The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-02-18

loIe, Sie DeSt OBSERVES tne name, ke-
formed.
In this country, the first parish of
this Church was probably that in James
town, Virginia, 1905 8. Down to the
revolutionary war, the Church in this
land was under the care of the bishops
of London.
Shortly after the revolution an ap-
plication was made TO Parliament to al |
low an American Bishop to be conse-
Grated. But the Puritans and Presby.
terians opposed the proposition, and so |
Mr.. Seabury, the candidate, had to put |
up with sccond-rate conservation at |
tho hands of certain Scotch bishops. |
But at last, in 1877, Parliament allowed |
the Archbishop of tanterbury to con-
secrate three regular, first. class bishops
for New York, Pennsylvania and Vir-
ginia respectively. Since then the holy
unction has not been allowed to fail.
With pious care it has been propagated.
And the Episcopal Church in these
United States stands to-day as truly
and regularly in the line of Apostolic
succession as the Church of England
| herself
After this mere outline of her history
it remains that l note some of her ex.
Cellent uses and beauties.
/. The Episcopal Church offers for our
use the most venerable liturgy in the
English tongue. The devotional treas.
ures of the Roman Catholic Church are
embalmed and buried in Latin. But
in English, there are no Lessons, Cos
pels, Psalms, Collects, Confessions,
Thanksgivings, Pray ers-in one word,
no religious Form Book that can stand
a moment in comparison with the Pray
er Book of the Episcopal Church in the
two-fold quality of richness and age.
The proper name, because truly des.
criptive, for this Church, would be
Church of the Prayer Book. AS is the
way with all other Chul ches, so here,
the Church champions and leaders have
many wise things to say about the
Chuch and her prerogative. But the
pious multitude that frequent her courts
are drawn thither mostly by love of the
prayers and praises, the litanies and
lessons of the Prayer Book.
And, brethren ofevery name, GER
tify you that you rarely hear in any
Church prayer spoken in English, that
is not indebted to the Prayer Book for
some of its choicest periods.
And further doubt whether life
hoe in Stora cnr onv nc von on milf on
high, or downfall so deep, but that you
can find company for your soul and fit
ting words for your lips among the
treasures of this Book of Common Pray
er.
= In al time Of our HiJulution; in ali
time Of our prosperity; IN the hour oj
death, and in Tie day of Judgmen. Good
LOrd, delirer as.
AS consequence of the Prayer Book
and its use note:
.. The Episcopal Church preserves a
very high degree of dignity, decency,
plopriety and permanence in all her
public offices.
In nearly every newspaper you may
read some funny story based upon the
ignorance or eccentricity of blaspse-
nous familiarity Of some extemporis-
ing prayer maker. All of you here
present have been at some time shock
ed or bored by public devotional per-
fornances. Nothing of this sort occurs
in the Episcopal Church. All things
are done and spoken decently and in
older.
And so, too, of p ermanence and its
accumulating worth OF holy association
no transient observer can adequately
value this treasure of birthright
Churchman.
To be using to-day the self same
words that have through the centuries
declared the faith or made known the
prayer of that mighty multitude, who
being now delivered from the burden
of the flesh, are in joy and felicity:
TO be baptised in early infancy, and
never to know time when we were
not recognized and welcome among the
millions who have entered by the same
door:
To be confirmed in due time, in "A
faith that has sustained noble army
: of confessors, approving its worth
through prosecutions and properties,
Il strength to the tried and IA Christening
to the worldlyminded:
TO be married by an authority before
which kings and peasants bow alike,
f asking benediction upon the covenant
that without respect of persons binds
by the same words of duty, the highest
and the lowest:
To bring our newborn children as
we were brought, to begin where we be-
gan, and to grow up to fill our places:
/ To die in the faith, and almost hear
} the gospel words soon to be spoken over
ones own grave ts over the thousand
times ten thousand of them who have
, slept in Jesus:
) In short, to be IL devOut and consist
, ent Churchman brings man through
. aisles fragrant with holy, association,
and accompanied by long procession
. of the good, chanting, as they march, d
. unison of piety and hope until they
l come to the holy place where shining
| saints sing the new song of the redeem
! ed Aud they sing with them.
] Another excellence | note:
) 3. The Episcopal Church furnishes
. Ito all who need such comfort) the ms
surance of an organic and unbroken
t unity and succession from Jesus Chris
. through the Apostles, by line of au
e thentic bishops down to Bishop Hunt
h ingtOn of this Diocese.
+ King Henry VIII. and Queen Eliz
l. abeth with their proclamations ant
parliaments are 50 conspicuous and i'll
Y SO much space in the merely politica
history of the English Church, tina
many able writers deny that the rive