Church Unity
SIR.-1 am sorry for any unintended lack of charity towards those whose way of worship I value. As one of many overworked parish priests, perhaps I may be pardoned for a strong reaction against the persistent treatment in influential circles of more than one denomination of the grave problem of disunity in a predominantly academic, doctrinal and therefore controversial way. The otherwise excellent paper, the Church Times, is-among the organs which deal in that way with the matter, and in so doing give the unmistakable impression that schism consists merely of others having departed from the Catholic faith, and if and when they repent and come over to " us," then reunion is achieved. This attitude conveniently ignores the moral factor or soft-pedals it. Moral abuses played a very considerable part in creating schism, and no branch of the Church is immune from responsibility. There is no need for the seemingly endless and often barren controversy, Mr. Judd. in all coming together to join in acts of penance and reparation for a sin in which every - denomination has a share of the blame. I would respectfully ask Mr. Riley to recommend that the Church Union should invite the leaders of other denominations to share equally with the C.U. in the whole work of drawing up and carrying through the Week of Prayer for Unity, "and we need this more frequently than once a year." There need be no violation of anyone's present principles in united acts for all parties in any way responsible for the "open sore of Christendom," and it would add great moral strength to the witness of the whole Church.—Yours, &c., Great Sankey Vicarage. Nt. Warrington, PERCIVAL CARMAN.
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