CHURCH REUNION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 705, 3 July 1929, Page 16

CHURCH REUNION

SUBJECT OF EARNEST PRAYER DISCUSSION IN WAIKATO (From Our Oxen Correspondent) HAMILTON, Tuesday. A step toward church union was made at the Waikato Diocesan Synod this evening when, on the motion of the Rev. E. H. Trill (Te Awamutu), a resolution was passed that the reunion of Christendom should be made a subject of earnest prayer and study by all Christians and that the proposed union of South Indian Christian bodies called for special attention. Mr. Trill suggested that if some such agreement as that existing among the churches of South Africa, in which the Church’s interpretation of Apostolic succession was not forced the realisation of the hopes of those who prayed for church reunion would be accomplished. Archdeacon E. M. Cowie said there could never be uniformity in the churches, for people’s tastes in forms of service differed. Canon E. H. Strong (New Plymouth) said there were many problems which must be surmounted before church union could be brought about. Dean G. R. Barnett (Hamilton) said he had no doubt that the desire for reunion was growing. When the nonepiscopal churches had joined as they were doing in some countries, they could then get into touch with the Church of England and finally with the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Cherrington said 360,000 Church of Eng’and people and 330,000 people of other denominations had gone a long way toward reunion in India. They had agreed on many essential points, but the difficulty arose on the point that all ministers should be established on an episcopal basis. The bishop dealt with many of the difficulties that stood in the way of reunion. The resolution was carried unanimously.