The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-03-24
The Case Of Arehdssssn Denison.

MESSENOEh, CUNUA MAN,
The Case Of Arohdsaesn Dsnison.
The Establishment is at this time nearly
swamped in q sea Of troubles. Debates IN
Convocation, where even decent order is
not easily maintained; courtly Bishops
holding out tile right hand of communion
to Presbyterians in Scotland, and ohciat-
ing In their kinks; grave questions as 10
very mysterious doctrines fought before
the Privy Council Parliamentary commits
sions upon ritual; meetings to reform the
Reformed at st. James Hall assaults not
only upon the expediency of the public use
of the Athanasian Greed, but even upon the
orthodoxy of some of it's clauses; petitions
to Parliament against this or that partica
lar privilege or immunity these are only
some among the chief difficulties against
which the State Church is now contending.
That they are the natural and necessary
result of the schism of the sixteenth cen
tury is undeniable, and that the end OF it
all will be, and soon will be. thorough
disruption, is no less clear and certain.
We keep watchful eye upon all that is
taking place, and regard every movement
with the deepest interest. The breakup
Of great religious system, numbering
amongst its thousands and tens of thou
sands men of the highest intellect, OF the
purest Intentions, and of pious lives, affects
othere Besides those who are strictly mem
bers eff it; and this independently of the
political consequences which will accom-
pany a severance of Church and State.
we would wish to direct our readers atten-
ton especially. therefore, to very remark
able quarrel between an Anglican Bishop
ard one of his Archdeacone, the CORE
spondence about which has just been pub
lished.
The Bishop is Lord Arthur Hervey, the
Archdeacon is George Anthony Denison,
1S<Ntro
Ritualistic observauces in the Archdeacon's
parish church. 1t seems that Mr.. Denison
has been i'll, and absent from his cure for
some months. On his return, convatescent,
| he not only taught High Church doctrines,
which had been, he tells us, his unbroken
sharp sting to them in the way of new
! ritual and ceremonies; which could not fail
of being understood and felt even by the
most thick skinned of his bucolic flock.
The rumor of all this would quickly
spread beyond the confines of his own par
neighboring parsons would be found eager
| to interfere. 1t does not matter that these
men have neither the ability nor the learn.
| ing of the Archdeacon, nor that their names
are utterly unknown, and that probably
they are ignorant of any theology except
cations of the Parker Society. It is quite
enough that they hear of frequent services,
| of attempts to carry out q decent ceremo-
NAL, of celebrations to confession, and the
like. All this they know instinctively not
to be according to the spirit of the So
agree with them. But they make farther
stride, and conclude it must be against the
letter as we'll as the spirit. So the usual
course is entered on. First, advice to the
discontinued practitioners; then, remon-
STRANGE from them to the Archdeacon; then,
| 80 Nv In ~ v,a
of admonitiou, from the neighboring in
| cumbents-one of these letters from q Mr..
Filleul, most offensive in it's pious Oiliness
and assumed superiority of position, Mr..
Denison for the time puts into his waste
paper basket, to be afterwards pulled out
for public am usement-then, appeal to the
Bishop, who sends a kind warning to the
Arclldeacon the whole closing at last with
an indignant refusal of obedience on the
one side, and a sudden exercise of authori-
ty ON the part of the Bishop, who with
draws the license of both the curates, thus
80 far as may believing Mr.. Denison,
still weak from recent illness, to do alone
all the work of his parish.
It is quite impossible, within our present
limits, to give even an abridgment of the
correspondence, which fills some seventy
pages of closely printed pamphlet. We
may say, however, that while we recognize
much courage in Lord A. Hervey pot fear
| ing to attack boldly men whose energy,
scholarship and obstinacy are SO we'll known
as the Wears of East Brent, we can hardly
see how he can justify, even to himself, an
act of authority which severely Furnishes
| two curates who are not responsible for the
acts complained of by the parishioners,
whilst he does not proceed to take the pro-
per legal steps. to punish, if he can, the
vicar, who is alone responsible. However,
on this point it is enough to add that an
appeal has been made t. DR.. TAFT, who will
decide whether the unfortunate curates are
to be dismissed aud the vicar to escape.
When we say escape, we mean for the
present, for Mr.. Denison distinctly tells his
Bishop that he will NOT altar one single
observance OF practice, nor one title of his
teaching. Thus the matter at present re-
mains. The glove is throwi down, and it
is very pretty quarrel as it stands.
And it is q very important quarrel. L.
is scarcely to be supposed that an open de-
fiance Of his Bishop by an Archdeacon of
an Anglican diocese can be left utterly I'M
noticed. To dismiss couple of curates is
small matter in comparison, tyrannous as
the unreasoning exercise of mere power
= ~.