CHURCH UNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 224, 27 September 1870, Page 2

CHURCH UNITY.

On the 16th inst., at the sitting of the Diocesan Synod at Oliristehurch, Mr. Bishop moved— " That .this : Sydod ■ deeply deplores the unhappy divisions which cxis 1 among the several religious bodies, and respectfully requests his Lordship the Primate of New Zealand to bring the matter Leforo the next session of the General Synod, with the vie# of ascertaining the mind of that Assembly as to the grounds upon which tlie Church of England and Ireland in the coio'ny off &ewj. '■ZealixA'd cdulA coriseufc to cooperate with ©lifer i»eligioUs 'ibodi'es.iir Lhe work of the churches in this colony." In the course of his speech Mr. Bishop advocated the open recognition of dissenting ministers, bdili'efing" as/he rd|d thubtljeir work was racognfsed" by God*. k He had fmooted the question in the hope that it would provoke a healthy discussion on the subject, and thus promote Christian unity. He felt convinced that unity did n'ot'''^xut in essential points—that in cloctrinul teaching many religious bodies were one, ai.d therefore lie hoped that the Synod wpuld.. take the inattei^mU) .seuous consitjerar, tibii, iif the 'hope thai d 4ilo'ier iutrion ■ mtglit be brought about between different branches «f the Church.