SERMON BY MODERATOR

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1931, Page 5

SERMON BY MODERATOR

UNITY IN NEW ZEALAND AUCKLAND, Ala 13. y No matter where church union was accomplished, it would be impossible to seeuie absolute unanimity, said tno .Moderator of the Presbyterian Genera/ Assembly, the Rt. Rev George Budd, when preaching in the Balmoral Presbyterian Church. 'The Moderator gave*, a lucid and interesting address on the direct contribution made by the Presbyterian Church to the spiritual life of the world.

Air Build commended the idea of having brought before the people tt.e claims of the different churches, for better knowledge was vital to a better undersi nnd'i ng. Divisions in the churches had not always been due to any sense of waywardness on the part of leaders .hut to the Holy Spirit of God. General Booth was not misdirected, neither was Wesley; God was leading them out to a larger service in which the whole world was being stirred. In this new country, said Mr Budd, it was a pity that there were so many divisions. In Canada trie churches felt the burden of competition, and there the three great ehtii'ell es—Presybteriau, Methodist and Coflgpegiuti.onnl—had united |in a larger union than was ever known before in that Dominion, True, n largo minority of Presbyterians refused to go into

the union, but no matter where union was brought into effect ,it would be impossible to reach a settlement with unanimity. Union was in the air m New Zealand. China and India were loading the way. 13,v the use of a large chart, the Moderator set- out tht numerical position of the various churches in New Zealand, and he traced the various union which had taken place in the Methodist Church, so that to-day, instead of the Primitive, Free, AVesleyan and Bible Christian churches there was one united Aletliodist Church, with one solitary excepioti. .There were in New Zealand only one Church of England, one Aletliodist Church, and one Congregational Church.

TYPES OF CHURCHES. “The harriers between the churcnes are not so much doctrinal as governmental,” he said. “There are three great types recognised in the church to-day. These are as as follows:—The prelutieal in which the real control is in the hands of the bishops and celrgv the self-governing,, where there is no court but that composed of its own mem hors; n’rnf {lie democratic cliurcn, which lias its deacons, session, synod, and assembly. This third type comprises the Prebyteriau Church, in which, in all the courts, members are represented,

“Tho nct-ivtf feature of the Presbyterian Church is, its policy, The Presbyterian Church is not the Scott ft Church. It is in many lands. The Flugunots of France, the Dutch Church, the Waldensees, the Bohemians in Central Europe, and the Magyars of Hungary are Presbyterian. “GLORIOUS HERITAGE.'* “The basis of membership of our church is the simplest possible; all we ask of anyoe wishing to join is an expression of faith in the Lord .Jesus Christ. We accept the membership of any other Christian church ; we baptise with a Christian baptism; we asknowledge the ordination of other churches. The standard of our church is based on the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which is a strong and wholesome ethic. The members of our church occupy high positions in the land, and our people contribute liberally to every good cause. If we go into the larger union we may lose our name, ‘The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand,’ but there is one tiling we cannot lose and that is the glorious heritage which ills ours.”