New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03

The announcement Of the Archbishop or Can
terburv that another Pan-Anglcan Synod OF
Mshops will be held at Lambeth in 1877 has an
interest for the whole English speaking religious
world The first Synod met in Lambeth in Sep
tember Of 1867. and consisted of seyenty-five
bishops. British colonial and American. 1t
issued an address adopted resolutions. and adj
iourned ON December 10. The second Synod,
consisting of about eighty-iive bishops, met III
the same place on July >. 1878. and also issued
an address 1t Is hoped and believed that the
coming Synod will be much larger, and there
fore more truly representative OF Anglican ohris
tianity throughout the world. AT the present
time there are many important questions In the
Church pressing for solution. and though the
Synod is a purely voluntary body, with no power
to legslate for any branch of the Church. Its
conclusions will be generally accepted by church
men rs the voice Of the speaking Church lhere
are many indeed, who hope that the SYNOD may
be some day clothed with conciliar power. anu
thus become a Synod in fact as well as In name
But there Is no immediate prospect OF such
revolution being effected
Since the first Pan-Anglican Synod met IN
1867 a great many things have happened In the
Anglican Church The Irish Church has been
disestablished. The Church of England has been
Obliged to give up her Church rate and her eX-
elusive control Of the churchyards. She has also,
in q large measure lost the control Of the two
great universities The Church in Wales Is now
threatened with disestablishment and disendow-
! ment. and the prospect Of disestablishment for
the Church in England looms omnously on the
horizon The internal life Of the Church has been
| in tirpcticuS
loss of power and influence in others. Tractarl-
onism which began as Il great spiritual protest
against the deafness and Journalism of the
Church. has become an indurated party, whose
great object now is to bring back the Anglican
Church TO the religious beliefs and ideals Of
pre- Reformation times. Broad Churchism seems
TO he growing so much as to alarm the Ritual
lists. who say that It is making many converts
among the younger men in the universities. Pro-
fessOrs Driver. Sunday and Cheyne have accept
ed many of the conclusions OF The German
Biblical critics. and they have large following
In the English Church. Never before has the
Anglican Church so fully deserved to be called
comprehensive Churcn for il retains in Its
communion men who hold views Of Christianity
that are absolutely contradictory. Indeed. the
great non Episcopal denominations are in much
closer doctrinal accord with each other than are
the different parties in the Church.
This lack OF uniformity in belief is source
Of grief to MI good churchmen, and probably
some attempt will be made In the coming Synod
to have resolution passed condemnlng it. An
other question that will come before 1t will be
the overiures looking to corporate union that
have been made by Pope Leo NH. That the
| Synod will fail 10 bring about any uniformity o1
belief In the Church. and will feel compelled tC
refuse the Pope's terms OF unity. needs hardly
10 be said. For large latitude in interpreting
the creeds. and profound adherence OF
"Popery." two instructive principles OF
Anglicanlsm, without which 1t would have n,
reason for being. But other more practical ques
tons will come up for discussion such as the
place and Importance Of missions. the future OF
the colonial churches, the question whether
heather convert with more than one wife shall
he compelled To put away all but the first, and
the power Of national churches 10 make doc
trinal changes. 1t is expected that most Of tn,