CHURCH UNION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20101, 3 December 1930, Page 10

CHURCH UNION.

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY IN FAVOUR. i ANGLICANS TO BE APPROACHED. [THE PEESS Special. Service.] DUNEDIN, December 3. Tlio Dunedin Presbytery, at its meeting this afternoon, passed a resolution affirming that corporate church union was desirable and approving of the statement of the General Assembly's committee on the subject. In a discussion which ensued, the Hev. VV. 'irotter raised the question whether tliey shouid only approach I lie Aletliouist and Congregational Churches 111 the matter. In lus own opinion tliey snouiu also approacn the .Liigucan Cuurch.

'i lie Uev J. D. Smith said he tliuugut an approach to the Anglican Church at tile present tune was a Uopeiesf matter, not lrom their own point of view but from the indications they had received from their contact here 111 New Zea.and, and also from the discussions which had taken place at the recent Lambeth Conierence. There way no genial warmth in the attitude of the Lambeth Conference to the Free Churches. In his view the Anglicans had closed the door until the next Lambeth Conference. He thought it was simply beating the air in approaching the Church of England at present.

Mr Smith then moved that the Assembly be requested to approach the Methodist and Congregational Churches with a view to union. Not a New Thing. Dr. Merrmgton said he thought they should approach the Churches that had the greatest affinity with the Presbyterian church. If they could not succeed with them they could not succeed with the others. The lie v. Air Dutton said he was thoroughly in favour of union. The matter was of such Vital importance, however, that they must first understand the mind of their own people before they went in tor any negotiations with the other Churches. Some oi them had spoken as though this was a new thing that had come before the Pre&byterian Church in New Zeahind. '1 hat was not so. It was a very old question. They had been through it before and their Church had come to the last point time and again and had then baulked. The other Churches had been deeply grieved at the action of their Church because they professedly v/ere quite ready for union He thought the first thing they should do was to ascertain the mind of their own people. Mr Trotter said he did not think the Lambeth Conference had shut the door on the movement for union. He would move as an amendment, 'that the i.ame of the Anglican Church be added to the motion."

The Rev. Mr Jupp seconded the notion.

Mr Trotter said that there were many people in the Presbyterian l-hurch who would sooner [ink up with tho Anglican Church than the Methodist Church. (Hear, hear.) So far as b<* was personally concerned if he were not a Presbyterian minister he would like to be a minister of the Koicpopal Church.

Tt. was decided to take Mr Rmith's motion first, and with the addition of Anglican Church as a separate motion next. The first motion was rnrr.<?d unanimous'y. Mr Trotter's motion (including the Anplicnn Church) was carried Hv 19 votes to 5.