The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1866-12-13

i Thzosgh tho favor Of = ftisad ws are,
iassssipt Of hte alss sof the london
Daily Times. Great feeling i being
excited between the High Church anu
Low Church parties 81 England, and
he 5isses devotss much space to il.
That our readers may BE- somewhat
posted = 70 the present features Of the
discussion ve make some extracts The
Tses states the case OF the High
Church party thus: !"
The world knows-and, if it did not
know, the Bishop Of Salisbury has told
it-thata certain section OF the clergy
Of the Church of England, headed BY
a least one Bishop, claims to possess
tho Same powers ~ arc claimed BY the
Roman priesthood, the principal Of
these being the operation Of some mi
raeolous change on the bread aud wine
in the Sacrament, and the renting or
retaining of human sins. 1t follows
necessarily from this latter clam .ha.
the clergy have the right, not only to
hear, but to enforce confession, us the
means of iustructing themselves as to
the spiritual state Of their Aocks, and
also the right to impose penance as the
condition. Of dissolution. /.
The Low Church is advocated by
the Times, and the following arguments
may sound rather strangely 10 this couu-
Try where the obligations Of Church and
State are not recognised as at all SIM
liar: IT, 90. &. - ..
If the Bishop and his followers were
~ uuestablished religious community,
they might hold characterization or
judicial absolution without pla-
oiog themselves in false position
They might say, 1--WE believe these
doctrines, We deiig ht in these ceremo
MES; Ne exercise our right Of freedom
in adopting them, and the majority Of
our eountrymea arc equally ftee to diff:
fer With us." But the ministers Of q
national church are bound 70 consider
The nation: Every clergyman is in
vested With = political character he IL
distinctly = servant Of the State; to him
u committed By The State the perform.
anee Of certain duties, and 1 general So.
" p6rintendsaos over the teaoh;hg aud
the moral guidance of his parish: dc
, = much bound to zeal aud patriot
sn = . soldier Or Z civil servant; he
i 9 much bound to study the convic-~
tons, the habits, even the prejudices OF
the country, as if be were . political
adoinistrator. The fundamental prin.
eiple Of the Church Of England is that
every Enzlishman is Churchman the
Church 10 co-extensive With the aation;
tho portion Of the Church with which
the clergyman has to deal consists Of
every inhabitant Of his parish, A cler-
gyman, therefore, does not do his duty
70 the Church unless he brings himself
into moral accord, SO to speak, with his
parishioners.; o. He may be sincere
theologian; he may be man OF tastes
which it Is very desirable to cultivate ;
he may be pure in life and character,
and eminent tor many virtues; but II
he deliberately sets himself against the
religious beliefs or the moral sentiment
fthe nation, Of. which be is bound to
inform himself he fails in bis allegiance
to the institution which he has con-
tracted to support, and which can only
live ~ long Is It 10 the religious repre-.
sentation ofthc nation. The clergyman
Who desires TO restore any doctrine,
practice or ceremony is bound to ask
himself whether it is likely to be &C.
eePted BY the nation At large.
This article Is replied to the follow
ing day by the celebrated .Df.: Puse,,
who denies that High Churchmen zen
force or demand" confession. He adds:
If We, clergy or people, think that it
is good for our souls to confess our sins
specifically, not only. to God, but als,,
% His minister, whatever you may think
Of our wisdom in so doing, you would
not deny US the liberty Of so doing.
The use of confession among
us all-priesss and people-'s very
large. 1t pervades every rank, from
the peer 70 the artisan and the peasant
The principles involved in this dis
cussion are practically affecting the Es-
tablished Church Of England, and how
it will result remains yet to be seen.
=