Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-17
Unitarian Divine Takes Commu.
nion at the Altar of an Epis.
copal Church.
TRINITY DOCTRINE Is INVOLVED
Other Church People Also
DisapprOVe.

1StIe, OHildfldn CleFSyudn VINO re-
ceived the holy communion i'll
Trinity church. Boston, at the
hands of the bishops of Maine and
western Massachusetts, and thereby
started high, low and broad church
controversy among Episcopalians,
would have had Il hard time of it in
Chicago if it was known that he in
tended presenting himself at the altar
in an Episcopal church during the cele-
bration of the Eucharist Clergymen
say that if thenoted Boston writer and
preacher came unannounced to the
chancel rail to receive the communion
they might not pass him by, but that if
they were forewarned they would at
tempt to dissuade him from the step
unless he had undergone change of
heart and had accepted the doctrine
that Christ is not only divine but one
with the Father.
Living Church Is CaustIc.
The Living Church, a newspaper eX-
pOnent of high church views. has IL
caustic editorial in its current number
criticisiing DR.. Hale and the bishops
who gave him bread and wine at the
Trinity church altar on the occasion of
the tenth anniversary of Bishop Phil
lips Brooks death. The Boston parish
of which DIR. Brooks was once the rec
tor has been the starting point of 9th
er Episcopal controversies, but the
present one promises to overshadow all
predecessors. The editorial quotes the
rubric of the prayer book as follows:
And there shall none be admitted TO
the holy communion until such time as
he be confirmed or be ready and de-
sirous to be confirmed
Hale Not Merely Unconfirmed.
The editorial then goes on TO say:
But it is not as if DR.. Hale were
merely unconfrmed. There are hun
dreds of thousands who have never re-
ceived the laying on of apostolic hands,
yet who worship the one and true God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to
whom doubtless Gods love vOuchsafes
a spiritual communion. because,
through lack of true priesthood. they
may not have sacramental communion.
The church wisely requires such at
least to be ready and DESTROYS to be
confirmed before admitting them to
her affairs, that they may learn to es-
TEEN rightly that gift of the Holy
Ghost, and to covet the true priesthood
of the laity which it confers."
Church Paper is Severe.
The Living Church then says that "if
a devout Presbyterian or Methodist
were to present himself once at our
affairs, we conjecture that few priests,
if any, would repel him. though they
would doubtless show him the law,
above quoted, at some convenient time.
The case of Jan. 23 differs toto caelO
from such Il case as we have imagined.
Here is a man who, by the very sec
tartan title he bears, explicitly rejects
the mystery of the Holy Trinity; who,
less than a fortnight before (as we are
informed was heard to Scoff and jest
at it; who is known as one that does
not bow his knee in alteration before
the Incarnate Cod
Grant that it is in ignorance; that
he is faithful to whatever light he has
received; and that God will reward
all his good deeds amply. Still the
fearful fact must be faced that he at
tempts to come TO the Father without
the Only Begotten Son, and that, in
that attempt, he dishOnors the Lamb
of God, our only Savior. TO give the
most holy gifts of the altar to such a
one was dangerously to approach that
awful act against which we are
warned, to give to one who receives
not discerning the Lords body Was
it to his souls health? Or was it
otherwise?'' The church prayer book
rather more than intimates that one
who receives the communion unworth-
~ 70 hi 1Dr
Inference from the editorial is not hard
to find.
When Phillips Brooks was rector of
Trinity he frequently admitted Unitar-
ians to the communion. High church.
men were bitterly opposed to his eleva-
ton to the bishopric. His successor.
Rev. Winchester Donald, broad
churchman, but clergyman who clung
tenaciously TO the letter of the rubrics
of the church. caused a controversy
two years ago by allowing Trinity
church to be used for the funeral of
Roger Wolcott, governor of MassaGhu-
setts. a Unitarian. The services were
conducted by Unitarian clergyman.
Dr. Donald took no part in the serv-
ice. nor did any other Episcopal clergy
man, but the fact of the use of the
church for a non-Trinitarian service
caused criticism from every church
quarter. DR.. Donald had no part in
the service at which DIR. Hale was
admitted to the communion, and the
criticism is aimed at the bishopric who
officiated. Dr. Hale has replied to
the editor of The Living Church in his
characteristic way: Tell him. he said,
''that l received my invitation to the
lords supper 1900 years ago" but a
clergyman replying to this remarked
that the invitation had conditions.
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