New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09

Thor. i a notion abroad that the age ~
martyr,lom i past bat those who 50 think
l,hor under 4 mistake There l.. for Instance,
th,. Roy Lewis T. Watson. the esteemed AMI
faithful rector Of ST. Johns Episcopal Church.
Kingston. y y who has just proved his right
:, n. called mnrfvr In will. II not In deed
Fnther Watson rs hc prefers 10 be called. mas
hccn rector Of the parish for about nine years;
oud 80 far as every one could See his self
DENYING labors were crowned with success. But
r,,h.r Watson did not take that view Of the
ease. Though the Word was preached 10 his
oocl and the Sacramcnts were duly admins
ter.d he knew the people were pcrishing Tor
,bc lack Of one means Of grace. namely incens"
Now il will starlc many otherwise good peo-
nle IA H.. fold that incense which Is. We be-
ueye an aromatic basamic gum, possesses the
mower. when burned Of making men ana WON
.n hotter noblcr and purer. We speak under
correction: bur we believe the Church or when
Father Watson h "a minister nowhere COM
man,ls the use Of incense. and certainly asrrlbes
:, # no divine or spiritual efficacy. But as
that Church, III one Of its Articles ot h'iIgloh'
EXPRESSLY asserts that Churches have erred, we
must suppose that its failure 10 declare incense
a means of grace IL an error AMI not an "ru'
nary error either. but a soul-dcstroyng error
For Father Watson says that God has com
manded IT, His exact words n quoted. ana
not disavowcd by him, are: The use or incense
lis Of Divine authority. and the lnyman or
priest who rcslsis It's general re-cstablishment
lis OF truth fighting against God"
with the issue thus clearly defined, there was
only one thing for Father Watson 10 do
Tlmid souls with a hankerng for canonical au-
tborjty would have waited for the Church to
declare itself on the subject. or AT most, would
have contcntcd themselves with urging on the
Church the ACCESSIBILITY Of ordering the use Of
incense. But Father Watson Is not timld; he
has the courage OF his convictions. He Is not
only ready To suffer personal conumely him
self but 10 risk the breaking up Of the pros
porous parish Of which he Is rector. Should
immortal souls be allowed to go to spiritual
destruction for the want Of few dollars worth
Of aromatic gum? Perish the thought. And so
on last Sunday the first Sunday in the Church's
year. he began It's Use nj the celebration OF
high mass" which is the name Father Watt
son. not the Episcopal PrayerBook, gives to the
office Of the Holy Communion. For the first
time In It's history Gods command was fully
carried out In old ST. Johns, Kingston; and
Father Watson stood before the world as the
voice of the living Church
II would be pleasant To record the fact that
all the members of ~. Johns needed the reveal
ton Of God and Father Watson; but, unfOrtu-
natcly. we cannot do so. Fifty families, doubt
less "socarians" ut heart. ~ once Withdrew
from the parish. and 1t Is believed that more
will follow These people avow themselves as
"Prnyer-Book Churchmcn." and autlaciollsy de-
clare that rs between the Prayer Book and
Father Watson. they will stand by the Prayer
Book They ask by what right their rector I'M