The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-16
4 Revolutionary Movement In the
Episcopal Church.

WolBnI VI inc DuTueH.
A Revolutionary Movement In the
Episcopal Church.
To-day the trustees Of the General
Theological Seminary OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church meet in Chelsea Square
for the election OF dean in succession
to the late Rev. DR.. HOFFMAN. As this
board is composed OF every Bishop Of the
Church and fifty other trustees, one-half
elected by the House Of Deputies OF the
General Convention and one-half by GER
tain dioceses, it represents the whole
Episcopal Church OF this country, and
the election, therefore, is OF peculiar sig
nificance at this time when something
approaching revolution in doctrine and
practice is agitating both the Anglican
Church and it's American branch.
How far this revolution has proceeded,
or rather whittier the party responsible
for it is tending, is indicated strikingly
in the official paper of the most extreme
section OF the Ritualists. This paper,
called the Lamp published at Garrison
on the Hudson River and edited by the
Rev. SPENCER JONES' is an outspoken ad-
vocate of the principles Of the Roman
party, or an advanced division OF the
Ritualists, which correspondent repre-
senting it AYERS, in another column OF
this page, is fast growing in adherents
all over the world Relatively, how
ever, it is still small. The great mass Of
the ANGLO Catholic party stops far
short of its demand for the resubmis-
sion OF the English Church to the SUI
preme authority Of the Holy See.' But
Lord HALIFAX conspicuous Ritualistic
champion. looks forward not regretfully
to the disestablishment of the Church Of
England as a consequence Of the present
Protestant agitation against the extrem-
tiles to which his party has gone, and,
theoretically, to reunion with Rome.
The Lamp is much franker than Lord
HALIFAX. Without mincing its words it
cries out increasingly that sheer obedi-
ence to the command Of CHRIST requires
this reunion Here. for example, is
an extract from the leading article in its
April number:
Under the guidance of the Holy Ghost the Ansn-
can communion Is slowly but surely retraclng the
steps which an evil time led her far aheld from the
Rock of Peter every year the theological distance
between Angllcanism and the faith OF the Holy
Roman Church is materially iessened: text books
drawn from Latin sources such as MonTrMERs
Catholic Faith and Practice are crowding from
our shelves the dusty tones Of JEWELL, PEARSON.
HooKER and HALL. ST. THOMAS AauSAs Is .
greater authority among Us than Bishop JERhNr
TAYLOR. The DEGREES OF Trent and the Vatican
are leavenlng the whole Anglican lump. Another
generation may ind the Anglican Communion
clamoring for a General Council to settle the nnal
terms of peace and nvallng the Ul,ramontsnes In
contending for the honor of the Vicar of CHRIST"
The letter OF our correspondent which
ia printed in another column OF this page
gives other expressions OF opinion and de-
sire to the same effect. He also gives the
significant information that an Anglican
clergyman in Japan has gone so far as
to emphasize his belief in the necessity
of a return to union with tho Holy See
by beginning to pay Peters Pence,
sending his annual contribution to Rome
like a good Catholic All this is the more
remarkable because the Pope has denied
the validity of the Anglican orders. and
a clerical correspondent Of the Lamp
acknowledges that il go into Roman
Church the priest, IL he knows who and
what am, refuses to give me Holy Com
munion.'
The editor Of the Lamp, however, does
not believe that the happy consumma-
ton OF a restored unity to the Body OF
CHRIST will ever be accomplished by
individualists here and there leaving this
Christian body or that and joining the
Church Of Rome =; but holds that by the
leavening Of the whole mass of the Angli-
can Church with Catholic doctrine II
will be driven logically and Of divine
necessity to resubmission =" to the
supreme authority Of the Holy See.'
That is, he would multiply the Catho-
lies within the Anglican fold until they
possess the sanctuary and are able to
redeliver the keys Of the kingdom
He quotes with approval letter from a
Philadelphia Catholic in another paper,
az a real contribution to Church unity.
these suggestions Of practical ways OF
promoting our position as factor in the
Catholic system:
My nrst suggestion Is that when our lot is cast
either temporarily or permanently, In q neighbor-
hood where the Anglican Church II it exists at ALL
provides only maths on sunday instead OF mass
perhaps having an occasional Communion sun
d.v1 that under these conditionx NC conNder