A MINIATURE "FREE CHURCH" CASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1551, 21 September 1912, Page 9

A MINIATURE "FREE CHURCH" CASE.

IMPOBTANT LEGAL DECISION. The Scottish, correspondent of ■ the "Guardian" (London) writes:— The supremacy of tho civil law in matters spiritual Has again, been demonstrated in connection with a. Dundee congregation which deemed itself the freest of the free. The congregation originally belong-' ed to the Untied Presbyterian. Church, but its minister, finding his Creed too definite for the rango of his mind, and.no. other body in Scotland with a confession comprehensive enough for his taste, proceeded to set up what may bo described as a schism bused upon a constitution which committed no one to anything more than promise of allegiance to "the Spirit of Christ." This took place in the year 1879, and for a time the Free Christian Church, as the congregation styled itself, ' pursued its way, Christian in name nnd intention,' but void of anything resembling creed' or dogma. Olio might suppose that the freedom thus achieved was ample enough to satisfy the niost critical mind, but the time camo when even this "broad" constitution became too narrow for tho liberal spirits which had been nourished on undogmatic Christianity; and last.year it was determined that a fresh constitution should bo drafted on still "larger" lines, and a new name given to the congregation. This was duly carried into elfect, and the congregation under the sounding title of "The Church of To-day" was established on a constitution to which even, tho name of- Christ was denied admittance. Unfortunately for "The Church of To-day" there was an obstinate minority headed by a certain Mr.. John Ness,.blacksmith, and nino others, who found this advance on the path of liberty more than they could endure, nnd thoy appealed to the Law Courts to vindicate, their adherence to "the Spirit of Christ." The Lord Ordinary; Lord Cullen, in deciding the other dp,y for the minority, found that 'The Church of To-day' was not entitled to tho property acquired by the congregation professing allegiance to "tho Spirit of Christ." The result is that "The Church of To-day , ", is enabled to go forward on the path of free thought only through the sacrifice of its worldly possessions. Tho. congregation has had the sentence of disendowinont passed upon it after a scrutiny of its doctrinal position by the King's Court, nnd once again Scotland is reminded of the futility of attempt inq to set up "a frco Church in n free State."- It would, indeed, be ft serious matter if the State-sanctioned tho transference, of property ncauired ostensibly under a profession of Christianity, however vague, to n body which has resolved to expunge tho name of Christ from its constitution.