The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-02-10
The Episcopal Church.
BY REV. RoBT. L. STEVENS.


III.
Hume in his history of England
bears this testimony 10 tie general
character of tho reformation effected
in tho Eaglish Church. We qnoto il
as the opinion of one Of tbe mos. power
ful iutellOets which have been given 10
infdelity, ana Of one who cahnct be
accused Cf under sartiality to my re-
ligious system. Hume's Hat. XL.
"Of all the European Churches,
wbishs shook off the yoke Of papal
authority, no one proceeded with so
mnch reason and moderation as the
Church Of Dsland; IN advantage which
had been derived partly fron the in
terpOsition Of the civil magistrate in
this innovation, partly from he
gradual and slow s.eps b. which the
reformation WAS conducted in that
kingdom. Rage and animosisy ssAins,
tbe Catholic religion was as liBtls in
dulged in "a could DO supposed In sucll
= revolution. The fabric OF the secu-
lar hierarchy was maintained entire,
the ancient litGrgy was preserved 70
far As was thought consistent with the
new principles; many ceremonies be-
come venerable from age and preccod-
ing use were retained; the splendcr Of
ths Rotnisb Worship, bad ct lehs.
given way 10 order and deeency; tho
distinctive habits Of the Clergy, ac.
cording 20 their different ranks, were
continued; no innovation was admit
ted merely from spite and opposition to
former usage; and the new religion,
by mitigating tho genius OF the ancient
svpsTsttiop, and rendering is moro
compatible with the peace and interests
Of aocity, had preserved itself in that
happy medium which wise men have
always sought and which the people
have 30 seldom been able 10 maintain. -
The spirit Of opposition arOse from
fanaiical men who in tbSir unsempereS
zeal condemned every thing thai re-
minded them Of the hated Romish
Churek. Their models we're the re-
formers On the continent, many Of
whon were compelled by circumstances
and perhaps disposition to sxttems
measures. They would not listen to
tho only safe rule in dealing with
established customs, which is 70 AJAX,
"are they opposed to the tesebing Of
SeriptureP In thoi- hatred Of tbs
papists they made it rule, it would
seem, TO do things BY contrAries. II
the RemAnists knelG in psblic worship,
the Independents would stand, il the
fermer stood ia singing hymns aud
praisss, the latter would SIT down; tia
Beautiful Churches Of the one made
lhe ether build the plainest and ugliesi
Of strustures; IL the one used liturgy,
ihe whole service of the other woEid
be extemporaneoEs, If the minister;
Of the enc wore robes, the other would
preach and minister in their ordinary
garments. The English Church be
GAUGE she retained many Of the Ole
customs, which were not only innocent
Sut recommended in Scripture, (wai
looked upon ss in League with ths
Babylonish Who're as these charitable
men kindly dubbed the Church e
Rene. The efforts of the EsSlisi
Church to win back her Romish mem
bers were regarded as temporizinI
with evil and the only eonrso they di,
admire vas the act that made il treason
to ordain a Romish priest in th
English realm. In this last act th
English people wers aeither ahead c
nor behind the age in which they lived
though the massacre sfSt Bartholems,
and she proceedings of tho Inouisitiol
give the papists the first place G
questionable merit in Perpstrating Oh
NEST hsrNibls crrelIies in the naia
Christ's religion. Blinded by tn
hatred these evil times fostered, thes
would be refermsrs went to che grssi
est Lengths. Like all over zealeu
people they went from one extrome {
the other. As the reformed drunksr
is apt to become the violent advoca;
Of prohibision, as she reclaimed voma
8 is hardest on the frailities Of lee Sc,
or as the parent who has hesn &c
easy ~i1h one child, becomes ove
strict and stern with tho rest, so thsr
ars man who seem incapable of sesin
! any middle ground; moderation an
temperance in all things, means wi,
them, no regard fer the wishes or waAt
Of Ihsir fellow msa. From this seir
OF opposition originated the first in
psrIant division among Eagli.
Protestants, who for thS love of GC
Of love and a common Saviour ougl
: to have presented united front to 81
r uIurpatiens Of Rene on the Que han
/ and the encroachmsnts of spirit
infiJslity and lawlessness on ths othe
b Collier in his eccleEiastical history
. Great Britaia Vol. VII Blk, VII Civ
# this account: "About this tire (160,
one Robert Brown, descended Of
considerable family Of Rutland, begs
= 10 publish his heterodoxies, and gro
o very Troublesome. He was extrav
gantly satirioal against the Church
o England; in his disceurses her COVE
d ment was ansichristian, her Sacranen
a clogged with superstition; the Liturl
had mixture of popery and psganis
- in it; and the pission Of the Clergy "
: no better than that of the priest1
! Baal in the old Testament. And no
believing himsslf Obliged to 90 out
Babylon, he set sail for Zealand al
= = joined CArtwrisht's congregation
Ie marlborough; bat fiuding seine of &
old blemishss even hero, he resolved
refine upon Cartwright's scheme, al
produce something more perfect fro
his own Invention. His model W
g drawn in "a treatise Of Reformation
n aad printed the year previous
rs marlborough. And having sent