Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-02-13
THE REFORM MOVEMENT.
LETTER OF THE RI. REV.
BISHOP JOHNS.

IHE BISHOPS DEFENCE OF THE PRAY |
Err BOOK-HIs Views OF THE ACTION
OF THE GENERAL CoUNCIL-HE DOES |
NOT SYMPATHIzE WITH Mr.. LATANE's |
APPREHENsIoNs.
&C., &C., &C.
The following letter has been written by |
Rt. Rev. Bishop Johns, Of the Diocese of |
Virginia, in reply to that of Rev. J. A.
Latane of Wheeling, informing him Of his
withdrawal from the Episcopal Church.
The Bishop, we may mention, has sent his
thanks to the Rev. W.Q. Hullihen, of Staun-
ton, for the sermon preached by him on
Sunday week, which we published in the
last number of this paper.
MALVERN, Feb. I'd, 1874.
REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER -
You might well suppose that the an
nouncement contained in your letter would
canse me both surprise and pain," in
which your many friends have largely
shared, on hearing of your withdrawal from
the Church of their deliberate choice and
devoted affection.
For many years your own love for that
Church, and your diligent labors in her
Ministry, have compared favorably with
those Of your attached brethren Of the
Clergy, and secured for you the kind re-
CARDS of the intelligent and pious Laity
throughout the Diocese. Of this you have
received many and unmistakable proofs,
which respect for your delicacy restraints
me from mentioning. In all this favorable
manifestation, no one rejoicedmore cordi-
ally than myself. 1 thankfully regarded
you as one, on whom, in my age and in
firmities, could rely,
TO AID IN sTEADYING MY FEEBLE STEPS,
and supplying my lack of service. This L
am sure you perceived, and so can in some
degree understand the shock and sorrow,
which your announcement has caused.
You need not, my dear brother, appre-
bend any ungenerous construction of yoW1
motives in taking this serious step. For
our brethren in Virginia, I can engage,
that one and all will render you full credit
for conscientiousness, however decidedly
they may disallow the reasons you assign for
leaving the Episcopal Church, and regard
it as a causeless separation.
Your just testimony, as to the unchang-
ed Protestant and Scriptural teaching OF
the Articles and Offices of the Church. is
no more than was to have been expected
| from one of your intelligence and candor,
| though it is testimony, which many per-
sons must find difficult to reconcile with
| your withdrawal"
| YOUR TESTIMONY MAY BE PRESENTED
AS FOLLOWS:
You, of course, regard the doctrines held
by what you call the slow Church Party"
to be sound and scriptural. Now, on page
IS you represent 'sthe Thirty-Nine Articles
Of the Church, which were designed to be
the standard of doctrine for the Church,
as sustaining the Low Church Party in it's
| teaching, and as proving "concluslvely
that it (the Low Church Parity holds to-
day the doctrines held by the trainers Of
the Prayer Book"
This passage in it's connection affords IA
vorable testimony to the orthodoxy OF the
XXXIX Articles, and indirectly to the
orthodoxy Of the Prayer Book.
Again, PACED at is true that her STAN
dards of doctrine remain unchanged, and
the XIX and XIII Articles in the Pray
er Book still testify to her original Prot
lion of the Ministry, which carries with 1t
the whole question about Priest, Sacrifice
and Altar.
Once more. page 4 81 am satisfied that
this doctrine (t'that Baptism invariably eff
fects regeneration, y was not held by the
trainers of the Prayer Book, nor intended to
be expressed in the service, and therefore is
not really the doctrine of the Church,
do not cite these passages as dissenting
from them, for
1 THINK THEM ACCURATELY TRUE
but, as expressing your deliberate opinion
as to the strict conformity of the teaching
Of the Church. in the Articles and Offices,
with the Word Of God as interpreted by
the Rpformers.
For separation from Church, justly en-
title / to such testimony, what reasons can
be assigned Those alleged in your let
ter cannot recite in full-nor is it neces-
sary, being, as you say, lust those, which
have been for some years a burden and
grief to many in the Church - and it
might be added, which have been often
and DANGEROUSLY urged by adyersaries
without. They may be thus summary
| stated
There are, in some Of the forEsplaries
provided in the Book of Common Prayer,
a few. very few. words or phrases which,
though il rightly interpreted according to
the intent CT the trainers, express true doc
trine, yet are lidbiR to be misunderstood,
and in tttct have been and are SO misunder-
stood and perverted, as to subserye the
cause OF serious doctrinal errors. This
statement is unhappily true, and furnish
es good and sufficient reason for such
| alterations, as may be necessary to obyiate
| the evil. But it is no valid reason for re-
pudiating the Book, or withdrawing from
The Chalrch. If this were admitted, consis-
tency would require us to reject the Pau
line Epistles, and withdraw from Christi
anity. st. Peter iii. iii. 49, writes, that
in all those Epistles care some things hard
! to be understood" and which certain
| persons wrest, as they do also The other
| Scriptures, unto their own destruction"
| You would not expect me to allow the val
! idity of a reason, capable Of an application
so wide and SO destructive, and which
would make Il clean sweep Of all we both
hold to be most precious.
THE TRUE LESSON TAUGHT BY HE
FACTS
which are admitted is, the Importance of
such alterations in the terms and phrases
alluded to. or in the Rubrics relative to
| their use, as may most effectually guard
against misunderstanding and perverslon.
Any such interference with the text OF
Sacred Scripture is out of the question i
but, for an uninspired document no such
exemption can be claimed. Now this
Church, after the example Of the Church of
England, has in her Preface to the Book Of
Common Prayer laid it down as a rule
that: "Ihe particular forms of Divine
Weyship. and the Rites and Ceremonies
appointed to be used therein, being things
in their own nature Indifferent and altera
bic, and 50 acknowledged i is but reasona-
bic that, upon Weighty and Important con-
siderations, according to the various enier-
gencies of times and occasions. such changes
and alterations should be made Meret,. as to
those. who are in authority should from
tine 20 time seem either necessary or ex-
pedient.%