CHURCHES ARE OVERLAPPING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17832, 28 April 1926, Page 5

CHURCHES ARE OVERLAPPING

UNION WOULD MEAN BIGGER EFFORT IN MISSION FIELD. DISARMAMENT SAYS PROFESSOR HEWITSON, IS NECESSARY. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN. April 28. At the Dominion inter-denomination' al missionary conference this morning the Rev George Budd presented a survey of - home mission problems, in which he stressed what church union would accomplish. He stated that the average number of persons to .each minister in larger denominations was: Church of England 1170 Presbyterian 601 Methodist 460 Baptist 311 Salvation Army 7S Church of Christ 270 Congregational 275 Lutheran 342 A union of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregationalists, he said, would give an average to each minister of 646, with Baptists added the average would be 616. In all groups except the Church of England and Presbyterian, the ministerial staff was adequate. Professor Hewitson, in opening the discussion, stated that the report seemed to disclose that the Christian churches, in regard to overlapping in some districts, total neglect in others, and lack of co-operation, were among the most foolish of organisations. He thought htis should not be. There should be a Disarmament of the Churches Conference. Other speakers stressed the need for enlightened co-operation in the home mission field.