The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-03-26

reform occurred within the church. No
new organization was formed, no schism
ever occurred iu England until 1870
During the reign of Henry VII the church
continued Romish in doctrine, discipline
and worship And during The reign Of
Henry VII and his successors until the
eleventh gear Of Elisabeth there Nere ner'
er tro con,mmiow or ,rorsNips in alt
England JM only one. 1t was the ROmish
party which bad commuued in the church
Of England up to the time when Plus '
issued bis bull Ofexcommunication against
Elizabeth, that 10 1910 refused to comune
with, and separated from her, and so crc'
ated the frst schism, or break in the unity
Of the church, ever known in Great Brit
ain. This was followed by the schism of
the Puritans. (Palmor's hist Of ch vol
1 PIP. ass and 45S; Kip p. 1872; DodS'
worth p, 1863; Hooker &c Pol; Sharks his
cb. Eng, chap. tx; also McCIintOck aud
Strong and othors) If the church of
England was guilty Of Schism, or began
ber existence at this time, then is the P,
Episcopal church in tho United States
guilty of schism in allowing the scpara'
ton Of Dr. Cuumns and the balf dozen
cIergymeu who followed him, and her ex'
istence bas just begun. BY what line of
argument, or upon what evidence any one
can attempt to prove the Church of Eng
land to have originated in the 10th ccutu.
ry, must confess myself incapable Of un'
derstauding.
As to what constitutes "sChism, and
whether schism is or is not sin are points
upon which Christians have, Of course,
been divided ever since schism first occur
rcd 10 the Apostolic Church. Those cre-
ating the schism sjustify it and de-
ny the charge Of "siu" Scbism is not
merely division; it is "skIsma, "a rent
a violent tearing a part of what is joined
NOT a peaceable separation by common
consent. God never caused or directed q
scbism, aud if Jesus Christ established His
Church upon earth as q Divine unity and
man, uninspired man, fOrcibly divides it
there must be sin n.lhe act. What God
hath joined: togcthsrlet po.mpns nut qsEE1
der. Everything that has a tendency lt
disintegration ia society or politics is gene
rally conceded to bean tVil, Ifso in hui
man organization, how much more SO in a
divine organization like the Church Of
Christ. The statement Of'your cores
pendent that honest conviction, approval
Of conscience and sufficient reason" free
the act from sin, would Justify the actions
Of Ignatius IIoyola, tue father of Jesuit
ism, who threw one half Of Europe in
mourning by the shedding of boretical
blood would justify many acts Of Romi8h
inquisition and even the fearful massacre
Of Bartholomew's day; would make Mos
lem hordes aud infdel nations, ct for Gods
Kingdom, for none can deny to any Of
these, honesty ofconviction, conscientious
ness or suficiency Of reason, when of these
each man must be bis own judge. These
do not indicate the guidance Of Providence
necessarily, but are often found in minds
aud hearts warped and narrowed so as to
see things one way only. There is such
a thing as being strictly conscientious and
honest, and yet TofulIy and radically
wrong.
In conclusion sir, firmly believe in the
earnest picty Of Mr. Latane, but as
firmly believe that bis detection from the
Protestant Episcopal Church is an error
Please, Mr.. Editor, take your dictionary
and sec If these words are veryihard ones
and uujustly applied. l do also believe
that any schism from any part Of the
Church Of Christ Chat is tho Holy CatbO'
lie Church, the Communion Of Sainls) is
rendiug-a "skisma" Of the whole body
and if mortal man cannot rend tho
Church Of Christ" what mean The one
hundred and serenity different orgaDiap-
tions of Christians under as many uamOs,
now existing, as per census, in England
alone? l have put down nothing here in
aught but love. l ask your indulgence
for this time, promising not to trouble you
again upon this subject
am respectfully yours,