The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-13
RELIGIOUS UNION
AGAIN DISCUSSED
Local Views on Project to
Merge Episcopal and Cath
oIiC Churches.
FATHER KELLY APPROVES
DEAN BREWSTER Thinks PLAN
is IMPRAcTlcABLE.

The cft-Giscussed proposition of re-
uniting the Protestant Episcopal and
Roman Catholic churches is again be-
ing agitated in the east to the extent
that a society has been formed having
such an end in view, The New York
World yesterday sent out kilograms to
prominent clersymen of both churches
asking for an expression relative to the
movement with a view to ascertaining
whether or not such a reunion were
possible.
The following message was sent to
Bishop Lawrence Seaman. OF the
Catholic diocese of Salt Lake:
New York, Feb. II. 1908.
Bishop Lawrence Seaman, Salt
Lake, Utah.
The Anglo Roman union, society
seeking to reunite Protestant EpiscO-
pal and Roman Catholic churches or
ganized here this week. Various well
known Episcopal clergymen partici-
pated. Recognition Of the primacy of
Rome advocated, Father James Paul
Francis, general of Protestant Epis-
cOpal order of atOnement at the head.
We respectfully urge you to wire at
our expense your views concerning the
possibilities Of this movement. We
make this inquiry purely in the spirit
of disclosing the prospect for the uiti-
mate success of the plan.
Editor Of The World.
Father KieIy's Views.
In the absence of Bishor Seaman.
Very Rev. Father Kiely, vicar general
Of the diocese, sent this reply to the
World:
salt Lake City, Utah. Feb. -, 1908.
Editor World New York
L am Of entire accord with any
movement which has for its object the
corporate reunion of the great Aglican
body with the historical and imper-
ishable Catholic church. The Rev.
James Paul Francis deserves the COM
mendatiOn and support of every Chris
tian who has at heart the eternal well
fare of his fellowman, and the accom-
plishment of the prayer of our Divine
Lord for dGeUrinai unity.
ID. KELLY"
A Protestant Episcopal view of the
subject was given to The Herald last
evening by the Rev. Benjamin Brew
steF. dean of ST. Marks cathedral.
Dean Brewster said that while the doc
trinal unity Of the two churches was
an ideal to be desired, such a union at
present was hardly practicable.
Rev. James Paul Francis, who, !
take it is at the head Of the movement
i'm New York" said Dean Brewster, lis
a pTesbyter i'm the Episcopal church
and q learned and good man. I have
! the pleasure of knowing him personal
/ " and, while he is an eminent the
olOgian. I am inclined to think that he
| is something of an idealist.
No Common Ground.
THE movement to reunite the Prot
/ estant Episcopal and the Catholic
l ob ic an old ono ono that I
/ do not believe will result successfully.
! / feel that the Roman Catholic church
his not in a position to unite with the
! Anglican church. because it could not
meet us on a common dOctrinal ground.
! The Roman church exacts of its con-
verts a renunciation of any former re-
/ ligisf that they may have had, and a
! reunion on such conditions would not,
of course, be agreeable TO the EpiscO-
palians.
i believe the main obstacle in the
way of a reunion of the two churches
is the fact that the Roman church does
not recognize the Anglican order. The
/ late Pope Leo XIII, in a learned paper
/ in response to a question put TO him
by a body of Episcopalians, explained
/ the reasons why the Roman church
could not recognize the Anglican or
der.
/ ION many other points the two
/ churches are very close. ] think that
the majority of the Episcopal clergy
recognize the primacy of Rome not IN
/ a monastic sense. but as the origin OF
western christendom. Much of the
creed and dOctrinal beliefs of the two
! churches are identical, and il may be
that in years to come when there is a
greater spread of learning and thought
on the subject the churches will unite.
1 think that the present agitation is a
good thing. and viii bring the two,
great churches closer together"
Archbishop Ryan Talks.
Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia,
one Of the best known of the Catholic
prelates of America, believes that a
corporate union Of the two churches in
the near future is a possibility. A press
dispatch quotes him as saying:
/ Continued on page D .