The record-union., 1898-11-20

an dInonQmenI 10 the CONSlltutlOn Oh
the question of church unity. AS fin
ally passed, the amendment reads as
follows: But provision may be made
by canon for the temporary use of
other forms and directories of worship
by congregations not already in union
with the church, who are willing to
accept the special oversight of the
Bishop of the diocese 1t is difficult to
see the application of this rule in actual
practice, except in outlying congrega-
tions of foreigners and others in mis-
sions such as are described already in
partial fellowship with the Episcopal
Church. Besides these are there any
Congregational or other non-EpiscopaI
churches between Eastport and San
Francisco who desire the guidance of a
Bishop of the Episcopal Church to such
an extent that they are ready to accept
Episcopal clergymen as their ministers,
or to request their own ministers to be
reordained by the Bishop? 1t seems
to be the plain meaning of the rule
that Congregational churches may con-
tinue to use their forms of worship and
church government temporarily, pro-
vided that they accept the special over
with great interest the movement to-
ward church unity which is expected
to begin in this way
1.-TWO complaints are not infreouently
heard, one made by ministers, the 9TH
er by laymen,' says the New York
observer" Pres). The first is that
the clergy are overworked, the sec
ond that the laity are not given enough
to do. That the pastors, particularly
those in the large towns and cities. have
real grievance, the notices posted in
the church vestibules, or read from the
pulpits, would seem sufficient evidence.
But what we wish to point out
is that very much of 1t is not spiritual
work at all, and so under strict in
depreciation of clerical duty does not
devolve upon the ministers Of course,
pastors are, like other men, bound to
further morality, and to do purely phi
lanthropic work according to their abil-
ity. And if no one else is found to
keep adj these societies and organiza-
tions going, it may be the ministers
duty to do so. But it is not the par
ticular kind of labor contemplated in
their ordination vows. Moreover. it Is
work that can be performed, If not as
Well, at least very efficiently, by other
men. Why, then do the pastors not
hand it over to the laity? - No
doubt there is some fault on both sides.
The complaint of the laymen that min
listers are not willing to wholly surren-
der any Of their functions, but, while
leaving to others the actual work. ex-
ercise an irritating supervision and. as
sert final control, is not always with
out foundation - On the other
hand, the complaint of the ministers
that what laymen want is not to do the
work nearest to hand, but only the
kind of work they like most, and which
generally happens to be the most that
the pastor is best fitted to do, cannot
be without basis of truth
"The United Prsbyterians (Covenan-
ters) are discussing a referendum that
would place the use of tobacco in the
catalogue of sins. 1t is not only
churches that call themselves Catholic. .
says the Church Standard" Up. E) Of
Philadelphia, which arrogate to them
selves the divine power of creating
good and evil. Indeed, in point Of his
tory, such attempts have usually been
connected with schismatic movements
that have renounced the idea of catho-
licity, and there is no very good prece-
dent for. any Catholic Church to make
new definitions of sirl Something is
to be said on the other side, however.