AUSTRALIAN CHURCH.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7418, 9 December 1889, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN CHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THK PRESS. Sib,—ln your issue of the 2nd ult., under the title of "Topics of the Day," there appeared some portions of a speech delivered by Bishop Thornton, of Ballarat, on the question of the Federation of the Church of England in these colonies with those of the Mother Country. Such a federation may or may not be desirable, or bo the means of in any way advancing the cause of true Christianity. But, Sir, is it not a pitiable thing to see a Bishop, the head of a large section of the Protestant Church, by such unchristian means as increasing the oarriera and fanning the flame of sectarianism, endeavoring to raise up a universal Church? It doe*, not require a very keen observer to notice that the Churches are fast losing their influence with, and are out of touch with, the people. I, as a visitor to Christchurch, looked in at your noble Anglican Cathedral on Wednesday evening last when a service was being conducted. The building is a beautiful one, situated in a thickly populated district. It contains a powerful organ, and-there was a large, choir, whose singing I much enjoyed. But with all this lavish expenditure on buildings, &c, the worshippers were a mere handful, in fact were outnumbered by the choir. In the course of Bishop Thornton's address he refers to the "Australian Church" in Melbourne in terms which appear to be utterly wanting in Christian charity, he describes it as "Nothingarian." True the Australian Church does not profess to be either Anglican, Unitarian, or Trinitarian, but whilst welcoming all that is true and noble in the Old World creeds and doctrines, and recognising the fact that the Christian religion consists, not so much in what set or sets of dogmas a man may believe, as that it is the desire of the human soul to become more and mote like unto its creator, whom we conceive of as Truth, Light, and Love, and not as Anglican or Trinitarian. The Australian Church, while making no endeavor to bind men's minds to.any set of dogmas, believing that such controversies as to whether the Son is of the same substance or of like substance with the Father, and about which the Churches have had such fierce and bitterjconflicts, to be a hindrance rather than a help towards a Christian life, is engaged in the far nobler work of assisting the poor and needy, and in striving to raise mankind into a higher social state by endeavoring to remove the many crying evils of sin and selfishness which at present exist, thereby lifting men out of their sins, and preparing the way for a fuller and truer life to come, both here and hereafter. I leave it to yourself, Mr Editor, and your readers, to judge whether if ever a real living Church, which will be a power for good in the land, is again to exist—if it will be founded on the hairsplitting of creeds, or whether it will be built upon the broad basis of a universal brotherhood and society, not excluding any man or society of men, but which will include everyone who, by any means whatever, tries to advance the kingdom of God unearth. Does it not appear as though the religious leaders of to-day occupy a similar position to those of 1800 years ago, who called Jesus a "Nothing-ananS" Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, &c, ALEXANDEB CHAT.MKBS, Melbourne. December 3rd, 1889.