NEW MOOD SWEEPING OVER N.Z. CHURCHES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 November 1946, Page 7

NEW MOOD SWEEPING OVER N.Z. CHURCHES

Correspondent).

(Special

WANGANUI, Oct. 31. "The world has corne to the end of the age 'of denomination'alism, ' ' "stated the Eev. J. Baird to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church tonight. "A new mood is sweeping over the churches of the world. We are living in the dawn of a day when the church can speak with one voice in New Zealand. There is a deflnite realisation that we are all part of one great church. Next year a national eonference on faith and order is planned in order to meet a wide desire that we should better understand each other." The provisional committee of the World Council of Churches' added Mr. Baird, has met again for the iirst time since 1939. Representatives from Asia, Europe and America again took up the work of creating a constitution for the World Church. The new will towards reunion during the last few years, has been little short of a miracle. A delegation from the Congregational Church appeared before the General Assembly. Mr. H. H. Miller, President of the Congregational Union, diseussed problems of church union and expressed his hope that the difficulties would soon be ironed out. . The Assembly carried a resolution: "That the General Assembly records its pleasure at their friendly visit and its appreciation of their message, thanks them for their greetings and goodwill, and asks them to assure their Union of our own Christian interest and goodwill toward our brethren of the congregational churches of New Zealand."