ANGLICANS AND UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 292, 7 December 1920, Page 5

ANGLICANS AND UNION.

THE CHURCH'S BIG EFFORT. RETURN OF BISHOP AVERILL. Anglican efforts towards church union as crystalised at the recent Lambeth Conference, were referred to by Dr. A. W. Averill, the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, who returned to the diocese i«ist night by the steamer Port Napier. He was accompanied by >Irs. Averill and Miss Averill. The Bishop did not euggeet that the conference had found a solution ot the much-discussed question of church union, but he did contend that it could not now foe said that the Church of England !iad not made every effort to solve it. He explained that the biehope had acknowledged on behalf of the church that its clergy would be willing to accept any form of commission which the non-episcopal churches riked to prescribe in order to make their ministry acceptable lo non-episcopal congregations. In return the Anglican clergy asked that the non-episcopal churches would, without throwing any reflection on their previous ministry, be willing to accept for their ministers, episcopal ordination so that their ministers might be acceptable to the people of the Church of England. Bishop Averill said the conference could not have dealt with the question more seriously than it did. He felt that they were being guided by God's spirit, and had found something that would be really useful toward* union. He said it was remarkable how men of very opposite views in the conference had agreed to the proposals.

Among other subjects dealt with by the Conference was the status of women. It was recommended that siiit&ble ■women be admitted to the diaconate and rank with tT.e deacons of the church. That equality had never before *been acknowledged. It meant that women would be permitted, with the sanction of the bishop, to take part in services and carry out all the duties of a deacon, except assist in the administration of the Holy Communion.