RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1180, 15 July 1911, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

UNION IN SIGHT. STIKINXG SCENES AT rHESBY* 'J'EKIAN ASSEMBLIES. As the General Assembly of the C'hurcli of .Scotland met lo discuss the Union IJeporl, the atmosphere in the hall was I'lojlrii: with tho feeling of expectation. Scarcely ever before in its histor.v was the .House so full at the time of the opening devotions. His Grace the Lord High Commissioner, as he came in at the stroke ol eleven, faced a House which w,as crowded. The opening J'salm was, Behold how good a thing it is, And how becoming well, Together such as brethren aro Jn unity to dwell!. Never was a I'salm sung in tho long and chequered history of I'rcsbyterianism with o deeper emotion. When tho doors opened again and the latecomers poured in every scat was filled, and tho passages were blocked until there was scarce standing room. Round tho table were gathered all the leaders of tho Church. l)r. Mnir sat with us skull cap, looking old and worn, but ho fire 0.l youth and tho prophetic clow lighting lip his eyes as of old. Near him sat the Bishop of Edinburgh, with Canon llenslcy llenson beside him'.

Dr. Norman. Maclead has addressed many Assemblies, but never an Assembly that hung on his lips as this 0110 did. Bent a little with tho weigjit of years and the burden of responsibility, his clear-cut features touched to liner issues with- the years, bis voice, deep and sonorous as ever,, ho. stood there— the 011 c man whom the whole Church trusts and rovers—tho "last of the Romans." He spoke in 110 mood of pessimism. Nothing had occurred, in his opinion, which would warrant, either of the Churches receding from the policy of Union. In the conference they had discovered that they were much nearer each other than the printed report showed—because currents of sympathy and mutual understanding cannot bo put into dry propositions.' Dr. Macleod then in a clear aud masterly manner expounded the constructive policy of the Church of Scotland. Ho showed how the policy formerly advocated, that of the "open door," through which the penitents might return lo the bosom of the Mother Church, was a failure, and could no longer hold the field. The policy of the Church is (hat of readjustment. He showed how far tho Church had gone to meet (heir brethren. And. in conclusion, he expressed the fervent hope that the report would evoke from the people of Scotland such an expression of oninion that all the hindrances would bo swept out of the way, and the great cause of Union go 011 to its consummation. "Tho voice of patriotism and tho voice of religion," concluded Dr. Macleod, "are summoning us lo closc our ranks 111 the face of tho common foe." (I."ng continued cheers.) Nobody has exercised greater influence in the cause of Union than Professor W. I'. Paterson, and tho Assembly greeted liini warmly as 110 rose lo speak. Do showed how only two churches would bo outside the rope of this Union—two churches which refused to recognise them —the Roman Catholic and the Episcopalian. (At this point Canon Honson clapped the Bishop of Edinburgh 011 the back, and tho Assembly was convulsed with laughter.) Then occurred one of those scenes which proved conclusively how much the Church of Scotland is at' one. A member, Rev. A. Black Scott, Kildonan, Suthci\and•sliire, rose lo move a motion that in future the "Committee bo restricted by the terms of tho remit from the General Assembly." Mr. Scott advanced to the table, and began to speak, when suddenly 11 voieo was heard from the body of tho hall, calling out "Moderator." Everybody turned to see, and they saw Mr. M'Callum, Muckairn, now constituting himself the champion of law and order and respectful language. "Moderator," he cried, with his right, hand waving roiuid his shaggy head, "I want your ruling. js- this, motion not;'superfluous, and is it not disrespectful;-" At once there was an uproar. Tho torrent of indignation was unloosed. One member showed how this motion implied that I lie Cpmmitlee 011 Union' had gone beyond their remit, and thus censured them. Mr. Black Scott'stood amid the uproar vainly trying to speak. It was .then that- Professor Cooper came to the rescue. Rising under the gallery, 110 asked in most conciliatory tones that the Ascmbly. should not sacrifice the right so dear to them of "free speech," and moved that Mr. Scott be heard. A counter-motion was made, aud amid considerable excitement a voto was taken, with the result that the Assembly ruled that ilr. Scott's motion was "superfluous and disrespectful," and ho was not allowed to movo it. A motion by Mr. Scott Dickson, that tho matter bo'at once sent down to Presbyteries, met with 110 support. The end was that, amid great enthusiasm, the report of tho Union Committee was adopted. Now, for one year the whole matter lies with tlio peoplo of Scotland. This course was adopted, as Dr. Macleod emphasised, on the invitation of the United Frco Church. For their part, tho Church of Scotland wanted to go 011; hut the United Free Church wanted to make haste slowly. Tlio issue would show the wisdom of tho policy. Tho impression left, as members poured out into the streets, was that the day of Union is nearer far than many think; that the sido which .lifts the churches to Union is rapidly rising, aud cannot be resisted.

THE UNITED FKEE ASSEMBLY. As soon as one entered the precincts of tho Assembly Hall on Tuesday it was apparent that something unusual was toward. Members wore- a preoccupied air, and there was little of the customary dalliance iu tho corridors. Everybody was ea"er to get within and secure n good seat. The public galleries wero opened before tho regular .hour, and when the Moderator took tho chair there were not many corners into which more people could be packed. It nmid a hush of solemn cxpcctaiicY that Dr. Henderson ro&e to lay upon the' table the account of what the conferring Committees had envolvcd as the result of their two years' labours. He bare testimony to the fino' feeling which persisted through all the joint iieliberat'on?, witnessed to by tlio fact (but though dealing with matters which had boeu bones of contention for several centuries, (hoy had been nblo to report as an undivided committee. Two pal-ties in .the House apparently wero dissatisfied with the suggested delav. One, represented by Mr. Buyers Black, disliked it through fear of its being a preliminary lo hanging up tho subject altogether. The other, spoken for bv 'Mr. Weir, held that (he continuance of Ihe negotiations implied an admission (hat tho I'liiled Church might bo a state Church—a view which would require many of-Ihem to falsify their testimony.

Anticipating the objections. Dr. Yonng set himself to answer the question why, having gone so far, they should not at onro try In go further. He made it clear, oil the one hand, that nothing but disaster could attend the attempt to rush things, and that, on the other, there was ta be no going back on historical testimonies; if Union were to come it must lie a basis of mutual appreciation and re.'.pert. To this end it was advisable that the report should go abroad over the land for the better information of all concerned, and that, working as leaven in the mass, it might make whatever was eventually done a movement of the whole of their faithful people. Satisfied t'hat delay did _ not mean abandonment, or even inactivity, Mr. Buyers lllaek withdrew his amendment. Mr. Weir's motion was supported by little more than a score. To those who could read between the lines, Professor Denney's speech was perhaps the most significant utterance in tho debate. The idea of a National Church, even of a Slate Church, is not; one that history shows lo be necessarily and essentially repugnant to the old Free Church, but the claims that have been made in the name of religious equality cause many now to hesitate about entering a United Church based on privileges. The final impression of (lie debate is that (ho only whole-hearted opposition to Union is likely to come from former United Presbyterians—particularly (hose who have been active in the political sphere—staunch voluntaries of the oltl school—lo whom the very thought of a connect ion of any kind between Church and State must ever be anathema.

There i-, however, a rising lido of sentiment in favour ot Union, among the laity evinced by what the galleries up-

jilaudcd most—and it is becoming increasingly clear that the practical requirements of tho ecclesiastical situation created by (lie movements of population will ultimately have a greater influence on the issue than the ideas of mere doclrinarios.—"Tho Weekly Scotsman."