The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-10

There has been of late a great deal of
talk in the English religi GUS newspapers
concerning the practicability of a heal
ing of the schism brought about by
Henry VIII. through reunion of the
Church of England to the Church of
Rome. We have even had telegraphed
report that Pope Leo XIII. is engaged
in considering the matter, and that his
view of it will be made known at an
early date.
Such a reunion seems improbab BILE.
There are minor subjects of difference
between the two churches, as to which
an accommodation might be reached by
reciprocal CONCESSIONS, but there are at
least two capital points respecting
which compromise is scarcely possibles
We refer to the disputed validity of
Anglican orders, and to the thirty-frst
Of the Anglican articles of faith. 1t is
hardly conceivable that the Bishops and
priests of the Church of England will AS
a body ever confess the invahdity of
their own orders by submitting to reor-
dination, or that they will acknowledge
that they have been hitherto teaching
heresy by disavowing one of the most
distinctive articles of their religion.
Is there any chance that the ChuIch
OF Rome will recognize Anglican orders
as valid? 1t is true that some French
Catholic theologians-and conspicuously
the Able Duchesne, the author of the
welI-known historical and critical work
IL i L - 1nr nnr,fI Vy
pronounced themselves in favor OF their
validity. On the other hand, among
English Catholic theologians there has
been consensus to the effect that
either Anglican orders are invalid or
else that their validity is so clouded with
doubt as to render reordination indis-
pensable. Nor have Anglicans on their
part succeeded in gaining official recog-
milton for their orders from any really
independent sacerdotal body OF Chris
tians. Indeed. one of their champions
has betrayed misgivings touching the
concusiyeness of his own arguments; we
have in view DR.. T. Il. Lee, the author of
an ella borate defence OF the validity OF
Anglican orders, yet who subsequently,
with two other clergymen, su omitted to
unconditional reordination and conse-
Grafton at the hands of the Jansenists.
AS matter of fact those French
Catholic theologians who uphold the
validity of Anglican orders and deny
the necessity of reordination, are mistak-
en- in assuming that the question is open
to discussion, and that they are at liberty
to express the opinion quoted. The
Church of Rome has spoken on the sub
iect by the decree of Pope Clement XII,
issued in the case OF Bishop Gordon in
1904. Moreover, in 1874, when
DR.. Ives, Episcopal Bishop Of North
Carolina, went to Rome to be received
into the Catholic Church, the decree of
Clement I. was produced from the ar
a formal and final decision upon the &C.
cIesiastical status of clerical converts
The lnvalidity of Anglican orders seems,
therefore, to be settled, SO far as the
Church of Rome can settle it.
Even if the present Pope were willing
to reverse the acts of his predecessors,
| and the validity of Anglican orders we 2
to be admitted, the Anglican Bishops
| and priests would only be, at best, in
| the position of the Donatists, and they
would have to purge themselves of
| heresy before their chuerh could be re-
united to that of Rome. Especially. as
we have said, would they have to abjure
the thirty-first of the articles OF faith to
/ which they have subscribed. That article
AYERS, Wherefore the sarifices of masses,
| in which it was commonly said that
| the priest did offer up Christ. to hav
remission of pain or guilt, were bias
phemous fables and dangerous deceits. Z"
| These words would have to be expressly
disavowed, for it is plainly impossi BILE
to explain them away, although one of
| the French advocates of reunion has
tried to do so. The English Reformers
gave a decisive proof of what they meant
by this article of their religion, not only
by TRADES against the mass, but by
Ieveling affairs ia English churches and
| cathedrals.
| We opipe that the healing of the