CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15536, 11 March 1916, Page 5

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

• , ' ANNUAL CONFERENCE. ' (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, March 10. At the Congregational Union Conference to-day, the Hon. G. Fowlds presented the report o n the Pastors' Provident Fund. The total sum to the. credit of the fund was £4970, and the number of fully paid-up members ten, with throe others completing their deferred payments.

At the opening of the annual Conference of delegates of the Congregational Union of New Zealand, at Duncdin, on Thursday, the Rev. \V. Saunders, who presided, delivered an addiess, in which he said:—-

"Speaking solely on my own responsibility, availing myself to the full of that freedom of speech ever belonging to this chair, I humbly but earnestly leconimcnd this Council, or some other Council in the near future, to. open negotiations with the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand for the establishment of closer relations. )Ve should aim at securing the eligibility of the ministers of each denomination to the pastorates'of both: tho "closing of the weaker Church in any place where ono of each denomination exists; and the establishment of new churches only alter mutual conference and by cordial agreement. Tho advantages of nu6h cooperation, are confessed. But high alove "them all would be the example it would afford to Christian unity, which might lead to further unity so spacious and so splendid that would, enable ihc Church at last to require, from the nations a really Christian civilisation, a civilisation that would b- in its essence Love!

•'Finally, I speak in strong and unfaltering hope of the future "both of the Church and the world. The Christian ideal will ultimately pTeyail. That ideal may have been long lost to sight,, but it is" impossible that it should remain hidden. The divinely beautiful must always as - sert itself in the cud. Like flowers in spring, it will surely push itself alwvo the dreary and deadly, to the joy of God and man. The Christian ideal, indeed, is already becoming growingiy attractive Sickened by divisions and strife, of which this war : j but the latest and most terrible expnrplc, there is an increasing longing for the reign of the Prince of Jx>vc and Peace. False ideals arc in process of being exposed and renounced, whether those false ideals are cherished by nations or by commerce or by Labour./ Such an eHort, for example, as Germany is now making; to reimpose the old and evil Roman ideal upon the world, shall never be made again. As ilr. ideal it is being tonally discredited. It; hear:, of murder is now again exposed, and at the sight of it humanity shudders. After this no man will con-' sent to die in any effort to enthrone it AV'o henceforth call it German, and that name damns it for ever in the eyes oC .honest men. But call it German or Roman or Pagan, it would grant only so much freedom as is consistent with an iron order—an order instituted and maintained by an encrimsoned sword. Tho ideal of our own Empire of only, so much order as is consistent with a generous freedom must prevail over that other which opposes it in arms today. But even our ideal is but partial and imperfect. It is the Churcii that must place before the nations that perfect ideal whose heart is Love.'' '