RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1348, 27 January 1912, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE NEW CONGREGATIONALISM

NEED TO If GREATER ORGANIC

UNITY

There is 110 Congregational Church (writes the New York "Outlook"); then? are Congregational churchce, each local church being entirely independent ecclesiastically ct' the other churches; hence the Old English nam© for the denomination, "Independents." It is true that these churches confer together in councils, conferences, and associations. But thoio bodic-s have 110 more authority over the local church than a, bankers' association lias over a local bank. They advise; tliey do not legislate. So long us the main work of the church is confined to ~o wn ,l ) ''"'i f ! 1 > "" s method does very well, aud has some great advantages. Jiaen church can- adapt its creed, ritual, and methods to its own community without consulting any other churcfi, and, there being 110 power in tlie ccc-lcsiostical assemblies, there is little room in the ilonoiniiuition lor ecclesiastical politics. , .J? done outside the parishes has hitherto been done by voluntary societies, which appeal to the churches for fund";, biK are.not under tho full control of tho I churches, and are still largely independent in their administration. But with 10 relative .decrease of local work and tup relative increase of home and foreign missionary work, there has arisen in the denomination a feeling of a need for a greater organic, unity. The report of a Commission of Nineteen, appointed by the National Council to consider this subject, lies before us. Its task was one of difficulty; to promote a -better organisation for co-operative work without impairing tho liberty of the individual church. The report deals with three problems in a manner which seems to us at once simple and efficacious. It proposes, first, that tho National Council shall have greater permanency given to it by electing only one-half its members for each session by electing tho Moderator of the succeeding council- at the close of ilie preceding one, and by electing the Nominating Committee in sections, four at each session of the council, to give to it and to 'the council greater stability. iMcand, it would give tho council an important share in electing the members ol' tho missionary societies, and that there shall be created a Homo Beard of Missions, in which all the societies shall be represented, and which shall elect a Board of Managers for the purpose of bringing the work of the societies into greater, unity of operation. Third, it proposes to create a paid sccretarv of the council, who shall give his whole time to the interest of the churches, "in 110 sujiervispry fashion, but in fraternal helpfulness." The commission does not recommend a creed, but it'precedes the proposed amended Constitution of tiio Council by a simple and non-theological statement of .evangelical faith and Congregational polity. The'report is now before the churches. It will be represented to the National Council at its meeting in 1913; meanwhile it will doubtless lie freely discussed by the societies, (ho Stala anil local associations, and- by the churches. Without undertaking to pass in judgment on its details, it seems to us to b? a wisely-planned movement in the right direction.