The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-11-24
AN ALARMING PROSPECT.

A writer in the Southern Churchman of the 18th
instant in an article under the heading rs
Christ Dirided?" INDUCES in bright anticipations
for the Episcopal Church. but which, if realised,
are truly alarming to ''the sects. We give the
first paragraph, and mark in italics the concluding
sentence:
1.-THE Protestant Episcopal Church is bulwark
against Romanism on the one hand and Rational
ism on the other. If you want any proof of this,
look at what is daily happening in the religious
world of this country. You see vast multitudes of
men without any fixed religious belief, and these
persons are anxious to find what truth is They
enter building for the worship OF God, and they
see nothing but paintings, and statuary, and can
dies. and men dressed in gorgeous raiment, bowling
and crossing themselves, and they hear music,
sometimes grand and inspiring sometimes soft and
tender but the worship is conducted in an un
known tongue, aud while they see and hear much
to please the fancy, they see that this worship is
not suited for Americans They turn away from
this aud enter another house; here they see man
enter the desk and then proceed to read sing and
pray, often in acareess and slovenly manner, which
Is calculated to chill and check devotion. The Wis
itors next 90 to the Episcopal Church, and there
they find both common sense and decency / tell
you. brethren, IF you gre the Church ffty gears
more she loU contain most of the sensible people IN
the United States.
This article is found on the first page of the pa
per- at the head of which the editors place the fol
lowing announcement: This department of the
paper is open to the discussion of questions; hence
the editors must not be considered responsible for
the views here expressed" Within certain limits
this is all fair and proper but we submit whether
it is quite as kind and generous of our brethren of
~ II
other Christians at this rate Only TO think of it
'most of the sensible people in the United States
absorbed into the Episcopal Church in fifty years
True, mischieyous man might put some rather
sharp questions at the writer about some things the
world has been hearing of in churches not called
Romish, but Episcopal, where however the per-
formances are so nearly identical with those des,
cribed in this paragraph that it is hard to tell the
difference But we omit all that kind of unchari-
table sarcasm at others, feeling most concerned
about ourselves. Is the Episcopal Church destined
to absorb pretty much all the sensible people
of the United States? Let us see.
The Baptsts have more than 5000 ministers,
and more than million of members. The Meth
odist North and South, have more than u 900
travelling preachers, and more than million and
half of members. The Presbyterians have, in
all, about 5000 ministers, and nearly million of
members. Congregationasts and others we omit;
this is enough. Now there are in the United
States only about $500 Episcopal clergy, and about
2OO, 900 members Did Jonah swallow the whale2
But the emphasis seems to be on the sensible
people" Well we have nothing to say against
the amount of sense now in the Episcopal Church
it has fair average, certainly. Perhaps the best
reply to this vain boaster is the anecdote related of
Alexander H. Stephens. When he was very
young man, he happened to encounter as politi
cal opponent, an over-grown, vain-glOrious, over
bearing man, who turned to him on the platform
and said disdainfuly that if Mr.. s. would grease
himself little, he could swallow him whole. To
which the quick witted Georgian instantly replied,
that should this occur it would be no presumption
to say the man would have more brains in his
belly than he ever had in his head