CHURCH TROUBLES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1927, Page 3

CHURCH TROUBLES

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, Oct. 21. The Barnes controversy reached a climax on Sunday evenin'' when the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a rebuke to a brother Bishop, almost unprecedented in Anglican history. Sermons on Evolution and Transubstnntiation were preached throughout the country. Barnes was defended in a few eases, but generally he was sliarply criticised, lor not seeking to understand the viewpoints of those whom lie condemned. Practically all newspapers approve of the tone of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reply, quoting the passage in which the Primate accuses Barnes of ignoring and laditting the teaching of such Bishops as Andrews, Ken Lightfot and Western 1 and in our day Edward King: and Charles (fore. Barnes is considering a reply which will 1)0 a private communication to the Primate. Several sympathisers called at the Palace at Birmingham, hut Barnes did not sec them. The Archbishop of York in an address to men of York, said : “It is humiliating that around the gracious wonderful gift of divine condescension there should arise an embittered controversy. It is distasteful to criticise a. man for whose ability and earnestness f have the greatest respect, hut 1 deplore tlw> methods whereby Barnes conducts the controversy. He seems almost obstinate in his inability to understand. He seems to me to impart into the discussions methods which may lie appropriate in mathematics on physics, hut are quite inappropriate in the sphere of spiritual experience.” Cardinal Bourne preaching in Coventry caustically referred to a certain “prelate of Elizabethan’s establishment’’ who made a deference to the Beal Presence in terms grossly offensive to millions, who believe that doctrine. He had been .sufficiently rebuked by members of his own communication, hut he should make himself acquainted with the teaching of the Catholic Church on the subject of Transuhstautiation, which he wholly travestied.

BTSHOP JULIUS VIEW. CHRISTCHURCH. Oct. 25. Partisanship in church was condemned by Archbishop Julius during; the course of his sermon at St. Luke’s Church last evening, when ho made n reference to the Bishop <f Birminplhain and hi« teachings. • I have got to speak out what is in me. said the Archbishop. “I was shocked by what happened the other day in connection with St. Paul's Cathedral. On one hand, we have the Bishop < f a very clever man, very contentious and somewhat narrow minded and on the other there is a man whom I don’t know individually, representing a very huge body "f churchiqy'n, who find it their duty to denounce, the Bishop. A\ belhei it was a right thing to do in the circumstances, I am not quite sure. At siJ | events. T am not their judge, thank God. I am going to say they are probably both wrong, for they are both partial. The good Bishop is intensely moved in spirit by modern scientific discoveries. Where do they come from? They are as much Kind’s gifts as the Bible. We misuse them, we are children and we are immature. Whenever Christian men

call one another names T am convinced that there is nothin*!; hut immaturity. There is another side to Dr Barnes’ teaching;. There is another side to the ten-hi- of hose who oppose him too, but I am not going to say what it is.”