New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-11-24

lt4lNfn M0liN Dc dFcAANA "a N+ai- aeN''N
would renew her first loving zeal. OF
the Biblical basis ana historic rights OF
the papacy there can he no question
Owing 10 the transgression 10y the popes
OF the limits Of their jurisdiction, neees-
sitv was laid upon Protestants at the
Reformation 10 organize nstlonai
churches entirely apart from papal tur-
isdicticn. But when. later, Protestants
went So far as TO deny all the historic
rights ~ the Papacy Protestanism put
itself in a false position, which must al
t.matelv he abandoned. The dominion
of the Papacy extends throughout rho
world over the only ecumenical church.
and reaches hack in unbrokea succession
Il ST Peter. The Pope as the successor
Of St Peter is the executive head Of IN"
Church end his prinaCy docs not depend
on any particular theory as to the OK
tent or subject matter OF his jurisdiction.
n is not apart from the apostolic MIN
istrv. but in union with IL. The con
stituents OF a complete unity are the
Pope. the ministry and the people
threefold cord which should not he
broken. At present in the Roman
AnurGn tntFf l. NV SUN naAAA9s AfA -
bishops are under tie absolute dominion
os the Pope. as witness the melancholy
situation I'm France, where the councils
of the episcopate have on several occa-
sions been overruled. The greatest bar
rier to the reunion of Christendom would.
ia our authors judgment, be removed
as soon as the Papacy was sustained
by truly representative council II
bishops and constitutionally restricted 20
executive functions, with such rights of
instiative and veto in legislative matters
as obtain in all modern civil govern
menis.
The ancient symbols. the Apostles
Greed and the Nicene Creed. should sat
isfy all req sonable demands of Catholic
belief. and the churches should refrain
from laying any unnecessary doctrinal
burden on the people. Professor Briggs
comes from his sedulous examination OF
the divergent views held by churchmen
respecting the sacraments with the as
surance that a virtual unity can be
deduced from the seeming chaos. lnas-
much as Greeks and Romans agree as 10
the seven sacramento. the Protestants
should abandon their opposition, only In
sisting that baptism and the Euchar;s'
stand by themselves as sacraments of
sacraments. and that the other five be
named sacraments in a secondary sense
sacred institutions OF the Christian
Church established by Jesus Christ and
HIS Apostles As the Church Of England
no longer demands uniformity of doe
rsaA ffa al ~
also "a regulated liberty of worship
Some paths TO reunion are already open
and Professor Briggs cannot conceal MS
conviction that the acceptance OF me
historic episcopate by non-episcopal
bodies is highly desirable. To be more
definite. he affirms that il is the glory
Of the Anglican communion that. after
generations Of Theological conflict II
presents one national church in. the
midst Of the world where Catholic and
; Protestant, Lutheran and Reformed
Ca!vinist and ArIninan may feel equally
~ home. And il is the glory 81 tie
Protestant Episcopal Church of America
that. in addition TO all this, IL has grad
uaIly adopted the best features OF
Presbyterianism and CongrogationalisIn
80 that those who stand for the old
historical Puritani,m find in IL petter
type OF Prcsbyterianism, one nearer the
ideals 81 the seventeenth century PuTi-
tans than in those ecclesiastical bodies
which, without sufficient reason, per-
pctuate the Presbyterian schism. which
indeed had its origin i'm a brave and
noble contest against prelaticai tyranny,
hut which has now 10 co with mother
Church opening ner arms to welcome
back all her children under the one
banner If church unity, and on
platform which no ancient Presbyterian
could have refused.
The precision with which the author
suggests a plan Of union for the Prot
estant Episcopal and the Presbyterian
churches in America might al first glance
suggest the untrammellcd simplicity ~
such az would, in Professor Charles ".
ShieIds's phrase. pursue cathoicity
only hy the methods of a UNCONVENTIONAL
policy" but he is not Of those Indeed.
his recommendation that Presbyterian
+ clergymen bc admitted 10 the ministry Of
the Protestant Episcopal Church with
out rcordination is somewhat in advance
oi any official assurances - far given
Even toward that large number of be-
levers who distinguish between New
Testament Christianity and Catholic in
stitutions. and prefer the former. Dr
Briggs is as induigcnt as his churchly
presuppositions will permit These ar
rant dissrnters Will on their part. kindle
al tho prospect, remote though il may
seem, 81 a vast corporate unity Of Chris
tians. The ancient distinction between
tine invisible church and the visible
church viii still have weight with them.
and they Viii continue 10 prefer a theory
81 orders spiritual enough 10 assign TO A
Catherine Adorna, a Catherine Booth
and a Dwight Moody a place in the
mediatorial priesthood Perhaps they
viii not De blamed If they persist also
~ their dislike for what they consider
the bluncoring. not 10 say irrcVerent.
oNeGesis that would reduce our Lords
raHer for the unity OF His disclplcs IA
the level Of petition for the universal
adoption 81 a given ecclesiastical tech
nique. But the theses advanced nv Pro-
lessor Briggs are offered 10 men Of good
VIII IN all commUnOns who. when they
nave made their exceptions. will IN
doubleday welcome the book as = urac