UNION OF CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 9

UNION OF CHURCHES.

SYDNEY PRESBYTERY DIVIDED. Leading members of the Presbytery of Sydney are divided on the iiucsliou of (he. union of the Methodist, Independent, and Presbyterian Churches. This much was made manifest, at a meeting of that body on July 18. Tho basis of doctrine as submitted by the General Assembly is generally acceptable, but on tho scheme of polity there is wido divergence. The .Moderator (Kev. Robert Kay) presided. Principal Harper said: "Jly advice," ho went on, "is that wo should go on negotiating with those churches wo have been negotiating with for tho last eight years. It will not hinder in the least if over wo are able to come to closer grips with the Anglicans, but ft will help that we havo a common basis for which throe of tho Protestant churches are responsible." Principal Harper went on, to say (hat unity could not bo effected in less than •20 years. Even if the proceedings went along without a single break tho fact that tho Methodist Conference met only once in four years would mean that 15 years would clause,, before it. could be accomplished. The Presbytery was asked simply to make this basis satisfactory lo itself, and then to send il to tho committee. If the doctrinal basis alone wero agreed npon that would bo a great achievement.

Dr. Burgess (clerk of the Presbytery) urged there should be a straight-out' issue us to. whether union was desirable on the basis submitted or not. fiav. A. King regarded discussion as useless. The action of thoVictorian committee destroyed any chance of there being union at the prosent time. It was utter nonsense to talk about union with the Church of England in Australia. Mr. tioikic interposed that tho question affected the whole autonomy, ami individuality of their Church as a historic church. "And." ho added, "1 for ono want to say. straight: out, T'm not prepared to sink those at present."

It having been decided to discus; the matter generally in committee. Dr. MacQueen took the initiative by moving to the effect:

"That while they recognised the important service rendered by the union committee in connection with the negotiations, and while rejoicing that so far as doctrine was concerned, there appeared to be so great an amount of unanimity among those representing (lie Churches interested, yet inasmuch as the proposed scheme of polity -contained some things that in the opinion of the Presbytery would not be acceptable to their people, and further because there seemed to bo no, strong desire in favour of union, while there seemed to be some opposition to it, it was not deemed wise to pursue the negotiations further at the present time."

On the question of doctrine, Mr. MacQueen expressed the view Hint no one present had anything to say in opposition.

"If I conceded that union was desirable, and the time line for it," he added, "I should have no difficulty whatever in entering into union on that basis of doctrine." But on the question of polity they stumbled on difficult and rocky ground.