CHURCH UNION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13740, 23 May 1910, Page 6

CHURCH UNION.

In his sermon last night Archdeacon Ensor ricflit with the question of Church union, referred to briefly in those columns on Saturday, and stated the position from tho Anslicnn standpoint. "We must leaTe it to others to discuss in detail, if they -wish, the important theological questions raised by tho archdeacon's interesting address—it is neither the province nor the purpose cf a daily paper to do co. It will bo seen, however, that 11 r Ensor left no doubt in his hearer's minds as to his own attitude. Ho evidently thinks Church union is desirable, but it must he tho union of absorption, not of mutual combination. He thought it right, ho said, when they (of tho Anglican Church) were asked to break down the Church's fences and let in all who had departed from her, to say that the overtures must come from the latter. "They would find the old ci Mother Church ready to receive them, "but it would be with all her fences " standing." This is not tho language of conciliation, and it is not in tho least calculated to promote even the kind of union of which the Archdeacon approves, but in its nn<»mpromising outspokenness it no doubt reflects tho minds of a large section of the Anglican Church, and thereby indicates the difficulties that lie in the path of union. It is, however, rather late

in tho day to speak as if the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches were solely responsible for the present state of dis-union, knd as if all the sacrifices necessary to bring about union must be made by them. It" they, for conscience sake, and in order to secure greater liberty, departed from the Anglican communion, it must bo remembered that the irreat Church of England herself represents an earlier breaking away from ancient forms, and if later on that Church suffered at the 'hands of Nonconformists, the Methodists experienced terrible persecutions in their early years, and its founder's lit* was often in peril. Mr Ensor's assertion that not one of . thejNoncoiiformist Churches holds the position doctrinally that it held fiity years ago, is a matter for the leaders of thoso Churches to deal with, but his statement that the Anglicans have never altered, their standard of belief since the nation embraced Christianity fat the hands of a missionary sent from Rome by the Pope) requires some fuller explanation as to what is inferred by "standard of belief." The recital to-day of the Nicone Creed, drawn up sixteen centuries ago, is a proof of the permanence Qf belief in the great essentials of the Protestant faith, but the Athanasian Creed has long been the object of criticism in the Church of England, and if tho resolution arrived at by the Lower House of Convocation last year is adopted, the minatory clauses will be dropped. But all this is of no real present importance. If the Anglican Church ac a body ever comes to desire union with the Churches, she will also realise tllat thero must be some concessions on both sides, before it can. be brought about. The. others -will not consent to be regarded as disobedient though repentant children, but 'will have to be treated as bodies entitled to all therespect that' they accord to the Church of England. Union probably will not come in our timea, for flic prejudices of centuries have to be dissolved. But many influences are working in the desired direction. Tho strong appeal made by the Primate,of New Zealand in 1903, for tho corporate re-union of Anglicans and Presbyterians, showed in what direction the ferces of union were working, and the efforts made in Victoria, with the support of Archbishop Clarke of Melbctirne, promised to bring the consummation appreciably nearer. It is impossible to believe that until tho end of time the religious bodies of the world will continue the present wasteful expenditure of effort.