The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-02-26
HIGH AND Low-cHURCH.

Ii ismore than forty years since our good and
peace-loving DR.. John II. Rice, OF Virginia,
felt impelled By a sense of duty 70 eontroyert
tbe offensive assumptions of Bishop Ravens
croft of North Carolina. When, after much
forbearance, he did at last gather up ms manly
powers and come forth TO the conflict IN tnl
strength, it was for great battle and great
victory Of truth. We hardly know where now
20 point for better specimen OF controversial
writing; fair statement of the question: a
keen though not at all unkiud argument enc
ing with such complete demolition VI the
Bishop High Church, fortress, as must have
excited the compassion OF even MS adSersa-
ries. There were some who sought 70 cover
this defeat BY the allegation (nothing to the
points in debate, if true that DR.. Rice " had
attacked the Episcopal Church, and attempt
ed TO excite odiuui against her members la
the Epangelical and Literary Nagazine, vol. 9,
page so, the reviewer replies as follows:
by no possibility can it be shown that he
has done this taing, unless 1t can be shown
that the principles Of the EpiScopd Church
and High Church principles are ldeat'eaL-
When convinced of this, he will acknowledge
the charge. The reviewer then afhrmS con
stantly. that his assault has been made not on
EDiseoDalaRs, but on High-Church principles.
de endeayOred to bring Odium on them, be
cause he thinks them Odious; 70 diScred ?
them, because he believes them TO be PERM
cious both 20 Church and State. He is consci.
entiously their determined enemy, and will BY
the help Of God, TO the latest day of his life
carry on a warfare against them, whatever
name they assume, whatever guiSe they may
wear But this, so far from being hostile D.,
any denomination Of Christians is regarded by
the reviewer a. one Of the strongest proofs he
can give OF friendship for that Christianity
which is common 70 all
Precisely thus We tet in the sentence quoted
By our correspondent "Cramer" last weeA. -
DR.. Ross article ives avowedly aimed at the
bigotry and intolerance Of such in the Epis-
copa Church as say, This is the only
Church of Christ, and who set themselves to
the work of PROSECUTING from other Churches.
Between thema and what are called Low Church
Episcopalisns there is a wide distinction, and
has been from period beginning at least as
early as the reign Of Charles 1. Of che latter,
the historian, Dr. MOsheim, says: They
we're zealously attached 70 the forms Of eccle-
siastical government and worship that were es-
tabhshed ia the Church Of -, and they
--.ss,a,a sfsa.s., a engtb
and power Of their elOquenee ~ they did MT
90 so far as to look upon Il as Of firis ilstita.-
ton, or as absolutely necessary 20 the consti-
tuition Of Christian Church; and hence they
maintained that those who followed other
forms Of government and worship, were not
on that account to be excluded from the title
Of brethren.
We could ill pages Of this paper with quota
tons from authorities both Of past and present
times, showing the difference between the two
classes of EpiSeopslisns. substance Off all |
is that the High Church unchurch all Prcsbyte-
riaus, Netbodists, Baptists, Lutherans, &c,
because, as they auege, these denominations
have not prelatical episcOpacy derived by |
succession las they vainly imagine) from the
Apostles. The Low-Chureh regard episcopa- |
cy as essential 20 the perfection, but not the |
existence of a Church. Hence they expressly |
uCNlaAC bAdl AlNN tN-dlN ObAACAc dc OAuANutc ul /
Christ, though detective ii their organization. |
In this we are about even with them, Tor Pres
byterIanS nave no doubt that prelatical epiSco- 4
pacy Is a grievous excreScence, and the want |
of ruling elders a serious defect in their form
Of government. But we do not regard these |
matters Of order SO essential as to destroy a /
Church which holds fast to the faith of the
Gospel Holding the great doctrine Of the
communion of saints, We are willing to carry
it into practice in all those ways presenting
themselves in Christian intercourse and wor-
ship. We are ready to commune with Episco-
palians, ministers and people. in the Lord
Supper, TO invite their clergy, on all suitable
occasions into our pulpits, aud to preach, upon
invitation. in theirs.
But just here, it must be owned, there comes
a serious interruption of fellowship. What
We have in view may be best presented by one
OF two illustrations. About fifteen years ago
the Episcopal Convention of the diocese of
Virginia met in the town of Lexington. On
Sabbath night, in a crowded house, and at the
close OF deeply intere-, ing services the v-nera-
bic Bishop Meade was making the parting ad-
dress He mentioned the name Of DR.. Arch
bald Alexander, Ia native of Lexington, and
Of DR.. Minor, both of them not long deeeas
ed the one Presbyterian, the other an Epis
eopalian. There was only shade of differ
enee between them on earth, said he, and
there Is not shade between them now in
heaven. But, strange TO say it, if DR..
Alexander had been there that day, Bishop
Meade would not have permitted him TO take
any place among the ministers Of the Gospel
at the communion of the Lord Supper. Or,
had Dr. Alexander wished to join the Episeo-
pal Church, IF such superstition may be
strained he would have TO be ordained over
again, though a Roman Catholic priest would
not This was not the practice in the times Of
the Reformation, when Peter Martyr was in
vited 70 the chair of Divinity at Oxford, and
Bucer 10 that of Cambridge. " The Reform
ers, says Neal admitted the ordination of
foreign churches by presbyters, till towards the
middle of this reign, Elizabeth when their
validity began to be disputed and denied. - I
No bishop in Scotland, during my stay in
that kingdom, says Bishop Burnet, ever
did so much as desire any Of the Presbyterians
to be re-ordained. This was the teaching of
the Church OF England as late as the year l
1906.
In his Five DisputatiOns of Church Gov q
vernment, Richard Baxter says that "the B
English preates maintained that Protestant /
that had no bishopS. we're true church d