20 OCTOBER 1917, Page 13

(To THE EDITOR. Or THE SPECTATOR.") SIR, —I read Mr.

P. H. Walker's letter in your last issue with much interest. I had already had my attention culled to the Cheltenham resolutions to which he refers. As a Free Church- man, and having a :ether intimate knowledge of Free Church opinion in the Midlands, I can safely say that these resolutions will be heartily welcomed by the Free Churches generally. Their hank recognition of the Nonconformist Churches as members of the Church of Christ, and the statement that the proposals do not aim at absorption but at combined action, clear the way, while the final resolution that the goal to be aimed at is some form of Federation rather than organic Union also greatly sim- plifies matters. If the Church of England generally could be brought into line with these resolutions, there would be, I am convinced, a much brighter day in store for Christianity in our land. They outline the only basis on which any real rapproche- ment can be brought about, in this generation at all events. My only fear is that they represent the views of but a small minority of the Church of England. I should be glad to find myself mis-