REUNION IN CANADA.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

REUNION IN CANADA.

A PILGRIMAGE FROM ENGLAND

The reunion of the churches in Canada has impressed the rest of the world, and it has been decided by a keen band of enthusiasts in England to take out to Canada a big party of 1200 men and women who have this cause at heart, so that they can see the results of reunion on the spot. Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Methodises are to take part, and Dr Sidney Berry and the Rev. Albert O. Sleep, secretary of the Colonial Missionary Society, are at the head of the enterprise.

The Springfield Republican gives some facts which show that those who join the pilgrimage will see an achievement which will be worthy of their close study. The paper in question says-.— "In the three and a-half yeans of the existence of the United Church, however, the tendency has been strongly marked toward a further strengthening of union. The church now has approximately 8806 congregations, 4500 ministers (including 050 foreign missionaries), and 693,000 members. The minimum salary of an ordained minister is about 1800 dollars, many receive 5000 dollars or more, a few as much as 10,000 dollars. No salary has been reduced. Although at the time of union 270 former Presbyterian ministers were without charges, and amalgamation of local churches increased the number of unemployed pastors by more than 200, virtually all of the available ministers are now employed. At the end of two years 600 new cnarges (local church organisations) had been established wherj there had been no Protestant churches before. It has been stated by church leaders that more progress has been accomplished in three years than could have been accomplished in twelve y3irs under the former system of rivalry and duplication of effort."