CHURCH UNION

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 52

CHURCH UNION

DISCUSSION BY WELLINGTON PRESBYTERY. PROPOSAL CARRIED. (Feom Oca Own Oorbesfondbnt.) WELLINGTON, June 4. A proposal for the union of the Presbyterian and other evangelical churches h*s been before the Wellington Presbytery at the past two meetings. It was raised »y a suggested overture to the General Assembly that a vote of the people of tho church be taken on the question. At a meeting of the Presbytery to-day an amendment was submitted by the Rev. J. Paterson urging tho postponement of lite question for the present. He stated frankly Lis own love for the Presbyterian Church, and his firm belief that if any fusion occurred a Presbyterian Church would be teestablished hero. A long discussion followed, in which the more learned of the brethren sought to show that church union was or was not enjoined by the Scriptures. Some argued that tho present denominational control made for waste of men and effort and money, and that it produced the resiut that in some places there were too many churches, while no men could be sent to places without any. Others argued that there wasJ no loss of effectiveness in the existence of more than one church, particularly as it was admitted that the several denominations lived on good terms with one another. _ln the end Dr Gibbs's proposal was carried by 10 votes to 5, but the minority was a determined and influential one. The question, will in due course, be raised in other Presbyteries, and if it has the same divided support there it will be impossible to get the union proposal through the General Assembly without the greatest difficulty, A SOCIAL SERVICE MOVEMENT. The movement in the Presbyterian Church towards union with the Methodist and Congregational Churches is finding expression not only, in overtures from the Presbyteries to the General Assembly in favour of the proposal, but also in vai'ious other ways. The Social Service Committee of the Wellington Presbytery (the committee which is responsible, among other things, for the control and maintenance of the orphanages) recently passed a motion offering representation on the committee and a full share in the management'of the work to the Congregational Churches of Wellington. The Presbytery a few weeks ago endorsed the committee's proposal. Dr Gibb was recently present at a meeting of the District Committee of the Congregational Churches, and submitted the Presbytery's resolution with all necessary explanations. The proposal (says the Post) was very favourably received and remitted for final settlement to the churches of the Wellington district.