NOT READY FOR CHURCH UNION

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 8

NOT READY FOR CHURCH UNION

VIEW OF MATAURA PRESBYTERY Tire view that the time had not arrived when serious consideration should be given to church union was expressed at a meeting of the Mataura Presbytery at Gore yesterday. In giving a short history of the proposals, the Rev. John Badcock said that in 1941 there was placed before the church a proposed basis of union drawn up by the joint representatives of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches. In 1942 a strong committee was set up by the General Assembly to pursue the matter further. Of that committee, the Rev. John Bates was the convener. That committee set before the presbyteries the proposed basis and replies were reported upon at that assembly. No presbytery voted unanimously against the proposal, but the church as a whole approved of the ideal of union. In 1944, it had been found necessary to make some revisions of the original proposals, and it was those revisions which were now before the presbytery. Mr Badcock contended that the presbytery was not asked to vote for church union or to adopt the proposed basis of union. It was simply giving the union committee the right to submit its proposals to the presbytery at a future date so that the presbytery might deliberate upon them. He moved that the presbytery approve of the submission of the basis of union to that court for its consideration.

In opposing Mr Badcock’s contention, the Rev. F. B. Barton maintained that the basis was being submitted before the people were ready for it. There was no deep, vital interest in it. A movement of fellowship was present, but it was not the job of the presbytery to bring about what he would term a mechanical union. As ministers they felt the pulse of the church’s life and they ought to see that point. They could not outrun the force of God; the people were not ready for it. , . , “Are we going to help to bring about this union, or are we going to let it grow, like Topsy?” asked Mr Badcock. “If union is to be consummated, then preparations must be made. How are we going to let other churches know we want it? We are not empty receptacles into which God pours wisdom. He has given us common sense.” Mr Barton said that reference had been made in a motion he had submitted to a definite friendly co-opera-tion. “Without that, all the highbrow constitutional movements will never get us anywhere,” he said. The clerk (the Rev. W. H. D. Warin): We can do a lot with co-operation, but any draft constitution will not bring abount union. We have not been asked to vote on church union, otherwise it might go the same way as the proposal to admit women elders. After further discussion the following motion moved by Mr Barton was carried;—“While appreciative of the learned and painstaking efforts of the Joint Church-Union Committee in drafting the proposed basis of union, this presbytery believes that in the present lukewarm attitude towards union no useful purpose is being served by further consideration of this in the meantime. Further, this presbytery feels that ultimate union, if it be God’s will, can come only through friendly co-operation and Christian fellowship, an inevitable outgrowth of which will be a basis of union acceptable to all churches concerned.”

Mr Badcock’s motion was not approved.