ROME AND CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20316, 26 January 1928, Page 6

ROME AND CANTERBURY.

MALINES CONVERSATIONS, BISHOP CHERRINGTON’S VIEWS. Some observations upon the Malines conversations were made by Bishop Cherrington in a sermon delivered to a large congregatiou in St. Peter’s Church at Hamilton -on Sunday evening (says the New Zealand Herald). After deprecating religious controversy and strife, the Bishop said that controversy might nevertheless be better than apathy and indifference. Discussions with a view to bringing about church union were des'irable if they were conducted with patience, smypathy, and brotheiliness. With regard to the Malines conversations, it was very difficult, said tha preacher, for people living 12,000 miles away to obtain a clear perception of what these meant. Viscount Halifax was one of the saints of God, while Bishop Gore was one of the most earnest thinkers end devout scholars of this century. They and their friends had met another saint of God, about whom much had been heard in the war, Cardinal Mercier, and his friends. Unofficially, they had discussed the question of church unity. The conversations had been approved and blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. I{ these conversations were to be decried, said the bishop, no progress with, church unity would ever be made. The wounds which kept the various branches of the Church apart would not be healed. The people who said the same Lord’s Prayer, believed the same creed, adopted the same forms of worship and ministry, and prized the same sacraments, would never come together. Bishop Cbemugton had been that day at Gordonton, where the Church of England people had waited until the Roman Catholic service was over, so that they could use the same hall. If the two sets of people could have joined in the same sacrament and listened to the name sermon, one of the two priests could have been employed in some other place, where no service was being held owing to Hie shortage of clergy. The position was utterly ridiculous. The Church of England was the most wonderful body in Christendom. It was most extraordinary catholic and comprehensive. and while these features made for difficulties, they also made for effectiveness. The Church of England contained people of very diverse views, but yet they never faltered in the faith once delivered to the saints. There was r.o need and no desire that the Church of England should seek admission to other communions, but rather it wouTd be found that other churches would seek communion with her. He was confident that in God’s good time the Christian Churches would unite and work together for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.