New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-03

died at the birth Of the Nation. Compared WITH
the other Christian bodies, 1T was inslgnncanc ~
numbers and influence. Instead OF cournng She
notice of the world it withdrew far as possible
from all contact with other Christian oouiss
Its members, indeed, were rather proud OF nns
fact that the religion they profsssed was M,a
If eSoteric creed which could be neltnef appI,e
ciatel nor understood by the vulgar heru VIII in
out 1t a sacred cult for the rev, ratner u%
an ethical system for the many ct;1 Is no bodies
derful therefore that the other Chrlstlah pouJS
Of those days looked ON the Episcopai 0n"i0"
with cold disdain or bitter enmlty
THE CHURCH WAKES UP.
But this state of affairs could not mst forever
Episcopalians soon began TO see thao 'neii
Church was to live, much more grow, II must HoapV
itself TO its surroundings and find message 1or
the men and women around it. But the process oi
adjustment WIS very slow, and IT was only aoouo
twentv-fye or thirty years ago that the great
renaissance of the Episcopal Church began; IL
then that it finally reused Iseli rpm 70 hoor 70
Nirvana in which it had been sunk III pegah 70
look at the world around it, and TO ask ltsel1
how that world might best be reached win tne
great message Of Christianity. without losing IIs
traditional love of the Anglican Church IL reai'
lied that not an Anglican, but an Amercan
Church must proclaim the Gospel in the onted
States 1t raised up noble hne OF Pio ,no;r
bishops who conquered the respect even OF 'i'clr
ciai problems Of the day, and in many
cases did something TO hasten their solution; IL
soon developed remarkable abilty IN ~ dn
Gnu en- pipcnnaI Cbmrcb is honorably distinguished
in this great field. 1t strove earnestly, 'noushh
not always suecessaiE 10 geg Dos HiS it Amer
canized the Anglican tone of thought Whcn ~
inherited and in various ways DrOughI Ilie eC ;tb
services of the Church into closer harinonS "''
The results of all this have been very ma marked
In New England, where the Eplscopal One u. =;
did not have IN embers and still
influence In the Middle States 1t Is soclai aiho o
religious power, recognized by society anu vi,
press For, though in these STATES ~ - ~ ale
bnred nv other religious bodies, 1t claims the an
cianre ~ a large percentage of the most lnteII
gent people of these great States. III Vil4 otI
States its growth has not peen SU ab
recently owing, perhaps, TO the com p5iu tact
sence ~ large cities. For it Is strlklhg iaoU
that This Church has always proved 70 De W St
where it is strongest it is relatively weaker IN
b. the country districts than the weakest OF ,e ho
orthodox Christian bodies. While, on tne Gon nro
hand it soon takes prominent poSln arnn ri With
city, which II continues 10 hoio aPP"i'"''' "
a out any special effort.
AT LOW EBB IN THE SOUTH W.,
In the Southern States and especially III VIE
Vinia. where the Episcopal Church was Tor long
time virtually the established religion, IL is 10
dav weak out of all proportion to its opportuni-
ties and advantages. And the type OF Ohurch-
manship which exists there is much more con-
! servatvc than that found in the North in'S -
hut react unfavorably the religious HE OF the
people who maintained it, not merely as alow
able but as a Divine institution. III warped anu
distorted the great thought OF universal pfouHei
hood which ia a fundamental Idea IN CnrisClahilH,
and isolated the people who beDeVed lh IT from wy
healthful currents of Christian symmtDy "lIon
flowed through all the rest of the Church
But on the whole the Church mas mace re
msrkable strides during the hundred years Oh ItS
= constitutional life Even the Oxford movement
which frightened so many people, has acted as
q heathful corrective Of many defects ana ABUSES.
II put religious thought and Insplrauoh lnt9
the forms and ceremonies of the Church anu
in,n tied warmer tone TO the worship, :,
To-day, the alignment of parties IN the Epls,
conal Church is somewhat puzzlinS. The ola
Low Church party has apparently ceased 10 pt
an active factor in Church politics. great deal
that was vital in the old High Church IArty has
coalcsced with the so-callcd Catholic party,
which is really the onl compact party organization
in the Church There are many Broad Churchmeh
f. who generally WELD much influence as individuals
but there is no Broad Church party owing 70 tne
imposSibility of getting men OF Broad Church
views 10 array themselves under any party banner:
Indeed it may be said that an actual majority OF
Tnisconali ans at the present. time belong 10 no
Iarty While they are loyal to the traditions oil
The Church, they are alive TO the great questions
of the age and see in their right solution rather
than in ecclesiastical dogmas, the way 70 Ihe
s Cbrrcb's growth in power influence and numbers.
OF the thirty-four meetings OF the OeneraI Co !
vention that have been held previous to tins
fifteen were held in Philadelphia, eleven in New
York. two in Baltimore. and one respectively IN
Trenton. NewHaven, Cincinnati, Richmond, Bos-
ton and Chicago