REUNION OF CHURCHES

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1930, Page 7

REUNION OF CHURCHES

LEAD IN SOUTH INDIA. , OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES The lead in church reunion given by the three missionary churches in southern India was the subject of a sermon preached by tlio Rev. W. Averill in All Saints’ Church, Ponsonby, Auckland, on Sunday evening. He urged that the example should be followed in New Zealand and other countries. The unanimous resolutions of approval given by the Lambeth Conference to the scheme of union evolved by the churches in Lidia was described by Mr. Averill as being one of the turning points in the history, not only of the Church of England, but of the Christian Church. “Christians, both clergy and laity, have very largely sunk their differences of opinion. The differences of opinion between denominations is very largely imaginary to-day,” he said. In his syidy from time to time, the ministers of nine denominations met to discuss the Bible lessons being given in schools. The other eight were willing to leave to him the drawing up of the syllabus for the lessons. There was no difference of opinion there. On another occasion these ministers had been joined in consultation by a priest of the Roman Catholic Church for the purpose of making arrangements for the distribution of food and coal to those in need.

‘‘There is not any bickering and unpleasantness at the present time, but, although Christians have sunk their differences and the churches are really united in spirit, until they are outwardly united the world will not know and certainly will not accept and admit the fact. The lead given by the churches-in Southern India will very shortly be followed in other parts of the world, including, we hope, our own province in the church.” The chief obstacles to reunion were in regard to doctrine, sacrament and ministry. The preacher said that the first two had given no great difficulty in the Indian negotiations, and he described how the third had 'been overcome by a compromise, one of the chief points in which was, that the new Church should be episcopal. Thus, bishops would be created among the ministers of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches when the fusion took place. “The whole of the ground has been cleared, and before long we shall hear that the union of these separated missionary churches will actually have taken place,” the preacher added. “The matter is one of extreme importance, and all church people should know what has been done. We are now to learn how those difficulties which we thought to be insuperable have been overcome. Reunion in Southern India had been possible because each church approached the matter in a spirit of sacrifice and sweet reasonableness