THE ANGLIGAN CHURCH AS ESTAB-LISHED IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12240, 8 April 1903, Page 7

THE ANGLIGAN CHURCH AS ESTABLISHED IN ENGLAND.

TO TUT R 'Ton. Sir, — correspondent, signed "An English Protestant," in your paper, is to be congratulated in his honest and straightforward opinion—would to God all the members in the Church of England in this century worn Protestant, for it would not be divided against itself, with its doom looking down upon it! The Established Church in England is cornposed of two src.'ions. viz ! Henry VfTT. Church, with its Roman ritual, minus the Pope; and the Church of the Reformation at a subsequent period; or, in ecclesiastical' phraseology, Evangelistic and Ritualistic.. Prior to the Jesuitical influence of Maning, Nowmnn Pn-v - •••' oil- » of Mi , .. tal stamp, the Established Church in En eland was a strong body, and looked up to by all denomination; throughout the world. In those days the clergy wore a spotless white surplice reaching down to ihe ankles. This robe was worn during the rendering of the lessons, .at the desk, and at the altar, after which th» surplice was exe'i*" ired for the " black (Geneva) gown." Then the clergymen ascendf' tli'i. m'pit and "reached a " discourse." Man millinery which is now worn by the Anglican clergy shows the weak nature of the priests. Loyal good Churchmen have lose all sympathy with the priestcraft and sacerdotalism within the Church, thus rendering tho Established Church a prey to disestablishment, and this will como as certain as possible; yes, and at no distant date. The reasons for doing so are numerous. I shall close this letter by a positive assertion: The membership of the Established Church of England is a lomr way below SO percent, of the population in England.—l am, etc., _ CIIUHCmtAN.