New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09
TRINITI'S RICENTENARY.

The celebration Of Trinity's bicentenary this
last week was in all respects in keeping with
the history and stately traditions of the venera-
BILE parish. Any institution in this country
which attains to such an age becomes for that
reason an object Of interest, partly sentimental,
partly historical. But the history of Trinity
Parish is so interviewer with the history Of
the country, and especially with that Of New
York City and State, and the church has, more
ever, done so much IN the promotion of religion,
learning and good morals, that to New-YOrk.
Crs at least, it has become something more than
the chief temple Of one of the smaller religious
bodies of the land. Every citizen, whatever
may be his religious predictions, is proud Of
the venerable old pile at the head of Wall-st.
1t has become by general consent one OF the
institutions of the city; and the fact that in the
midst of the maelsrom Of commerce 1t stands
with It's spire pointing heavenward and its
doors ever open as the house Of prayer for all
PEOPLE is not without its effect Oh even the
most unreigious mind.
The two hundred years that have marked the
life of Trinity have been years Of fruitful life
and progress for Christianity. Speaking broad-
ly, it may be said that the tendency OF Chris
tan thought has been away from the sacerdotal
conception of religion. for which Trinity stands
to-day. 1t is true that within this period the
Papal claims, which are an outcome of the sac
Crdotal idea, have reached their elimination;
but it Is equally true that the revolt against
sacerdotalsm which brought about the Refor-
nation has continued to grow In strength and
influence, until now il dominates TO a large de-
gree the worlds culture and progress. And all
the signs indicate that this process is to so on
indefinitely. The Oxford movement in the
Anglican Church, with many Of whose tenets
Trinity Parish Is In sympathy, is doubtless n
force that must be taken into account. But
the strength Of that movement was due to the
fact that il arose as protest against the UNI
spirituality and deafness into which the Church
had fallen during the eighteenth century. and
rot to It's ritualism and sacerdOalism. Pusey
and his colleagues were men of deep and fer
vent piety, and in this respect they were Of
spiritual kin with Wesley and Whiefeld, who
preceded them. 1t was this circumstance that
gave their movement the strength 1t has deve-
oped In the Anglican Church, and not their re-
vival Of pre- Reformation beliefs and practices.
In point of fact. had the oxford movement
been developed along purely Protestant lines Its
hold on the English people to-day would be
enormously greater than 1t Is. 1t would have
gathered to itself a multitude Of men and wOm-
en who are In sympathy with the teachings OF
religion but TO whom the sacerdOtal conception
Of religion Is abhorrcnt While rituasm has
become measurably strong in the Anglican
Church 1t will never become supreme for It
Is opposed to the religious and secular spirit
Of the age.
But whatever may be thought OF Trinity's
present theological tendencies, there can be no
difference Of opinion In regard to the work for
man that 1t is doing 1t was one Of the first