The Irish standard., 1895-10-05
CHRISTIAN UNITY.

AS the convention OF Episcopal DlsnOps
is now in session in this city and as 1t Is
believed that much discussion of an orr
ginal and radical nature will take place
the question Of Christian unity perhaps
being considered among the others-a re-
cent article from the New York Sun will
be read with interest:
When, not long ago, the pope addressed
an exhortation to the English people In
behalf of Christian unity, he did not OK
plain precisely the terms upon which
unity with the Church CT Rome would be
possible, but now Cardinal Vaughan has
given such an explanation by saying that
it depends on the submission to the papa
cy. AS consequence we are told by
cable dispatch that the English ritualists
are disappointed and much cast down.
and even at Rome itself there is much dis
satisfaction with the frankness of the car
d.nal.;
It is not at all probable that there Is
any such feeling in the Vatican, and If IL
exists among the ritualists or Catholic
party Of the English church, it is alto
gether unreasonable. Obviously there
can be no union of the English church or
any part of it with the Church of Rome
except on the condition laid down by Car
dinal Vaughan. The letter of the Pope
was a general pleading for unity or re-
union, as he expressed it, but it implied
a submission to the Papacy as prerequi-
site, and all Christendom SO understood it.
The extreme Catholic party of the An
glicans, both in England and in this coun-
try, have gradually approached nearer
and nearer to the Church of Rome, until
now there remains only this barrier OF
the PapM authority and supremacy for
them to surmount In its tone, In Its
doctrine and its Technology the Holy
Cross Magazine, which is the advocate of
their views and convictions In this coun-
try, would really be indistinguishable
from Roman Catholic organ were 1t not
for the occasional outcropping Of rebel
lion against the Pope. 1t takes pains to
dissasociate itself from Professionalism, al
ways speakig of Protestants as religious
outlaws. It teaches every doctrine OF
Roman Catholicism, so far as we have
been able to discover, with the single ex-
ception of the Papal infallibility and SUI
premacy It derides the use of the term
communion among Episcopalians to des-
ignate the Lords supper, and demands
that it shall give place to the mass. 1t
speaks as respectfully Of the Roman
Church as It does contemptuously Of Pro-
testantism. Its teaching as to the Virgin
Mary, as to the invocation of the saints,
as to the sacraments as to the confession
al and as to the religious life is the same
as the Roman Catholic; and the forms and
ceremonies 1t enjoins on Episcopalians
are the same.
Having gone so far, is 1t probable
that the ritualists represented by this
magazine will go no further in their ap-
proach toward Rome, but stop short at
the Papal supremacy, and thus continue
to be Protestant to that extent, hateful
as the name is to them? An Episcopal
clergyman who recently passed from
their ranks into the Church of Rome
has declared that inevitably, because
logically, they must overleap that last
obstacle, if not as a party, yet by the
gradual submission of the individuals
composing it.. That is the opinion of
Cardinal Vaughn also. He looks for
IN 0F ind
versions, and not in the formal and COL
lective abandonment of it's position by
the Church of England. Accordingly,
he has given the ritualists notice that
either they must remain in an ecclest-
astical association which some if not
many of them now find distasteful, in
congruous and embarrassing, or yield
the last ground Of their rebellion
against the Church of Rome. Evidently
he deems that complete frankness as to
that matter is the wisest course. More
over, his positive declaration is entirely
consistent with the uncompromising
course always pursued by the Roman
Church regarding doctrines it deems
fundamental. Nor is it likely that the
tendency of the extreme ritualists will
be checked by such an utterance. It
may rather be increased and their sub
mission to Rome accelerated.
When Cardinal Vaughn said that the
end desired by the Pope would be at
tanned by individual conversions and
not by the surrender Of the Church of
England, probably he referred to these
ritualists more especially. We have
spoken Of them as party for conven-
fence of description, but really they are
not a party Of the Episcopal church,
either here OF in England, which has
any recognition in that ecclesiastical
organization. They are comparatively
small number of individuals. represent
Ing only themselves in the church, and
their doctrine and practice are usually
without Episcopal favor. IN few par
.fshes proportionateIy they may have
asosue Iocal infnelce for.fh-
y