, 1874-02-05
On. D'KovEN's REPLY.

On. D'KOVEN's REPLY.
Tho Rev. DR.. Ashlcv, the eu Or. Fals, tht Rsp.' Dr.
:Dafttr, Tho Rev. Mr. Boycs:.,
. Mr DEAR BRETHREN = I thank you very much
for your kind lottor, and am glad to say anything
that can which may serve to lessen tho mis-
construction Of which you write.
FYrst-I am not, and mover have been, a mem-
her Of tho Society called the !" Confidently Of
the Blessed Sacrament" nor in any way connect
ought not, therefore, to be held responsible,
by any reasonable person, for the acta or words
Of thia soeisty be they go9d Of , I'D
hold tho views Of many Of the old divines Of the
Church Of England, and especially Of Bishop
Androwes, surely ono Of the greatest Of
them and, in our own day, Of such men as
bishop Forbes Of tho Scotch Church, the late
Bishop Hamilton OF salisbury, of Dr. Liddon,
tho learned theologian and eloquent preacher, OF
DR.. P,lBey, and Of John Kob!e, the sanity au-
thor OF tho Christian Year,"
believing in the presence OF tho Body and
Blood of tie Lord in the Oonsecrated Elumonts,
I believe that presenoo to DO in no sonas MAZE
loss real and truo bocause spiritual.
I think II would ho idolAtry, to bo abhorred OF
ments; nor would / worship tho Body aud Blood
Of Chriat in the Elementa, as aubsisting (woro
this possble) apart from His Divine Person. In
tho. words OF bishop Audrovos, however, t'As-
4nEG1lT tnT1EE dlmAGllS k0O AlQA[HuEH OIL LQG
Sacrament qaos sacramentD, in and ,ofth the
Sacrament (5acramentum), out ct and without
tue Sacrament, Wheresoovor Ha ia, Ia to be
ailored."
inasmuch As this worship is Addressed to His
Divine Person, it would not be Addressed as
though He we're. or could be, confnod to the
Holy Elements.
Nor do hold this view as though lad tho
right to condemn tlose who might not bo able
IN rnrhfvn H. a a rrnI} that thfH
aacrcd and mysterious subject, tho Church has
seen fit to tolerate certain latitude OF view,-
forbidding o,ily Transubstantiation on tho one
side, aud Zuinglieuiam on the other,
Thirn-With regard to ritual, l believe TINT
every National Church has q right to regulate
tho outward worshia OF her children. Whom
sooyor Hhe commands, it is the duty Of her chill
dron to oboy. Any ritual moreover, which ex-
wrong. Within those, linaita,, 7 think there
should be for those who neod 1t lofty core
1nonia!, and for others the simplest aervicaa.
Tho Church should bo elastic enough to admit
of both. Place, eiroumatances, ana needs viii
beyond all ritual ig charity to souls, and that
ri,unl ii best which, brings most sinners to
Christ.
Fourdt-with rcspeot to the coufcHBion OF sins
to God in the preBonco Of priest, hold that tho
Prayer- Book, ia certain specified caaea, provides
for and oncouragoa 1t. Nor am I ablo to accept
whNt Beems to mo to be an Illogical deduction.
that, because tho Church advises 1t IN certain
cases, abe necessarily forbds it In all othors.
At the same ti1ne I firmly hold that private
confession is neither necessary to tho forgivo-
mesa OF sins, nor q necessary preliminary to the
Holy Communion, nor to be enforced upon any
| ono. Indeed, T regard the yoluntasinosa as IN
absolute necessity to ita ever being Of any use to
sin.ladan Boul.
Your questions, so far as they are doctrinal,
do not cover, OF courae the whole range OF thoso
important subjects and my answers arc neces.
aar1ly limitad to the range thoy INVOLVE.
l have abatained from answering newspaper
attacks upon me. partly because had tho hope
tint one born aud brought up in the Church,
and whose whole lifo with a. ministry Of now
| aoarly twouty poars has been honestly devoted
| to its service, might mood no defenso from
charges Of diIs|oyalty and dlahonor and partly
at tho mercy OF either the paper or its anony.
moua correspondents.
IL seomH right, however, when my brethrer
| aHk 1t Of me, that should speak, lest by mi
| silonce the cause Of tho truth should suffer.
Thanking you for your kindness to mo, am
| most truly your friend and servant,
JAdHH De KovEN.