The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-20
THE EPISCOPAL PROBLEM.

From tbs Golden Age (edtted by Theodore TiEton).
Our Episcopal brethren are considerably
troubled and somewhat vexed by the state of
their usually placid communion. Mr.
Cheneys parish sustains him with unanimity
and enthusiasm which is one of the most en-
couraging signs of the times in the religious
werld; and though the High Church papers
reported that he had been guilty of admins
tering the rite of Confirmation, thus usurp-
ing the functions of Bishop, the statement
was at once authoritatively contradicted, to
the evident chagrin of those who wished to
make capital against this courageous and
popular representative of freedom as against
ecclesiastical despotism.
DIR. Cooper's withdrawal from the Episco-
pal fold in consequence of the constant
Tightening of the lines and turning the
screws upon the mind and conscience of those
who dare to reason and to feel, is an intima-
tion whose significance only the blinded
bigots fail to see. The Protestant Church.
man, one of the ablest journals in tn body,
deplores "the wretchedness of the system
which drives such men from our ministry"
and says:-"We have the strange fact pre-
sented to us that while the Church of Eng
land is manifestly too rigid and uncompre-
hensiye to retain its position
as National Church, the
Episcopal Church in this country has
become still more unelastic and intolerant;
and unmindful of the fact that not being an
Established Church, she has not that hold
upon her children, she not only closes her
doors upon many who would do her
honor, but crowds scores of clergy and hun
dreds of laity out of her fold. This is owing
partly to the apathy of many of our laity, and
partly to the narrowness of many of our
clergy, but still more to the crafty designs
of some of our bishops, the yielding COM
pliance and folly Of others, and the weak
ness and cowardice of some, who, notwith-
standing the solemn responsibility of know
ing their duty, let 1 dare not aOaH up0n
aO0uId.
One of two things it would seem is newt
able either the Episcopal Church must break
asunder or liberalize. It's leaders have to
choose between gradual and pacific renova-
tion, or q stormy revolt which may shatter
the Church itself to pieces. Eight years after
the Revolution, the Episcopal Convention at
Philadelphia did its best to Americanize that
Church. 1t dropped the NiceHe and Athana-
sian creeds, cut down the Articles from thirty
nine to twenty, and erased descended into
hell from the remarkable instrument known
as the Greed of the Apostles. These excl
sions indicate the liberality and progressive
spirit of that early day; and had this liberal
spirit and progressive policy controlled its
subsequent action, and continued to char
acterize its doings, it would have been the
most important and influential, if not the
largest and most popular, Church in America
to-day. But that Church has gone back on
her history, bartered away her birthright for
baubles, and lost her splendid opportunity
beyond recovery. Whether she can save her.
self from dismemberment depends almost
entirely upon whether her leaders will adjust
her doctrines and ritual TO the actual faith
and needs of our people. Win they make
that Church the educator of souls and force
in American society, or merely depository
of antique theological furniture, and gal
lery for the exhibition of ecclesiastical mil
linery2 The Church was made for men
From the action of the Episcopal leaders i
would seem that the Church was made fo
bishops.