Lawnmarket Reunion

In gloomy, chill St. Gile's Cathedral at Edinburgh wherein John Knox had often flayed that Mary who was Queen of Scots, Rev. Henry Sloane Coffin, president of the Union Theological Seminary of New York, last week told 6,000 Scots that Christendom is doomed.

"The entire globe," he said, "is being embraced in a commercial order determined by physical science and obscuring for many the idea of a living God, while psychologists are putting forward insight into human behavior as the basis of a code of conduct instead of the principles derived from religion. "What manner of church is it that can appeal to souls living in this age? It is only a worshipping, teaching, practicing, creative church whose members are prepared to mark themselves off from all outsiders by a different manner of life affecting all their financial, domestic, civic and social relations, forcing them into constant protest against the present sub-Christian* order and making them ready to dare all for Christ's sake. "

If Christendom is to be reborn the Church must be supernational. What formal world-wide organization it may require I cannot forecast, but certain it is that the Christendom which once was has gone, for worse or for better. A new Christendom can only be supplied by an earth-wide fellowship exemplifying the unity of mankind in Christ and linking all the people of the world in one."

Yet, however pessimistic were Dr. Coffin's words, the Scots who heard him were not depressed, for the day before they had taken part in the most important Scottish ecclesiastical event in 87 years, had shown their willingness to work toward the "earth-wide fellowship" mentioned by Dr. Coffin. The event had been the reunion of the long separated Established Church (Auld Kirk) and the United Free Church, both of which originated in the stern predestinationism brought to Scotland by John Knox from Geneva's John Calvin (1509-64).

For 20 years both churches had labored toward the reunion. In Edinburgh last week, on the Lawnmarket, by the Cathedral, a long column of Auld Kirk divines joined a column of free churchmen. After handshaking and congratulations the lines, reformed, all marched as one column into the Cathedral. "Behold How Good a Thing It Is" lustily sang the sons of devout Scots as the column passed.

The first assembly of the reunited Church of Scotland was held in a garage containing some 12,000 chairs. While rain beat upon the roof the position of moderator of the reunited church was voted to Rev. John White, minister of the Barony of Glasgow.

Before leaving the assembly to march back to the Cathedral under a rainbow-spanned sky. the reunited church listened respectfully to His Grace the Duke of York, Lord High Commissioner of the new church who gave "full assurance of His Majesty's interest in and love for the Church of Scotland . . . and of his determination to uphold the cause of Presbyterian government in Scotland."*

No theological problems were caused by the union of the Auld Kirk and the Free Church, for in doctrine and government the two churches are alike, the dissension having begun on a purely political basis. In 1843 about one-third of the ministers and members of the Church of Scotland, disgusted by the system of patronage through which state officials could appoint favored people to church offices, resigned.

While most Presbyterians rejoiced at the reunion, a number of recalcitrant congregationalist preachers, who had refused to vote for the fusion, met in Glasgow at the same time, fomented plans for a new dissenting church, calling themselves "United Free Church Continuers." Other small groups who remain outside the Union are the dour "Wee Frees" (TIME, Aug. 26) and the "Original Secessionists."

Attending the union as representative of U. S. Presbyterians, Dr. John Huston Finley, New York Times editor, cabled an account of it to his paper, saying, "Scotland's greatest gift (to the U. S.) has been the Presbyterian faith and polity."/- /-

*Dr. Coffin, precise, prefers this phrase to "non-Christian."

*His Britannic Majesty is personally an Anglican, by law.

/-Currently in British magazines, series of advertisements, under the caption. "How profoundly true it is--ALL grea thing1-come from Scotland," print an accoun of something Scottish that has "enriched the human race and made men happier." Featured last week was James Watt and steam-engine. The advertisements always end with the statement, "Ask always for Dewar's White Label Scotch Whiskey."