RE-UNION OF CHRISTENDOM

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1930, Page 9

RE-UNION OF CHRISTENDOM

WAR EFFECT ON RELIGION KING ADDRESSES BISHOPS HOPES FOR UNITED CHURCH British Official Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, July 23. Hie King and Queen to-day greeted at Buckingham Palace the 300 bishop* in London for the Lambeth Conferenceand during a speech to them His Majesty referred to the effect of the Great War on religion. and the possibilities of Christian reunion. He expressed, particular pleasure at meeting the bishop# of the Anglican communion not only from the Dominions but from tha United States, and said he had observed with interest that among the deloga* tions visiting Lambeth had been ail - important one from. the orthodox church, “It must be a source of pride and thankfulness to reflect what testimony the Lambeth Conferences bear to the growth and development of the Anglican communion,” tho King continued. “A hundred years ago it was little more than the church of a single kingdom. The present conference is a world-wide gathering of united though mostly selfgoverning churches which has attained, the proportions of a general council. “I remember ten years ago that the question of reunion of Christendom waa foremost in your thoughts. You put before the world an ideal of unity and a plea for new endeavour to heal tho rents in the fabric of the church. I am most happy to learn that this appeal has not been fruitless. It my earnest hope and prayer that the work last conference began may prosper and that the deliberations of this present conference may result in some notable advance towards this great and desirable end. . “The main subjects for your consideration are summed up under the general head, ‘The Faith and Witness of the Church in This Generation.’ The subject has been well chosen and with keen insight into the needs of the present day. The obvious and material damage of the war is not now so manifest as when you last met, the wounds are to some extent scarred over, but men’s minds and souls are etill troubled by the wounds the war inflicted and are perplexed through shocks dealt to old beliefs and spiritual loyalties. At such a time the fathers' of the church do well to take counsel together how best to bring home to the world to-day truths of the everlasting gospel.”