The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-25

IL was not moons ent, therefore, that
on Thursday. at the annual council of
the Reformed Episcopal Church, the sug-
gestion should have been made that the
time has arrived when that body should
undertake mission with a view to con-
verting the Church from which it seeded
a quarter OF century ago from such
doctrines and practices. This secession
was due distinctly to rebellion against
the sacerdotalism and sacramentarianism
in the Episcopal Church, though Us vet
these had hardly begun to be preached
To the extreme at present so frequent
Tractarianism had started at Oxford
forty years before, but in 1873 il was not
the dominant school it has now become.
The Reformed Church made this dec
laraton when its organization was first
perfected
This Church condemns and rejects the follow
ing erroneous and strange doctrines as contrary
to GODS Word:
TirSt-Tha the Church OF CHRisr exists only
In order or form OF ecclesiastical poli,y,
Second-Tnat Christian ministers are priests
in another sense than that In which all believers
are royal priesthood
Th!rd-rhatt the Lord table Is an altar on which
an obla,lon OF she body and blood OF CHRIST is
offered anew to the Father
Fourh-rhat the presence OF CHRIST In the
Lords Supports presence In the elements ~ bread
and wine.
fth-Tha, regeneration is trs-par,by con.
nected WITH baptism.
This declaration may be said to have
represented the convictions OF the Low
Church party generally. Yet the Sc
cession to the Reformed Episcopal
Church was very small, only eight clergy
men and twenty laymen joining in or
ganizng the new Church; and now after
twenty-nine years it has only about a
hundred churches and less than ten
thousand communicates all told, as
against nearly five thousand clergy and
more than seven hundred thousand
communicates in the Episcopal Church.
With that secession. however, there
began decline in the strength and in
fluence of the distinctively Low Church
party which has continued until now that
puilN I,iS ia 'fsiS'u W tAlNN, az
least as an aggressive power. As a
speaker at the Reformed Church Council
asserted, it has no outspoken represen-
tative among the Episcopal papers The
controversy raised by it seems TO have
been closed, SO far as concerns the
Episcopal Church itself. The contest is
now between the High and Broad +"
Church parties. with the former seem
ngly ahead. Episcopal services have
been enriched, the confessional is fire.
quently introduced, the Real Presence
il taught, incense is used. and among the
most prosperous of the churches are
those in which Observation-Disclosures and sa-
cerdotalism are most boldly proclaimed
An Episcopal minister il now called
usually priest" orders OF sisterhoods
and brotherhoods are frequent and the
forms Of services are brought more and
more into harmony with those of the
Roman Catholic Church.
This manifest Episcopal tendency ex-
tends to England, but there it seems to
encounter more active resistance than
here, For example, when at a crowded
meeting of the Church Association at
Liverpool about two weeks ago, Arch
deacon TAYLOR, in an address on The
Mass in the Church Of England, used
this denuncatory language he was Wig
orously applaudcd by both clergymen
and laymen
From the year 1880 tn. sacrificing priesthood
ceased In tho National Church. and moreover.
there was no altar In the National Church and
those clergymcn In the Church OF England who
hold that there Is authority for these are no, only
dsloyal, but they almost amour, 10 impoStors
The Mass Is condemned by the Thirty FRS, Article
Of the Church Of England. Yet In hundreds Of
caurches OF the National Church OF England from
which the Mass had been e1puugcd this doctrine
Is now taught. and the Reformation Is. pro tario
undone It public scandal"
The presiding officer of tho meeting.
Mr.. CHARLES MACARTHUR, a Member Of
Parliament, provoked like applause when
he said:
As regards the Mass there IL this distinction
tina, In the Church OF Rome IT IL an homes, instltu
ton while In the Church Of England Il is adlShou.
est Institution and great charge agains, RlluaI
Ism Is In respect OF It's dishonesty. II tho Ritual
lists would leave the Church of England and set
up a Church OF their own every honest man would
respect them: but they Will no, do that, They pre-
fer To remain In the Church of England. To cat It's
bread and accept It's emolumrnts while they are
be,rsying is cause. classifying ts principles and
going contrary to It's teaching. venture to say
that wherever Rtuaisn spreads It carries with It
certain moral blight. For all that It I, the fash
ionablc cult a, the present time, It is greatly In
vogue n aristocra,lc circles and occupies fear
a FREEDOM in ant place among the Bishops, who have
a great influence over the governing classes OF the
country"
Mr.. MCAITHuR'S remark about the
fashicnabencss of Ritualism in England
may be applied to this country, like
wise. Medieval forms are grateful to
the spirit of the fashion of this time, and
the fashionable cult Of Ritualism, AZ
Mr.. MACARTHUR described it, fourishe,
accordingly. Probably its appeal Is
frequently, if not usually, TO Tstheticism
rather than deep religious faith.