, 1881-05-01
A CHANGE OF FA1TH.

AN EPISCOPAL RECTOR JOINS THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC COMMEMORATIVE sToIiS OF ILLS
DOUBTS, TRIALS, AND Tl:l1ULAT1OSS-
Baltimore Ga2<tte
The 1iey. Edward Wins:ow Gillian, late Protest.
a,lt Episcopal Clergyman and Rector of Clinton
IN. c. Church, who, in January last resigned
his charge on account of certain theological
doubts, aud announced his intention Of bccoin-
fng Roman Catholic, Is at ST. Mary's Seminary
on North Paca street, and is the guest OF the
Roman Catholic fathers connected with thai III
stitution. Mr.. Gillian went to st. Mary On the
llth Inst. to otnin, as he says, resi- from doubts
OF the nltst conflicting and tortlring Euturc
which assuled him as to tho truth OF tho teach
iugs of the Protestant Episcopal Church. These
doubts were brought about by reading
Episcopal books, and covered a period Of
seven or eight years. III an interview
with It Gazette representative at st.
Marys yesterday Mr.. Gillian gave short
history of hiK life, and the causes which resulted
in his detection from tho Protestant Episcopal
Church. lie Was barn in Oxford, N. t., and Is
tho sou Of Or. James C. Gillian and nephew OF
Judge Gillian, both OF Oxford. Hc WIS Cd u
cutctl in the Of his birth until he bccanc II
or II years Of ag:, when he WIS sent to the Uni
yersity Of North Caro- linn. where he graduated
lie then returned to Oxford, where he studied
law under his uncle, Judge Gillian, but, not fk-
upon Il study Of theology and divinity for tho
Episcopal ministry under Bishop Atkinson, OF
North Curoina- All his family arc consistent
EpiscopaliHns. He was ordained By bishop At
kiuson In 1861 and WAS given the charge OF
church. Shortly afterwArd he marrictE He
went from one charge to ,lnother IN North Caro-
linn, but his ministry was not confined to that
Statc He filled sey cral churches in Texas on
the lied River, and in 1875 Or 1879 returned To
North Carolina and took charge of the Protest
anr EpiscopaI Church in Clinton. he gnvo
general satisfaction wherever he went, and
Until 1874 or 1915 he was sound
theoogan anG ~ n st1gt TILT, ha neeve1 ,s IN tae
ss!About that time, however, 10 continue i'll his
own words, - begun to doubt the soundness ct
my fuitt. was close student OF Cran'ner5
life and reud with the utmost care aud studied
Browns thirty-1lue articles. from which Gran
1ner and conceiyLd that the Konlan CHthulic
Church ulone possessed the rlghttut power to i'll
tcrprer the meaning Of the Scripture. Remem-
Der. now, that it was NOT from Homan books that
drew this conception, which hns now grown
intu firm aud irrevocable belief. 1t was tron
from tho rules OF faith and the cduun of loly
Scripture. The rule Of fuith Is tho tenchins Of
Scripture With regard to those points essential
to saiyntion, and tho doubt rose III my Inind ,ll
whether 1t was not that the Roman Catholic
teaching was the right and the Protcstant Eps-
copal the wrong one Win regard 70 mo
Roman Catholic Church not alone eupow-
cred with authority to speak as 70 its ln-
terprctation anu its divine derivation:
ugo. bore up under them us best l could. but
they we're torturing. For i've or six years cpn-
tinned to discharge the duties pt MY sucred
calling. and TO believe implicitly what taugnt'
but could not. The demon OF doubt wits upon
me, and night after ught sat up and wrote out
nly thoughts and year by year enlarged them rs
new idc1ls occurred to me- All this WAS done ST
cretly, and tried Us mich as possible to divert
the attention Of my consregation ,. from mysclf.
SO that they would not discover what was pass
i.. in my mind. 1 think was successful in
this. and that they never knew. until 1n:tdo 1t
known, that did NOT believe nl said never
mentioned it to any one: not even my wife
knew OF it.. I bore it us long us possible. and ut
Inst could stand it ITO longer. resigned my
charge In Clinton the lst of last january, and
scribed and elaborated my doubts and thoughts
in good shupe. l went to Bishop Lyman and
stuffed the trouble. The Bishop argued with me
and presented his convictions, the teachings
OF the Church, etc, but none Of them
could remove the difficulties and L could think
ur nothing else to do but to come to llaitimort.
to confer with Archbishop Gibbous. The Arctl-
bishop coincided VII me in the main. but cor
rccted me several points aud advised me to
do rs have done. His advice wns In accord
u,1cc with tny desires, uud cln1e here last MOi-
day week 70 obtnn rest and quiet and to read.
1t is MIR. Gilliau,'s intention 10 receive contli-
tionnI baptism in tho Roman Catholic Church,
nud to sever entirely his connection with tho
Protestant Episcopal lie stated TINT he would
this existed IN the fact that he is II married man
with tour chiidrcn,-ufl boys. One OF them is
with him ut ST. ,tary's. He expects ia obtain
tho position OF tenchcr and will shortly return
tlrcn arc in Raleigh. Mr. Gillian is Il tnnt Of
small stature, about ~ years old, of good Gd-
dress, aud has black hair, blue eyes. and hlucz
SIDE -vhisKers. He announces his intention of
writing IN article defining his position and ic-
tuiiuy bis reasons for leaving tho Protestant
Episcopal Church.