The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-01-29


and blessed family around the table OF their
Common Lord. And yet for taking hi.
place at that table and uniting with Chris
tan brethren Of other chnrches in that sa-
cred service, Bishop Cnmmins was denounced
| in the most unmeasured terms, was accused
OF having violated the Constitution add
Canons of the Church, and was charged
with having been unfaithfal to tho most
solemn VOWS human bein. can assume.
| Now were these charges false or were
they true? do not discuss the question as
far as Bishop Cummins is concerned. lie
needs no defence at my hands. His charac
ter as Christian man and Christian min
lister, stands unilupeached bef re the Chris
tan world. Ia the freshness and strength
ct his early manhood he took upon him the
vows Of God and devoted himself to the SER
vice of God 10 the ministry of the Gospel
lof Christ; and sacrediy. faithfully, aud
with his whole heart, SO far as the eye Of
man can see, and with signal marks Of the
Divine blessing upon his work in every sta
ton he mas occupied, has he from that day
to this remembered and kept those vows to
God. Aud in now laying down his Office in
the Episcopal Church and in going forth to
labor in q new field, where, as he honestly
believes. he may yet more faithfully serve
God and his cause in the earth, he has done
what as Christian man he had the perfect
right to do, has dane in the most manly and
honest and straightforward way. aud has
done only what the Reformers of the Church
of Eu gland did when they came out Of the
Church Of Rome.
But ask the question because of its
bearing on the attitude of the Episcopal
Church to the other Churches Of he Refor-
nation. An 90 thi point there IS this sad
and significant fact: While B'sh"p Cum
minis was so 'oudIy condemned for :hat com.
muuion act. there was. so far as know but
one paper in the entire Episcopal Church i"
this country. which spike out in fearless and
honest and hearty terms in defence If
him and III Justification of his act. S"'e'v
this single fact clearly marks how far III
Episcopal Church has already drlfted from
, her ancient Protestant mornings ard no
one, wao has watched for the last few years
the course of the current Of pnblic se"ti-
mcnt in her communion, Can question that
she is destined IT, dri't on vet farther and
vet faster in the same direction Ii ca"no'
be otherwise. 1t follows "A logical necns-
sity from that division in the Church. and
from those nnscriptnral views Of the effects
Of Baptism and of the nature Of The lord $
supper and Of the office o. the minis ~, to
which reference has already been made
J ust ia proportion as those views spread aud
prevail iu the chu ca, will the Church be.
come more exc usive in its character and
more unchurching towards other bodies Of
Protestant christians
Aud must say that when, in the last few
weeks, have gone over all these Difficult
ties in the Protestan: EpiscopaI Church and
looked them calrly in the face, the result
has been feeling not Of surprise at th-
nneasiness and re>tessncss many in the
Church have telt for gears past. tut Of a.
mazemeut that so maoy of Us f,om love Il"
the dear old Church and for the sake of her
peace aud still hoping for better things
have borne them so long and SO patiently. =
And when have seen so clearly. as it SEEM
I'd to me, that the whole tendency Of things
in the Protestant Episcopal Church as it l.
to-day, was not for the better. but for the
worse. have NOS wondered that Bishop
Cummns has at last felt himself verify cali
ed of God to take the lead in orga izing a
Reformed Episcopal Church. and still less d.
[ wonder that many. in different parts OF the
Church. are, in their secret hearts, anxious
iy considering the question whether they
TOO, are not called OF God to jim hands with
him in tt good work.
The main difficulty I have no doubt with
many, as for days it was with me- is the
l. - E.. -.
the end be effected in the Church, and there
fore whether it is not matter Of duty I"
tight the battle in the church. A careful
review Of all the facts Of the case has left
me utterly without hope in that quarter
To the church the battle has been fought;
and in the Church the battle has been lost
Thirty. five years ago. when the Oxford Tracts
for the Times" began seriously TO endanger the
the Protestant teaching and the Protestant char
acter of the church IN this country. open WAT wa.
declared, and from that day to this it has ragged
| all along the lines And as tho matter stands
to-day in the Church, as the result of thirty.
complete ascendency, has majority OF three
iourths in the House of Bishops. and perhaps
nearly as large a maj 'rty in the Lower House,
has absolute control OF the entir. machinery OF
. he General Convention, and. rs party, Is THO
roughly org4ntz d. fusn with victory, and going
TN conquering and TO conquer The other party l.
in hopeless minority, thoroughly dis"rgHn,zad
dJspirItrd b. defeat uncertain what TO DO and
nix man that cannot find his arms in the day
OF b4ttle.
And more than this In the Church the strug
gle is hopee ss for another reason Tho His h
Church patty has on its side the great iurati"r-
| Al power of the Church IL readily and
easily, for the incucation OF its vie vs.. the Gaze
ch-m and the Baptismal and other s-rv ces
and these are raj and heard read many TINS H
year, by parents, and sponsors, and children,
aud the congregation generality, and tnat 100 on
inc most interesting occasions and when lhes
make the deepest impression. While the thirty
nine Articies OF the Church. " hen were de -ignsd
g be- tn. standard of doct,ine for the Z ur h
and which sustain the Low Churc party in IT.
| Lenehing, and prove conclusively thst t h phl.
IT, Gay The doctrines held ny the trainers OF III.
Payer book, cannot be used IF IDENTITY either il
me congregation generally. AMI AS II una Ter Of
fact are not cad or heard read be one Epi co
raan in ten more thmn once ten years
With the parties thus unequaly rnatched and
with the contest To he wagad on th"sa u"eq mi
terms, can see nothing in tina fltare for the
! Low Church party. but further ateat fur h"r
ti.integratlon AN in the end tha surrender OF
! what it has held ~ be the truth of God
But even if The contest not so HOMELESS.
my honest convictions that il had better be
ended. There is no necessity that the two par.
. ties should fight out thAi- difference in tn.
Church. Where no Divine law cn."pAls c"nxs
tence, separai ion is surely better than discnrd.
Where tw" persons or parties are n.'t agree thew
had better not walk Together AMI where they