UNION OF CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 10

UNION OF CHURCHES.

MEETING OP CON GREG ATI ON ALISTS. At tho Independent Hall, Melbourne, recently a well attended meetmg of clergy and laymen of the COll- - donaniinatian was held to receive the report of a united Victorian committee representing' the Presbytelian, Methodist, and Congregational churches on union of the churches. Rev. Dr. Gosman, who presided, said the committco thought some federal ° f )V 11011 v.-as demanded for tho concentration of Christian effort, and tho schemo in the report v,-as, theretore, proposed for consideration in that | sense, ihe proposed basis of. doctrine included sixteen statements of belief and the scheme of polity provided for church membership, church courts, the ministry, officers, etc. By the adoption cf the report he believed ultimately something that was not merely federation but union, would be reached. JXr. 11. E. Wootton moved:—"That tins meeting of members and adherents or Congregational, churches' heartily supports the principle of inter-denonu-national union." . llev. E. Taylor seconded tho motion, ivhicli was carried unanimously. • r * J' Griffith moved:—-"That tins representative gathering of Congiegauonalists expresses, its general approval Oi the statement of doctrine contained in the report of the, committee on inter-denominational union, regarding it as an expression of Christian faith m its essentials as held by the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches." ;

.Mr. A. M. Strongman,, who seconded the motion, said it was six or seven years since the committee, first met. The theological section had arrived at conclusions fairly- early, out tho section which bad to deal with polity took three times as long to mature its recommendations.

Rev. E. Taylor moved as an amend-ment-:—"That this meeting defers, for the present, consideration of tho proposal to unite the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches on the basis of the common c'reed and polity submitted, but will consider the desirability of taking steps to bring about tho federal union of all the evangelistic churches in tho State."

Rev. W. T. M'Larcn seconded tho amendment. He said federation was the first- step, and.fusion might.follow.. Rev. E. Da vies supported the mo-' tion,- declaring that tho meeting should signify frankly its approval of what had beeii done. (Hear, hear.) Some speakers objected that they could not subscribe in detail to the creed propounded. The chairman said all that was asked was a general approval of, the creed.' The representatives of- the other churches had sacrificed a great deal to meet them on the common ground set forth in the report. The amendment was put and lost, and tho motion was carried by a large majority. '