Church Union.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13651, 20 July 1908, Page 3

Church Union.

I'KOURESS OF THE .MOVEMENT. l-nion anil co-operation -was 0110 of the •ending subjects of discussion in the General Assembly of tlu Church of Scotland, which has been meeting in Edinburgh. A Jetier was tent to Dr. Laws, -Uouenitor of the United iree Church, expressing williugnes.i to take all possible steps, consistently -with the continuance of the national recognition of religion, to jJtoniote the Union of Churches, and requesting a conference on the ecclesiastical situation in Scotland. Dr. Theodore Marshall, presided as Moderator. There ■"as a full dress debate over the leports — majority and minority—of the special conunitiee appointed to consider overtures on co-operation and re-uijion. 'llia ofiicial motion, outlined above, was put forward by Dr. .Norman .Mcleod. lie had hoped, lie said, that they would liavo had the joy of presenting tho olive branch in the full expectation that it would be revived in the same spirit as that in r which it- was offered. 15ut, bo far as the majority of the other Assembly were concerned, the policy of the olive branch had been anticipated by what appeared to be the policy of the sword. At -'the sanie time lie believed -that they had, at the present time, a better opportunity of going forward than they' had during any past year. The relations of the-:'churches \ffiie certainly-very much better than'they

used to bo. They understood each otlier, and, 'moreover, there was at the present time a stronger desire throughout, tlu country for union, for co-operation. Regarding the Established Church l)r. Maelcod said they were not dissatisfied with her-position. They had never been stronger iu influence aigd in the affections of tho Scottish people. It was not out of their weakness, but out of the plentituda of their divine power that they wished to make advances. Ecclesiastical Union must not be nuslied. If co-operation was properly entered upon it would e the safest and tile surest road to Union. Dr. oi man Macleod had spoken to a. deeply-impressed house, and Professor t'ateirion, who supported ins proposals, isaid the committee had a motive —it was ;i very simple oile, thu't of Clitislain J. iofessor Cooper, of Glasgow, submitted the minority report, 'which in effect, sought to lay down certain - principles—(l) ttio necessity lor a separate tsecurity for the Church s witness' to the Faith ; (2) effective recognition by th<s State of the Church, and not merely of religion; and (3) conservation for the Church of its proper patrimony. 'lhe itev. A- Warr, of Bosenea-th, moved that the status quo should be preserved, and he argued that unless they were prepared to take tho question of Disestablishment and : Disendownmenb' into consideration it was folly to ask theii brethren "over the- way" to come into conference with them. Two other motions were put forward but finally by an overwhelming majority the recommendation of tiic committee was approved. The correspondent, of the "Chvisfain World'' comments: —"As is now the expected order of the day in all Assembly gatherings, there has been much talk of Union. And it must be said that the atmosphere in which the proposals were discussed was an atmosphere of sincerity. The day is past —that is one of the indelible "impressions left behind—when the talk about Union can be characterised as mere palaver. The: question of Union is now one that must be hold in mind in the shaping of all new policies. It has not yet, perhaps, como within the region of practical politics, but it ' would seenl to be not so very far away. For an Aberdeen elder roundly declared that if the question of Presbyterian reunion "vpre left to the laifv it would be settled in six mouth*. This is, however,' a way some ciders have of talking."