The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-12-23
THE SOUTHERN cHURcHMAN."

THE SOUTHERN CHURCHM MAN..
The Central Presbyterian of Nov. 25th,
contained an editorial article concerning
the " Position of the Episcopal Church"
To this the Southern Churchman of the
2nd instant made reply, to which it was
our intention to give rejoiuder, but a
necessary and unexpected absence from
home, as mentioned at the time, placed
ful6lment out of our power. The sub
ieet is now resumed at the earliest time
practicable.
1t will be remembered that we trans
ferred to our columns the entire article
of the Southern Churehman of NOvem-
Der 10Th, which gave rise to the remarks
offered in the Central Presbyterian. Our
thanks are due to our respected cOtempo-
rary for the large portion of our article
which, in return, was printed in connec-
ton with his reply. We cannot now af-
ford the room for printing this reply in
full, but shall endeavor to state the points
correctly. The Introductory sentences
are as follows:
" 1t is not an uncommon thing to see articles
In our different religious exchanges, which are
confessions Of weak points in their systems, or
of evils which they deplore. Our custom is
not TO notice them; because by so doing, We
are weakening the hands of those who are
fighting evils If we make capital out Of their
confessions 1t Is a temptation TO them to cease
making them: and thus far at least to cause
them to cease struggling with the evil. We
believe this is right We all have our evils to
lament and to eradicate let us all then resolve
not to put a stumbling block in our brothers
way, by tempting him to make no confessions,
lest others try to make capital out of them
We feel sorry therefore that the Central
Presbyterian did not follow this course so far
as the editorial article in oar columns was con-
cerned. But as he has chosen to enter the
lists, it bes0s our dsty to meet him, and to
show that the Remarks of our contempora-
ry are neither logical nor charitable.
We agree with the Southern Church
man as to the reserve which journals of
one church should, under ordinary cir
cumstances, hold towards affairs belong
ing peculiarly to other churches. We
have conscientiously endeavored to act
upon it, and had it not been too burden
some to the columns of our cotemporary,
the insertion of that part of our article
which IL omitted would have fully ex-
planned to it's readers the reason why we
deemed it a duty at the present fearful
crisis, to express the sentiments to which
it takes decided exception. To those
remarks we refer our readers; by them
we firmly abide, and are willing to be
Judged by impartial Christian brethren
of all churches, whether in any respect
they have trespassed upon the law of
charity.
The Southern Churehman thinks we
have fallen into strange logical incon-
sistency. 1t says: First, we have
decided leaveu of POpery in the Church
at the Reformation; neat we are told to
90 back to it. The advice of our cotem-
porary, beginning with fallacy, ends in
contradiction.
The vindication of our consistency is
an easy task. Under number of our
"remarks, We expressed the opinion
that there was leaven of Romanism
left in the Episcopal Church at the time
of the English Reformation, which had
at various times ever since been in fer
mentatiOn. This was one thing explain
ing the tendency now manifesting itself
in the Episcopal Church towards the
Church of Rome.
In number ? We expressed the opinion
that the Episcopal Church had "aban-
doned some of the ground on which she
stood at the period of the Reformation. "
Here we mentioned the matter of Z" ordi-
nation and showed by quotations from
standard authors that no one thought at
that time of such thing as reordaining
a minister who had received Presbyterial
ordination. We mentioned how thor
oughly the whole body of the Episcopal
Church had practically, if not in theory
also, abandoned this ground of their
fathers of the Reformation. The init
mate connexion of this doctrine and the
practice now held on that subject, with
the present apOstacy towards Rome, at
which so much alarm is Justly felt, was
pointed out. This was introduced as a
second and separate cause of the present
apostacy. Now it is in this connexion-
in reference to this particular, we ex-
pressed the wish that "our brethren of
the Episcopal Church, who like the
Southern Churchman, see that they have
so many among them teaching falsities
and Romanism," could also perceive the
necessity of openly receding to the solid,
consistent ground of thefathers of the Eng