The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-02

insist that those who do not find liturgy and symbols (such as the ring ih marriage and the sign of the cross at baptism) helpful must use them. There are services conducted by clergyman of tho Episcopal church in which vestments are not worn and the Prayer Book not used. But 1t does insist that for many people a liturgy and symbols are very help full. and that their use is entirely proper.
 The Episcopal church is not Puri- tanic. Almost from the beginning of Christianity there have been two op- posing ideas. one that Christianity demands that a man shall make 8 right use of worldly things, and the other, that worldly things are in themselves essentially evil. Most ,protestants hold to the latter view. Some of them. as the Dunkards, go so far as to compel women to wear uniformly ugly bonnets Instead of pretty hats; some insist that 1t is wicked for men to wear neckties to church, that hooks and eyes must be used instead of buttons and that bug gies shall not be fitted with dash boards. Among the protestants with whom We are especially familiar this Puritanic tendency has taken the form of advocating Sunday ''blue laws" forbidding card playing and dancing. and, in general, more or less approximating the saying attributed to Wesley, "any amusement is of it's very nature sinful" The Episcopal church, on the contrary, holds that
 view of life which seems to have been exemplified by our Lord at the wed- ding feast at Cana of Galilee, that man is free to enjoy all the fullness of life in the right way. It insists that one must keep himself holy and pure. but 1t believes that holiness and purity are not in any wise inconsis- tent with so-cailed worldly pleas- ures"
 'Is the Episcopal church protes- tant?" In the end, 1t all depends upon what you mean by protestant" If by protestant you mean like some particular protestant denomination. then the Episcopal church Is not protestant If by protestant, you mean the minister must wear a frock coat. white tie and silk hat. must sit in the chancel with his legs crossed, and must call the men of his conere- gation brother" and the women sister" then the Episcopal church Is not protestant If by protestant you mean having long, dull, stupid prayers, hymns set to dance. music and ranting sermons. then the Epis- copal church is not protestant. If by protestant you mean that amuse- ments are sinful and that . man who is happy is pretty surely on his way to the lower regions, then the Episco- pal church Is Aot protestant. If by protestant you mean "hating Roman Catholics" presenting "papists," and connfving at the murder of priests, then the Episcopal church is cer- tainly not protestant. for 1t believes the very essence of Christianity is to love not merely your friends, but also your enemies.
 But if professionalism is a firm, kindly. effectiye rejection of the er- TOTS of Roman Catholicism then the Episcopal church is protestant. For 1t rejects the Roman Catholic polity with It's teaching of papal infallfbil- ity. It rejects the Roman Catholic worship in Latin, language not un- derstaidable by the people. It re- jects the typical Roman Catholic doc
 trines; Papal infallibility. the im- maculate conception, the invocation of saints. the authority of tradition, and transsubstantiation. If this be then the Episcopal church was right when 1t called It. self, Is right when 1t now continues to call itself The Protestant Episco- pal church.