The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-02-27
THE MARYLAND BIBLE
SOCIETY'S CORNER
Henry VIII, Defender of the
Faith
''The Word of Our God Shall Stand Forever

fdlLn
Henry VIII was the first of the Eng
fish sovereigns to bear the title, 'De.
fender of the Faith" 1t was conferred
upon him in 1921, by Pope Leo X, in
recognition of his tract, Assertions of
the Seven Sacraments," against Mar
tin Luther, and is still retained by the
English rulers, though the grounds
upon which the title rested were cut
away long before the spectacular ca
reer of King Henry came to an end.
The group of scholars who repre-
scented the new learning in England
remained a little one through the
reign of Henry the Seventh. But the
kings death in 1909 changed their
position from insignifcance to power
and prominence. To use their own en-
thusiactic phrase, "a New Order
dawned on them in the accession of
his son. A great English historian
says: "Henry the Eighth had hardly
completed his eighteenth year when
he mounted the throne; but his manly
beauty, his bodily vigor, and skill in
arms, seemed matched by frank
and generous temper and nobleness
of political aims. Henry excelled in
so many ways that catalogue of his
achievements seems extravagant. A
mighty wrestler, mighty hunter, an
archer of the best, knight who I'M
horsed rider after rider in the tour
ney, lover Of music, poetry and art.
No human interest was foreign to
him.
Not only did the young king sup
port with enthusiasm educational re-
form in the universities, but encour-
aged those of the clergy who sought
the ordination and promotion of wor-
thy ministers, and their enforced resi-
dence in their parishes rather than at
the court. This revival of loyalty to
the task began with the bishops and
extended to the humblest parish priest.
The fiery preacher Colet, when he
was charged with heresy, was hidden
by the king to go boldly on. 1t was
at that time that Henry said to Colet:
"Let every man have his own doctor,
but this man is the doctor for me-"
Nature had endowed King Henry
with splendid gifts, but there lay be-
meath them all a boundless selfish
ness. Cardinal Wolsey said of him:
"He is prince of a most royal cour-
age; sooner than miss any part of his
will he will endanger one-half of his
Kingdom" The time came when his
indomitable will bowed all constitu
ticnal law and even the religion of his
realm to serve his purpose.
European entanglements drew Eng
land into war with France, and pre-
cipitated an attack from Scotland.
Henry emerged victorious from these
conflicts, and won not only the free
dom of the Papacy, but made Eng
land once more a great power in Eu-
rope,
1t was Thomas Wolsey, however,
who organized the new despotism,
which Henry was fastening upon his
realm, and who built it into a vast
and all-embracing system. Moreover,
it was the Cardinals long tenure of
the whole papal authority within the
realm, and the consequent suppress
sion of appeals to Rome, that led men
to acquiesce at a later time in Henry's
own claim of religious supremacy.
Proud as was Wolsey's bearing and
high as were his natural powers, he
stood before England as the mere
creature of the King.
The year 1925 ended Henry's wars
on the continent, and left him free to
pursue the pleasures of the court,
while Wolsey guided the affairs OF
state. About this time the Kings dis
satisfaction with Queen Catherine
took definite form. Appealing first to
the Cardinal, then to Rome, and final
ly to an ecclesiastical court for annul-
ment of his marriage on the basis Of
canon law, and failing in all, he at
length took matters into his own
hands, breaking finally with Rome.
A succession of marriages followed,
none yielding the King much happi-
ness. The great and only good that
came out of this sorded experience
was the establishment of free church
in England and the authorization OF
the printing and distribution of the
Holy Scriptures. "Thus He maketh the
wrath (and follies) of man to praise
Him."