The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-04-18

cessful. 1t was expected that he would
become pastor of the Church of the Ad-
vent in Boston.
The new convert says he was led to
take his present step by conviction of
the lack of teaching authority in the
ANGLICAN church, because recent utter
ances of prominent leaders in the Epis-
eopal church, on each side of the ocean,
show that almost any doctrine or opin-
ion may be freely held and taught by
its clergy. He says he cannot hold any
longer that the Anglican church is
part of the church of Christ.
He is 40 years old and unmarried. 1t
| is possible that he will offer himself to
Archbishop Farley for the priesthood.
CRUMBLING PRoTEsTANTIsM.
Professionalism has always been the
pet and coddled protege of states that
have sprung from the loins of the Ref
ormation. In England, Scotland, Ger
many, Norway, Sweden and Denmark
Professionalism has been but another
name for patriotism, and their
Protestant state churches have been
considered the sponsor and best bail
for the loyalty of their members. The
states that were not Protestant were
by that very. fact enemies, and no
sacrifice was considered too great that
would cripple their power and make
them harmless. Rome has been the
busbear of the Protestant world for
400 years. and many noble houses and
many venerable absurdities of law
and usage owe their survival to the
insane dread of the Pope.
But all that is passing away. The old
Lutheran tubs will soon have to stand
on their own bottoms. This change is
so evidently thing of the near fu-
ture that these churches are begin
ming to belittle the advantage of their
political connection and to provide for
the contingency of eventual separa-
ton. In England disestablishment is
so near at hand that any election may
cause the old hulk of Henry VIII to
slip back into the sea of despond. Ii
the present king of England is an
Anglican no one. knows it; certainly
except the taking of that accession
oath, that would warrant us believing
that he had the faintest interest in
the well-being of the Esta blishment.
The English church is still as English
as even, but Englishmen do not con-
slider it a matter of national pride |
to belong to it; to defend it or even |
to contribute to it's support. 1t will |
be a sad day for the Establishment |
when the question of disestablishment |
IS submitted to the electors of the king |
dom.
In Germany there is the same bliss
ful uncertainty as to the orthodoxy of |
the head of the state church. William
has made what he intended to be a
profession of faith, which has satisfied
1nly those who would gladly see the
Lutheran establishment overthrown.
He is Protestant if at all from con-
'1ctlons. and not at all from politi-
al motives. He trusts to his army
md navy to protect the house of Ho-
lenzollern, and not to the dominies who
hop logic every Sunday about i'm
companation and ubiquitar-
anism. The bulk of the German peo-
lie have no respect for the state
hurch and it is not necessary for one
o be prophet to see the end of
nat mountain of lust and hypocrisy.
Inc men of the north are bad church.
nen. They have a chivalrous regard
or the traditions and institutions of
ne past, all the more profound be-
ause they are not wholly dissociated
iith Catholic antiquity. The feelings
Scandianvians for the Catholic
nurch are undergoing radical change. |
he Church has received recognition
nd almost perfect freedom of worship
itllH the past quarter of a century; |
nd as a result conversions are fire.
uent and bigotry is everywhere Civ
lg way to respectful liberation. All
lis is portentous of the early demise u
Professionalism. 1t never was a virile :
dependent force. It always depended
state protection and state susten- ,
Iuon; and now that these props have
Pc knocked from under It there is ,
fth1ng ferit to do but obey the law !
overning all gross material things, .
I'd drop to the ground, never to rise :
ore.-Western Watchman.