The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-29
The Issue Of Prayer Book Reform
Distinctly Stated.
Editors OF The lntelllgencer

D The Issue Of Prayer Book ReToFI
Distinctly Stated. -
4 Editors Of the Intolligeneer: st
Q A writer In your paper, oyer the sIgns
1 ture Of "Philo," alludes 10 an article
the Rtgister entitled "Prayer Book Re
; FORM" objecting 10 an expression 10 n
' gard TO those who might be lett benin
3 In St. Matthew'S Church, In the event {
an exodus Of the supporters OF Nj
Latane. 1,- 'n
Igladly avail myself oil the opportunity
oil saying that my statement Of the cas-
D may not have been as well guarded as
; should have been; Tor certainly did no
. wish 10 say that there would not b
many persons oi great excellence remain
ling behind, and persons, too, for who's
piety entertain the highest regard. Thl
statement referred to was intended to bI
general rather than specific. I would no
wish TO be considered uncharitable, muct
less to feel 30, although may take tht
liberty sometimes Of speaking very plain
ly; for can readily conceive that mer
may differ widely In their views, while
they may be equally honest In maintain
ing them. : ~ ~ y
Concedlng this, and hoping ii may be
satisfactory to any who may feel them,
selves aggrieved, by a somewhat unguard.
ed expression. ! will proceed now to
show wherein should probably differ
from your respected correspondent-ior /
am not ignorent Of his identity.
l would state the case thus: In the
Protestant Episcopal Church there are
TWO classes Of persons-1 shall not say
parties, for ! do not like the name. These
two classes entertain views irreconcilably
different, and both claim to found them
on the Prayer Book. So wide is the
divergence Of opinion indeed, as to have
led to what may well be called an ire
pressible conflict. !''..I'1 ny m
It is admitted by most Low Church.
men, that in the use which the Ritualists
make Of the terms, "altar," priest" &c,
as found in the Prayer Book, and accord.
ing to the commonly received rules OF in.
depreciation, they are logically correct; (;
but that their views are in conflict
with the Articles Of the Church, and
the general scope Of its liturgy and
offices. Hence the Low Churchmea
contend for modification oi the language
OF the Prayer Book wherever such conflict
seems to exist, believing as they do that
those terms as ordinarily understood carry
with them the associated ideas and prac.
tices oi sacrifice, confession, priestly abso.
luton, penance, extreme JUNCTION, prayers
for the dead, purgatory, and the whole
nest OF denominations which for the last.
three or four hundred years have shown
Professionalism and Romanismin in State OF
irreconcilable conflict As
Viewing matters In this light, the two
extreme wings Of the Prot. Ep. Church
are in the habit OF inviting each other to
take French leave-which by the way
strikes me as a very silly sort Of argument
while at the same time each contends
that 1t has the older right of possession,
and will maintain its own ground, or take
it's own time for leaving. This shows
pluck at least. ~ W 3
In the meantime many Of the best men
in the Church are becoming tired and
disgusted with this interminable strife,
and have resolved by some means or 9th.
er, so far as they are concerned, at least,
10 put an end 10 it. They are tired OF
strife, tired Of temporizing, tired Of Dip
lomacy and sharp practice, especially on
the part OF Bishops and clergy, but above
all tired Of being deserted, in the hour OF
trial, by their Evangelical brethren-as
has happened time and again-on whom
they had feigu hoped to rely in the final
struggle. They have determined, there
fore, by some means or other, TO put an
end to this state OF unpleasantness. They
have demanded, what they consider 81
the only cure for the evils complained Of,
q thorough revision OF the Prayer Book;
and not having the slightest expectation |
OF anything Of the kind, the public have
seen the beginning Of the end In the re- |
tirement Of such men as Cheney, Gum.
minis, Latsne, &C. What the end IOlI be,
God only knows. But whatever it may
be, 1t will be right, and oil good men will |
acqutesce in 1t and say THY Will BE |
DONE. No EsS gfa 7 faGFt SFl
Your correspondent will only add, that |
having been connected with the Protest.
ant Episcopal Church for nearly forty
years, the state Of strife TO which he has |
alluded has been continued In the form of |
Gractarianism or Ritualism, nearly the
whole OF that time. Being now at that
time ol lie In which men naturally seek |
quiet and repose, he hopes that when the
next tidal wave OF Romanism comes in |
upon the Church-as come It will about
once in every generation, 40 long as the
Prayer Book remains unaltered-that he
may be within q church founded upon
better premises, or else be with his
fathers in that better land, where the
strites and conflicts Of this mortal state
shall be no more-where the wicked |
cease from troubling and the weary be OF |
rest. PRAYER Book REFORM.
"Low Churchmen are unwilling u be |
held responsible for doctrines which they |
do not believe, or practices which they |
abhor. II others under the plea of charity, |
have consciences Of such superfine elas-
ticity as to allow them to pursue differ. |
ent course, then much good may 1t do
them. To your tents o Israel
The Second Ward School Building.
Editors Of the Intelllgeneer: flaa.tE72
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