The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-15
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AGs.asnsv capsi go Prsssssa.s EpasespaHa>a
In monograph, whose purport 10 sug.
sested by IL nems- Cathoyp; an Essential and
Etclusipe Attribute Of TIE True Church-an A.
tempt 10 made By Nonsignor OAPHL TO convince
the members Of the Protestant Episcopal com.
munion In the United States that the logical
outcome Of their doctrines 10 union. or. rather.
reunion with the Church OF Bone. The ap.
peal seems TO have been suggested By the
action Of the Convention Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church held at Philadelphia In o.
tober. 1883. II WA ct that time proposed
in one branch Of the Convsntion-the so.callsd
House Of Deputies-that the words Prot.
sstant Episcopal" should BE- stricken out OF
the title OF the Book OF Common Prayer. and
the words Holy Catholic" substituted. The
motion was supported by twenty.one votes.
about one-twelfth OF the whole number cast
II may no doubt DO taken for granted that the
minority represented that section OF the Prot
estant Episcopalisns which hes taken part In
the High Church movement. and which In the
opinion OF unbiased observers has already
proceeded far upon the road to Rome. To
this minority Monsignor Capel has especially
addressed himself. and he would persuade the
High Church party that It followed mistaken
course In claiming the attribute Of Catholicity
for the American Protestant Episcopal Church.
seeing that tho character Of historical continue
ity and universally belongs to the Church Of
Rome alone. He urges them. accordingly. to
sock the substance rather than the shadow OF
the sanction implied In the term Catholic"
and to frankly accept tho consequences Of their
tenets and practices by reentering the fold Of
that religious organization which processes to
have the solo right and which undeniably pos
sesses tho strongest claim TO be described BY
the broad titles OF Catholicism and OF the
Church par excellence.
The controversy which 10 concisely and vigor-
ously summed up bv Monsignor CAPEL from the
Catholic point Of view 10. Of course. . very old
one. and mon will always differ. We suppose.
a. to the soundness Of the first links in the
chain Of evidence By which the controlling au-
thority Of tho Bishop Of Rome II defended. and
as to the precise effect Of the Greek schism In
impeaching the Roman claim Of Catholicity.
Quite opposite judgments on these points
would probably be formed by English students
who should draw their facts or their inter-
probation OF thesfacts from Milmans Latin
Christianity" on the one hand. or from the
writings OF Cardinal Newman on the other.
Even as to the relation which tho Church of
England has believed itself to hold toward
tho Church Of Rome. We can hardly help arriv.
ing at conflicting conclusions according as we
lay stress on this or that authentic declaration
among the various utterances made at differ.
emit stages Of the Anglican schism. How much
in common. for instance. has the Church OF
Henry VIII. with the Church OF Edward W.. or
the latter with the Church OF Elizabeth. or this
with the Church Of Charles l.. or that again.
with the Church Of William III.3
But however difficult II may be to define the
attitude OF the Anglican Establishment toward
Roman Catholicism. and whatever exceptions
may be taken to the view Of the subject set
forth in the present essay. Monsignor Capel
finds It easy to show that In ono particu-
lar. at all events. the absence Of Catholicity In
the Protestant Episcopal Church OF the United
States Is moro patent than in her Anglican
mother. He reminds US that 1.-The English
Church at least claims authority. whatever be its
nature. from the sovereign: but her American
daughter draws hers from nowhere. She is an
authority to herself. Allow. for the sake OF ar
gument. that her orders derived from Scotland
and England are valid. fact extremely dubi.
Gus. seeing that In our own day large number
OF the Anglican clergy holding benofices In
England. alarmed by the evidence brought
against their orders. have been not only reor-
dained. but conditionally baptized and recon.
frmed." BY some i've properly oonsccrated
Bishops. who actively continue this work Of
reordination. Admit tina validity OF the ORDERS
whence does the Protestant Episcopal Church
OF the United States dorive Its mission and ju-
risdiction ?"
In his discussion OF this question Monsignor
Capel dwells on fundamental difference be-
tween the Anglican Church and its ofYshoot In
this country. Tho sovereign Of England
claimed century ago to be the fountain head
Of spiritual Jurisdiction only within tho British
realm" and although. I'm the reign OF the
present Queen. Parliament has given greater
extension to this claim" Il could not
OF course. arrogate for the English ruler
. right Of spiritual jurisdiction over for.
eign lands. Now. the United States were indie.
pendent in 1889. when the union Of the
American Protestant EpiscopalIans into one
ecclesiastical corporation was effected. This
corporation could not. therefore," so Mon
signor Capel contends. have received iuris-
dlction from England: there IL NO pretenslon
that jurisdiction was obtained from the Presi-
dent Of the United States. ." Clearly
enough. the authority Of the Protestant Episco.
pal Church has no origin outside Of itself It 10
. corporation possessed of such authori-
ty a. it, own members may create. de-
fne. and accept. This authority 10 but
human. and depends for extension, re-
striction. existence. and validity on the will
Of the majority. The complete autonomy Of
the Protestant Episcopal Church 10 secured: It
Is not one In government with ito mother. for
In an evil momentit introduced lay representa-
tion-'an unfortunate example set In bad
time wrote the late DR.. Pussy. This isolation
Of the Protestant Episcopal Church deprives 1t
OF Catholicity. and makes II stand to the Church
OF Christ In tho Same relation that the United
States do to England. namely. separated and In.
dependent"
The author Of this monograph goes on to In.
sist that while the claim of tho Protestant
Episcopal Church to Cathoiicity 10 claim put
forth BY only small minority Of tho Philadel-
phiA Conv0ntion) haa no validity in Law n ha