The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-15
ENGLISH CHURCH'S DANGER.
ADMITTED ~ THE DISCUSSION
or THE DISCIPLINE BILL.
Premier BaKeur says He Looks on tne
Future with the Greatest Anxiety
Failure Of the Bishops TO secure
Obedience From the Rn0ahsts'

Future with the Greatest Anxiety
Failure OF the Bishops 70 Secure
Obedience From the RhHahns
.spteisi Caas Ds'pafrh 10 TIE SUN
- LONDON, March 1.-THE Church Dis.
oipline bill, which was passed on It's second
., reading In the House OF Commons yester'
-dayby q ma jority Of 81. Ia significant on ao
count Of what II implies. rather than what
2 Il actually seeks to do.
In 1899 tho constantly and always In
creasing energetic campaign against the
ultra ritualistic and Romanizing practices
Of the Established Church, resulted In
the adoption Of a resolution by the House
OF Commons to the effect that u The enorts
v,.of,the krchbishops and Bishops to &C.
-e cure due obedience from the clergy were
not speedily effectual. further legislation
-@ would he required to maintain the existing
laws In the Church realm. The famous
conference at Lambeth Palace may DO
recalled. II was held before the late Most
Rev Frederick Temple, at that time Primate
Of all England and Archbishop Of Canter-
bury. and tho Archbis op OF York. II
resulted in declaration OF what was aw-
ful and what was unlawful on many points
q The Bishops were directed 10 exact ooed
ence from the clergy. and they eIhorted
them loyalty to obey the declaration
To a great extent the clergy ooircided
with the desires OF those who protested
against the utra-ritualistic practices. and
for . time outward peace reisned. now
however. after a four-years test OF the
pSwer Of the Bishope, t. anti-ritualists de-
cisre that the Bishops have failed to do
their duty, and Il is now necessary Tor
Parliament to provide other means than
an Episcopal bench. whereby OFFENDERS
may be brought to book.
'The.bill which passed it's second reading
Yesterday proposes to take from the Bish-
ops their present power OF vetoins the
bringing OF any action against Clergyman
who is charged with violation OF Church
Law according TO the formulariee Of the
Thirt mine Articles Of the Prayer Book
Itmay be stated at once that 20 far ~ the
present Bench OF Bishops, Is concerned. the
veto power has only been exercised twice.
What really Ia in the forefront OF the present
struggle Is the principle that laymen OF the
Church OF England should have q greater
voice in it's councils. and that the Admittedly
Illegal practices must he suppressed In the
most drastic fashion. From the speeches
in yesterdays debate and from the pro-
ceedings at Lambeth Palace yesterday,
when 100 Unionist members Of Parliament
waited on the new Archbishop Of Canterbury
and the Archbishop Of York to draw the
attention OF your Lordships TO the lack Of
discipline Of some Of the clergy, the present
situation OF the struggle may DO plainly
seen. On all hands 1t Is admitted that
ultra -RituAlism has reached point abso-
lutely demanding strong action. Tho now
Pnmate OF Ali-Eneland said on Wednesday
There are some few men defiant Of the
episcopal authority and really reckless
OF the true Church Of England spirit.
say TO you deliberately to-day that in my
view OF such cases tolerance has reached
: has even passsd-its limits. The sands
are running out. Stern and drastic acts
are, In my judgment. quite essential.
desire that we should act, and aot sternly.'
Even Mr.. Balfour. the Prime Minister.
who opposed the bill. declared himself
as in perfect accord with the sentiment
and more deeply and passionateiy CON-
oerne1 with the services given In the Church
even than the clergy He added that
he did not think the Bishops thoroughly
realized how deep and how bitter 10 the
feeling In large sections OF the most re-
spectacle laity in the country which these
practices have aroused He declared
frankly that he felt intensely the peril
which disloyal churchmen were bringing
TO the Church to which they belong.
Toward the end Of his speech Mr.. Balfour
struck the note Of greatest significance
when he said: Il do not know what the
future Of tho Church IL going to be. / look
upon it with the greatest anxiety."
These words should he taken In con-
junction with those used by Sir william
Vernon Harcourt. After declaring that
the doors Of the law In ecclesiastical mat
tiers should be opened to subjscts Of the
realm the latter said THAT is what they
are entitled To under an established church.
n you do not like interference In this mat
ter. disestaslish the Church Here may
be ssen what Is dreaded by the party which
Mr.. Balfour called the historic moderate
High Church.
Despite the edous OF the Bishops In
the past four years there has bsen no di-
+" tilhu'ion In the ultra RituAlistio practices
In the years lsss % inoense was ussd In
ssi churches. and In 1901 % In 80 churches
This and case after oss~ Of fer more illegal
practices were quoted In Yesterdays de-
bate.
d h. thur plainly 10 he seen thu, the CT
tresns Nigh Church party 10 ln no mood Ia
osnpomiss. So,hing bu' the most drsStle
assssurs~ wih L. abls To end what spsAksr
sftsS sJssksr "a all s.dss called tbs pse.sai
STATE u anarchy in the Church.
Thsr-fors tl~ nsuh II the sdop,loa ~
ths siern-s' m@asuI-s would pfoi.Abiy In
-plii 40 ,is chvIoh si,.oh sould lsad noss
suIsiy ~ Observation-Disclosures Ihls. nssny
~ thoss l.-' lnfof,aed sa tho sublsus. cay
hIss eventually. n 81 . eossia~ssi,.s de.
tshs. ~ TIM eoans sl-oui ssd tl..n n ell
e.ss ffum .nlan ile ChufoD. sna so,
Gsm attAa'Af sHhVgi
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