The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-06
EPISCOPAL GENERAL CONNEN-
TION.
Proposed Change of Name for the FRO
testant Episcopal Church.


come up for discussion before the general
convention of the Protestant Episcopal
church at its coming session III OctoDer
will be the old one as TO cnange III the
organic title of the church, winch IS now
known in law rs 1.-The Protestant Epis-
con,l Church of the United States.
MANY churchmen are dissatisfied with
this title on the ground that it is not
strictly definite and not as clearly eX-
nressive of the character of the Episco-
mi church as it should be. a number of
nersons have been writing to The Church
Standard protestant Episcopal, Phia-
delphia) suggesting other names. One
who signs himself "a Presbyter of the
Diocese of New York. argues in favor
of the title 'The National Catholic
Church." Another suggests THE Cath
Ollie Church of America and still an
other. 1.-THE National Catholic Church
of the United States" In arguing III
favor of the name last mentioned, the
writer says:
Few, il any, churchmen will deny
that this church is, in fact, national
church, essentially such in its genesis
and constitution. If then national
church, and there is no other national
church. of, or in, the United States, 1t
necessarily follows that it is the nation
nj church of the United States. But
there is one other denomination of
Christians within our national limits
which is in fact, or claims to be, nation
nj. in its name, or organization, or juris-
diction. That our own church does claim
such national jurisdiction appears not
only in the canon of 1859, where it de-
clares that its jurisdiction is coexten-
sive with the United States. but from
its uniform course of legislation since its
organization in 1889 to the present day.
"These facts would free us from all
charge of arrogance, or of offensive eX-
clusiveness, in the adoption of either
of these names; for no one of the great
bodies of Presbyterians, North or South,
nor of the Methodists, North or South.
has any national organization The
Baptists and Congregationalists have no
territorial organization: nor do any of
them deny the catholicity of this church.
Even our Roman Catholic brethren,
/ think, make no claim to nationality of
organization or of jurisdiction. The
Roman Church in this country. if not
a province under the Cardinal Arch
bishop of Baltimore, may be simply n
missionary church in partibus infidelium.
1t certainly is not national church, so
long as an ALLOCATE from the Pope bears
rule over its bishops. OF course, since
the recent Dronouncement by the Pope
against the validity of our Orders they
must deny our catholicity; but | presume
that we care very little what they claim
or what they deny"
The same topic is taken up by The In
dependent in an editorial article in which
"a hat 4 IL.
may find name which, while it will
designate the separation from the old
Latin church, shall not faunt it, nor
fiaunt the division in ecclesiastical gov
eminent from nearer brethren. 1t says:
1.-THE name Protestant Episcopal IS
about as divisive and uncatholic a name
as could be devised The words were
meant to be diyisive. or, as those who
selected it would have said. as distinc-
tive as could be chosen. Whatever in Il
name distinguishes those who bear it
from their brethren, also divides them.
| Thus, the word Protestant was meant
to divide them from their Roman Cath
Ollie brethren. il not to deny the brother
hood between them. They adopted it
with the idea of declaring that they
Protestants, were of the fold of God
while the PaDists were of the herd Of
Antichrist. The name Episcopal was
also selected that it might indicate that
its churches We're governed not by their
membership and clergy, but by bishops.
The name distinguished and separated
them from their brethren whose eccles-
| iastical government was different, and
was intended to be so.
Now this purpose did not look to-
ward church unity; it looked toward
the DerDetuation of division. 1t WIS
| good for Il time of protest: it is not
| good for our times. The church which
processes to seek the union of all Chris
tendon no longer wants to faunt these
| two flags of division. OF course they
will not desire to select a name which
will seem to unchurch their brethren
of other denominations; but they will
desire name which will invite instead
| Of reDel. which will be inclusive instead
of dlylsive. Such n name would be THE
| American Catholic Church. The word
| American includes us all; nothing can
| be more inclusive than Catholic Tho
two words together will mean the Ameri-
can branch of the universal church: and
| it IS conceivable that under that desig
nation. or such a designation. the entire
| body of Christian believers in this conn
/ try might be embraced. There is moth
| ing in the name to repel anybody. The
| invitation expressed in the name is
broad as Christianity; but those who
wish the change of name also wish all
to be included"
/ The Charlotte Observer prints the fol
| lowing letter from Mr. Eli Ronpov az ~,