DIVIDED MEMBERS

Evening Post, Issue 27, 31 July 1935, Page 16

DIVIDED MEMBERS

THE CHRISTIAN CHUECH

"BRETHREN IN THE LORD"

(By Telegraph—l'resa Association.)

NELSON, July 30,

The desirability of the complete reunion of scattered and divided sections of the Christian Church was stressed by the Bishop of Nelson, the Right Rev. W. G. Billiard, in his presidential address to the Synod today.

'It has often been pointed out that the Christian Church is greatly hampered by her own unhappy divisions in appealing to the nations and classes of the world to remember their essential* brotherhood," said the Bishop. "We may say to warring factions: 'Sirs, ye are brethren,' as loudly and as earnestly as we like, but our appeal would carry more weight if we more obviously remembered ourselves that we and our brethren of other ecclesiastical allegiances are also brethren in the Lord. While the realisation of a visible and complete reunion of the scattered and divided members into one universal organisation may be as yet beyond our reach, there is nothing to prevent us from moving toward one another in brotherly interest and regard in developing an ever-deepening experience of Christian fellowship and embracing every opportunity for cooperation in the common cause. "We must take pains to be friendly even when our friendliness is not returned. We must be careful while adhering to our principles not to magnify our differences, and we must not allow our prejudices to blind us to the value of the work and witness of our Christian brethren who belong to some other communion than our own. PRECIOUS PRINCIPLES. "We are not called upon to sacrifice precious principle. That we dare not do,. Ultimate reunion, I believe, will come not so much by way of elimination of all that is peculiar to each particular group as by way of synthesis of all that is good and valuable in each. We are not called upon to sacrifice principle, but we are called upon to love persons and to beware of prejudices. ■ "Speaking generally, I think that we are happy in our official relations with members of other churches in this city and throughout the diocese. Let us hold fast to this very happy state of affairs. Let us take every opportunity that offers to deepen and enrich still further our friendly fellowship in Christ. Let us pray also that throughout the world this spirit may- prevail and increase. So shall the nations and classes be helped to overcome their differences, too, and learn to live in friendly harmony as brothers in the family of the Lord."