CHRISTIAN UNITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13926, 7 December 1908, Page 8

CHRISTIAN UNITY.

g; r There is one sorrowful criticism to make upon the otherwise -beautiful movement inaugurated .by the Auckland Clergy Association and enforced by you so admirably in your leader of Saturday. It is this That however inclusive its apparent aspirations, however broad its charity, however Christian its professions, when it comes to actual practice it is not inclusive and ;broad enough to be ;truly Christian. r. This conclusion is based on the simple but significant fact that the circular of invitationhas not been sent to the minister of the _ Unitarian Church among the other Christian bodies well known to be represented in the city. This means that ~ the "perfect charity" which the circular bespeaks for the meetings of the proposed society is to halt in dogi matio fetters. It means that the accents of the Holy Ghost, prayed for to guide its mutual study .;' and frank discussion of differences, is to be permitted to speak only in a prescribed language. No "unknown # tongue" outeida a certain interpretation of tho Trinitarian formula is to be allowed a hearing. This in not that true subordination of the claims of particular doctrines to the spirit of mutual love and fellowship which is the true heart of Christ and the only ultimate basis of Christian' unity. It is not even the logical issue of the principle laid down to start with. "There is ono 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 or methods which divide Us in an act of silent prayer for the spirit of love." Those words are so magnificent in their breadth and truth that they ,j>rc the fons et origo of my protest. It is conceivable that"the real object of the present movement is to promote the solution of practical difficulties of ecclesiastical organisation, like overlapping in the mission field at Home and abroad. In that case one can understand the advisabloness of limiting the conference to the numerically larger and more widely active religious bodies. But the circular expresses such an/ ideal breadth of Christian charity and stirs the heart to such hopes of a truly catholic movement, wherein the basis of union will be the life (not the doctrine), which is redemption from, all selfish and sensual aims and devotion to that supreme realm which . Christ and we after Him call the Kingdom of God, that its promoters must pardon a criticism which is made in no spirit of antagonism, but only m sorrow that Christian sympathies are sometimes so narrow. William Jellie.

Unitarian Church.