PRESBYTERIAN REUNION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN REUNION.

Fuh. accounts are given in tho Homo papers which arrived by the recent mail of epoch-making events in tho history of the Scottish Presbyterian Churches. On May 28 the Assemblies tif the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church met simultaneously at Edinburgh, when momentous debates took place on the question of reunion, and, as tho Weekly Scotsman states (in an account of the proceedings which we publish in another part of this issue)., "both parties must havo felc that they were making history. It was A clay of great triumph for LoitD Ba'lfouk of Burleigh and for the Union movement of which he is the leader." Loud Balfour stated the problem in a nutshell when he declared that reunioii depended upon an agreement which" would secure the national recognition of religion without tho sacrifice of spiritual Freedom. They wanted a really national Church, with toleration and fair play to everybody else." In both Assemblies tho memorandum, setting forth,the suggested course of proco dure and of possible legislation with a view to reunion was received and approved, resolutions to that effect bt'ing adopted with remarkable enthusiasm. The position was very lucidly stated in an address given by Loud Guthuik at a great public meeting. He stated that

tho Church of Scotland was determined to maintain in some definite form her connection with Hio State, which raised a Mriotin ilifflruUy in view of thn latptj bodf Pf United JTjceq Church, ofinioxi dls-

I Approving of nny special connection, at leAit in a country where there were- several denominations. Thero were obviously two ways in which that difficulty inißht bo overcome. Tile Church of bcotland miffllt b'6 disestablished, or tho United Free Church mipllt accept finch .a measure of State connection ns would in no way interfero with tho Church's legislative and judicial freedom) of htimper its unrestricted liberty of action at homo and abroad. Kow lid was poing to bo perfectly frank, and therefore ho said at once that while, he should have preferred to have seen Union by Wily of disestablishment, to have seen the Church of Scotland of tho future free- from any special State connection, yet he was ready for the sakeof Union to oecept such a measure of State connection as ho Had indicated, and that because- lie. wns convinced that in no other way could Union, with all its blessings, be achieved in their time.

Lord Guthriej who is himself a Voluntary—that is one who is opposed to the State connection—made an impressive appeal to those who objected on principle to Church establishment. He admitted that it would be an insuperable difficulty if they were asked to abandon their convictions in this matter; but he held that they were only asked to hold their views in abeyance, and doclared that there was nothing inconsistent or unconscientibus in that. Lord ■ Guthrie found an able supporter in Principal Williams, _of Glasgow, the mover of a resolution deploring "tho divisions that exist among the Churches in Scotland, and especially among Churches having the same doctrine, discipline, and worship." Though the progress made so far has been exceedingly encouraging, it is hardly necessary to state that the goal has not yet been reached; but the movement is so strongly supported in both Churches, that the final steps cannot long be delayed, and everything points to the fact that _ the negotiations will be / carried oh in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and goodwill that ought to make failuro impossible. The outlook is full of hope because, as the Weekly Scotsman states, ''had it appeared to either of the Churches that, the cause was hopeless or hurtful there are in them men of sufficient courage to have proposed a halt. There are, of course, difficulties and differences of opinion, but. tackled in the right spirit, they will be found less formidable than they now appear." The progress of the negotiations will bo followed with the greatest interest and sympathy by Presbyterians in all parts of the world; and not only by Presbyterians, but also by a great' and growing number of men and women of all denominations, who feel that the cause of religion is being sorely hampered by the unhappy divisions of Christendom, and who are.earnestly looking for the coming of the day when all the barriers which now separate Christian , people shall bo finally removed. This may be a far-off vision, but every step taken in the direction of union makes the next step more easy. ■' ~ ■