ANGLICAN CHURCH CRISIS

Evening Star, Issue 19777, 30 January 1928, Page 2

ANGLICAN CHURCH CRISIS

REFERENCE BY BISHOP MARDS In the course of lus sermon at St. Paul’s yesterday, Bishop Richards made the following reference to the crisis in the Anglican Church at Home: — At the present time there is something like a crisis in the church at Home through the rejection of the Prayer Book by the House of Commons, and through reported conversations at Malines. With regard to the former of these. .1 have already commented in this cathedral. With regard to the latter—the conversations—they have been evidently attacked in party spirit by men who understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. The alarmist statements about the transubstantiation and bringing the Church of England under the Papacy I regard as pure rubbish. We have not the full text of the report, and it is impossible to speak of the “conversations’’ in detail. The men who took part in them, however, are not likely to have been in any way unfaithful to the church. And the Archbishop of Canterbury, to whom the report was preis one who is trusted absolutely by churchmen of all .shades of opinion throughout our communion. What we need specially at the present time is patience, and wo want to learn more and more perfectly the lesson of prayer. We want to lift up our hearts to God earnestly that the church may be guided by the Holy Spirit towards that unity which we all desire: that she may rise above the storms of party faction, of worldliuess, and of indifference: that we may serve onr Lord with greater devotion and with purer love. So will Ho again awaken as in days of old: His power will be manifested; and He will bring ns at length to the haven where we would be.