Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-04-06

known in history as Lollards, have
furnished thousands Of names to the
bishops list os herctics, elsewhere
known us the noble army of martyrs
During the reign Of Henry VIII
(1534) the church in England was
declared Independent of Rome. This
was perhaps the crises of the English
reformation King Henry was a man
not unlike famous, King David in his
love of women, his tempestuous piety
and intermittent consciousness. lie
was a many-sded, large. patterned
mana riddle to all small eyed writers
Of history.
This curious King, having married
his brothers widow by special per-
mission Of the church, by and by ap-
piled TO that Same church to doolaro
The marriage unlawful; and when the
Bishop of Rome would not grant the
required divorce, Henry, the head
strong and hearty, declared ii himself,
married again, laughed at his own
accommodation, caused himself to
be proclaimed supreme head of the
church of England, and to prove that
in all these steps be was quite right,
he cut off any mans head who should
dispute or deny the same-e. z. Sir
Thomas Moore, (l534.)
Thus then we come TO a church 10.
dependent of Rome, but not yet
reformed. The bible was in many
churches. Yet men, not a few, were
slain for reading IL and taking it.
Among these, William TyndaIe de-
serves our mention; for he translated
the new Testament into ielicilous
English and published much wise
doctrine, in consequence Of which he
was duly strangled and burned.
The King multiplied bibles but cut
off bible readers.
After Henry and his stormy ways
came pious and gentle Edward vi to
the throne, and at once the flower Of
reform began TO blossom, and the
church to show the features which she
wears today.
The English bible was read by les.
sons at morning and evening service
as new The Liturgy was translated
and said in English. The creed of
the church was packed in forty-two
articles, afterwards reduced to the
famous thirty.nine. Accordingly both
the bread and wine were given TO the
common people at the sacrament.
And other reforms and puriiyings
were set afoot.
Edwards reign was short one
Q547-53); long enough TO introduce
these changes, yet short enough TO
keep the Protestants from getting too
much headway.
After him came the pious but
gloomy and unhappy Queen Mary,
who strove to bring the realm of Eng.
land back to Rome She caused per.
suasivc fires to be kindled for the good
or dissenting svuls. She did whut sne
could but she could not undo the
reformation. Parliament and the
people were too much for her. But
her opposition kept the reiormcrs
from running into extravaganza and
cruelty.
After Mary came Elizabeth, who
caused Roman Catholics at one ex.
treme and Puritans at the other Ia
feel her scorn and suffer fines, impris-
onment and death
Then came James of England, by
whose order our present Bible was
prepared and printed and authorized
And thus from reign to reign the
church Of England came down, acqui
ring little by little her present shape
aud laying Off the corruption and un
reason OF tho Roman church as then
existing and administered in that
rude age.
The prayer book may be called sub
stanlially complete as we now hav,
it, in the seventeenth century, (l66l.
Thus this reformed church of England
filed up nearly three hundred year
, in her work OF purifying and simplify
ing. And OF all Protestant churches
therefore, she best deserves the nam,
Reformed.
In this country, the FIRST parish o
this church was probably that il
jamestown, Va, (lG06-s.) Down 4
the Revolutionary war, the church il
, this land was under the care of tn
, Bishop Of London.
Shortly after the revolution, an ap
, plication was made TO Parliament {,
allow an American bishop TO be con
|, secrated. But the Puritans ant
Presbyterians opposed the PROPOSE
4 tions, and so Mr. Seabury, the candi
! date, had to put up with q second rat
r conservation at the hands OF certain
, Scotch bishops. But at last, in 1867
, Parliament allowed the Archbishop
, of Canterbury to consecrate thre
regular, first class bishops for New
York, Pennsylvania and Virgini
!, respectively. Since then the hol,
:, junction has not been allowed TO iai
With pious care, ii has been propaga
ted. And the Episcopal Church i
these United States stands to-day a
truly and regularly in the line 9
ri Apostolic succession, as the Churc
of England herself
After this mere outline Of her hi
. tory, it remains that ] note some {
\ her excellent uses and beauties.
}. |. The Episcopal Church offers fc
our uso the most venerable liturgy J
s the English tongue. The devolioni
r treasures OF the Roman Catholi
/; Church are embalmcd and buried ]
V Latin. But in English, there are n
}. lessons, gospels, psalms, collects, COT
n fessions, thanksgivings, prayers
one word, no religious form book th;
N can stand n moment in compariso
n with the prayer book of the Episc,
r. pal Church in the two fold quality
ie richness and age.
le The proper name, because truly d
"a scriptive, for this church, would |
: church Of the prayer book. As is q
,t way with all other churches, so hol
IN the church champions and leadc