HERESY CHARGES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144328, 17 February 1914, Page 3

HERESY CHARGES.

A DISSATISFIED BISHOP. WANTS HIS CHARGES PRESSED. 5T ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Feb. 16. The Bishop of Zanzibar, in a twocolumn letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, explains tho reasons for his dissent from the Primate’s decision to iVffer the question to a committee of bishops. Ho argues that the formal charges wore intended to be submitted to the Primate officially, only if, after full inquiry, tho two bishops refuse to accept the church’s judgment. Ho concludes by pleading for a definite settlement of tho controversy. The bishop declares that a consultative body of bishops is likely to bo regarded as a prejudiced committee of inquiry. Some members represent bishops who have already accepted a policy akin to that set out at Kikuyu. The Primate, who has already prejudiced tho case in his answer, will bo a* chairman both judge and foreman of tho jury. A CHRISTIAN BISHOP. (Received Feb. 17, 8,40 a.m.) LONDON, Feb, 16. The Bishop of Zanzibar dissents from tho Primate’s description of Nonconformists’ bodies as branches of tho Church of Christ. Ho adds; “This leaves an impression of the validity of their ministries.” WHAT WAS DONE AT KIKUYU. VILLAGE’S SUDDEN FAME. Very obscure places have suddenly leaped' into immortality because some battle or some conference has taken place there ;and Kikuyu, a village in British East Africa, hitherto known as a station on tho Uganda railway, will go down in ecclesiastical history with famous names like Aries and Chalcedone and Nice, says the London Star. Tho Church of England is now convulsed with the greatest heresy-hunt that has smitten it since the days of Bishop Colenso, and it is curious that this schism should also arise in Africa. It began in this way. Last August a Presbyterian missionary in British East Africa wrote to the Scotsman an article reporting with pious triumph tho success of a groat reunion conference at Kikuyu, held in June, Ho reported for the first time to the jealous eyes of the Church at Homo this conference, which was held to form a federation of missionary societies “It was the most wonderful gathering I ever saw. It had represented in it all the Protestant missions in tho Protectorate—Church of England, Church of . Scotland, the African Inland Mission (American), the Friends’ Industrial Mission (Quakers), the United Methodists, the Lutheran Mission, and the Seventh Day Adventists. Bishop Willis, of Uganda, was in the chair, and Bishop Peel, of British East Africa, was in a front seat. On tho right of Bishop Willis sat Dr. Arthur, of the Church of Scotland Mission, and on his left the secretary of tho conference. Tho place of meeting was tho schoolroom of tho Church of Scotland Mission, and tho subject of discussion was tho federation of the missions in East Africa.” DIVIDED REGION—UNITED WORKERS. The conference decided on a federation on the basis of the acceptance of the Apostles and Niceno Creeds as a general expression of fundamental Christian belief, with acceptance of tho Holy Scriptures as the Word of God, tho Deity of Jesus, and tho Atonement. Tiio scheme is to divide tho Protectorate into “spheres,” so that the missions shall not poach ou each other’s territory, and tho Conference ended on that day with a service of Holy Communion in tho Scottish Church at Kikuyu. Bishop Peel administered the Sacrament ; a minister of the Church of Scotland preached the sermon; and all tho mission delegates received the Holy Communion from tho Bishop’s hands. BISHOP REBUKED. As soon as this news reached England tho High Church Party began to protest. Tho Church Times, their leading organ, published an editorial article headed “Jerry-building,” at which it spoke of this “amazing conference” and sneered at the position of a native Christian who would bo addressed in turn from tho pulpit of his church by a Presbyterian, a Lutheran, a Seventh Day Adventist, and a Quaker. It protested that “such grotesque performances” could only “injure the cause of true Christian unity.” Tho controversy was spreading all tho autumn, until the Bishop of Zanzibar took the bull by tho horns, by demanding that tho Archbishop of Canterbury shall hear tho Kikuyu matter in his Provincial Court. Bishop Weston says: "I have charged tho Bishops of Mombasa and Uganda with heresy in their teaching of the meaning and value of Episcopacy ; I would also add that, to my mind, they and their followers are as seriously wrong in remain* ing in an Episcopal ministry, which is to them merely an outward form, and to their Protestant neighbours a rock of offence.” Ho protests that “we who deliver the whole Catholic faith to onr people (in Zanzibar) are directly challenged to our faces by the two bishops who are within easiest reach of us, and our cause is by them betrayed into tiio hands of our Protestant neighbours. Our work is hindered, our witness is stultified; we are made to appear as pretenders and impostors.” “Is it not quite clear, then (he asks) that unless the Ecolosia Anglicana purge itself of heresy and eschew schism, her missions hare no future? They will be crushed out between the two opposing forces of the Roman and Protestant Missions.” CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Tho Bishops of Uganda and Mombasa are not without allies. Tho Church Missionary Society Committee has passed a resolution which, without absolutely assenting to details, declares that the committee whole-heartedly sympathise with the Bishops of Mombasa and Uganda and their brethren in their desire for fullfer co-operation and advance along the pathway towards such reunion as may eventually be according to God’s purposes. The most striking result of tho hitter controversy is a letter which the Bishop of Durham has sent to The Times. DiS. Handley Moule is the loader of the Low Church minority among the clergy, and he declares that the action of the two bishops is not heretical. And thus suddenly within a few month' 1 has Kikuyu become famous, and tho end is- not yet in sight.