The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-22
LIMIT OF CHURCH LIBERTY.
APOSTLES GREET THE CHUFCH's
TRUE PLATFORM.

Holds. There Is Ample Room in the
Episcopal Church ror Both High
and Broad Churchmcn-Their d.
verse Views CONFERENCE.-The Posi-
ton of the Episcopal Church in
NI0raIs-NOt Things Them selves,
nut the Use That Is Made of Them
which Constitutes the EviI--Thun-
derbOIt Referred to as an Instance
of Dissertation of Manhood ana
WomanhoOd Rather Thin Sabbath
Dissertation.
1.-THE Limit of Liberty in the Episcopal
Church in Doctrine and Life" was the sub
1ect of Rev. c. II. Strong's discourse at
ST. Johns Church last night. MIR. Strong
announced that this would be the last of
his Sunday night talks for the present. it
being the custom of the church to discon-
tinue the night services during the heated
term.
Mr.. Strong said that recent discussions
within the Episcopal Church had given rise
60 the question as to what degree of liber-
" in life and doctrine is permitted 10
those within the church, both clergy and
1aity. Recent happenings in England,
where large bodies of churehmen. headed
by men of influence have declared that
they win not regard the decisions of the
bishops in their efforts TO enforce ritual
ism. and the controversy over the admis-
sion of DR.. Briggs 10 the Episcopal priest
Lood in this country, have made this
question pertinent one.
NJ.
church has very clear and definite stan
dsrd of belief, and that so long as this
is adhered to its adherents are at liberty
to differ as widely as they please in mat
tiers of practice and belief. This stan
derd he held. is the Apostles Creed
which contains the sum and substance
os religious belief 1t represents what the
church OF Christ ought to be in it's vast
and broad comprehensiveness.
At present, Mr.. Strong said, there are
two standards within the church, that OF
the advanced or high churchmen and that
of the liberal or broad churchmen, and
they differ widely in their conception of
the church and its true mission. THE
advanced, or high churchmen," said Mr..
Strong, represent a state of mind with
which have no possible sympathy. They
proceed OH the idea that the whole work
OF the reformation was a mistake They
believe that many things which had
formerly been part of the worship Of
the Roman Catholic Church, which were
thrown aside, should have been retained
They desire TO re-establish the confessional
box, the celebration of mass, the burn
ing Of incense during the service. the use
OF candles on the altar, and the establish
ment of stations similar to the stations of
the cross in the Roman Catholic
Church. They believe in a sort of re-
ligious mysticism, such as prevailed in
the middle ages, and that 1t is easier to
govern and control the minds of men I'M
Ger such conditions as prevailed in those
days. Such things they believe take hold
upon the minds of men and attach them
Ia the church. Their idea is to turn back
10 the smallest custom which has the
claim OF ancient usage. We have no at
taek TO make upon them. They have
their place in the church. The minds of
men are essentially different and there are
those to whom these things appeal and
whom these observances serve TO attach
TO the church."
Ihere need be no quarrel between the
hlgh or advanced church and the broad
church, MIR. Strong held So long as both
are true TO the standard of the church
ms standard, he held. is the time-hon-
ord creed coming down from the second
century after Christ. This standard is
the creed and the facts which Il con-
taahs, aud not mems Interpretation OF
those facts. II contains everything which
mer are required to believe.
Nr. Strong spoke of the different inter-
pretations placed upon the creed by the
nigh and the broad churchmen. OF the res
direction Of the body the high churchmen
believe that the same corporeal BODY
which IS laid into the earth win be gath
cred together in all its parts and resur-
rected from the grave after centuries or
ages when the final resurrection shall ar
rive. To this the broad churchmen do
not agree. They hold with st. Paul thar
there Is a natural and a spiritual body;
that the natural or earthly body is of the
earth ana returns 10 the earth; that mans
spirit is clothed with a spiritual BODY
and that 1t is this spiritual body which
shall arise pure and ucorruptible az the
last day
The high churchmen believe in original
sin as the result of the guilt of Adam.
and In the redemption of fallen man
through the sacrifice of the Son of God
The other view is that there is no original
sin except such as comes through heredity.
and that God sent His Son into the world
mat His forgiveness of our sins might
be revealed to US.
belief in the thirty-nine articles of The
Episcopal Church as essential to consistent
churehnen. These articles, he said. are
compromises as the result of the sDrit of
OF Caivinism brought into The church by
those clersymen who fed from England
during the reign of Bloody Mary, and took
IeIuge at Geneva where John Calvin then
held sway and from whom they imbibed
ms doctrines. Returning TO England upon
the accession of Queen Elizabeth thew re-
sumed their curacies. nomlualIy as
churchmen, but being at heart CaIvinists
Ihey objected 10 many things in the wor-
snip OF The established church, and made
HE burden to King James who mistak-
enly believed himself 10 be something of
a theo-ogian. As a result OF their obfec-
uons council was called at which il was
agreed that number of things should be
discontinued as a concession TO the CAL
whistle clergy. As evidence that these oh
Jectlons were unfounded most of the
tnangs stricken out have been returned to
The lhirty-nine articles were part of This
compromise and like other COMPROMISES
lhey nave never amounted to great deal
IS he oh