CHURCH UNION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 764, 12 March 1910, Page 5

CHURCH UNION.

A NONCONFORMIST PKOPOSAL. By Toleßrapli—Preas A«iociatlon-Oo»:rrleht London, March 10. The R«v., J. H. Shakespeare, secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and ; Ireland, speaking at the meeting of the Free Church. Council at Hull, advocated a United .Free Church of England,; consisting of the.'various.' Nonconformist. Churches, ,as autonomous ructions!'. "i The suggestion'was'referred to a com-~ mitfee. AN ALLIANCE OF FREE CHURCHES. The question of the amalgamation of Churches has not been so prominent in Great Britain as in several of the colonies, including Australia 'and New Zealand. That is probably because, tradition is stronger in the Old Country, and religious organisations are larger and more fixed. Even among the different bodies of Methodists >union has not occurred to the same extent as-in New- Zenland,, though several of the minor bodies have been amalgamated. The union of Presbyterian Churches in Scotland has been* on the other hand, a great achievement. The union of Free Chuiihes'. advocated by tho Bey. J. H. Shakespeare would include, the Methodists, Baptists, Congregationalists, and ' probably the Presbyterians as its chief constituents, but the reference to autonomous sections indicates the preservation of ■ particular points of differenced The union presumably would not; apply to creed, but would simply amount to an alliance of Free Churches to accelerate advance and to bring about closer co-operation and a clearer definition of spheres in regard to mission and social work. . The. foreign mission movements of all the- English Churches have always,been very.friendly. The Hew Dr. Gibb, to whom the cable message was referred last night, stated that the question of union. among . the Freo Church bodies at • Home had been ventilated'in the Free Church Council before, but no formal resolution had been moved or carried. • The j Free Church Council, with which are affiliated most of the Nonconformist, Churches, is a very real body.. It has no legislative power, but it exercises: considerable ■ influence on the Churches "that are connected with it. Dr. Gibb was not sure if the English Presbyterian Church was formally affiliated to the council, though there were prominent Presbyterians, among the council's members.. .In any 'case the numerical strength'of'Englisn Presbyterianism is not great; It is hardly likely,'that the Froe Council ' would suggest a legislative union of Churches; sinco : the body which has most influence upon it'is the Congrcgationalists, whose own units aro independent. ... The Kev. J. H. Shakespeare, M.A., has been secretary of the Baptist Union of. Great Britain and Ireland for more thau ten years, and has largely contributed to the consolidation . and extension of Baptist Churches. Ho is the editor of tao "Baptist Times," and-author of "Baptist and Congregational Pioneers." The objects of the National Council of Freo Churches, as stated in its constitution, include tho following:—"(a) To facilitate fraternal intercourse and cooperation among the Evangelical Free Churches, (b) To encourage devotional fellowship and mutual counsel concerning the spiritual life, and-religious activities of the Churches, ' (c) To advocate the Now Testament doctrine of the Church, and to defend the rights of the associated Churches."