3 i8 THE FREE CHURCHES 



before the governing bodies a scheme by which all but the purely denominational work 

 should be taken in common, thus giving the members of the professoriate time and 

 opportunity for specializing, and bringing the students of the three churches into closer 

 fellowship with each other. Not only so, but the Episcopal College when approached 

 fully and gladly entered into the scheme, which was launched in October 1912 and seems 

 full of promise. It is possible that the same line will be followed in England, at least 

 among the Free Churches, before long. Already in the theological faculties of Man- 

 chester, London and Wales there is a certain amount of co-operation; but there are 

 isolated colleges of most of the denominations in different parts of the country that 

 cannot do the best possible work under present conditions. 



There is no sign on the horizon of any new organic union of churches in England. 

 The directions from which such may be expected sooner or later to appear are of course 

 the three great Methodist Churches (Wesleyan, Primitive and United) on the one hand, 

 and Baptists and Congregationalists on the other. For the present however, and prob- 

 ably for several years to come the aim will be closer federation rather than the merging 

 of denominations in larger units. Meanwhile there is a great deal of over-lapping in 

 the smaller towns and in the villages which makes for weakness and is a cause of grave 

 anxiety to the leaders of the denominations. 



In Scotland friendly consultations have for some time past taken place between the 

 Established Church and the United Free Church. These two communions embrace 

 nine-tenths, if not more, of the church-members in the northern kingdom and thought- 

 ful men on both sides have long been anxious for closer fellowship in the face of decreas- 

 ing rural populations and the increasingly serious problems of the large towns. Hold- 

 ing the same standards of faith and church order these two great wings of Presbyterian- 

 ism have practically everything in common except their views on the relation between 

 Church and State. It is not easy to see how this gulf will be bridged, but it is not so 

 wide as that which exists in England between the Established (Episcopal) Church and 

 the Free Churches, for there is a large measure of intercommunion regularly practised 

 in Scotland. Wisdom and mutual forbearance may, however, be able to accomplish an 

 understanding which may ultimately lead to union. Meanwhile, it should be noted 

 that many leaders in the United Free Church will not readily agree to any scheme which 

 would ostracise or disparage such comparatively small Scottish churches as the Baptist, 

 Methodist and Congregational. 



Relations with the Anglican Church. It may fairly be said that in spite of the acute 

 tension raised here and there by the question of Welsh Disestablishment and the 

 celebration of the Ejectment of 1662 there is on the whole a growth of sympathetic 

 and amicable feeling between the Anglican and the Free Churches and no small amount 

 of co-operation. British Nonconformists still believe that they are entitled to more real 

 recognition at state festivals and would value further instances of the fellowship exem- 

 plified at the installation of the Prince of Wales at Carnarvon in July 1911. The few 

 cases of intolerance and bigotry on the part of individual clergymen are more than offset 

 by courtesy and kindliness on the part of others. In the academic world churchmen of 

 all denominations work together in harmony and full trust on the Theological Boards of 

 the newer universities, and the proposals emanating from Oxford (passed on Dec. 3, 

 1912), Cambridge (passed on Nov. 22, 1912) and Durham, that their degrees in divinity 

 should be no longer restricted to Anglican clergy or laymen have been warmly appreciated. 

 The placing of a Bunyan memorial window in Westminster Abbey and its joint dedica- 

 tion by the Dean and representatives of the Free Churches is one of the happy signs of 

 the time. And if Lord Halifax can persuade other High Churchmen to agree with him 

 that the word " churches " may safely be applied to the non-conforming communities, 

 headway will be made. Interchange of pulpits is not yet in sight, but there seems a grow- 

 ing inclination among Anglicans to regard modern diocesan episcopacy as the bene esse 

 rather than the csse of a church. Meanwhile there are abundant opportunities for 

 united service which do not entail the slightest abandonment of conviction and principle 

 on either side, and three lines of approach are touched upon in different parts of this 



