The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-01
RESTlR|CK
AND B{|SsEL
Bishop and Priest on
Genesis of Church
Of England.
Honolulu, December 81, 1906.

L X.
Dear sEr: Your open sitter in yes
terday's Advertiser requests me te
-::naf lila 4puxnose of contro-
versy, but on behalf of historical
truth and accuracy" by what Act OF
Parliament the Church of England
Jeanne into existence.
In answer beg to say that it af-
fords me great pleasure to satisfy your
request for either purpose.
You can not be unacquainted with the
fact that the Church of England is
meant when there is question of ''the
| established church,; that is, ''the
church established by law" or by the
English Parliament. This was off1cial-
+! ly done in 1884, when King Henry VIII.
| was declared the supreme head of the
chufe1s-ee- his realrn. sThen the love-
sick King of England could not obtain
in Rome the divorce he coveted from
his virtuous wife, Catherine of Ara
gon. one of his courtfers, Thomas
CAoAhWOlIs SltSSNolCu HILL d IodiIdk
remedy for all his troubles. He should
follow the examples. eff the German
princes of that time. who broke away
from Rome. This idea pleased Henry
very much, and since 1881 he works at
its .rsalizati2n: He w01ld enjoy this
way. besides the civil authority, also
the authority and the privileges held
by the Pope.
All he bad to do was TO make law
TO that effect Matters were ripe for
this end in 1884 The bill abolishing
the power of the Pope within the En-
glish kingdom was introduced into the
Commons in the beginning of March,
was transmitted to the House of Lords
a week later. was passed by them and
received the royal assent before the
end of. that month. It was styled AN
Act CSncerning the Kings Highness to
be the Supreme Head Of the Church OF
England and to Have Authority to r.
form land Redress all Errors, Here's IS
and Abuses IN the Same"
Charch property freely distrib> ed
among the legislators won them over.
to fae Kings plan. Two men, John
Fisher and Thomas Morris, who re-
fused to prostitute their consciences for
the Kings wishes, paid for it by dyins
in h535 on the scaffold.
Thus. history teaches, England was
separated from Rome. This decree
off PatliaaEAnt declaring the bearer Of
tlss Etngfisa ctown to be also the SOW
ereign in spiritual matters, has been
reaffirmed since several times. On
the strength of it the English SOW
ereigns have since 1884 ruled their
-. yr icy-
stoned their Parliament to take charge
of spiritual affairs, to adopt or modify
the Common Prayer Book. the articles
of faith the oath of office, the liturgy.
the ritual; in short, they have had, and
are having yet, Church established
by law or by the will of Parliament
Now, as to the theological value OF
such N establishment, I explained my
opinion the other day in my commune
cation to the Star.
Thanking you for the opportunity you
gave, me to contribute this much to
the cause of truth, and remaining at
your orders for answering any other
questions you may have to ask in this
connection. am. right reverend sir,
yours respectfully,
JAMES C. BEISSEL.
BISHOP RESEARCHES REJOINDER.
To the Rev. James C. Beissel.
Dear Sir: Thank you for your re-
ply to my open letter which appeared /
in the Star tonight; but You have en-
tirely failed to answer my question.
Your statement was: 1.-THE Church of
England came into existence by an act
Of Parliament I asked you to state
by what act of Parliament this was
done. Knowing that the Church of En- |
CLAM. was not brought into existence |
BIZ an act of Parliament, I was per- |
fectly aware that you could not name /
such an act.
In reply to my question you give first 81 |
brief account of the disannulment (not |
divorce, properly speaking) of the mar
ria ge of Henry VIII. which he con-
tracted with his brothers widow,
which marriage was contrary to canon
aw. 1 have nothing to say in favor
If Henry VIII, whom I despise as
much as you can do, and upon whom
ook as one of the worst enemies the
Church of England ever had, because
,e robbed her and weakened her.
You then name an act of Parliament:
Concerning the Kings Highness to
,e the Supreme Head Of the Church of
England
To this I will reply: Henry VIII.
ould not have been declared supreme
lead of the Church of England, if the
hurch had not been already in exist
nee. Parliament was legislating for
he church in existence as it had often
one before, and was not legislating to
ring 1t into existence. 1t was author
ling the transfer of the headship from
foreign bishop to an English king
IT is important to note here that the
fshops and clergy in convocation had
greed to accept this headship so far
: the law of Christ viii allow which
hubert Burke, Roman Catholic, adj
hts destroys the force of the act. IL
, well also to note that this act re-
,aiped in force only until 1853. being
epealed at that time, and it was not
avived by Elizabeth, who had per- S
=