UNAUTHORISED TITLES OF COLONIAL BISHOPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6696, 4 May 1883, Page 6

UNAUTHORISED TITLES OF COLONIAL BISHOPS

; TO THE EDITOR. Sib,' —"Independent Anglican" ■'reasons from a Papistical point of Yiew ; and. "E 7 from that of secularism, in regard to tho designation of bishops. It ill-becomes people who call themselves Protestant Christians to resort to such sources for the purpose of establishing authority and legitimacy for anything which the New Testament disalloio and repudiates. The Kingdom of Chrirt--with which her ministry should be in M earnest sympathy—is not of this wcrld, and ought not, theretore, to be ruled, guided. c " dictated to by worldly policy, expediency, W usage. The Church, "which ia the pillar ground of truth," should not permit itself tote so operated upon by the world as to bring it to the level of the latter. Any Church that does this violates her allegianee to htt great Head, and mars her usefulness, i world temporising Church cannot discharge its sacred functions faitLfully. "Independent Anglican " says that " Anglican prekW are palpably superior to the other miaisteß both in ecclesiastical functions and positions " —a statement that is at variance with what the Saviour and Apostles teach on that subject. : Peris, parity, and not exaltation of one Christian ministers above another, is the Gospels and the Epistles inculcate. u? equality was strictly maintained in tbs P n " mitive Church until Rome arrogantly a!" sumed ecclesiastical power, which led to tc hierarchical form of Church governir.eo being adopted into its train of clerical ®* tinctions aud titles. From these corrupt viations from Scriptural simplicity hare erw nated the appellations, "His Holiness, & Eminence," " His Grace," "Hia Si "Right Rev. Father in God, "fi'gh' pi, &.c. A perusal of " Zion's Plea against ne lacy" would enlighten '-.Independent can," on the subject he has ventured top! his dictum. This book was written ! by " Leighton, father of Archbishop Le'S 6 . . Few prelates possessed the humility of.W'S,, ton, who would not be styled 'Tour or "My Lord." In writing toa ne pj: n . said, "Address me Robirt Leighton, burgh, and I am sure to receive your ter." In learning, piety, and g enßl . » e / for his Master's cause, Leighton M equals in the troublesome days io wto' lived. It is proper to state that it "f much reluctance he conformed to —I am, &c, Auckland, Ist May, 1833.