New-York tribune., 1906-12-05
THE ENGLISH CHURCH.
Cas There BE Self Government
Without DisestabHshment!

h:.ests blishrsent? That Is the question: rtseu
by the Royal Commission on discipline anu 'iie
Prime Minister and the Archbishop OF Can'er-
hurv are making tentative efforts to have O
solution worked out. The COMMISSION III d
u,an,rno,s report had convicted High. Low and
Broad clergymen Of irregularities IN the conouct
n. nuhifo worship and had shown that the ma
.btnerv for the maintenance OF order and dis
,,ni,ne had broken down through the straining
ns ancient rubrscs. 1t recommended that letters
az business should be issued TO the historic Con-
.,aca;tons of Canterbury and York for the estab-
l..,,1uent OF a new Ornaments end other ruhrlce
and the reconstruction OF the ecclesiasucai
courts SO that there could be Ineligible laws
>o- the government Of the Church and efficient
tribunals Cor enforcing them. The Prime Minis
ter has issued the letters; the Convocation OF
the Southern Province has appointed an ad-
yisory committee for assisting the Archbishop
OF Canterbury IN making a formal reply in feo-
suary the summons from the state; and the
Convocation Of the Northern Province without
doubt VIII take similar action. The ground is
now omen for a practical demonstration or the
capacity or incspacity Of the Established Church'
with over fourteen thousand parishes IN Eng
land and Wales TO adapt itself TO existing condi-
tione and TO restore discipline by a new order OF
eelf-gove-ament
The objection is promptly raised by represent
ettves Of every school OF thought and practice
within the Church. es well as by Free Church
men and egnostics outside. that the Convoca-
lions are powerless since they cannot effect any
changes or reforms without act OF Parlia.
rnent II is true that they cannot do anything
independently Of Parliamentary sanction but 1t
does no. follow that they are poweress. When
the Church is established state institution
ecclesiasticsl law becomes necessarily a fgment
Such law there is for governing II Is state
law authorized by act OF Parliament, and the
Judges empowered to interpret IT state off,
oisia The English Church Is a Parliamentary
church. with a Prayer Book compiled and
vtsed by royal license. with Articles OF Religion
proclaimed py authority Of the Crown, and with
rubr1os and public worship regulated by acts Of
Parpsment The assent Of Parliament TO any
changes In the details Of the Ornaments other
rupr1cs dra~u up in the sixteenth and seven
teenth csnturtes. to any reforms IN the consti-
tuoon Of tha disciplinary courts. is as necessary
rcw ts IL when the Prayer Book the Ar
nosse Of Religion. the Act OF Uniformity and the
fuons Worship Act originally came from the
SoDvooa COM. While Parliament retains its full
power II regulating The State CHURCH. the Con-
vocatious also have their historical prerogative
OF reoo-am mending legislation for amending exist
Ing rnbr'os and Public Worship acts. In this IN
stance thsir rights which are more ancient than
Parliament .tself. are reinforced by the Royal
Commission snd TIE Prime Minister They are
invited tS propose effective remedies for existing
lawlsssnsss IN the Church II they respond TO
the appeal ard make definite recommendations
for the prevention OF current disorders. Parlia-
mont VIII be forced 10 face the responsibility OF
approving or rejecting the amended rubrics and
laws. The bsre possibility Of an agreement by
Conversations upon a new Ornaments rubric
sufices set the House OF Commons shivering
let Erastisnisn be what # may.
Parliament has the power Of making and
revising the law for the Church, but shrinks
from exercising it, The House Of Commons Is
made up OF Churchmen, Roman Catholics Nom
conformists Jews. agnostics and atheists II
might undertake TO settle abstract propositions
such as the relaxing Of an unduly rigid Act Of
Uniformity. the abolition of episcopal veto
on the prosecution of offending clergymen or
the reconstruction OF the courts. or the substi-
tuition Of deprivation of a benefce for in1prIs-
onment a means OF discipline Certainly r.
IS not a body discuss and determine such
issues as are raised by the Royal Commission
as. for example. the Athanasian Greed PRAYERS
for the dead the practice OF habitual confession
the use Of incense. altar lights and sacramental
Festinents' genuhecuons. veneration Of images
ana roods hymns TO the Virgin, stoups for holy
water. the blessing of palms. the washing Of
the altar with wine and water and devotions
before the reserved Sacrament. It is hardly
credible that elective body so mixed in its
religious opinions take up in detail
these controversial matters and undertake TO
settle what shall be the regular order Of wor-
ship in the English Church The choice between
oath and affirmation nearly drove the Commons
distracted In Bradlaughs time. What would
happen II a House in which Churchmen form a
low the lead OF a majority strongly Noncon-
tormist in adapting the rubrics of the sixteenth
century and the principles OF the Reformation
TO twentieth century requirements? There are
some things beyond the reach OF marty cau
cuses and Liberal and labor federations and the
regulation OF public worship and private con-
science is one OF them. Disestablishment would
be a foregone conclusion If Parliament were TO
undertake either 10 veto TO amend rubrtcs or
laws recommended by the Convocations.
There has been indeed revel Of individual
ism In the public worship of the English Church
Every vicar considers himself at liberty to de-
eide for himself what ornaments were In use
during the second year OF Edward VI and MANY
other controversial points of ritual When pros
ecutions have been ordered there have been
endless chickering's over ambiguous rubrics and
ancient usages which have never been authori-
taively interpreted. The only resource If op-
portunisIn has been good advice from the bish-
ops when they affect 10 be powerless TO enforce
their decisions. The disorders and irregularities
have increased until almost as many lawb-eak-
ers are reported by the Royal Commission among
the benehced clergy as there are in the peniten-
taTles. in this emergency, when the energies Of
great religious communion are engrossed With
what seem 10 Free Churchmen and agnost;cs
trivial details, the Convocations called upon