Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-04


AS Protestant evangelical christians we are,
think, bound to be thankful for the intro
duction of the Reformed Episcopal church,
the more so, because 1t claims to be the ally
of all the faithful Protestant evangelical
clergy, and has no sympathy with political
agitators.
BISHOP GREsG's REJoINDER
But Bishop Gregg did not let those Episco-
pal bulletins pass lightly by. He went to
Llttlehampton and performed the services OF
his church there. In public address after
ward he called attention to the fact that three
combinations in three different churches in
that town had taken place in three suc,essive
weeks-namely, by the bishops of the Roman
Catholic church, the English and the Re-
formed Episcopal churches; but, strange to
say, that while the English prelate had not
noticed the first of these combinations in the
Roman communion, he had thought fit to
adopt an entirely opposite course with refer
ence 20 that in the Reformed Episcopal
church. What explanation could be given Of
this circumstance? Was it that his lordship
was so opposed to Reformed church princi-
Piles, or was it that he had such loving SYM
pathy for the teachings of his Episcopal
brother In the Roman communion? Discuss
ing Bishop Durnford's monltory epistle Bish-
op Gregg quotes ecclesiastical history and
church usage to show that he is not IAN in
truder," nor is he or his church sin a state
of schism." He reminds the bishop that
those who join the Reformed Episcopal
church have been driven out of the Church of
England by the Romanizing tendencies and
practices of the latter.
Touching the question of arbitration, the
Methodists and the Dissenters, who have had
graveyard troubles with the establishment,
whereby the latter has not only been worsted
in the civil and ecclesiastical courts, but made
ridiculous in the sight Of the world, will be
included. The relation of missionaries to
missionary bishops Is intended to settle a
question which has for years agitated the
Church of England missions in China, where
a missionary bishop, exercising all the pre-
negatives and powers of state church pre-
late, arbitrarily suspended and deposed some
of the missionaries there. The latter were
sustained by. their congregations, both Asiatic
and European, and by the missionaries and
members of other denominations also. They,
therefore, refused to quit their work until
their appeal could be heard and determined
in the home courts. The ensuing conference
will undoubtedly pass upon it finally. The
fourth proposition may be little more diff
cult of settlement than the others. 1t is we'll
known that while many churchmen in Eng
land and in America believe the Roman and
Greek churches to be unchrlstian, If not anti
christian, in the evangelical sense and legiti-
mate ground for missionary operations, a
great many more look upon them as the only
true church, of which the Anglican and
American churches are but branches. The
latter, therefore, would not maintain chap
laincies in Europe, except In connection with
embassies, lest the Greek and Roman churches
should be offended. And as for missions,
the different branches of ''the true Catholic
church" set up for themselves now in every
chief city of Europe regardless of the feelings
of their brethren. At this present moment
no less than twenty colonial bishops in Eng
land have resigned their sees, most of whom
are occupying positions to which many a
Woodworking English priest might fairly have
aspired. There Is a growing feeling against
the conservation of more bishops, and this
feeling will not lessen until the church has
some kind of guarantee, that, if they re-
sign on the score of infrmity, they will at
least prove good their claim to incapacity for
work abroad by ceasing to monopolize prefer
ments at home. The moral condition of Tur
key and the provinces OF southeastern Europe,
as we'll as of Asia Minor, will receive the at
tention of the conference In respect to mis-
sionary operations. At a late missionary
conference helo in Lincoln, Bishop Words
worth called attention to what appeared 10
him to be the waning power OF Mohammed-
anism and of Romanlsm in the east, which
he conceived to be remarkable coincidence
and the signal of the spiritual supremacy of
christianity not only in the west and in the
east, but throughout the whole world.
MODERN INFIDELITY TO BE CURBED.
The recent discussions of the future life,
the scientific forms of infidelity which have
recently sprung up in Europe and America,
will also be considered by the conference and
the best means of dealing with them will be
pointed out. Under the sixth proposition the
ritualistic tendencies of the Anglican and
American churches will be handled. The
bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, thus pre-
sents ritualism, and indicates what will re-
suit unless it be checked. He declares:
First-That ritualism is, in most cases, far
more than the re-introduction of antiquated
or illegal ceremonies, and must now be con-
sidered as indicative of deeply seated dis
affection to our reformed and Protestant
church.
Second-This disaHection not only shows
itself in vilifcation OH reformers and antago-
nism to the principles for which many of
them gave up their lives, but even las was
recently expressed in an open meeting at Ok
ford) in organized attempts to bring about
corporate reunion even with the erring and
innovating Church of Rome.
Third-That unless this liseaseis checked.
and that speedily, the present relations of
church and state must soon undergo serious
change. and with that change an injury be
inflicted on vital religion which in the Sc
quel may prove irreparable.
The time devoted to these topics, four
discussed and considered in all their bearings.
WHO COMPOSE THE CONFERENCE.
Besides the bishops of Great Britain and
Ireland who will be resent, about thirty pre-
lates of the Protestant Episcopal church in
the United States, together with several
colonial bishops, have promised to attend.
The bishops of Frc,,eriekton, Nova Scotia,
Ontario, Rupert's L I'd, Toronto, Saskatche-
wan, Niagara, Kingston (Jamalca), Antigua,
Guiana, FARMLAND Island, st. Helena, Maui
ritzburg, Bloemlontein, Cape Town, Colombo,
Bombay, Sidney, Duncodin; the American
bishops of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Western New
York, Indiana, Nebraska, Louisiana, Mis-
souri,, Albany, Oregon, New Jersey, Iowa,
New York, Central Pennsylvania, Arkansas
and others have already reached England.
The bishop of Connecticut, while believing In
the desirableness and utility of conference
at this time as means of promoting fra
ternal intercourse, nevertheless declined
the invitation of the archbishop of
because the reasons which re-
quire the calling of such a meeting of bishops
from all parts of the world do not seem to
him either satisfactory or weighty. Bishop
Doane, of Albany, received from his diocese
a purse of one thousand and fifty dollars to
defray his expenses to the conference and
back. At the thanksgiving service in st.
AIMS church, Brooklyn, on the fourteenth
Bishop Littlejohn received farewell
salutation from his friends on the eve of his
departure. Bishop Potter slipped away very
quietly after the conservation of DIR. Seymour,
bishop of Springfield, leaving that prelate IN
charge of this diocese until his return. Bishop
also sailed away without any
demonstration. Besides those bishops num-
Der of presbyters of the church here have also
gone over to England to look in at the con-