New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-06-30
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH-DESUYTON


The Protestant Episcopal Church, before our
late war, suffered less from the agitation Of the
Slavery question than most of the American
Churches. The biennial General Conventions
most carefully avoided to touch the delicate
sabject and thus the national unity OF the
Episcopalians remained undisturbed, while the
Southern Methodsts, Baptists, Presbyterians,
and others cut the connection with their
Northern brethren, because the latter did
not want to let Slavery alone. The ac-
tual separation between the Northern and
Southern States caused a temporary disruption,
but the War being over, the Episcopal Church,
without any difficulty, succeeded in the restora-
ton of her unity.
Slavery can no longer disturb the peace of
the Episcopal or any other religious COM
munion. But another discord, the germ of
which has been in the Anglican Church ever
since it severed, three hundred years ago,
its connection with the Church of Rome, has of
late assumed larger and larger dimensions, and
the opinion is rapidly gaining ground that the
final issue can only be total and an irremediable
split of the Church into two communiOns. The
canse of the difference Is primarily of strictly
theological character. From the time of its first
separation from Rome, in the sixteenth century
there were in tho Church of England two par
ties radically differing in their conception of
the Reformation. The one, claiming to be the
Catholic party, charged Rome with having
gradually introduced innovations unknown to
the ancient Church, but regarded these innOva-
tions ms lesser deviation from the true standard
of the Christian Church than the Protestant
Churches, which sprang up in consequence of
the impulses given by Luther and Calvin.
The other party professed to stand on substan
tally the same basis with all the religious de-
nominations which are generally comprised
under the name of Evangelical Professionalism.
The conflict between theb parties has never
fully ceased; but never Before has it to so high
a degree pervaded the whole population con-
nected with the Church. The breach widens,
and the leaders Of both parties push forward
in divergent directions. Prominent men of the
Catholic party, like DR.. Pusey, have endeavored
to show that there is no real difference between
the thirty-nine articles of the Church of England
and tho doctrinal DEGREES of the Council of
Trent and that the Church of England is
substantially one in faith with the Roman
Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches.
Many have declared themselves willing TO
acknowledge an honorary supremacy of the
Pope over the whole Church. Others have en-
deavored to introduce an official intercourse
with the Eastern Churches, and for this move
ment tho cooperation of both the English Con-
vocations and the American General Conven-
ton has been gained. The Ritualists, who
have Of late attracted so great attention, en-
deavor to assimate the liturgy Of the Church
as much as possible to that of the Roman
Catholic and Greek COmmunionS. MOnastic
orders, even, and similar institutions, have
been revived in considerable number by some
OF the holder and more enthusiastic memhars