THE PRAYER BOOK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 May 1928, Page 9

THE PRAYER BOOK.

REVISION' IN N.FAV ZEALAND. “THE RUBICON CROSSED. ’ ’ “It seems we have crossed the Rubicon and it, is likely we will have our own New Zealand Prayer Book,” said Canbn Percival James, in iSt. Mary’s Cathedral, Auckland, referring to the recent unanimous decision of the General .Synod with regard to the fundamental clauses of the constitution of the Anglican Church in New Zealand. The Synod, he said, has made its own mind clear, and would seek legal enactment to put the matter beyond dispute. that the New Zealand IChurel could make her own. revision of the formularies under the m'ost ample safeguards to prevent any departure from the doctrinal standard of the 'Book of Common Prayer. “I am sure we will not decide to adopt in toto the English revision, said Canon James, “even if that book survives the ordeal of the House of Commons, which is doubtful. Other branches 01 the Anglican Church have their own prayer books—in Scotland, Ireland. Canada, South Africa and the United States—and doubtless other provinces of the Church will make their own revisions. I believe it is not only good, but even necessary, that the genius of New Zealand Anglicanism should'find expression in a distinctively New Zealand prayer book. PARTY (STRIPE DEPLORED.

It the Church should, undertake the task of revision, the essential condition of success was that, party strife should be kept out of it. Unfortunately in England two things had been ii terming!.cd which should have been kept distinct. These two were the non-controversial revision of a six-teenth-century book to adapt it to the utt(ls of the twentieth century, and the question of ecclesiastical discipline. “iSince the days of Selwyn,” the preacher continued, ‘('the traditional

type at - churehmanship of the great mass of churehfolk in New Zealand has been a sturdy, definite, middle-way Anglicanism, thoroughly loyal to the" Book of Common Prayer. T will not deny that we have done jess harm here than elsewhere.

“If we compare ourselves with the Church in England, or nearer at hand, in some of the Australian dioceses, we must need feel thankful for our comparative freedom from party strife and bitterness. If we are to Iqave (our Church more ready than we found her to face the problems of a new age. we eiaim to >be allowed to advance without the crippling- handicap of internal strife and faction.

“Signs are not wanting that party bitterness is creeping into our household. To crush these ugly beginnings, it is time for the great mass of central Church people in New Zealand to declare quite plainly that they have no rcom here for the emissaries of those extremists in England who, while remaining in the Church, treat, Anglicanism as it has existed since the Reformation vrath open scorn. “EXTREMIST’S OF TWO TYPES.”

“Triiey repudiate the Anglican tradition in which people have been brought, up in New Zealand; their sympathies and loyalties are Latin, not Anglican. They aim at a crude revival of the Mass and the' confessional, and a progressive ifomanising of our services by the introduction of medieval superstitions and idolatrouser ites. “Nor is there room in the Anglican Church in New Zealand for extremists of the opposite type, who disgrace the name of Protestant, making it stand for a negative, barren rejmdiation of everything that might enrich the corporate worship 'of the (Church and quicken the spiritual life of her members. There are no worse enemies of our Church than people of this narrow, persecuting temper, who arc always watchful for some pretext for raising that favourite cry of ignorant fanaticism, “No Popery. ’’ iSueli people have little sympathy with Anglicanism: they are no more loyal to its" tradition than the opposite extremists, for thc.v deny the comprehensiveness which is cue of the noblest elements in our heritage. ’ ’ Canon James urged his bearers to ’.ke the advice of Dean Vaughan “Don’t let anyone put a label on vou. ’’ They should not be called ‘“High Churchmen,” or “Dow -Churchmen” ’ he said. It was enough to be New Zea. lnnd Churchmen, loyal to the best traditions of the Church.