KIKUYU CONTROVERSY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 17, 20 January 1914, Page 5

KIKUYU CONTROVERSY.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK’S VIEWS.

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Phtbb Association.) London, January 19. »

The. Archbishop of York, speaking at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, at a conference over the Kikuyu matter, said it was an interesting and careful experiment of missionary policy in a region where special circumstances called loudly for Christian co-operat-tion. The subsequent act of communion was a mere episode, wise or unwise, wherefor the particulars were responsible All at some time earnestly longed for a common Christianity, and to show a more united front against the surrounding indifference, unbelief, and unselfishness. There was still, despite ail divisions, a mighty force latent and waiting to be aroused in this common Christianity. If the pressure of this desire was so great in Britain, it was infinitely stronger in Africa, where rivals divided the Christian force with the united and determined power of Islam. Everyone recognised that the Christians’ future in Africa depended not on missions, but on the native church, which alone could ultimately preserve it. Hence the effort to create some fabric of Christian co-operation, within which the native church might grow up and become strong. On the other hand there was a great principle of loyalty to the trust and a unique opportunity. They stood between the great Latin and Greek bodies on one side, and the various sections of Protestants on the other.

(Received 8.5 a.m.) London, January 19

The Archbishop, continuing, said it was needless to remind them of the ties binding them as Protestants and fellow. Christians, but they must also remember there could be no fulfilment of the divine purpose of uniting in any scheme which did not include ultimately the great Latin Church in the West and the orthodox churches in the East, to which they were still bound by many ties of common faith and practice. A satisfactory solution of the problem depended on the temper of the Churches in urging the necessity of patience and in emphasising the example of the two great Peterean Churches in the search after re-union.