The record-union., 1896-07-19
In RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian
Press.
Press.


letter in relation to orders, says: 1.-The
conclusion is that Rome will be terribly
false to the true interests of the cause
OF Christ If any consideration of Self-as
seiTion, pride in her own exclusive
claims, ancient controversial bitterness
narrow ambition of Roman prelates in
England, or, in short, any other con-
sideratons than those based upon his
tcric truth and fact, are allowed to in
f1uence her decision in this weighty mat
ter. We are not here quoting Mr.. Glad
stones own words, but this is the con-
clusion necessarily implied in his Ian
guage. Here, then, is the true i'm
portance of the Roman inquiry into the
nature of Anglican orders. 1t is not that
q favorable decision will bring about
unity between England and Rome,
either in this or the next generation,
but that it will strengthen the general
cause of Christianity-that is, of Cath
Iolic Christianity-in the world. 1t is
something that Rome and the East re-
4 cognzie the validity of each others
Il orders, and, as involved in that recogni-
tion, the status each of the other as in
some sort pertaining to the Divine Body
visible in the world. 1t is something
that the Anglican Church recognizes to
the same extent both the Eastern and
Roman. 1t will be a still greater thing
when this recognition is extended by all
to a4il.''
''Most churches have Popes, or Patri-
archs, or Archbishops, or Presidents at
their head" remarks the New York
"Independent." 1.-The doctrine Of papal
1nfallibility, which is the worst thing
about the papacy, has become practic-
ally of no account, as the Pope never
makes any definitions to which it ap-
plies. The papacy itself is becoming
more and more an aristocracy, and can
be made as consistent with liberty, we
presume as is the Government of Eng
land with a monarchy, or the Church of
England with the rule over it of the
Queen. We must call the Roman
Church, Notwithstanding its Pope, its
relics, and its Virgin Mary, true
Christian Church, not because it has
true sacraments and orders-Protes-
tants are not SO much concerned about
those-but because it loves Christ and
does Christian work. But the question
recurs: Do Mr.. Gladstone and those
he represents desire to see the whole
of Christendom under the sway of the
Pope? Hardly that; but we think it
very probable that they would be glad
to see the whole Christian Church in the
world formally united, even if 1T in
volved the recognition of the old prim-
acy of the Bishop of Rome. This does
not at all mean that the Anglicans
should join the Roman Catholic Church,
but that the Anglicans should retain
their autonomy, and all their own laws
and manners, just as factions OF the
Eastern Churches, Chaldean or Maron-
ite, retain autonomy, have their married
clergy and inherited liturgies, and yet
acknowledge the Roman primacy, and
are to all intents and purposes indepen-
dent This is the kind Of unity which
they seem to seek.
Following the letter of Leo XIII. to
Englishmen, the investigations of Eng
lish orders by Duchesne, the Pope
scheme for an inquiry into the validity
OF English orders, ana Mr.. Gladstone
letter, we have now before u.s. says the
New York "Churchman, the utterance
of DR. Sunday, Margaret professor OF
divinity at oxford, on Church Reunion
He wisely confines himself to dealing
with things as they are. Time and pa
ticnce. he thinks, will make the true po-
sition of Rome and Anglicanism clear.
points in question are being better un-
derstood. His maxim seems to be sol
vitur ambulando. He is of the opinion
that the conditions of the problems
which exercise the thought OF Christ
fans are coming to pe better understood.
Jt is coming to be seen which are capable
rs heing resolved and within what linn
it's And gradually there is emerging a
tribunal which lies behind our confes-
eionaI differences, and which delivers
its verdicts independently of them. He
sometimes seems inclined to think that
,,nion should be sought at any cost
Thus he saws: would venture TO say
This that if we could gauge the average
consciousness of genuinely ChfiStidh
hcdias-those which start from the COM
mon postulate of an unreserVed pehel
In our Lord Jesus Christ-there Woulo
be found to be very large amount ol
substantial agreement, ana much ol
what remained as disagreement "ouio
be felt to be no longer valid cause 1oi
separation.' This seems to US TO go te
the extreme point of concihators
sririt but it's vagueness almost reduces
it to the obviousness of commonplace.
Connoanting on the published extrac'
of the Pope's encyciicai, the Ne" ioi
..rvangelist" CPres.) observes: In al
This there is nothing OF conciliation' and
SC far as appears from the abstract, nc
word bearing definitely upon the ques-
t,on of the validity of Anglican ORDERS
the only remark of genuine significance
&c that which disclaims authority over
the state The church is mans guide
to whatever pertains to heaven. rms i
the office appointed to it by God ina
!, in NAV watch over and may order al
that concerns religion, and may Wlthou
let or bindrance exercise according te
its iudpment its charge over Christiah
;tv Wherefore they who pretend ina
the church has any wish to interfere II
o,x,, Matters or to infringe upon th'
rigbts of the state either know 1t no
or vvictedly calumniate it. III IS prooa
lle that the claim of the Church o.
Rome that there is need of a supreme
authority to interpret the teachings o
the Scriptures viii be illustrated in tn h
,ooaninp which the different wings .
u, nd ~