REUNION OF CHURCHES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 904, 28 December 1923, Page 5

REUNION OF CHURCHES.

LITTLE PROGRESS MADE.

LONDON, Dee. 26. Tlio Archbishop of Canterbury’! Christmas letter has been issued from Lambeth Palace. In addressing tho dignitaries of the Anglican Communion His Grace states that the re-union of the churches, especially the Anglican and Roman, which the 1920 Lambeth Conference. discussed, has made only the smallest headway. The Archbishop, in reviewing all that has happened since that conference, discloses that private conferences have since been held at Malines, initiated by Cardinal Mercier and a few Anglicans, with the object of discussing outstanding and familiar barriers between tho * Church of England and the Church of Rome. The Archbishop* explains that these conferences cannot be designated as negotiations since the Anglicans participating were in no sense delegates of the whole church. The Archbishop adds that the meetings merely sought to effect some re-state-ment of controverted questions and the elucidation of perplexities and that further conversations must follow, but he concludes that the difficulties are immense, and they may prove for some time to come insuperable,—A. and N.Z. cable. LONDON PAPER’S COMMENTS. Received December 28, 8 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 27. The Times says: “.While the efforts of the Malines Conference deserve the warm, approval of every there is still , a deep feeling of suspicion of Romanism in this country, and the present claims of Rome, as formulated by some of the leaders to-day, do not serve to allay the ancient fears, but careful observers are aware that on both sides there is a growing willingness to look facts in the face and a greater disposition for mutual charity.”— Times. v

VATICAN WATCHING. Received December 28, 9.15 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 27. A Catholic dignitary, when inter* viewed in London, said: “The Vatican silently watches and waits, but there is no doubt what it will say at the end of the negotiations. Reunion of the churches is too great and too sacred a cause to be brought about by mere non-representative table talk, however well meant and amiable.’’-** Sydney Sun cable.