THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19231, 21 January 1926, Page 7

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Sir,—ln order to understand the controversy in the diocese of Birmingham regarding the reservation of the Sacrament, it is necessary to remember that reservation may be for the communion of the sick or for adoration, or devotional purposes. Most of the English bishops permit reservation for the communion of the sick, and this practice has the consent of the church assembly. It will probably be provided for in the new Prayer Book. What the bishops—or most of them—refuse to permit is the reservation of the sacrament for the purpose of adoration. A cablegram published in Monday's Herald stated that the legalisation of reservation would split the Church of England. This kind of talk should not be taken very seriously. Extremists have been predicting splits for the last 50 years, but the old Church still hangs together. When important derisions have to be made the paramount influence of the great central party is able to steer the Church along a safe course. As a matter of fact, the danger of a split in the Church of England is decreasing every year. The Bishop of Manchester, recently remarked that there is a greatly growing unity in the Church. If we look back over a period of 10 years there can be no doubt of this. The cry that the Church is heading for disruption is widely remote from the truth. The Church is heading straight for greater unity. Norman E. Burton.