CHURCH UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 280, 19 August 1908, Page 9

CHURCH UNION.

AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

In viow of the letters which have appeared in The Dominion recently on tho question of. Church Union the following report of the debate at the recent Pan-Anglican Congress on "Possibilities of Re-union" will bo of interest:—ln opening the proceedings, tho Chairman (the Bishop of Gibraltar) said everyone must recognise that wo ought to desire and yearn for the return of tho separated bodies into the Mother Church, on whatever terms were possible, to secure reconciliation, friendship, and extension. They particularly wished % this in Tegard to those who were united to them by ties of race and kindred, a common language and common civilisation, and who had been brought up in the same religious atmosphere. Tho work they had in viow must be approached by them with the sense that the Holy Spirit could alono guide them aright. Tho ltev. Lord William Cecil (Rector of Hatfield) said there could be no doubt that reconciliation was in tho air, but thero was great danger of too hasty effort after tinion. He believed there would be a timo when they would find union as easily as they had found disunion. What ho feared most was that instead of unity there would be further divisions as the result of imprudent effort, especially in tho accentuation of the divisions Roman Catholics and Protestants.

The Dean of St. Patrick's said that the differences which existed between- Christian bodies would never be composed until they recognised on both sides that it was really grave and serious to malto light of them. Such action, instead of promoting reunion, would retard it. Much had been dons by informal deliberations and conferences, but great difficulties had to bo overcomo before unity could bo achieved.

Dr. Kinsolving (Maryland), speaking of the Free Churches of America, said there were indications that the leaders wore growing weary of their divisions. Proposals had been made in the States to bring all the bodies into a gigantic Church trust. (Laughter.) _ That would limit very clearly the idea of one Holj ; Catholic Apostolic Church. There was, however, a real desire for unity in that country. Canon J. C. Davidson (Ontario) believed that the reunion of the Charclics.wpujd_cpnui. from God's- hands and in 'His o\vn~good time, and they must prepare for it by being good Christians and bearing witness to the heritage which Ho had given to them. The Rev. T. A. Lacey, (late Vicar of Madingley) said that the difficulties in the way of rajnion existed in order to he overcome, and it was for them to- overcome them. Hesuggested that they should welcome tlio Congregationalists into, the Anglican Communion and allow the ministers to accept conditional reordination.

Canon H. Erskino Hall, of Glasgow, believed that reunion would como as the inevitable product of increasing spiritual vitality. He urged the religious papers to give as little employment as possible to tho man with tho niuck-ralcc—(laughter)—and that no action should bo taken by individuals which was considered inopportune or prematura by tho Church authorities. He could sec no insuperable obstacles to reunion in matters of faith-and worship in Scotland. Mr. N.'P. Davidson, K.C., delegate from Toronto, urged the necessity for judging other-religious bodies by their best, and not by their worst; Then they would bo judged in their turn on tho same linos.

Canon Clairs (from Bunbury, Australia) said that Churchmen in Australia looked to the Lambeth Confercnco to agree to some modus vivendi whereby they might 'prepare fpr the permanent reunion of the churches. Earl Nelson said that a full acceptance by tho Anglican Communion of tho work of God the Holy Ghost among Nonconformists at Homo and abroad was all-important, and it was to bo hoped that tho coming Lambeth Conference would fully voice that testimony. Wo should novcr got unity by compromise, but by a firm adherence to definite principles and truths.

Tho Bishop of Bunbury welcomed the strong tendency towards reunion. Tho Bishop of Glasgow testified to proofs of-the samo spirit in the churches in Scotland.

The Dean of Grahamstown and tho Archbishop of Rupe'rtsland spoke of tho obstacles to bo overcome in their respective mission fields.

The Chairman, in closing the debate, said they had been shown the dangers of trying, to secure reconciliation and reunion by ways of shallowness, skimming over tho surface, or by varnishing over tho lilies of cleavage' which existed. Anything like that must fail, because it would not satisfy the aspirations of those who had worked to bring about reunion. _ Unless they could find some way of satisfying that which hearts were signing for and. aspiring to, the reunion would not bo effective or perfect.