CHURCH UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1920, Page 5

CHURCH UNION.

RRST DEFINITE STEP. CONGREGATIONALISTS MOVE. • TO JOIN PRESBYTERIANS. i By Telegraph.—Press As3»o!atlon, Wellington, Nov. 19. The question of church union was discussed to-day by the Presbyterian General Assembly. The committee of the Union presented a report in which the view was erpressed that the hope was well founded that in a brief period an organic union would be effected between the Presbyterians and the Congregational Body in New Zealand. The committee regrets the failure to carry forward the larger union to a practical point and records its conviction that the union of the evangelistical churches of the Dominion must come if the work in this land is to be crowned with success. The Lambeth pronouncement may furnish grounds for hope of the ultimate re-union of Christendom, though its immediate proposals cannot for the moment be entertained. The developments among the Congregationalists anticipated in the last report have issued in a definite proposal to come over in a body, accepting practically the doctrine and policy with the reserve of a few immaterial adjustments. If the Presbyterians, in terms of the Barrier Act, are favorable the union of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches in this Dominion will be speedily effected and in two years' time at the longest the churches should meet as one. The Rev. Dr. Gibb, convenor of the committee, hoped the proposals of the Congregational Church of New Zealand would be adopted. They were the precursor of union to come. The Rev. Wm. Patterson (Christchurch) said the proposals in no way interfered with the principles of the Presbyterian Church. The committee's report was received but not adopted. DEPUTATION'S VIEWS. ACCEPTANCE OF POLICY. UNION, BUT NOT "ABSORBED." Wellington, Last Night. The Presbyterian Assembly received a deputation from the Congregational Church regarding the union of the two Churches. The Rev. W. Saunders (Dunedin) said they did not pretend that the Con-1 gregational Church was perfectly unani-1 mous in the matter, but such questioning as existed was as to the manner in winch the proposals made would he received by the Assembly. tn the Congregational Chunfli of New Zealand they would be uniting with a small body, but they were the representatives in New Zealand of a great Church. They acecptsd the creed and the policy of the Presbyterian Church, which was going very far, but in drawing up the document of union they did not want the word "absorption" used. What they proposed was a union between the two churches. They therefore suggested the union of both names, and one of their objects in doing this was to avoid the whole question being brought up again a few years hence. It was desirable they should be able to tell Congregational immigrants arriving in New Zealand that they could find a Congr/rational Church .in the heart of I theyflresbyterian Church of New Zealand/ He trusted that within a year's time the two churches would be one, to the glorv of their Master. Th<* Rev.' J. Reed Glasson (Wellington) emphasised that they, as Congregationalists, might stiffen the Presbyterian Church Up in regard to its policy. The Presbyterian Church to-day was practically Congregationalism organised. He regretted the inclusion of the following words in the report of the committee: "From one point of view this will be but a small instalment of the union. Practically it was the merging of the Congregational Church in the Presbyterian Church, father than a union in the ordinary connotation of the term. The Congregational Churches in New Zealand are but few in number, ,but from another point of view the transaction will he deeply significant. It will be tho first definite achievement in tho cause of union between two bodies of widely divergent politics, and will encourage the hearts of tho friends of union everywhere." They in the Congregational Church did not desire the matter to be approached from that point of view. It was true the;?* were a small body as compared with the Presbyterian Church, but they would not be absorbed. • There ivore some Churches that would stand out if that attitude was adopted, and their Ministers would stand by them. The Assembly, in re-considering the report as had been, suggested by Mr. Glasson, unanimously resolved to delete the reference complained of by striking out the words from "practically" down to "deeply significant." Dr. Gibb then moved the first proposal by the Congregational Union committee. The Rev. W. J. Cowrie complained that matters were being unduly rushed, as members of the Assembly only received copies of the report the previous night. Tho clerk warned the Assembly to proceed carefully, as the title to church property of both churches would be affected by the proposed change of name, and they had to proceed in a legal manner. The first proposal as moved was then put and carried, with only a few dissentient voices. The Rev. T. Miller (Feilding) then moved the adjournment of tho debate to enable members of the Assembly to fullv consider the proposals. i The motion was carried. '