CHURCH UNION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20730, 15 December 1932, Page 11

CHURCH UNION.

PRESBYTERY'S OPPOSITION CO-OPERATION FAVOURED. ti Opposition to Church union was expressed by the committee of the Christchurch Presbytery,' which reported at yesterday's meeting. The committee held tfiat the time was not opportune for union, though it affirmed the principle of co-operation among the Churches. The Bev. T. W. Armour, on behalf of the committee, said it had been unanimously decided to recommend the following motion to the Presbytery:— ■ That the Presbytery, while affirming that the Presbyterian Church has always been part of the Catholic or Universal Church, does not consider that the visible Church should be one in orders or organisation. The Presbytery" is persuaded, however, that, just as there have been* occasions when loyalty to conviction called, for protest and. separation, and the Church has been enriched by her experience of 'secession and disruption, so there are times when the Church is called upon to-close up her ranks in the cause of Christian fellowship and efficiency. Further, the Presbytery is .reluctantly convinced that the time is not ripe for an incorparting union between the Congregational, the Metho-" dist, and Presbyterian Churches of • -Tew Zealand, but realises that there is call for closer co-operation betweea these bodies as the means to better understanding, mutual appreciation, the proper envisaging of the common task, and the most efficient use of their combined resources for the extension of the Kingdom, of Gpd in New Zealand. The Presbytery,' therefore, urges that the Assembly should instruct the committees to confer with "the relative committees of the Congrc-gar I tional and Methodist Clmrehfeis for the purpose of surveying the task and problems of the Church in New Zealand, confirming the fraternal relations between the various denominations and employing tae resources of the Churches in men and-means to the greatest advantage. • ,-rThe Bev. W. B. Hutchison said he understood the lotign to mean that while the committee approved of union of effort it was not prepared. to advocate actual union of the Churches at the present time. Mr Armour: Yea, that is correct. Without discussion the recommendation was adopted, and it was decided to send it forward to the TTnibn'Cpmmittee of the Assembly. . •* • ".* - ' The Bev. L. Rogers 'then moved that the substance of Mr Armour's - ~ motion should be sent down as an overture to the General Assembly. The • motion was adopted unanimously, and Messrs Armour and Sogers - "were appointed to prosecute the' tfterture. Mr Armour pointed out .that the. "Union Committee had asked, the Presbytery to vote on the question-o£ whether Christ had desired Church union or not. The point was one m dispute even among scholars, and he therefore wished to put the fallowing the Presbytery," considers that the first question suggested by the .assembly's Union Committee for submission to the congregations by ballot should either be eliminated or revised as being likely t«% manifest only fruitless differences of opinion." The motion-was - adopted without di»cussion.