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WE have borrowed the title of the Rev. J. Roland Pryce's article in the January number of the Welsh Outlook. It will serve our purpose admirably. But the drift of his own argument seems to shew that he is not quite sure of his text. For, under the title Christian Re-union," he pleads for Ecclesiastical Uniformity; or, at least, for re-union based- upon ecclesiastical readjust- ments. But, the two things are by no means identical. Nonconformists believe in Christian Re-union. But, large numbers of them in England, and the vast majority in Wales, view, with grave apprehension, the proposals now afoot for Ecclesiastical Re-union. The point is a crucial one, and we shall revert to it later. Meanwhile, let us admit frankly that there are some matters as to which both Anglicans and Nonconformists can agree. We agree that our divisions are deplorable, and that every effort should be made to heal them that the spirit of belligerency, so rabid in the past, was unworthy of our professed faith in the same Founder, and of His King- dom, the interests of which we sought to promote and that our mutual jealousies, suspicions and recriminations, seriously affected the value of our Christian work and witness, in the eyes of large masses of the people. In fine, we may join in the confession that, in more than one direction, we have done the things we should not have done, and have left undonefthe things we should have done." But, having thus confessed, we must guard against the folly of unworthy compromise, achieved at the expense of principle, and for the sake of a spectacular peace. For the issues dividing us are real, not sham ones they are vital, not casual; and they must be faced squarely. It is well to bear in mind that Wales has special diffi- culties of its own. Mr. Price mentions three, namely,- the Welsh temperament on its religious side the question of Disestablishment and Disendowment; and the Educa- tion question. But, it is no more true of the Welshman than it is of the Englishman, that In his ardour he often fails to distinguish between the essential and the non- essential," and that he has the defects of his qualities." Those are characteristics of human nature. As far as Nonconformists are concerned, the Welsh Church Act has settled the Disestablishment controversy. If any bitter- ness now remains, it is not on our side. With regard to the Education question, there are many Nonconformists who, like the present writer, are strongly in favor of definite religious (as distinct from denominational) instruction in the elementary and secondary schools. The real difficulty lies in the fact that the great majority of professing Christians in Wales are Nonconformists and that the proposals now in the air demand of us the sacrifice of principles for which untold sacrifices have been made, and which we consider vital. In the four Welsh dioceses, the communicants at Easter, 1917, numbered 157,033. If, making due allowance for men on active service, those figures are at all an indication of the strength of Anglicanism in Wales, one is not surprised that CHRISTIAN RE-UNION By the Rev. W. F. Phillips, B.A., B.D., BLitt. the vision of a National Welsh Church, "-based, as it would have to be based, upon the acceptance, by the majority, of an institution which is foreign to the traditions, temper, and genius of Nonconformity,-is not yet in sight. For, according to Mr. Price, the greatest obstacle to Re-union" is "the fact of Episcopacy." That is mainly an ecclesiastical matter. Belief in Episcopacy is not of the essence of Christianity. But, the position of Episcopacy is such that the members of the Episcopal Churches cannot be expected to abandon it Hence, as part of their share of the price of visible unity, Nonconformists must accept it. And because a few Nonconformist Divines have agreed to do so, Mr. Price concludes that an immense advance towards agreement on one important point has been made." But, three or four Nonconformist swallows do not make an episcopal summer. How slight the advance really is, anyone may easily find out for oneself. The Rev. J. H. Shakespeare, a member of the joint Sub- Committee of Anglican and Free Churches,-the interim report of which Mr. Price summarizes,-recently published a book in the course of which he declared his acceptance of the fact of Episcopacy." The Editor of The British Weekly strongly criticised Mr. Shakespeare's standpoint; and the copious correspondence which ensued, in the columns of that journal, clearly proved that the critic had accurately guaged the feelings of Nonconformists through- out the country. What would our acceptance of the fact of Episcopacy really mean ? An admission that Nonconformist Orders were, and are invalid? That Nonconformist Ministers must submit themselves to re-ordination at the hands of the Bishops ? Those are vital questions, and nothing is to be gained by toning them down. Someone must answer them without stuttering and without stammering. If the price of Re-union includes those indignities, Welsh Non- conformists will never pay it. Further, what would be the standing of our Free Church members ? Would they have to submit themselves to Confirmation, and agree to the proposition that the grace which flows through the fingers of a Bishop posseses more virtue than the grace which comes through the spiritual atmosphere of the Church? That question also demands a clear answer. Short of the Confirmation of each and every one of our members, how could the acceptance of the fact of Episcopacy become operative in their case? From the point of view of the Welsh people, there is a good deal more to be said. Their religious, social and political sympathies are democratic. Why should they turn to embrace Episcopal autocracy? They have ample warrant for believing that the historical claims of Episco- pacy, judged in the light of its origin, are, to say the least, doubtful. They believe, furthermore, that their own position is more closely in accord with New Testament Christianity. Who shall judge between them and Epis- copalians in that matter ? Moreover, thinking Welshmen are not blind to the fact that the Anglican Church has scarcely achieved the ideal of visible unity even within its