CHURCH UNION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2941, 29 November 1916, Page 4

CHURCH UNION

SUBJECT: DEBATED

BY THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

PROPOSALS SHELVED

■ Five motions bearing on tho question tof uniting evangelical Churches were discussed by the Presbyterian General Assenibly After a'three and a half "hours' debate tho whole subject was shelved. _ ■.'„•..' '..'. i The report was introduced Jby. the ■Rev. W.' J. Comrio in the form of an 'overture adopted by tho Wellington Presbytery, asking tho Assembly: To set up a committee with* in- • structions to confer with representatives of sister Churcbes, and' to report to next Assembly: (a) i'Wnether a corporate union is in any case desirable and practicable; (b) whether in tho absence of a corporate union, or until 6uch union can . he effected, any scheme of co- ■ operation can bo devised which will increase the' efficiency of the co-operating Churches, and so help to bring tho world to Him in Whom alone is. salvation; and (c) whether, any scheme of -mutual- eligibility of ministers and other Church workers can be introduced' wliicli would help to, break down the existing! barriers between the Churches, or ; to take such other action as the' •lAssembly in its wisdom may determine. •■,'• The Rev. Mr. Comrio,said that the Wtter was very near to the heart of. the Church. Tne present crisis in the (world's history was. a clear and solemn (call to the Church to set its own house in order. Wo should bo not only in [the ways of righteousness, but in a position to do the most effective work. {Hie -Allied nations could not afford to .., divide their forces, and if that was truo •'of .tho armies it was still more true of the forces which-mado for righteousness. Tne overtures sought to induce . jkhe. Churches to draw a littlo_ nearer to one another. Tho problem in New Zealand was largely one of overlapping. fThe chaplains in tho camps had worked well, together. The Defence Depart-, •meht . had forced certain of the Churches to combine to send one chap- : Jain; andthat had been found workable. ■jWhat of tho men at the front? When [they were 1 in need of spiritual comfort, did they stop to inquire if the minister was a Presbyterian or a MethodistP. The overture was in favour of a committee of inquiry, as it were. It was ian effort to bring thoso working to the feame end nearer to ono another. In jfche words of our New Zealand poet: "Oh, God! That men would see a little V clearer, /Or judge less harshly where theyc-an- ■':' not see; Oh, Godl That men would draw a little j; ' nearer . JTo one another; they'd be nearer Thee— And understood. "Without Rivalry and Competition."^ i The Rev. James Cumming supported the overture. He thought the time , had come for the Church to make "tho great push." They needed a closing of the ranks to defeat the enemy. Ho agreed that caution was necessary. Tho first essential was for tho Church to understand its own mind in the matter. •There were difficulties in the way, but with God all things were possible. "'■: The Rev. Mr. Comrio then moved tho "addition of tho overture, and the Rev. Mr. Cumming seconded. Hie Rev. Dr. J. Kennedy Elliott moved.the following amendment:— . "That whereas the proposal for t corporate" union ' with other iu New Zealand was keenly _ discussed in very recent years in. the Assembly and in our own kirk sessions and Presbyteries, ' and disclosed such strong antagonism to.the proposal as constrained .' the promoters to end negotiations; and whereas, apart from the request of one Presbytery, this Assembly has no evidonco that tho' mind of our people has changed on this/question,; and;.whereas during the time of war tho'.Church should he allowed .to carry '.on its difficult .work without., tho' distracting element of needless controversy; and whereas the crj' for-visible, corporate union ignores in a measure ■ the spiritual union- already, existing between, the Churches, and be- • litflcs our-doctrine of tho True Invisible Church; and misrepresents .the meaning of-.tho prayer of our • /Lord; and: whereas-.;tbo proposal of ' the Presbyterian of New Zealand t|at: it.should cut itself .'■■ apart fronV the historic world-wide Presbyterian "Church would further. disunion and hot union: It iB hereby resolved.that.,no, committeo be set • up to negotiate, in tho controver:;'6ial proposals of :the overture, but - that this Assembly places on record ■'■■ its-appreciation of the.good work ■done by sister Churches in-.the ■'.., land, and prays that thev and we may seek to win the land of God ,< without rivalry and without competition, and by .thus showing the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, fulfil the prayer of our Lord, and witness for him to tho world." Rov. Dr, Elliott said that ho boro „.•up ill-fcchng toward 1 • any Church; he •always rejoiced to see Churches flourish ;, and ■ he, always prayed- for them. But they mu'stlb'e careful. There was a craze for bigness and for bulk. They would find themselves bound up • by legal difficulties. If they carried a resolution to-day they could not effect a union of this kind. Other attempts at unity had failed. The grandest attempt of all, made by tho Westminster . 'Divines in the seventeenth century, was shattered. What assurance was there that the same thing would not occur again? Men had rights, and men had consciences. 'He thought the Assembly should do nothing just now, but that they should closely watch what was being done in' the old lands, particularly by the English Presbyterian Church, which largely resembled tho New Zealand Church. The Rev. J. Patorson seconded tho amendment. Ho said that he, too, bore no unfriendly attitude towards other Churches. He thought it was quite easy for the various bodies to co-oper-ate when any public evil had to bo fought. That had been dono in tho past. It was a mistake for those responsible to have brought forward tho overture; the question had been settled a few years ago, and tho matter need not have been revived. Ho could not contemplate the idea of breaking up the Presbyteriaii Church and introducing into it other elements." Ho loved tho Presbyterian Church, its history, and its teachings. ' The Rev. Dr. Gibb introduced the following motion:— "The General Assembly, while deeply sympathising with the idea, of an incorporating union of all churches holding tbo same evangelic traditions, and while regarding it as tho duty of tins Church to labour and to pray for the consummation of such a union, is nevertheless persuaded that to initiate a union movement without ■delinilo that v the; people of our -"'"-'own and the other .Churches are in truo and living sympathy with tho proposal and prepared to make sacrifice for achievement, would only result in driving a deeper line of cleavage between us and our brethren, and resolves that for the

