The sun., 1883-08-05
The Episcopal Church.

centenary which will engage the widest
and the deepest interest will be celebrated
next October in Philadelphia. On the third
Of that month the centennial convention Of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States will convene in Christ Church.
1t is the fit place for the assembly, and for
the celebration Of the hundredth anniversary
OF the founding of the American branch OF
the Anglican Church. At Christ Church,
Philadelphia, the first convention was held
ono hundred years ago. Within Its walls the
Book of Common Prayer used by the Ameri-
can Church was ratified; at its font was bap-
tized Bishop WHITE, the patriarch Of the
American Church. and under its chancel his
ashes repose.
The church was built In 1927, and stands
to-day substantially as 1t was when dedi-
Gated, being still one OF the most creditable
specimens Of church architecture in the
United States In anticipation Of the meet
Ing OF the convention next autumn, the
vestry have gone to very considerable ex-
pense to restore the old edillce as nearly as
possible to its appearance in 1888, changes
having been made In its interior arrange
ments, and those only, during the present
century. These restorations will more closely
bring to mind the days when WASHINGTON
occupied pew in Christ Church during the
time that tho seat OF Government was at
Philadelphia, when BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
and ROBERT NORRIS were members OF its
vestry, and when Bishop WHITE was its
rector.
But the convention which will meet within
Its walls next October will be very different
from that first general convention which as
sembled thcre one hundred years ago. Then
there were present only two Bishops and
seventeen cergymen, representatives of a
small communion. Now there are sixty-two
Bishops and about thirty-tive hundred
clergymen of the Episcopal Church In the
United States, and they represent n COM
munion which has grown to be one OF the
most powerful and numerous In the Union
and which Is to-day advancing ut q more
rapid rate than at any time within Its history
The religious ideas which were most domi
nant in this country until within the last
half century were hostile to the Angli-
can Church, and to all ritualism. The
Puritans hated that Church, against which
they were rebels, with scarcely lesi
bitterness than Rome itself The Dutcl
settlers were opposed to 1t In creed
and the religious doctrines which made
the most rapid progress just after thu
Revolution led the mass of the people ava,
from Angllcanism. The Episcopal Churcl
was q comparatively select commnion t.
which belonged certain old families Of Eng
more or less separated from the rest by richie
and by social barriers At least, that was 8
throughout large part Of the United States
L., A..
early part Of this century determined tn
Church relations and fixed the religion
views and practices OF the majority Of tn
people, besides those already oommitte
to Congregatlonalism and Presbyterianlsn
They made OF them Methodists and Bal
lists, two communlons which still includ
tho vast majority Of Protestants In th
United States. Tho Episcopal Church wa
regarded with aversion to wide extent as
body OF supposed aristocratic and priestl
pretensions hostile to democracy In religio
and tho State The prevailing sentlmeI
was In favor OF the congregational system {
Church order. or OF the freedom Of individu,
expression allowed In the Church OF WEsLR
and wHTTEFIELD. Meeting houses built 1
the plainest manner, and with the intentio
OF avoiding tho ecclesiastical architectur
whicl, rituaIIsm developed. were erected 1
every town and hamlet, and the number
Episcopal churches was small.
The Roman Catholic Church, though plan
cd In Maryland at the foundation Of the col
ony. did not mako great progress until th
Irish immigration had begun. By the masst
the old settlers 1t was regarded with super
stltioms horror. RItualism, therefore. he