The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-14
learned and inaccurate to the enlight-

| ened.
plain thinking people find it hard
to distinguish between the Methodist
| Episcopal, Reformed Episcopal and
Protestant Episcopal place them all
in the same category and many, mis-
led by the title, fail to recognize our
true lineage.
"Peope of education know that this
church is Baptist, Presbyterian, Chris
ton 1--WE devoutly believe), too often
Congregational, as well as Episcopal.
Dissonnnt from the Creed.
Fourth. The whole title is disso-
nant from the creed and misleading In
reference to origin and historic con-
tinuity, and gives countenance and sup
port to the blunder constantly and
gladly used by opponents from all quar-
ters. that the church was founded by
Henry VIII the veXatious monarch, de-
fender of the Papacy, until it over
ruled his headstrong selfishness and
despoiled the Church of England, starv-
ing souls and bodies to crafty his
ambition and lust.
TT is declaration against our in
dependent existence to carry the word
Protestant in the front of our title-no
Rome, no Professionalism it is the only
violation of the pellucid honesty which
| has ever characterized this communion
| of Christians that we profess our be-
| lief in the one, holy, catholic, and
| apostolic church when we ,ome TO
| know the truth, but over that name,
| Indicative of a glorious heritage, we
paste a label for uninitiated. In min
istry of twenty-five years l have heard
| but one person say, I am a Protestant
| Episcopalian.'
"I am not very particular that we
should incorporate the word Catholic
into our legal title without the notes
Holy and Apostolic. Standing alone
| it is not much nearer eXactness than
| is the appellation Episcopal.
"If it is to humor the preference or
a party in the church and to give
shred of encouragement to a mass
| without communicates, prayers with
| ayes, reservation for alteration and
| benediction with the host, | shall be
| found sternly and unhesitatingly in the
| opposition, even to being Protestant
| But I conceive that the question is n
larger one and if you act in the prem
| ises 1 exhort you to keep ever upper
most the gain to truth, the honor of
| Christ, and the future good of the
| church in these United States.
"a matter which l have sincerely at
heart, and in which 1 do beseech Of
| my brethren of the clergy most
| thoughtful and cordial cooperation, is
| to devise and put into effect some
1
| of the church. as well as an adequate
substitute for a disused and generally
| unknown canon, so that we may keep
a more accurate reckoning and pre-
| serve more intimate personal ac-
| quaintance with them.
| "Our blessed Lord, Himself the
| Chief Shepherd, notes as a distinguish
| ing mark of a true shepherd, in con-
tradistinction to a hireling, that He
| called His own sheep by name and
the members of the flock he goeth be-
| fore them and the sheep follow Him,
| for they know His voice, and a strang-
err they will not follow
| From this divine parable is derived
the force of the exhortation to seek
for Christ's sheep that are dispersed
| abroad, and for His children, who are
| in the midst of this naughty world.
| that they may be saved through
| Christ forever'-ordering of priests,
| the charge.
"Is there not some way by which
| we can reduce the leakage and an
| ticipate and measurably prevent the
| straying off of our communicates in
| this migratory age? Is there not some
| means by which we can bring them
nearer to us for guidance and abiding
| help? Is the result not worth the eff
| fort, first to carefully instruct our
| people, individually if necessary, in
| preparation for confirmation and then
by watchfulness to keep them to-
! gether?
| would it not be wiser to spend
more time i'm retaining what is ours
than in looking out new candidates?