New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-04

...+.. ~ for the promotion of def
mite nrincirIes II cannot be diverted without
abuse of trust. The Lord Chancellor accep1eu
the dictum of Lord Eldon that the original puf-
pose Of a trust predeternines the use "hlch Is
TO be made Of If. and consequently that a re-
gous body cannot vary its CONVICTIONS OF prac-
tice without taking the risk Of losing control
over its corporate property. This is a hard say
ing for voluntary churchmen. who like to think
of their religious communions as living and IN
dependent, capable of growth and development
and armed with power TO revise stahoaFus ana
10 adapt themselves TO new conditions II tdlseS
difficulties for members of the English Church.
who cannot deny that in their own fold there
has been a lack of continuity in the admmistra-
ton of funds. properties and beques1s IN accoIu-
ance with the religious convictions of contribu-
tors and testators Broad thinkers like Bishop
Gore have not hesitated to describe the law OF
trusts as intolera BILE if it stands in the way of
the development OF a living church under the in
fuence of its own experience They are forced
to admit that breaches of trust are sanctioned
in the English Church by act of Parliament;
and the Scottish Free Churchmen are not better
off under the commissions report. It IS only
with the help OF the secular power of the state
that the eighteen hundred ministers and half
million communicates can regain possession OF
their trust funds and properties; and that GER
headed revolt against the Established Church
Of Scotland and still less was it in accord with
the determined practice of the earlier seceders.
the United Presbyterians who stood out for the
voluntary principle
The evolution of religious communons is
fact whatever may be the law of trusts in
terpreted by the courts DR.. Chalmers's adj
herents, in 1913 did not want free church. but
a pure church; and as time went on they might
nave returned TO the Established Church of
Scotland when lay patronage was abolished and
congregations We're allowed to select their own
ministers, and other grievances which their
leaders had considered serious were redressed.
instead of reuniting with the purified Estab-
hshed Church they were influenced by their ex-
perience when they found the system of voun-
tary support satisfactory in operation; and as
they were themselves drawn toward another
voluntary organization amalgamation with it
IoHoWed IN due course In the order Of growth
the efficiency of the Free Church as working
poay became more important than the tradi-
ions OF pure establishment the fine points
OF the Westminster Confession or the hair
spHtung distinctions between Calvinistic and
AIhlhlan theories of predestnation. So COM
pete was the transformation of opinions from
Dr- Chalmerss time that when fusion with the
older voluntary body was carried out there was
only a beggarly minority of Free Churchmen to
protest against it. The House of Lords has re-
alhrmed the law of trusts without being able to
arm the Highland minority with resources for
doing the work of an overwhelming rnajorita
An enabling act alone is required for the adjust
ment of law to the fact of evolution.