present nothing more shall be done than to niako inquiry at Presbyteries, kirk sessions, and managers, and to appoint a committeo to take such steps as may bo needful to gain tho desired information. The ; committee shall bo further empowered' to communicate tho decision of the Assembly to the representative officials of the evangelic Churches, that they, if it seems good, may adopt a similar course of action in their own communities." Tho Rev. Dr: Gibb said ho was as much a unionist as- ever, but ho thought tho course suggested by his motion was the right one. As ono in favour of union, why was ho so cautious? Because ho had -been taught by experience. Ho was absolutely convinced that they would .do infinite damage to their Church, to religion, and to their relationship with kindred Churches, if they embarked upon any premature attempt at union. This issue was different from almost any other issue. .'lt would never succeed by a proposal going down from tho 'Assembly; the desiro must come welling up from the hearts 'of the people. The last.. attempt' to consummate a union ended in disaster. The Presbyterians went to the Methodists and the Congregationalists with open arms,' but it was tho Presbyterians who first began to "show the white feather" and back out. That caused grave_ offenco to tho other Churches and did immense harm, and when tho negotiations so miserably failed tho Churches were farther apart than before. Tho Rov. James Aitken seconded Dr. Gibb's motion. Ho thought it tho most cautious of tho proposals. Two More Motions. Tho Rov. Thomas Miller moved: [ "That whereas tho mind of the Church, through its Presbyteries' and sessions, has within recent times been unequivocally declared : as opposed to corporate union with other Christian Churches; and whoroas apart from the motion of ono Presbytery there is, on the part of subordinate courts of the Church no evidence that her mind in this has changed; and whereas obedienco to our Lord's desiro and prayor for His Church's unity is to be_ found moro in seeking unity of spirit than in seeking corporate union, and in pressing forward with increased zeal in our Church's own distinctive task; the Assembly therefore resolves: (1) To take no action in tho meantime in furthering corporate union with other do- . nominations; (2) to express its fraternal esteem for all evangelical Churches as members equally with itself of Jesus Christ.; (3) that a committee bo sot up to further in overy. other possible way relations of harmony and goodwill, and to seek by willing co-operation with other Churches to extend our Lord's Kingdom in this land, and to present a united front to the powers of evil." Rev. Mr. Miller spoke at length in an endeavour to show that a spirit of omulatioii was good, and that in lands where there had been only ono Church religion'had l slept. / The Rev. R. G. .V. Chandler seconded tho motion. ; At this stage of the debate the luncheon adjournment intervened, and when the Assembly resumed'tho Rev. J. Kilpatrick endeavoured to shelve the debate by moving: "That wo go on to the next business." This was seconded by tho 'Rev. A. Whyte. ."■'■■'• A voice: Does that mean the shelving of all tho motions? The Moderator: Yes. The Rov. I. Jolly: I protest against such a vote being taken with such a thin house. The Moderator' said'the thinnessof the house could not weigh; the motion could not be held! up on that account. The motion to proceed to other business was put and lost, and the union dobato went on' again. , Tho Rov. J. H. M'Kenzie moved a further proposal:— "That whereas it is not desirable to agitato the Church by a union , movement until there is a fair , prospect by the union being accom- ' plished in ipeace, and whereas tho position of this Cliurclv in respect to her property is in gravo doubt should she enter into union with a non-Presbyterian Church', ■ the Assembly resolves meanwhilo to (refer the question of tho legal position, in view of -possible union, to tho Finance Committee to take legal opinion and report." An Abrupt Ending. Rev. Mr. M'Kenzie said he was coni cemed only with the question of tho position in which the Church property would stand in the event of union. In tho light.of a well-known case in point, they must- see that there was a gravo risk of losing their property by a unioni The Church' Trustees could not use a penny of certain money for a Union Church; it was for the use of the Presbyterian Church. Professor' Dickie seconded tho Rev. Mr. M'Kcrizie's motion. Ho said there was little chance in Otago of their being able to transfer to a union church tho property that had boon given to tho Presbyterian Church in the earliest days. There'was as yet no movement among the people in the Jireetion'of union; tho ministry was a long way ahoad of its people. In Scotlaud the case was quite" different; there, thero was a strong desire for union. It would bo a mistake hero to go -even as far as Dr. Gibb suggested. Tho Rov. I. Jolly said his first feeling was that tho movers might have held their hand till the war was over; it was difficult to get people to c-nlkufo over anything except the war. Tho cleavage in the north (Auckland) was between "an arrogant sacerdotalism and evangelicism." He.would support the Rev. Dr. Gibb's motion. The Rev. S. Currio supported the Rev.'Dr. Elliott's motion. Mr. J. Murray said that in his district (Eltham) thero was' a desiro among the people for church union. The Rev. Dr. Envin, who was connected witli tho former attempt at union, said the reason why union was not then brought about was that tho people were not with the movers. Tho people were not desirous of union now, and, in fact, were hostile to it. Somoono had said that the movement must come upward from the people. The Rev. Dr. Gibb: I said it. Tho Rev. Dr. Envin: AVell, what is tho use of Dr. Gibb's motion at a time when there is no movement by the people. I. think someone should move the previous question. Mr. G. D. M'lndoe: I. movo it. Mr. Thomas Taylor seconded. On a show of hands tho motion to shelve tho debate was carried by 87 votes to <1G votes.