New-York tribune., 1908-06-28
LAMBETH CONFERENCE
ANGLICAN COMMUNION.
Bishop Doane and american Dele
gates against Organization.
Especial by French Cable to The Tribune

Especial by Erench Cabe 10 Inc irlpune-
rCopyright. 1905. by The Tribune Association
London, June 27.-The Pan-Anglican prelates
and delegates disporting themselves To-Day
at garden party at Lambeth Palace, after
week Of varied discussion and entertainments
The decennial Lambeth conference viii open
week hence with preliminary service III can
terbury Cathedral and luncheon at st. Angus
tinus College, and the bishops will plunge INTO
many highly controversial questions, with the
responsibility for reporting upon them after pro-
longed committee sessions.
One is the question of reunion and intercom-
munion with other churches, Episcopal and
non-Episcopal, and another is organization
within the Anglican communion through the
formation of central consultation body ana
tribunal of reference. These matters are more
difficult than the various aspects Of social SCI
ence which the Pan-Anglcan Congress has been
discussing with open door
Bishop Doane will be among the earliest
speakers, and he is likely to give an authorita-
tive expression of the opinion Of the American
bishops, who are opposed to any sacrifice of the
independence of the outside religious bodies con-
nected with the English Church This I'M
portant subject has already been discussed at
the congress by Silas McBee and other 1nhuen-
tial American churchnen. They hold that any
attempted organization Of the Anglican COM
munion would narrow rather than broaden the
horizon and tend to restrict the liberties of the
independent churches and secure, through the
central body, or tribunal Of reference, closer
definitions of dogma and discipline. They find
an analogy in the establishment of the perma-
nent court Of arbitration at The Hague by the
friendly, helpful relations of England and Amer
lea, when such service would have been impos-
sible if there had been previous Anglo-Ameri-
compact.
They assert that the value of the English and
American churches depends upon their inde-
pendence, friendship and capacity to unite the
Christian people of their nations. These church.
men from the West emphatically declare that
the American church cannot combine with the
state church in organizing an Anglican COM
munion with centralized agencies. because,
first it believes self-government to be essential
to the existence of the universal church. and.
second, because the iaity not represented in
the administration of the English establishment.
The American bishops will find natural allies
in the Scottish. Irish and colonial bishops in re-
sistins measures for Capitalization. The Pan
Anglican Congress itself has helped to broaden
the vision of those taking part in the debates.
and the bishops in secret conference will be
strongly Influenced by it.
The editor of THE Churchman" has not only
read five papers TO the congress and made
numerous addresses outside. but is also acting
as a member of the commission for preparing
the programme for the third ecumenical con-
ference of missions which will be held in Edin-
burgh in 1910. This commission will soon meet
at Oxford for weeks conference, with seven
teen delegates from America the United King
dom and the Continent. Mr.. McBee has the
powerful support of public men and various
Christian bodies in America. and is seeking to
interest the Archbishop of Canterbury and
Scottish and other bishops in what he expects
will be the greatest and broadest mission as
semby ever held. l. n. F.