THE CHURCH'S TASK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 84, 3 January 1920, Page 7

THE CHURCH'S TASK

ANGLICAN CONGRESS AT LEICKSTBU. The imperative need for closer cooperation among His Christian chiirfhes in the reconstruction. of the world was tlin dominant nolo of the first <Uiy of the Church Congress held at Leicester. Tt, was insisted on by the Archbishop of (Jnntorbnr.v in his pennon recently before a crowded congregation in what is now St. Martin's Church, but which Leicester churchmen hope and exiieet will soon become the ealhedral church of the See of Leicester. 'i'he Archbishop addressed bis plea ror unity with oil the earnestness Hiat_ ho could command, not only to the .Nonconformist churches of Knglaml, but to tiie Church of Koine iind the orthodox elm relies of the East.. He reminded his congregation that, with the pxeonHon of the J ilea null ion of the Son ol God, the time in which we live is the most important. in the. history of mankind, and if the regeneration of the world is to be won it was for the ever closer union of the churches thai tliev should fervently and cousin ntlv piny. Unity was the main ■theme of Hie presidential address delivered t<) a crowded meeting of church nieft and women at: the I)e Monitor! Hall. The Hislmp of Peterborough was the pre-idenl, and lie was addressing Ihe Congress for Ihe first time. At. the last Congress, at Soulhpniplon. as he reminded his audicioe. the Kingdom of God was proclaimed, but More a year had passed the streets were I'lnging with the tramp oj armed men. M might be urged that in the common fai:iirr to avert war religion must be included, vet: it was not on religion, but the want of it, thai the blame must be 'Turning to a critical examination of the influence of tlio Church of Knglaiid ou Hi? national life, he emphatically declared that the need of the Church and tlio need or the nation was a living | theology. Our people at large dwl not | know what; God was like or what God could do. That ignorance was a national tragedy, and lo remedy it was a fundamental duly. Thus the whole organisation of their worship should be lifted out of the sloilgh of controversy and viewed sololv as a means of repealin" God to men.' There was no discussion after Ihe address, but. the long and Oilrueit applause with which il was received was a sufficient judical ion "i Hie full iiccoptancp of the president s views. At the oneniP!.' of the Congress a mes-. «a"e was sent to the King nfl'enng the lovallv and devotion of Ihe Congress to ■Ilis Majes.lv in lliis new age, and praying thai his ]011,-11 limy honceforfh be marked by a growing fellowship among die nations of the world and anion;,' "in; % ii.wile at home, and. thai Ihe blessing ol God ini<rht rest orti the Kings labour* loi his pp-Mile's good. A message of sympathy was also sent by Ihe Congress to the Bishop of SI. A=iinh exnre-simr sympathy wit 1 ' their brethren of the Church in "Willi's in Ihe trials through which they have passed. Fn roplv lo Hip wnion hnu boon sent In the King Ihe following lelegram was received:— "1 am cnmoiand p d lo llie'ik you for Hie Kenlimenlf of loyally you have expressed to 111" King on i'ehalf of the mon l of the Church Congr'ss now I'oftssemblod at T.picpsfer mid T am to assure you how fervenllv ll : s Mnieslv associates himself with voiir privr-' that the coming years may be marked Coy growing fellowship | ■inionu' tilr» nations of the world, as among 1 lii.s people at home.—"Private Secretary." j The afternoon sillint was dc-iNI to nd-ln-ses ,1,,-ilinu with Ihe Inundation of I lie 1 faif Ii of (he Church. Hie sublets being the flii'iiipilpiir: l of God. Hie fiu-irui. Hon. and Hie Atonement. In-to'-p Hie s-I. tin" (lo'-tI a delegation from the ChuHi of Sweden was heartily welcomed by Ihe president.