The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-22


brieh, and sparkling grains Of the ostolic fathers
TO the predominatipg black sand Of tue modicya
schoolmen.
| Another cause Of Romish tastes and predilootoni
is discoverabie in those architectural esoteriCs,
which have been Of late so celebrated under the
name Of eccletiology, and to which so many Of
the divines of England have devoted their atten-
ton during the last fifteen years.
But yet other ingredients have been thrown
into the wonder working cauldron. In the contest
between high.churchmen and evangelicals, on
The subject of aposocal succession, priestly func-
tors, and sacramental grace, the weight Of State
patronage has SO predomnated In favor of low
church views, that DR.. Sumner, an evangelical
prelate, now fills the office Of ArchbisLop of Can
terbury, and. by his course Of conduct, especially
in the famous Gorham case, has given occasion to
open rupture with the able Bishop of Exeter, as
well as with certain other high church prelaes of
distinction.
And while this unhappy (perhaps happy state
OF things has contributed not little to disafect
many, her Majesty the Queen, in her character as
head of the Church, has interfered in certain mat
tiers purely SPIRITUAL so that she has tempted DR..
PhiIpotts, the distinguished Bishop of Exeter, to
accost her in terms not often uttered by prelate
when accosting Majesty, and has added to the
motives for multiplying malcontents.
Another cause Of the existing state Of things is
found in the legislative patronage Of Romanism.
The political disabilities Of English Roman Catho-
lies, at the instance Of the popular Duke of We'll
lington, and of Sir Robert Peel, in the year 1923,
enlisted the nations sympathies at that time; and
greater and greater concessions have been made.
from year to year, as reason and religion have
conspred to oppose the ourages of intolerance and
make all Englishmen, whether churchmen or Ro-
manists, as far as the exercise Of conscience is
concerned, free and equal. A few more struggles
and liberty will triumph.
This outline of confused and perplexIng con-
troversy will serve to suggest at least some Of the
chief causes of those phenomena which are so
remarkable-learned Anglican divines, at this age
of the world, reneuncing Protestantism, and be-
coming Romanists; the amiable and meek Plus
IN. encouraged to attempt bold uslrpation tina :
might better befit the daring genius of Hide
brand, the vigor of an Urban H., the proud am
bition of an Alexander III or the powerful grasp
Of the Third Innocent. The spirit of toleration in
the exercise ofits legitimate influence, is gradually
dissolving that union of Church and State which
is the secret prolific cause of all that dsquet which
now agitates the public mind in England and of all
that disaffection which is weaving, and must con-
tinue for some time yet to wean, churchmen from
their faith and their allegiance, until the Court of
Arches, and all other State influences, cease their
interfere nee with spiritual things.
That England, in her civil and ecclesiastical
welfare, can receive any serious permanent injury
from the results of the present angry strife and
noisy agitation is not to be apprehended; and the
violence of the storm indicates that its duration
will be brief Were Church and State even rent
asnnder by it, the greatest blessings to them both
might be the consequence. The alliance is as I'M
necessary as it is unnatural. The same church,
as represented in our own land by its Protestant
Episcopal branch, with the same book of prayer
the same articles Of religion and the same church
petty, is in a fiourishing condition, without the
help of special and exclusive State patronage. This
reformed branch of the Church of England has, in
deed, made more judicous selection of lessons from
the Scriptures, has rejected the Athanasan creed
from its standards, and has modified and moderated
Of the formularies as set forth in the English
Prayer Book But, in all else Of any material con
| sequence, the same doctrine, discipline, and wer.
chip, are maintained. And while disputes on doc
trinal pecullarties among all other denominations
illustrating, in remarkable manner, the inter-
minable discords and divisions of Protestant sec,s
and parties, the great secret Of union and perma-
nence is possessed by American Episcopalians, in
their having ancient written creeds, a primitive
liturgy, and an apostolic potty. These they wisely
retain. BY these they protected from the evils
that result from mere oPiaion, and that distract all
other denominations Of Protes.ants. Let the
Church OF England follow their example. Let her
disdain the trammels Of State influence and con-
troll. Let her learn another lesson from America,
and see that the church may be free and flourish.
| An Interesting NJ d I'm portant point In Poll
ieai History-One OF the last Debates In
tho Senate.
In debate in the United States Senate, at the