The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-25
LIVE CHURCH NEWS
 OF WHOLE WORLD Decided Step Toward the
 Church Union AUSTRALIAN UNION
AUSTRALIAN
Christians in America and Australia, Though Far Apart in Miles, Are Exerting Much Religious In-
 fluence Over Each Other

| Presbyterians and Episcopalians are
 getting together. They are doing so in | America and in Australia. Far apart in miles, the action of Christians in one country has just exerted marked influ-
 ence on Christian leaders in the other.
 Through the Christian Unity Foundation
 there came to this country the other day
 the text of an agreement on union be-
 tween the Church of England in Australia
 and Tasmania, and the Presbyterian
 Church in Australia, accompanied by letter of explanation from the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Right Rev. pr. Henry | l.. Clarke
 | So significant was the agreement for the Australian union that American lead-l CTS in the bodies named held an informal l conference in New York this week. As individuals they refrained from commit ting themselves to all provisions of the Australian plan, but by unanimous reso-
 lution they express delight at steps al-
 ready taken by others. and urge wide pub licity of the action, to the end that Chris
 tians in America may be encouraged to believe that corporate reunion Is possible here The American Presbyterians taking part in this conference just held were: | The Rev. Dr. George Alexander, pres ident of the board of foreign missions; the Rev. Dr. Henry C. Minton, former moderator of the general assembly; the Rev. Dr. William P. Stevenson, pastor of the First church, Yonkers; Cleveland H Dodge, a trustee of Princeton university. and Judge William M. Lanning of New Jersey, a trustee of the general assem- bly. The Episcopal members were: | The Rt Rev. pr. Frederick Courtney, | New York; former bishop of Nova Sco- | tia; the Rev. pr. R. F. Alsop, member of the board of missions; the Rev. Dr. George w. Douglas, canon of the New York cathedral: the Rev. Dr. Henry R. Chimney, diocese of New Jersey; the
 Rev. Dr. Arthur Lowndes, an authority on the question of orders; R. Fulton Cut ting, the we'll known philanthropist, and
 Francis c. Huntington, a son of the late Dr. William R. Huntington. The Episco- | paians are members of the Christian Unity Foundation, the unofficial body of Episcopal clergy and laymen who seek. through wider information concerning the history and work of each, to bring about corporate reunion of all.
 | The agreement between the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania and | Presbyterian church in Australia follows, ! in brief form:
 | The Holy Scriptures, the Apostles and Nicene creeds as basis for any further statement that may be needed, and the | two sacraments of baptism and Supper of the Lord form the opening part Then follows this relating to ordinations: | That the act of ordination involves Ncff lon nf Ia a
 with the following: (a) Full church
 membership; (b) inward and personal | call of the holy spirit; Co recognition | by the church of this call after inquiry | into fitness; (d) the laying on of hands | in ordination we understand to be | visible symbol of the bestowal, In an swer to the prayer of faith, of au- thority, and grace by the holy spirit for the work of the ministry; and, (e) the authority to perform an act of or dination comes from God the Father through Christ the mediator, by the holy spirit as the living agent of the church, and is exercised by the ap pointed officers of the church. The reso- lutions following are:
 We recognize that up to the period of the reformation there was on com mon succession of orders, and that since that time the practice of ordination has been continued and the act of ordina- ton has been performed (a) in the Anglican church by d bishop and presbyter, and (b) in the Presbyterian church by a presbytery presided over | by moderator.
 That a union of the Church of Eng land in Australia and Tasmania and | the Presbyterian church of Australia be effected and consummated by joint | solemn act under the authority and lsanction of both churches, in which each church shall confer upon the presbyters of the other all the rights and privileges necessary for the exer- else of their office in the united church, so that from the moment of such union, all the presbyters of each church shall have equal status in the united church. GA minority of two An
 glican members declined to recommend
 this resolution, but expressed their willingness that 1t should be referred | to the judgment of the Lambeth con | ference.)
 | That some form of individual su- l perintendence and government. consti- tutionally exercised, as expedient for | the united church, and that authority to execute such superintendence and government shall be conferred by d
 solemn act of consecration duly ad- ministered on presbyter, With the title of bishop exclusively attached | This conference, while recognizing
 
 of ordination is inherent in the church,
 agrees that, as matter of order, in the united church, all ordinations of
 persons to the office of presbyter as | ministers of the word and sacraments l shall be by bishop and three pres
 byters at least And further, that in the consecration of every bishop. three bishops at least shall take part and such presbyters as may be appointed for the purpose.
 "The liturgical and -liturgical | forms of worship be authorized. and that the use of the book of common prayer be sanctioned. and additional forms of worship be sanctioned by au- thority.
 | That there be an order of deacons or licentiates, who are ordained to of fee, and may be allowed to preach the gospel, but are not allowed to dis pense the Lords supper.
 That there be an order of officers whose office shall be analogous to that of church wardens and elders, appointed
 to help in the pastoral oversight and the
 government of the church, but not for the administering of the sacraments, and
 that these officers shall be elected by
 the communicants of each several con
 gregations, and shall be set apart to their
 office by form of ordination without the laying-on of hands,
 The archbishop of Belbourne sends word
 that college of divinity has just been
 formed in Melbourne, by act of the state
 of Victoria, consisting of six represen-
 tatives of the Anglican, four Presbyte-
 rian, four Methodist, one Congregational
 and one Baptist bodies, or 16 members