, 1879-04-06

1ectons to certain provisions relating to finances,
and Bishop Gregg was asked to reconvene the
Synod, which he refused to do, hut, contrary to
the constitution Of the Church, undertook to
make the required changes himself. This course
was objected to and the Bishop, in vulgar par
latce, '*got bis back up,n demanded letter
dimissoEy from Bishop Fallows, of the Re-
formed Eplscopa! Church here, and then, with
ont waiting Tor It's receipt or REFUSAL set up hfs
new independent organization. in which
be will not allow Reformed Episcopal min
isters to officiate without q. special
license from himself. Each Bishop consccrated
os MN Is Obliged, publicly, at his conservation,
70 profess and promise all DUE reverence and
ooeo'cnce to the Primatc Of the Church aud to
nls successors" and to add these solemn words:
so help me Cos, through Jesus Christ.n He
mas conseerated the Rev. MIR. Toke q Bishop in
his new church, altered the prayer-book to suit
the new organization, and in its preface sets
himself up as Primatc, and in ecclesiastical con-
troVersies has made the .Primate the ultimate
aroiter There is TO be General Synod as the
supreme Legislative body in the new Church. but
OF its meeting, call special meetings, and alter
the number necessary to constitute quorum.
and from the decisions Of the primate there eau
be no appeal. The Synod Of the reformed
branch OF the Episcopal Church, from which
Bishop Gregg has seeded, met without his call
and supplied the defects in the constitution that
he had foisted on the body, and thereby added
another to his reasons for secession.
In his constitution for the seceders, however,
Bishop Gregg is evidently guarding against any
He practically makes these orders in the Church
by providing that in. all questions before the
Synod, the Bishops, Presbyters, and laymen
shall vote separately: No diocesan Synod can
Bishop must be with his approval, and the SEN
tcnce be pronounced by him, but there is no
provision for trial Of the Prinate himself. and,
indeed, Why should there be3 He is the .eets-
latiye, judicial, and executive branches of the
Church's government Ia one. He departs SO
far from the practice OF the Reformed Episcopal
Church in tile United States as to require the
reordination Of ministers OF other denominations
who may desire to enter his, except with his
special permit suspending that ceremony. And
has carried things in the new Church with
pretty high hand. But fortunately the original
Reformed Episcopal Church in England was
not left without Bishop By the p;eas seses
Sugden, who had been consecrated By
Bishop Cridge, Of Canada, adhered to the
mother church, and he stands now as the bead
Of that church in Great Britain and Ireland:
The authorities of the Reformed Episcopal
Church in the United States naturally feel cad
over this secession so early in the life Of their
chur1h, but they hope, they say, ever to maln-
tain before the Christian world the fundamental
principles that Bishop cannot assume tue posi-
ton OF Pope or Pontiff among them; that the
will Of the individual cannot override the will
of the supreme body to which it owes ale-
glance, and that the sacred rights Of the clergy
and laity shall be faithfully guarded. II Bishop
Grege's secession shall result IN settling the dis
puted point as to the powers and jurisdiction Of
missionary Episcopatc it will not have been in
vain. Ii it is clearly understood to be funda-
mental principle that local prilnates caunot
spring up in the Reformed Episcopal Church,
and that tendency to anything like Episcopal
despotism can always be checked BY an exercise
OF the power of assignment to another jurisd;c-
lion, then the church here and in Great Britain
may be thankful for the mysterious dispensa-
ton that sent even Gregg to teach the neces-
sary lesson to the infant church.