RELIGION IN GERMANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23206, 2 June 1937, Page 5

RELIGION IN GERMANY

REPLY BY CONFESSIONAL < CHURCH TO GREETINGS At the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand held in Christchurch in November last, the following resolution was passed:— “The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand sends cordial and fraternal greetings to the brethren of the Confessional Church in Germany, and by this token desires to convey an assurance of its watm interest in and understanding of the renewed witness made by them to the historic reformed principle of the Sovereignty of God and the Alone Headship of Christ. In common with them, the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand holds firmly to this faith and prays that they, with us. may be so humbled under the mighty hand of God that His will may be done in them and in us to the glory of His holy name.” The church in Germany has replied as follows: —

“We rejoice ill this fraternal greeting, affording, as it does in this year of the approaching World Conference at Oxford and Edinburgh, a fine proof of Christian unity. And to learn of this open confession by the sister church in New Zealand that God alone is Lord, and Jesus (Christ the only Leader, fills us with sincere thankfulness to the Lord of the church. We pray that it will be given to her to hold fast immovable to this faith and to witness fearlessly before' all the world to the pure Gospel of the Reformed Confessions. From this solemn resolution we receive the assurance that we do not stand alone in our struggle. In these, difficult times, that is a precious consolation, doubly valuable just at this present hour when we see ourselves confronted anew by the great Either-Or, Christ or Anti-Christ, and called upon to confess anew our Lord as the only Leader, and to witness that ‘Jesus Christ as the Holy Scriptures testify of Him, is the one Word of God Whom we have to hear and in life and death trust • and obey.’ “ More than at other times we have this year experienced that we must depend only on the grace of the triune God Who has borne and guided us hitherto. To that grace we commend also the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, together with all churches and congregations who arc named with the Lord’s Name, and cease not to pray that when He comes again in the judgment we may all be found faithful servants. Greetings to the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand! “In the bonds of true Christian faith.”