which' one great church union if to he brought about for the henefit nf the world, and for the glorification of Him who preached the Sermon on the Mount -tlie point that the leaders of the church. Dr. Cibb included, would like to bring all tin- members of the churches back to during this time of world unrest and deep anxiety. CHURCH NEWS ANI* NOTES. Mr. lien Richardson, fnr forty-seven years Public House Missionary, wh» has just retired at the age of 7!) years, was presented by Licensed Victuallers with a cheque for £142, and an illuminated address. The I'resbylcrinn Conference, held nt Lausanne passed a resolution in favour of the Uiifruc of Xation.=. The. American delegate-, repudiated the political man- • i.-iivi.. . t ..it had Kept their c.iiintrv out "f the 1,, aaue. -I"al:,vj ~,, spiritual,-in iU Wellinj;- ---'"" I'hur-li. i>,. |.\ I;. M,.yi'r -Hid v gn-at. scientist had mil en to him ■hvshoi.id 1,,. ~,,t ,„.,;,,,. .-.,.,. t , <--»- { other -ide mi,,',,,,., ,„ „..,. h ,, lp „„_ ~,u ~ ■ "" ■ ' -"'I not 11