Great Church Fight.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 211, 10 September 1904, Page 2

Great Church Fight.

♦ DECISION IN A FAMOUS SCOTCH CASE.

£3,000,000 AT STAKE. j (Dally Mail, August 2.) Never probably sdnco tho famous case of Daniel ,o'Con n ell has the House of Lords been so crowded as it was yesterday to hear a decision on a point 0 f law. In this case, also, the whole attention or ia nation was centred upon it. The rod benches were occupied by many Scottish peers and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The galleries were filled with Scottish members of Parliament and loadVr9 of the dissenting churches of the northern kiagdom. The fate of 1100 churches, with nearly as many manses, innumerafblo mission stations throughout (he world, colleges and groat lhalls in the cities, and In addition over a million of money, depended on tho view that seven law lords took of Scottish ecclesiastical history am] doctrines. In the result the House of Lords by flvo votes to two 'decided that 11 body of twenty-four churches consisting of some 5000 communicants (put of a total of 298,000), mostly resident in tho Northern and Western Highlands, composed tho truo Free Church, and virtually that they were the owners of these vast possessions, valued in all at three millions sterling.

—How tlie Trouble Arose.— Over a hundred years ago, secessionists from the Established Church of Scotland (which ia Presbyterian) formed the United Presbyterian Church, and asserted opposition to the principle of State connection. In 1843 a still greater secession took place under the lead of Dr. Chalmers. To assert the right of the church to manage its own affairs according to its own conscience, and under responsibility to Christ alone, 470 ministers gave up their livings and left their homes, and a new denomination was set up called the Free Church.

It was supported with splendid liberality. Free Churches were cot up in nearly every parish, manses were built for the ministers' residences, schools were opened, and active miss-ion work carried on all over the world. Eventually the churches numbered over one thousand one hundred. This denomination recognised the principle of State connection, and accepted the Westminster Confession of 250 years ago.

In 1902 this denomination resolved (by 643 to 27 votes) to combine with the United Presbyterians and form tih« United Free Church. A minority ol twenty-four Free Uhui-ch-es held out, claimed that they were the real Free Church, and entitled to its property and! funds. Thoy founded this claim on tho fact that the Free Church of tho Union of 1902 lad abandoned its fundamental principle in respect of tine State connection, and fundamental doctrines in respect of tho Westminster Confession.

By a singular irony it has decided that tho church which was founded in 1843 t 0 assert the principle of freedom in its own affairs is not entitled to alter the ibasie and the doctrines on which it was founded, and that because it huß doviated in lmjortant respects from these principles it loses its rights. —Nineteen Bays' Trial.

Tho case was tried in the Court of Session, at Edinhurgih. Then it was heard for eleven days last year i n tho House of Lords. The Lord Chancellor and the other English Judgos found themselvles in a new realm of metaphysics when they camo to arsrue with Scottish lawyers on "predestination," "fore-ordination," "effectual calling," and tried to decide whether the church had surrendered its Calvinism for Armlnianlsm.

These subjects were now to them, but Mr Haldone trod lightly, and led them surely in the devious paths. There was some difficulty in reaching a decision. Then Loid Shand, one of (ho judges, died, and the House had to hear all tho arguments over again. That lasted eight days, so that in all nineteen days, or five weeks, of parliamentary time were spent In the hearing. The main point which weiglhod with' Lord Halsbury, Lord Davey, Lord James, Lord Robertson, and Lord Alvorstono was tho departure of the Free Church from the principle of establishment, and they also held that it had departed from the fundamental doctrines of 1843. Lord Macnaughten and Lord lindley took the opposite view. The leading of the seven, judges' opinions occupied over four hours, and the complete document will embody 42,000 words, of about five pages of the Daily Mail. Lord Robertson, the only. Scotsman n the court, S|K)ko 10,000 words.

The decision has thrown Scotland into a ferment. Nothing so exciting has happened there since 1843. It is understood that a month ago, when the United Free Church feared the. case would go against tlhem, they offered the minority £50,000 and their own buildings to settle tho dispute.