CHURCH UNION IN SCOTLAND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1812, 26 July 1913, Page 11

CHURCH UNION IN SCOTLAND.

AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD. Commenting on the present position as regards. Church Uuion'in Scotland, tlio "Weekly Scotsman" says:—Church Union has been put upon the rails again without a jolt. Tho Assemblies of tlio two lending Scottish Presbyterian bodies agreed this week, each of thorn unanimously, tc continue the task that has been engaging attention for four or live years past, 110 longer dealing with questions' of "principlos," but on practical lines. Tho Churches, abandoning the academic and tkcorerical discussions which wero no doubt necessary preliminaries of_ tho work, aro to endeavour, through 'their committees, to get to business. -They aio at length advancing, visibly even to tlio eyes oi "tho man in the street," towaids a common goal, not indeed In a direct or a parallel course, but by tacks that are rendered necessary by tho different bases from which they start, and their diverse sailing directions. In wishing success to tlio remaining stages of the voyage, the people of Scotland will liOartily .congratulate themselves 1 , and tlio Churches oil tho important step which Ims just been taken, and the progress, unexpectedly large and "smooth, all things considered, that has already been made.

Tho debates in both houses scorn' to show that the negotiations for union iiayo already taught valuable lessons in mutual understanding aud forbearance,'and aro favourable omens of further progress, and a happy Conclusion. Looking back over the course aud character of the negotiations, it Eccms not unreasonable to expect that all objections and obstacles will be swept away as they are reached by that rising tide to which the Moderator of the Church of Scotland made eloquent reference. Dr. Wallace Williamson's speech was worthy of the occasion. Its 'lone of dignity and high enthusiasm, of courage and of conciliation, was all that the Church of Scotland looked for and needed for its guidance in approaching an important and critical pas.tugc in its history. Not less worthy of praise, although perhaps not on identical grounds, was the speech in which Dr. Henderson, with remarkable skill and taetfulnoss, laid bcioro the United Free Church Assembly its duty in the situation that lias arisen. 'J'heso and other Church leaders—notably Lord Balfour of Burleigh and Mr. Milligau in the Established Assembly, aad Br. Young and l'rofcssor Martin and Dr.' Dennoy in the other body—frankly and clearly set forth tho proposals that are now before the two Churches. Tho statements differ in accordance with the standpoints from which tho facts are viewed; but they ni»reo in all csspiiliiils.'Ri'd (hey revenl a position and prospect which I lib popular as well as the ecclesiastical miiiil will be perfectly able to comprehend and form judgment upon. The main thing is that the parties that have been so Ion;* in conference over ideas are now to taku practical things in hand; they nre, in l.ir. Williamson's phrase, about to attempt to put into concrete shape the labours of the past four years. Progress-must continue to bo deliberate. The committee of tho Cliureh of Scotland are about to take up tho tusk of drafting a new eonstil.u. tion, in which effect will be given to. tho objections of tho United Free Church lins raised to the existing constitution in re. gard to "spiritual independence" and thp interference of tho State in Church affairs, while tho principle of "tho nuiioual rccoKnition of religion" will be maintained