PRAYER BOOK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 258, 1 August 1928, Page 11

PRAYER BOOK

AGITATION AGAINST REVISION REKINDLED FIRES OF PASSION BISHOP OF DURHAM ON THE POSITION (United -Press Association.— -By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Australian Press Assn. —United her vice.) London, July 30. The Bishop of Durham says that the extreme unpopularity of Anglo-Catho-licism disclosed by the House of Commons debate merits the gravest consideration. If the Anglo-Catholic clergy have created such a deadweight of suspicion and dislike against themselves, their good influence must largely be paralysed. “I have never concealed my belief that the clergy's lawlessness discredited their spiritual claims and lessened their moral influence. Lawlessness has developed into cunning and sophistry, emptying legal obligations, even ordination vows, of their validity. 111-faith is infecting the very sanctuary of truth. The character of the Parliamentary discussions diorries tlie subject into larger connections. It is freely admitted that the Establishment itself is jeopardised. Tlie agitation against the Revised Prayeft Book has rekindled the tires 'of religious passion to an unexpected degree. “Sir W. Joynsou-Hicks is a thorough* going Erastian. His profession of faith- is vitiated by linguistic ambiguity, inaccurate statement, o. fact, the suppresson of important truth, and the suggestion of important error. Disestablishment is noc a political issue. Responsible politicians generally shrink from it. The relations between Church and State must be cleared of this confusion, not allowing the repeated gross violation of the Church s rights as the rejection of the 1 layer Book implies. To acquiesce in such a subordination of Churc. .to State is to allow the claim of Caesar to oven ide the claim of God. Whatever fortunes be reserved for the Church of Englund, may God in mercy preserve it from the ignominious security of „a tame Church in f secularised State.