The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-23
The Reverend James Milbankc Dis
agrees Theologically With
His Congregation.
RECTOR FAv0Rs ''HIGH"CHURCH
Nestry Meeting Follows Sermon
on Historical Subject Which
Occasioned Severe
Criticism.

Because the theology Of the rector. the
Reverend James Milbanke. failed TO CO.
incide with that of the congregation. the
former being decidedly high and the lat
ter low church, service was not cele-
brated Sunday at St Stephens Episcopal
Church. Ferguson. st. Louis County.
Doctor Miibanke. II is said strongly ia
vors following Catholic usage in many par
tcuiars. He defends the confession and the
use of candles. What is termed by some
his undue reverence for catholicism is
exemplited. 1t is stated. by his offering a
prayer for the Pope when the head of the
Catholic organization was reported at the
point OF death.
Then. week ago Sunday. he preached a
sermon which argued that the English
Episcopal Church was 'sown in iniquity"
He attacked the founder. King Henry VII.
and the popular Bluff King Hal
This page in history the Reverend Doctor
Milbanke is said to have painted very
bluntly. and then went on to Queen Eliza
beth. Queen Elizabeth. who sustained the
church and aggrandized It. Doctor Milbanke
handled even more roughly, Indicating II is
alleged. that the ordinary understanding of
her friendship with the Duke of Buckfns-
ham and other peers of high degree was
"a deficient as an expurgated edition of
Shakespeare
such historical data, so wildly detailed.
awakened severe criticism. and shocked the
feminine element of the audience The eli
max was a vestry meeting last Wednesday.
alter winch came what a leader of the
congregation terms an 'amicab.e agreement
u u'sasree- The rector resigned and for
the present. the church doors are closed.
The Reverend Doctor Milbanke is Young
minister. an Englishman. positive in his
views. His ability is unquestioned. He has
associations among the ..literatr' of New
York and London. The bent toward the
stage is strong in his family, and one of his
sisters Is well known on the boards of Eng
land
When James K. Hackett, Cyril Scott and
other Thespians of repute are in town Doc
tor Milbanke, it is said. is one of the inner
circle of their acquaintance The actors
profession is high among the arts. he MAIN
tails. and he is educating daughter for
the stage. In addition he is one of the
chaplains of the National Actors Associa
ton
When called to Ferguson Doctor NIilbanke
found vacancy difficult to fill. His prede-
cessor. 1.-THE Reverend Doctor Davis. an
elderly man. Fad been the reyered of all u
and was never embarrassed by question or
bubble, and a new man, with positive
views. necessarily invited comparison with
Doctor Davis
Doctor Milbanke's stage associations were
occasion for mild censure among a certain
element
TWO OF the prirna donnas OF the FIorodora |
company boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Mil
banke during the F1orodora engagement at !
the Olympic last fall. This also was food |
for more than passing remark
But the Catholic tendencies were the es |
pecial reason OF the hostiIities. He openly !
was an advocate of changing the church !
name to the Catholic Church of America /
when that matter was before the Episcopal |
congress month ago.
About that time members of the congre
cation went to Bishop futile and COM
planned Of some points in his teaching.
Bishop futile visited Ferguson, heard Doc
tor Mflbanke's statements as to what the
teaching was. and sustained him.
The next episode was the historical ser
mon and the prayer for the Pope. Particu-
lar stress is not laid upon the latter how
ever. as the preponderancy OF the consre-
CATION though not thinking the PRAYER
well timed. regard that prayer for any
person is not a theological offense
st. Stephens Church includes in its
many gentlemen we'll known in
81 Louis business circles. Among them are
L. W. Day. A. s. Page. John T. Hesser.
Colonel c. p. Ellerbe. r. c. Jordan. H. c.
Carr. II. B. Miltenberger. George S Case.
E. @. Cherbonnier. H d. Condo, Thomas
ID. Condo and Robert Fletcher.