PRESBYTERIAN CO-OPERATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 9

PRESBYTERIAN CO-OPERATION.

The report of i the special committee ajv pointed by last Assembly of the United Free Church.of Scotland to,consider and report; upon, a 1 communication from, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, on cooperation and reunion will be road with considerable satisfaction" (says tho "Glasgow Herald")'. "The report'calta to. mind what passed on previous occasions, in 1878 and in 18SG, when tho Church of Scotland expressed readiness to promote" union on tho basis of establishment and concurrent endow, ment, and deplined the.proposal of tho £i!a Church. to treat establishment and' endow, ment as open questions. The present invitation .is interpreted as. asking tho United Free Church to join in an unrestricted conference on tho wjjole situation, and this interpretation' seems justified' by the circumstances.' ' This Church of. Scotland, has intimated that' steps with a .'view to reunion must bo; consistent with the cqntinuanco of tho national- recognition of religion, but tho report jyerjj properly . pojhts out that such a form of-wordß seems.'to open for discussion tho wholo.; qucstipn of .the relation of Chtirch .ahd'State'.' .

J.iß.ut .sltlio.ugh'tltho;<:barriers .'.nay. not bo removed formally; "this, report gives cvidenoe that. they are, a' mupli less forinidablo wall of partition than'they were" (concludes the "Glasgow Herald,"). "There, is frank re-: cognition. of the waste of resources, the weakening of influence, and tho estrange-, ment of : feeling resulting from existing conditions—among- wljich.the report does not inelude the annual: 'disestablishment debate in. tho United . Free' Church Assembly. It is a gain to have triis. publicly recognised and put on record.■ . ' >