The Irish standard., 1913-06-07
Congregationalists. Episcopalians
and Presbyterians Admit
Trouble.
Various Questions of Centralized
Authority, Union Semi
nary and
Episcopalian Catholicity Have Oc-
casioned Quite Serious
Situations.

Three important religious denomina-
tions, says the New York Sun, are at
present divided by serious controver-
sizes. They are the Congregational.
Episcopal and Presbyterian churches.
They represent millions of actual
members, while if adherents be in
cluded they form third of all Prot
estants in America.
Curiously, the most Independent of
religious bodies, the Congregational
church, is divided over the subject of
centralized authority. Efforts are be-
ing made by some members to create
what others describe as real legis-
lative control and there has been pro-
posed a Secretary of a National Coun-
Gil, whose duties as outlined in can
onical phrose set up a one-man gov
ernment to the extent that Episco-
palians and Presbyterians say they
would not. tolerate for moment.
BY the language they employ the
casual reader of newspapers gets the
notion that Episcopalians are disput-
ing about the name Of their Church,
whether it shall continue to be called
the Protestant Episcopal Church or
4 shall be, known as~the American Cath
olic Church or by some other name.
q
with merely taking the words .Prot-
estant Episcopal off the title page of
the Book of Common Prayer. AS a
matter of fact, so the leaders on both
sides admit, the real controversy is
not over the name at all, but is
clash between the Roman Catholic
conception and the Protestant or
evangelical conception of a Church.
Union Theological Seminary of New
York has captured the New York
Presbytery and in effect puts up the
question to the General Assembly of
Presbyterians, so all agree, whether
it and New York shall rule or wheth-
er the supreme body Of the whole
Church shall rule. This is the surface
battle. The real conflict is doctrinal.
The controversy includes such ques-
tions as: Did Christ have virgin
birth? Did he rise from the dead in
bodily form? Did Lazarus rise? What
part of the Bible is to be believed and
what not?
Congregational Policy.
Three years ago at National Coun-
Gil held in Boston committee was
named to recommend improvements in
Congregational policy. There was a
cry that more central authority was
needed, which, of course, must act
without abridging the rights of an in
dividual church in the slightest meas
ure. It was also said the missionary
societies ought to be differently con-
stituted. Some wanted a Secretary Of
a National Council who should give
his entire time to general work, a
head to an organization that has long
thought it wanted none.
A report originally made by the
committee for the Congregational
churches to consider and criticize Gre
ated the secretaryship already men,
toned and defined the duties in such
terms that it has often been declared
that not man in America can be
found to fill it. The Secretary propo-
sition seems to be dead, however, and
a modified report of the committee
has been put forth.
The Presbyterian Trouble.
The trouble among Presbyterians.
while arising from different cause,
is no less serious. For year Union
Theological Seminary has sought
through it's officers and faculty mem
bers to gain control of the New York
Presbytery. In the process it has sew
eral times started controversies that
have been carried to the General As
sembly, which has reaff1rmed the
Presbyterian Confession of Faith. Not
withstanding, Union Seminary has
kept on until it now dominates the
New York Presbytery in almost every
part. The commissioners from New
York, at the moment setting in the
General Assembly at Atlanta. include