HIGH CHURCH SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19625, 2 May 1927, Page 12

HIGH CHURCH SERVICES.

Sir, —I congratulate "Simplicity," "Anglican Priest" and "Churchman" nxost heartily on their contributions to the discussion on tlio above ail-important subject. As to "O. of E. Now and Always," his letter is mostly taken up with personal abuse of me r but personal abuse is never considered among intelligent and fair-minded men, argument. Let him read again carefully the above correspondence. He denies that lam serious. Will he also deny that "Churchman" is serious ? The latter's letter was obviously written in anguish, anguish at the sight of the great Church of England made, as lie so ably puts it, "a prey to false teaching, disloyalty and imposture." It is significant to me that "0. of E. Now and Always" ignores, my earnest appeal for the simple preaching of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Also Serious. Sir, —The letters of so bitter a Protestant tone go to show that those who wrote them had, despite their assertions of loyalty to the Catholic Church of England, but a very hazv conception of the Church and her Book .of Common Prayer. In the first place > the Church of England is not Protestant. Those who say she is have swallowed holus bolus tlio teaching of the Church of Rome. That body claims that, only those who are m communion with tho See of Rome are Catholic. But Rome's doctrine is not that, of tho primitive Church. Nowhere in her Prayer Book or in her canons does tho Church of England declare that she is a Protestant body. Rather, she prays continually "for the good estate of tho Catholic Church," and maintains the creeds in which all her members assert their belief in "Ono Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church." Her bishops (despite the quibbles of Rome) can trace direct succession to the Twelve Apostles, the first bishops of the Church Universal, founded bv Our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence,, as a Catholic body—Protestant only in the sense that she denies the supremacy of Rome—the worship of the Church of England is of a Catholic nature. True, the evangelical party do not observe the full ceremonial permissible under the Ornaments Rubric to be found in the front of the present Book of Common Prayer, but the most simple of all Anglican'services bears the indelible marks of Catholicism. Bowing to the altar, one of the things of which your correspondents complain, is required of all members bf the Church of England in a canon ot! the Church. Tho worn by the sacred ministers at the altar, the censers. processional crosses, banners and candles, not to mention the representations of Our Lord on the Cross, were all in use "in this Church of End and by the authority of Parliament in the nerond vear of the reign of King Edward VL" Hence, thev are still legal to-day, tho Orncments Rubric never hiving been deleted. One is not hannv in thnr stressing the ceremonial element, but the sneers and scofTs of the ignorant, demand an answer. Let. the ill-informed re.id with prayer and earnestness such a book as Canon Vernon St a ley's "Catholic Re ligion," and they will learn that the Anglo-Catholic cares greatly for things more essential than ceremonial, which is, after all. but the outward public expression of "the Faith once delivered to the Saints." All such controversies , turn upon the Presence cf Our Lord .Testis Christ in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. If we believe that He is really there, pleading for love, willing to give Himself to all who are wearv and heavy laden, then we shall have, done with cruel misrepresentation, and the beauty of Catholic worshin will not be denied that Presence. "Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there ar.i lin the midst." Hon. BwftKT.*Hr, League of Our Lady.

Sir, —In defence of the young man who take part in the service of which complaint has been made by a handful oi people who know little oi the Church of England, may T say that their participation in the ritual is to them something very real It is the reverse of being insincere. One doss not rise early from a snog bed, and go fasting to serve the priest at the altar in the chill church, merely for appearance sake. Most of the boys belong to the Guild of Servants of the 'Sanctuarv, a wonderful Anglican organisation, with branches in all parts of the world. They have voluntarily undertaken to live by a strict rule of life, and are regularly in attendance at the Sacraments throughout the year, let alone on the great festivals when there ir9 elaborate services. Manv among them are converts, and but for their knowledge of the Catholic faith would never go to church at all. C!atitoj,tc CirtmcmtAN.