Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-07-10
ANGLES LETTER.
An Endless Controversy.


IL would seem that the work OF re-
formation Of the methods of the Church
of England will never be done. For
three centuries the clergy have been
seeding and protesting, and even IN
this enlightened age some of them fail
to Justly estimate their responsibility
and authority. This creates an ele-
ment of discord which cannot fail to
weaken the power OF the Holy Catholic
Church. A "war" upon ritualism is
now in progress in the United King
dom, instigated, If we are correctly in
formed, by X. G.. Fillingham. Vicar OF
Hexton, England, who, not contented
with such limited field of action a.
the mother country affords, proposes To
include the Catholic body of the Church
in America in his campaign plans. Dur
ing visit TO this country the Rev.
gentleman attended the Sunday morn
ing service at the Church of st. Mary |
the Virgin and his worst fears for the |
welfare of the daughter Church" were
fully confirmed. lie at once addressed
letter to Bishop Potter of the diocese
of New York calling upon him to sup
press such scandalous and unlawful
proceedings. As the Rev. gentleman
has been, we believe. misquoted in a
prominent Brooklyn daily, in way to
, induce some contempt for the Holy
Catholic Church, we reproduce his letter
, for the edfication of those who may en-
, Joy our privilege of cleaning intorma-
ton from a reliable source. The letter
+ as published reads as follows:
81 was present last Sunday morning
| at St. Mary the Virgin. That church is
y a congregation of the Protestant Episco-
=. pal Church, body which solemnly
denies any intention to depart from the
r church of England in any essential point
g of doctrine, discipline or worship. The
q whole service was fragrant defiance OF
Professionalism. The church of England
was reformed especially to get rid of the
e mass; but on Sunday morning what
y was openly and cynically termed 'high
', mass was performed. Vestments We're
- worn, incense was burned, genuhections
o were made and all these things are in
t. fragrant defiance of the discipline of the
m English church; they are absolutely IL
he legal. And the proceedings eliminated
q in the elevation and alteration of the
. senseless elements of bread and wine
% an act of idolatry which, as our prayer
he book says, should be abhorred 10y al
I'd Christian men. Sir, the articles of re
I'd ligion adopted by the whole Protestant
N church in 1901 describe masses al
, 'blasphemous fables and dangerous de
- ceits.' Yet the rector of.St. Mary thu
a Virgin publicly celebrates the high mass
id which he is pledged to disbeleve."
ID, AS might be expected from such
IN breach of the proprieties the letter elici
lie ted a scathing rebuke from the Ameri
N. can Bishop, who said:
ife "You call yourself clergyman of tn
id church of England, but doubt it. Flo
- clergyman is, usually, a gentleman
~ and aware that he may not print pr
:" vate letter until its receipt has been aC
re- knowledged by the person to whom it j
d. addressed. That you are a lunatic
In much more likely, for only lunati
- could suppose that the church in Ne,
:" York is governed by the laws of tn
fe. church of England, or that you coul
or compel me, or any incumbent in tn
al diocese of New York, to enforce, or
rs obey, the laws of the church of Ems
- land" The bishop also says that eth
fd rector of the church of St. Mary tn
ny Virgin possesses my respect and conf
at dence, and though his modes of worshi
Nv may be as little to my taste as to your
~ he is not following them without m
'e' privity and knowledge"
&C. A second letter was sent to whic
vi Bishop Potter deigned no reply. B,
ny notwithstanding the fact that the Re
Vic reformer has failed utterly in producin
al the desired impression, he at once cable
'e's to friend in Hexton, "Had hot figI
= with ritualists; will renew fight
"o England" Just what his plans are
not his fight against protestant thievt
at; who are stealing Catholic ritual
does not say. He proposes to con
-. back and after the news Of his arriv
- has quieted down he declares that "son
ol' Sunday when not expected, he will ope
'ck the war; In speaking of the treatmel
his demands receivedat the hands of tt
Bishop he says 81 have heard tn;
,,o Bishop Potter is the minister of I'll
~ rich, and that he has an idea that
al can settle the social question. Well
OF will have another question to sett
it'll now, for when return the war will
old on"
ms The Bishop might recommend as
INV remedy, dose of Alexander Pope.
cot is good cure for egotism.
,.r "Let not this weak unknowing hand
Presume thy bolts to throw,
"'o And deal damnation round the Ian
or On each | deem thy foe"
the