CHURCH UNION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2899, 11 October 1916, Page 6

CHURCH UNION

A PRESBYTERIAN "OVERTURE" FOR NEXT MONTH'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY The important question of' church union was before the Presbytery of Wellington. at its monthly meeting yesterday (the Rev. ,T. Gumming, M.A., 8.D., presiding), when the Rev. W. ,T. Comrie moved, and the Rev. W. Khircr seconded, that the following overture bo adopted and forwarded to the General Assembly of the .Presbyterian Church of New Zealand for consideration at its meeting in Wellington next month:—

Whereas all who hold tho faith of the Lord Jesus Christ are one in Kim; atiH whereas it' was the prayer of our Master and Lord that this unity should be so realised and shown to the world as to reveal ITi.s Divine mission;jiudwhereas the present crisis in the world's history is a most clear and solemn call to tho Church to lead men and nations in the ways of righteousness; and whereas the present divisions in the Church are a cause of much loss of power, and give' the enemy occasion to speak reproachfully; the Presbytery of Wellington humbly overtures the General Assembly, indicted to meet in Wellington, on Tuesday, November 21. I9lfi, tn take these premises into consideration, and to set tip a committee with instructions to confer with representatives of sister churches, and to report to next Assembly: (a) Whether a corporate union is in anv case desirable and nracticahle; (b) Whether, in the absence of a corporate iinion or until such union 'can be effected, any scheme of cooperation can bo, devised which will increase the efficiency of tlin cooperating churches, and 60 heln to bring the world to Kim in Whom alone is salvation; and M Whether any scheme of mutual c'igibilitv of ministers and other nhurch workers can be introduced ,which would heln to break down the existing barriers between the churches, or to take such other action as flip Assembly in its wisdom ni»v determine.

.That th° Rev. W. .T. Comrie and Rev. ,T. Humming he aonointed tn snnport this overture before General Assembly.

The motion was carried unanimously, and the Rev. ,T. Cumming and the Rev. W. J. Comrie were appointed to support the nrertni'o beforo the General Assembly. The General .Assembly will meet on November 21. The moderator-elect is the Rev. 1!. M. Rybum. M.A. TTnder a new Law of the Presbyterian Church, ndopted last year, elders of the Church are eligible for election as moderator. At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Presbytery, on the motion of Mr. W. M. Hannny. seconded bv the Rev. W. Shirer, the Ho». .T. G. W. Aifko", M.L.C.. who Is an elder of St. John's Presbyterian Church, was unanimouslv nominated as moderator for 1017. Mr. Aitkeu has nlready been nominated by several Presbyteries. • rhi'rch extension <?i-ants were authorised for Brooklyn. Island Bav. Seatoun, TW. 1 Toner Tfntt. and Wadestown. The Rev. Ronald Watson, Presbyterian camp Chnnlain at FeaHierston, and tho Rev. T). C. Tlcron, similarly engaged at Trentham. '»ive been attached to the Eighteenth Reinforcements.