SCOTTISH CHURCHES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19666, 9 July 1929, Page 16

SCOTTISH CHURCHES.

PROPOSED UNION. CLIMAX OF 20 YEARS' DEBATE. (rnoM odr ovtk cokkbspoxdestt.) I LONDON, May 28. After CO years of negotiating a widespread gulf in Scottish Presbyterianism j has been finally bridged. At meetings j held last week in Edinburgh the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church j approved by overwhelming majorities I of the plan for the proposed union of ! the two great churches. I The Church of Scotland debate M-as | attended by the Duke and Duchess of ! York, the Duke having been sent by the King to show Eoyal approval of this historic step. There were only 4dissentients in all—three in the Church of Scotland and 39 in the United Free Church. Wben the decision was announced in the Church of Scotland Assembly a hush fell on the crowd. Then followed loud cheering, the applause ending with the Doxology. Out of the 83 Presbyteries 72 were in unanimous favour of union and in the eleven where division had occurred, only 22 votes in all were cast against the scheme for union. Thus is a dream of former generations and the vision i of the present about to be realised. The continuity and identity of the Church of Scotland remain, and vet it will be different in so far as it" is inlaid by gathering to itself the cumulative contribution of the sister Church. Each brings into the spiritual treasury its own distinctive contribution" of spiritual experieaee and powez s _