The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-12

From the New York Sun.
 The brotherhood of St. Andrew has taken unnecessary pains to disavow re- sponsbility for certain utterances of the Rev, pr. Ransford of St. Georges church at a Lenten service held at Philadelphia under the auspices of that guild. As lay order of the Episcopal church simply for ''the spread of Christ's kingdom among men," it obviously has no competency and no function to determine questions of theology.
 LAymen who assume the task of taking care of religion are apt to be quicker than priests and the best instructed the ologfans in scenting out heresy Theologi- cal views which seem to them novel and startlingly subversive may be familiar to every student of theology as views long held in the church by many of its ap proved teachers and expounders, and wholly consistent with the articles of its faith.
 This is true of the Episcopal church, more especially. The lines of distinction between doctrines and practices in that church are broad and sharply defined. At
  whistle party and at the other is the "Catholie' party, with it's sacerdotalism and sacramentarianism and it's teaching of the Real Presence To each the other may seem hagrantly heretical Beyond them is the Broad" party, to which pr. Rainsford and many of the most infiu- ential and most intellectual of the clergy of both this country and England be- long; and to the others more especially c |, r..ttx ,I1 those clergymen may seem to be alarm ingly heretical.
 We observe that the criticism of Dr. Rainsford started from a source in the "Catholic" party. This is rather remark able, though not at all extraordinary, be- cause that party is itself accused of sub verting the faith of the Episcopal church and "Romanizing" it. All England is now agitated by it's determined propaga- tion of doctrines and persistence in ritual istic practices which defy and outrage the whole genius of Professionalism. That party has gone to extremes so great that unless it can be restrained sharply there is danger that the establishment will ul- timately be broken up.
 The Broad party to which Dr. Rains ford may be assigned, has carried it's lfberality to the extent of refraining from Interference with this Catholic move ment. It's feeling seems to be that if anybody can get aids to religious devotion from the Ritualist teachings and prac- tlees these serve a good and valuable pur- pose It Is not afraid of them, but is tolerant of every phase of churchmanship, so long as the essence of religion is pre- served. Accordingly. we have from no
 broau chufeh source any severity of assault on the Catholic movement These ciersymen do not seem to be at all asitated because at St. Ignatius's and at the church. of St. Mary the Virgin tba Real Presence is taught, Protestanfisr, is contemptously treated, the confessional ia set up. there is practically communion in one kind onlyi and, generally. the forms and ceremonies and accessories closely approximate to those of the Roman cat ollie church. They are not heresy hunters
 The accusation made against Dr. Rains ford, so far as we can make 1t out is that he explained away the doctrine Of the Atonement and denied inferentiallv ''the mediatorial work of Jesus" and in- cidentally, took the view of the BiF-a of the so-ealled higher criticism. But the accusation lies against the whole dis tinguished school of theology to which he belongs, a school which now is prominent If not predominant in every church of Christendom. Even the pope has nstitut- ed a commission to weigh the evidences ana cOncluSlOnS US ScnOldfS nave to present. We have seen no exact report of the remarks of Dr. Rainsford at Phila- delphia, but there is no reason to believe that he swerved in the least from the posi- ton held by many of the most ilustrious churchmen of this time or said anything which would have provoked surprise in any one familiar with theological teach- ings of men of the highest and most ap- proved standing in the Anglican church and the Episcopal church.
 Only ignorance of the present drift of theology could have discovered any here tical novelty in his Philadelphia express sions. However strange these may have seemed to such ignorance they were dif- ferent in form and expression rather than In essence, and were wholly in accord with the theological views which are held and taught in most theological seminaries Whether in the method of expressing my beliefs depart from established usage further than Is wise," pr. Rainsford says