The sun., 1883-08-05


end Of tho first quarter Of this century. The
different direction. The mass OF the people
were aa unfamiliar with the ritual Of tho
Church as they wore with the usages OF
klngly courts, and were about as avorse from
tho one as from tho other. They were CAL
vlnists or Wesleyans.
Within fifty years, however, n very radical
religious change has taken place. Tho COM
munion In this country which is now most
numerous by far Is tho Roman Catholic, and
tits tho one which is most steadily gaining
strength, especially by immigration. During
twenty-five years, too. tho Episcopal Church
has been making q very remarkable prog
ross. 1t has in that time greatly increased
the number OF Its communicates, but 1t has
gained far moro In engaging the sympathies
OF the Protestant public. Its churches now
arc regularly attended by many times tho
number of people who could be included in
census OF It's communicates. 1t Is advance
Ing In New England against Puritanism, and
In other regions OF the country against Con-
gregationalism and Presbyterianism. Its rlt-
ual appeals to tho moro cultivated religious
tastes, and Its ecclesiastical order insures q
stability which attracts conservatism.
There Is about Its churches, too. a social
atmosphere which exercises powerful In
fluence in It's favor. AS families get up In
the world they arc apt to like to be In that
atmosphere. and therefore the Episcopal
Church Is drawing recruits from the Baptists
and Methodists, the communions Of the 90
cially humble In so great part. How large
proportion Of the attendants on tho SER
,,too, - oh hvo,
up under other and antagontstic religious
influences, We can only guess: but they are
probably many more than half. Very
likely they are three-fourths. The great
gains Of that Church have been In its drafts
from other communions during tho last
twenty-five years, and the tendency toward
1t is now stronger than ever, Tho influence
1t exercises is not measured by the aggre-
gate Of Its communicates which Is small
compared with that Of the Baptists or the
Methodlsts, but by the growing popularity
Of its liturgy and ecclesiastical order among
very many thousands who are not directly In
cluded within its membership. but who pre-
fer..worship at its churches.
Undoubtedly tho movement which DR..
PUsEY led in England has had a powerful re-
vivifying influence on the Church. 1t has made
the pastors more earnest and more aggres-
sive, and the Church has received now
vitality. But 1t Is also because the Episcopal
communion offers a home for very various
religious opinions that the Church has
proved 80 attractive OF recent times. The
differences of thought about religious matters
among its clergy and laity are wide enough
to make half dozen sects like those which
are so numerous In this country. DR..
MORGAN DIX, DR.. HENRY G. POTTER, DR..
PHILLIPS BROOKS, DR.. TYING, and Mr. HEBER
NEWTON represent parties widely separated,
and yet they are all included in the one
Church.
The convention which will meet In Christ
Church at Philadelphia next October will
celebrate n most encouraging progress and
a very striking religious change; and per-
haps the rejoicing Of the commemoration
will prevent the clashing of parties within
the Church, parties which have become 80
divergent that at last pretty radical skep-
ticism has its representatives and advocates.
Yet to draw tie lines more tightly may bo
to provoke lamentable schisms.