CHURCH CRISIS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 22, 27 January 1928, Page 8

CHURCH CRISIS

"NO WAY OF ESCAPE" PRAYER BOOK REVISION THE SACKED ELEMENTS "I cannot see any escapfc from disestablishment of the Church of England from the State. Yet, however disastrous this is to the country, it may actually end in a richer life for the Church," said Archbishop Julius, formerly Primate of New Zealand, speaking to a "Christchurch Sun" reporter. "Authority was given the Church to revise the Prayer Book," stated the Archbishop, "and they have been twenty years at it. Tho bishops have produced on the whole a very remarkable work, with very careful regard to what was ancient, both as to language and as to liturgical history. The revised Prayer Book was passed by an enoTmous majority in the Church Assembly, all the bishops except three and a great preponderance of the clergy and laity voting for it. Then it was submitted to Parliament, which can accept or reject it, but which cannot revise or amend the Bill. "Most unexpectedly, Parliament rejected the Bill and referred it back to

the Church. The position is thus full of confusion. No one tan question the right of Parliament, and all its members, whether churchmen or not, to vote on the matter according to their conscience or opinion) but it is difficult to see how the Church can mako anydrastic changes in the revision iit the bidding of Parliament. . "This means either that Parliament must accept the revision with su'dh modifications as the Church may propose, or the confusion must end in disestablishment of' the Church. There can be no question that the opposition is directed chiefly to those clauses which' permit: reservation of the sacred elements for the use of the sick." The Archbishop explained /the Anglican and Roman Catholic uses of the elements of communion. In the Roman Catholic Church, the bread and wine are believed to be miraculously changed into the body and blood of the risen Lord, and as such are adored by worshippers. After the ceremony, the unused elements are placed in a special compartment near the altar for future

use. In Protestant churches, the doctrine of transubstantiation, as the Eoinan Catholic belief is called, is not officially hold. Officially the Church of England uses the bread, and wine as symbols, nothing more. The unused after the Sacrament has been administered, are consumed, but some Anglicans, the so-called Anglo-Catholics, believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, and after the Sacrament do not consume the remaining bread and wine, but reserve it. "Up till the present time, this practice has not been legal, though it is widely spread, even in the Christchurch Diocese. The revised Prayer Book legalised the practice, not because the Church of England as a whole wishes to commit itself to the doctrine, but simply to legalise the practice of some of its priests." The Archbishop explained that the Church was very wide, and admitted men of all shades of opinion. Under the revised book, the priests could or could not reserve the elements for tho use of the sick, taking whichever course conscience dictated to them. The bishops who made the revision were therefore not supporting the AngloCatholic position, but were merely giving these members of the AngloCatholie communion a legal standing. '' The danger of the present position, is, on the one hand, that the Protestant feeling is strongly against the practice of reserving the Sacrament, and on the other hand that Anglo-Catholics will certainly not be content with a reservation such as is set down in the revised Prayer Book. Accordingly,

both sections are opposed to the revised book. "The changes which have been made since the matter was referred back to the Church, so far as I can understand, do not withdraw permission to reserve the aac.ed elements, but do safeguard the use of the reserved Sacrament for administration to the sick only. In the Roman Catholic Church, the reserved'elements are used in several other ways. On this particular question the first revised book was not clear. The necessary safeguards are. now included, and beyond this itiis not likely that the Church will go. It is extremely doubtful whether Parliament, in its present will accept the amended revision, and it is: certain that the Church cannot'be content with the old book. With all its beauty, it has many imperfections, and does not meet the requirements, liturgical or otherwise, of the present day. If Parliament refuses permission to revise the Prayer Book when the Church wishes to do so, I cannot see any escape from disestablishment."

wise the aged mother of one of the airmen. These young men. sacrificed their lives not only in the interests of but also^for the honour of New Zealand, and, to my mind, New Zealand is in honour bound to support their dependants. No one will gainsay their daring and bravery, and had they succeeded they would certainly have been'acclaimed as heroes. I cannot conceive anyone holding back because they failed in their great adventure. "This appeal is being made throughout New Zealand, and I sincerely trust that it will result in a substantial sum being raised which, when invested, will ensure adequate provision being made for both widows and the mother of one of the lost airmen." "Mr. Troup added that the street day would probably be held next week, dopending upon whether the memorial cards could be got ready in time; The design, he said, was simple but particularly striking. One shilling would be asked for them, so that those who