Year: 1878




decidedly with those under their jurisdic-
tion." What he means by energetic action he
explains by saying that so far as be is
concerned, he would call on any
clergyman In his diocese to show
cause why his license should not
with this new reformation. This is the pre-
late whose indulgence in Hibernian jocular-
ity in the house of lords rendered a cele-
brated speech of his against the church
association such a racy piece Of satirical
eioquence, although the occasion which
called it forth arose from the decided action
of the council of that society. His lordship,
however, can exhibit spirit of persecution
after his own fashion, for he does not scru-
pie to declare that il he found any clergy
man who should happen to be "under his
Jurisdiction" a defenseless curate, for ex-
ample, he would deal with him summarily
by revoking his license, If he dared, from
conscientious motives, to give such support
10 the rival bishop as the being present at
any of his church services would
afford. 1t is far cry to Ephesus.
But, nevertheless, we all under
stand how widely applicable is the we'll
known saying, 'Great Is Diana of the Ephe-
slams" When the craft is in danger the
slversmiths very justly and very naturally
become instinctively alive to their duty.
This opposition by Bishop Gregg has com
pletely fiuttered the orthodox bishops. 1t
would be amusing, were it not too serious, to
read the debate in convocatioE on this sub
ject. The bishop of st. Adams complained
that DR.. Gregg, not being properly conse-
Grated, was only "a person" who officially
undertook to exercise Episcopal rites lin
my diocese" What really seems to annoy
their lordships is not that DR.. Gregg should
form new sect, but that he should call
himself "a bishop" and as such exercise
Episcopal functions thus necessarily setting
up an inconvenient rivalry between himself
and the right reverned bench. All COLI
scientious members of the church of Eng
and will regret deeply that DIR. Gregg should
have been led to sscsde from the national
church, but they will still more deeply re-
gret the cause which has urged him to adopt
this painful course. The new bishop of the
new community states plainly that his only
reason for abandoning his former position
was that increase of ritualisiic prsc ices which
has alienated the minds of many of her
children from the established church. Had
he seeded like the late Mr.. Molyneux. and
been content, as he was, to conduct public
worship in StJames' hall, or any other pace
of the same kind, we should never in all
probability, have heard anything about him
from the bishops. 1t is not the fact of his
secession, or the number OF his followers,
that have aroused their lordships attention
The irritation that has worked up the Fps



arises from the simple fact that be claims
Episcopal power. But the bishops will not
receive much sympathy from the great body
of the people of England. They have, by
their own supineness, indecislon and conni-
vance, brought this evil, for it is an evil,
uron the church of England.


Up to this very hour the bishops never de
nounced ritualism as they lately have been
denouncing DR.. Gregg's pretsnsions Their
lordships seem to claim an Episcopal mon
opoly, and hence they regard all intruders
as little less than lmpos,eIs. But the laity
will not long be content 10 have public wor-
ship debased by the superstition and idolatry
OF ritualism, just because the bishops prefer
to have an easy time of it, Whether
the fact remains that he offers to
the dissatisfied laity an opportunity of
cutting the Gordian knot without waiting
for the more tedious and protracted process
of legal or Episcopal disentanglement. Sen
sible people, who desire to worship God ''in
simplicity and godly sincerity" will not
pause TO inquire whether Bishop Gregg's
Episcopal credentials bear the imprimatur
of her majesty, or whether any dean and
chapter elected him under the formal pro-
cess of congo d'elire. All that the much en-
during laity care for is to have a foIm of
worship from which paplstry is eliminated,
and wherein the mid;eval doctrines and Ger.
emonies of the church of Rome shall not be
publicly exhibited in spite OF their earnest
entreaties. If disestablishment or disrsp-
ton comes, posterity will lay the blame, and
most justly, too, upon the timidity of the
bishops in regard to rtualistlc practices
Why can not they as easily revoke the ii
cense of disloyal and defiant curate who
sympathizes with DR.. Manning. as that of
curate who favors the movement of Dr.
Gregg? In the latter case, whatever the
amount of ecclesiastical informality, the
soul is not cheated of its spiritual food
deprived of all the blessings of the gospel by
the introduction of mummery and falsehood
which are as much opposed to the teachings
of the church of England as they are plainly
repugnant to the doctrines of the Bible.