New-York tribune., 1873-05-05

Church of England in England is antagonistic
in its government 10 all American GUS
toms or habits of thought. Any out
side observer would declare that it stood
no chance of obtaining an enduring
foothold among US. It's very atmosphere is
scholarly, calm, conservative. The average Ame-
rican cares little for mere culture; is nervous,
headlong, radical. Its enormous system of bene-
fees and sold adv0wsons is intOlerabe 10 him,
believing as he likes to do, that the preacher
nowadays receives, like Samuel and the apos-
ties, heavenly call with which rich kinsfolk
or political influence have nothing to do. The
Church, too, delights in speaking er cdthedrG
from affairs of state down to the barring OF
dead dissenters out of her burial-grounds.
The American not only in his vehement love
of freedom jealOusly keeps his own country
clear of priestcraft but he would break down
the barriers of the next world for good Brah-
minis, Christians, and Pagans to rush in to-
gether. lie will have no Peter at the gate,
with keys, be they ever so ready for use. Yet,
with every year since its first introduction into
the country, the Protestant Episcopal sect has
ranked as one Of the most popular and pow
erful religious bodies among us. The reason is
plain. It's enemies never gave it credit for
the strong vitality and humility of faith under
its pomp and power at home. They looked
no further than the wealth of its spiritual
lords, its garnished altars majestic cathedrals,
and arrogance of authority.
The Church of Keble and Jeremy Taylor,
however hid the wisdom of the serpent and
meekness of the dove behind her symbols Of
ch ~
ing to the New World with new forces to con-
tend against she let fall much of the outside
formula which association only rendered use
ful. She betOok herself to her work with
zeal which her ancient prestige and culture
enabled her to render acceptable to rich and
Door. No business requires such refinement
and tact as that of the man who goes about
saving souls, and the clergyman of this sect,
be his mental calber what it may, has al
most inevitably the instincts Of gentleman
instincts which supply the place OF that
keen knowledge of human nature which the
Jesuits wisely cultivated as science, and
which made them the most successful OF mis-
sonaries. Among more muscularly- minded
sects, the Episcopaans are apt to be regarded
as diettant and wanting in force, princi-
pally because they do not approve OF
revivals, and never throttle a man by assault
of argument and drag him into the Church on
six months trial, to throw him out as sum-
marily. Whether such didactic thrOttling is
the speediest or surest way to recruit for the
Christian army is not for us to say. 1t would
be impossible for us not to see, however,
that our Episcopalian brethren are In
the van in their clear-sighted percep-
ton of the great and imminent issues
of the day. At their last National Conven-
ton the question of wOman's work was taken
ND and investigated with the view of bringing
the aid of Christianity to bear on 1t. The
idle women who want work for their
and moral natures. the hungry women VINO
want bread, and the poor and sick and saw
aces who want them, have been placed in the
right relation toward each other by the plans
devised in this Church as by no other. The
Indian problem, too, they have taken up with
both hands as no other religious body, except
the Friends, has done. If all Others would as
steadily do their duty toward the red man,
there would be no disgraceful need OF dodg-
ing Donald Mckay about the lava beds TO
pick off the women one by one as they come
" out for water"
The present Convention wisely recommends
the increase by fifty per cent of her missionary
money and men in the Northwest. We wish
them a hearty God-speed in such labOrs as
this. When all our Christian brethren leave
their petty work of rearing fine churches and
decking pretty affairs in the cities, and betale
themselves in earnest to saving the poor
wretches that throng the back alleys, and the
white ruflian and red or yellow heather on
our borders, men will have more faith that
their Call is from God and not from MammOn.