CHURCH REUNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18354, 21 March 1923, Page 11

CHURCH REUNION.

COMING WORLD CONFERENCE.

new ZEALAND delegates.

ACTION IN AUCKLAND.

The question of reunion was discussed at a conference of Anglican clergy of the Diocese of' Auckland. The bishop, Dr. A. W. Averill, presided. The following resolutions were carried unanimously:— That tho archbishop of New Zealand be respectfully asked if the Commission on the World Conference of Faith and Order can be assembled to decide if New Zealand can send a delegate to Washington and to set forward all work hearing thereupon." "That, after due consideration, finding ourselves in general agreement with the propositions of the conferences at Lamboth Palace in the months from January to June, 1922, the archbishop of this* province be respectfully asked to draw the attention of the commission to the same with a view to arriving at some unanimity of basis for further action." "That the commission be asked to send copies of the propositions of tho conferences at Lambeth in 1922 to tho heads of the various denominations throughout New Zealand with a view to further action." "That this meeting respectfully suggests to the commission that arrangements be made to send one of our bishops to be our delegate at the Washington Conference, with a priest and a layman if practicable." "That this meeting suggests to the commission that their nomination of delegates should be referred to the Standing Committee of the General Synod to consider for appointment." The conferences at Lambeth referred to in the above resolutions were composed of representative* of Episcopal and nonEpiscopal communions. Their purpose was to obtain further explications of expressions in the Lambeih appeal, which were felt to have an ambiguous character. The conferences were attended by distinguishd and representative members of the Church of England and of the Free Churches. The report of the conferences show a surprisingly great measure of agreement on crucial points. As regards the Church and the ministry the conferences agreed to the following statements :— " The true relation of tho Church and local churches is that which is described in the New Testament—namely, that the churches are the local representatives of the One Church. The actual situation brought about in the course of history in which there are different and even rival denominational churches independent of each other existing together in the same locality, whatever justification arising out of historical circumstances may be claimed for these temporary separations, cannot be regarded as in accordance with the purpose of Christ, and every endeavour- ought to be made to restore the true position aa set forth in the New Testament. "Means should bo provided for the United Church which we desire, whereby its ministry may be acknowledged by every part thereof as possessing the authority of the whole body. In view of the fact that the Episcopate was from early times, and for many centuries accepted, and by the greater part of Christendom is still accepted, as the means whereby this authority of the whole body is given, we agree tnat it ought to be accepted as such for the United Church of the future. " Similarly, in view of the place which the Council of Presbyters and the congregation of the faithful had in the constitution of the early Church, and the preservation of these elements of presbyteral and congregational order in large sections of Christendom, we agree that they should be maintained with a representative and constitutional Episcopate as permanent elements in the order and life of the United Church. " The acceptance of Episcopal ordination for the future would not imply the acceptance of any particular theory as to its origin or character, or the disowning of past ministries of Word and Sacrament otherwise received, which have, together with those received by Episcopal ordination, been used and blessed by the Spirit of God."