Daily globe., 1878-03-18
TEN BROCK. VS.. IRELAND
A DEFENSE OF THE PROTESTANT
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
(Cont5nued from the First Page.)

and council on par with scripture, and to
fence reason in with edicts and rules, with foot
votes to the Bible and the directory of the con-
fessionals, and an index of forbidden books,
but for our part, VIC greatly prefer church
which seeks to make men wise with salvation
through the medium of a reasonable service,
bers them to think, and supplies them with
enough to think about.
1t is said that in the Protestant Episcopal
church, church authority is laughed
at as a spectre OF dark ages.
She would not excommunicate the
honored Dollinger;; She has no authority,
and the rebel would laugh at her pretensions.
She wonld fear the loss Of potent churchman
because she does not draw her life from Christ.
She has not the spirit of her Master, and conse-
uuently does not obey His injunctions.
John answered and said: Master we saw
one casting out devils in thy name; and we for
bad him, because he followeth not with us.
And Jesus said unto him: Forbid him not;
for he that is not against us is for u.s." Such
was the spirit of Jesus Christ. Judge ye my
brethren whether that is the spirit which ami
mates this statement. Be it that we have no
authority, enemies will grant that do
exercise devils out of men in the name Of
Christ, and are surely not against Christ, and
if not against, then for Him. Of what spirit,
then, are they who forbid US because we follow
not them2
lave 40 authority? What can this mean?
1t may mean, claims no authority, or claiming,
does not possess or possessing, does not exer
else it.
In the matter of tho claim, the Goth article Of
religion is entitled 'of the authority Of the
church," and declares that ''The church has
power to decree rites or ceremonies and author
ity in controversies of faith" And article 81
declares that Every particular national
church hat. authority to ordain, change and
abolish ceremonies or ties of the church" This
is pretty broad and decided claim.
In the matter of possessing authority, we re-
mark, that there is authority legal and author
ity usurped, authority to be revered, as
angel from heaven authority to be abhorred
rs a spectre from the very darkness itself; an
Authority based On Gods word and supported
by willing homage, and an authority builded
by forgeries and buttressed by superstition.
The Protestant Episcopal church does
but only ministerial. She is an ambassador
from the court of heaven, not vicegerent
She remembers how her Lord has said "Lo am
with you always until the end of the world "
and how st. Paul says of the assembled Christ,
that He is "the Head Of the Church. and in
view of His presence and headship, she regards
human head as not only superhuous, but
monstrous. With devout thankfulness does she
also remember that the Comforter is come to
teach men all truth, and she therefore regards
so-called infalible teacher as to say the least,
an intruder.
Inc frOJeStGnt episcopal CQurc1 uOeS not.
indeed, exercise any authority over mems con-
sciences and private opinions, for she
believes that these the secret things
which belong to tho Lord their God,
and she dare not usurp all sovereignty
or leave to her Lord no jurisdiction whatever.
kings and to pull them down, and to absolve
subjects from allegiance-that she believes to
be rebellion and treason. She does not claim
to control the period Of the agony Of departed
souls, or to lock and unlock the doors of
heaven. She believes with the WISE man that
souls 90 to God who made them, and that in
heaven no mans will has any sway. She does
not claim the power to cut Christ's sacrament
in two, and withhold the half from her people.
She does not claim the right to prohibit he,
clergy from marriage, for that is crue
despotism and fruitful in manifest evils. She
and barter away indulgences, for she has learned
from st. Paul that He who gave His own Son
will freely give us all things directly from His
own bountiful hand. She does not claim fo
her priests and bishops the right to anticipate
the Judgment day, and fix the sentence
been committed to the hands Of
the Son of man, and she, therefore
bids her clergy not to be lords over Gods her
itage, but to be an example to the aock." Ii
short, she limits her authority to rites, cere
monies, controversies of faith, and the exer
acceptance by her members of the Book O.
Common Prayer, constitution and canons
which prescribes all these fully and fairly, i
evidence incontrovertible that she has complet
authority within her own limits.
That she does not fire off her canons at th
first symptom of disobedience that she woul,
not excommunicate in mad haste an honore
ol'inger, the Nestor of the nineteenth cen
tury, nor even Victor Emanuel-that she doe
fear the loss OF potent or humbl
churchman, by reason OF love for his sou
is even true, and it happens often tina
sarcastic comment from those who seem to de
light in hurting curses. And yet, remember
ing how her Lord said 'Take heed how ye roo
up the tares lest ye root up also the wheat witt
them," and how He rebuked st. John and st
James for wanting to call down fire iron
heaven, saying 'Ye know not what manner 0
spirit ye are Of For the Son of Man is no
come to destroy mems lives but to save them; !;
she is confident that she has the spirit of he
Master, and does obey His injunctions, an
does draw her life from Him.
That she does not, however, bear the sword i
vain and is not afraid to use it, let the excom
munication of Bishop Colenso, or the degrade
ton of Bishop Ives and of Bishop Cummin
give answer, Yea, let any bishop be but hal
SO bad as have been a score of Popes, and h
would be degraded without fear or favor. Th
Church would not have to wait for his death
be rid of him.
It is said that the Protestant Episcops
church does not value the truth enough to de
fend it,
If by truth is meant the dogma and degree
OF Trent and the Vatican, we are so far fror
valuing them that we detest them. But if th
word means the "trnth as it is in Jesus''-th
faith taught in the holy scripture, held by tn
primitive church, summed up in the creeds an
affirmed by the uundisputed general councils
then we do value it as we value our own souls
What! Not value it enough to defend it! Why
then, that solemn VOW of ordination to be read
with all diligence to Danish and drive ava
from the church all erroneous and strange do,
trines contrary to Gods word? Why these 8
articles of religion published in every praye
book? Why these pastoral letters of the house c
bishops? Why this long, long ro
Of Of mighty men, Granmer, Latimer, Ride!
lie, Andreas, Bramhall Waterland. Blu
Usher, Wordsworth, Liddon, Gladstone, H,
BART Hopkins, Jarvis. Evans, those three time
thirty, whose fame is in all the churches
whom Rome herself has no little knowledge.
grant that this church and her defenders US
to frighten the British troops with gongs an
hideous howls nor the tactics of the Inqus
tion and Sicilian vespers, but they do use th
tactics Of the garrison of Gibraltar, which ca
afford to let single ship lombard them. an
can repel the attack of an allied feet. Their
quloli1cSo VI 'OuuueuCe, anu Cler0 1S
quietness of laziness. Let the history of th
Protestant Episcopal church answer which ha
been hers.
1t is said that ''the Protestant Episcops
church is comprehcnsiveness run mad HI
usual language is a sarcasm on the gospel. B.
lieve what you like, but stay with me. a,
the roomy church. y
1t seems but yesterday that the great Grim
Of our church was her exclusiveness, but no,
presto! what change. Is the telescope at las
turned the right way? Why not drop th
telescope and use the eyes of Gods making