The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-18
EPISCOPAL PRAYER BOOK
Is Compiled from Catholic Sources, Saws
Father LaWlcr

In his Lcntcn discourse at the St. Paul
Cathedral last Tuesday night, Rev. ]. J.
Lawlcr replied to some statements made
by Bishop Gilbert the Sunday evening be-
fore at the Peoples church when he gave
his reasons for being an Episcopalan.
FIR. Lawlcr said in part:
when the bishop says I am an Epis-
copalian because OF our liturgy, our pray
CT book, this prayer book we hold a
precious legacy next to the Bible he for
gets TO tell Ills hearers that the most
beautiful portions OF his much-laudcd
book are derived from Roman Catholic
sources. II may go against the grain to
admit it, but candid Protestant historians
have conceded it. II the mutiatcd frag-
mcnts Of the Roman Catholic sources be
beautiful. what must be the works them
selves?
"A bishop OF the Church of England
DIR. Short. writes: In giving an account
OF the common prayer book, it will be
more correct to describe it as work
compiled from the services OF the Church
OF Rome, or rather as translation OF
such portions OF them as were free from
all objection, than as an original compo-
sition. # Almost the whole of it
was taken from different Roman Catholic
services, particularly those after the use
of Salisbury which were then generally
adopted in the South of England. .'-Ap-
pcndix L to chap xvi, p 74I.
"Dr Lingard, chap L.. Ed. vi, says:
Taking the Latin missal and brcviarics
for the groundwork, they Olc compilcrs)
omitted such parts as they deemed su-
pcr'luous, etc
"'Thcn | am an Episcopalian because I
believe that God founded church, is
another reason given for adlcring to the
Protestant Episcopal church. That
Christ. the God d-man, founded a church
is beyond question, but the Protestant
Episcopal church came into existence
more than seventeen centuries too late
to be the church established by Christ.
Was Protestant Episcopalianism ever
heard OF before the sixteenth century? All
antiquity answers no. The Protestant
Episcopal church is descendant of the
Church of England, by law established
which had its origin under Henry VIII,
Edward VI. and Elizabeth.
"Whcncc does the Protestant Episcopal
church OF the United States derive its
mission and its jurisdiction? Not from
the sorcvcign OF England. not from the
president OF the United States. Its att
thority has no origin outside of itself,
and is sucl, as its members may create
and accept. In view. of its origin it must
be difficult for the believers to identify
the Protestant Episcopal church with the
holy Catholic church of the Apostles
creed, when he answers the only qucs-
ton that is asked: DO you believe all
the articles Of the Christian faith as con-
taincd in the Apostles crccd?' 1t is not
identical even with its own parent, the
Church OF England. Among other diff
lcrcnccs it rejects the Atllanasian creed.
which, according to the eight, of the
thirty nine articles Of the mother church,
ought thoroughly to be received and be-
licvcd
"1ts theory OF continuity with the
Church OF Christ for the past 1900 years
must be regarded as an historical Joke,
to say the least
"It does not present Holy Writ to the
people in its entirety. The boast OF a
simple gospel must sound strange to
those who remember that the Bible con-
tains supernatural mysteries"