CHRISTIAN UNITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 26 November 1908, Page 3

CHRISTIAN UNITY.

AUCKLAND, Wednesday. At the Auckland Anglican Synod a few weeks ago, a lesolution was carried urging the duty of Christians generally to try and attain greater unity than at present exists. A committee was appointed to arrange for a conference between all the recognised Christian ministers' in Auckland, of whatever denomination. To this end a circular has" been drawn up and forwarded to every Christian minister whose name is in the directory. In the circular attention is drawn, to the following two points: — • , "(1) The need of unity. Everywhere we see an overlapping of agencies stupidly wasteful-of both money and men, and a mutual distrust, the fruit of mu:ual ignorance, while the forces of our common Lord are too often waging fratricidal warfare. The forces opposed to us—drink, gambling impurity, complacent materialism, selfishness of individuals and of classes—are only too closely allied. . "(2) The nature and purpose of the •Christian Unity Society. It is not a premature attempt at corporate reunions.. Such would be- absurd, as it would be dangerous without the assent of the other parts of the communions to which we belong. Its objects are common prayer, mutual study and frank discussion of our differences. There is one prayer at least in which we can all join/the prayer taught us by our Master. We can unite, too, above the reach of phrases—methods which divide, us—in an act of silent prayer for the spirit of love." The circular proceeds: "We must all see quite clearly, if we will but consider the matter, that ignorance is the source of almost all our misunderstanding. We want facts, more -facts, and still more facts concerning each others aims and methods. We must be prepared for some years of patient and laborious studv before a desire for unity can be aroused in us strong enough to break down all the barriers that keep us separate. None of u* possesses thb complete truth; the Catholic Church is wider than any part of it. Let us in frank discussion bring our several contributions to the common stock, let us learn, on tho other hand (to quote the wise words of Newman), that Half the controversies in the. world are verbal ones, and could they be brought to a plain issue would be brought to a termination.' Too long have we been afraid of the phantom looming through the fogs of prejudice; let us draw near and we shall find him to be a man like ourselves; let us but walk side by side and we shall recognise our brothers.