A CRAVE CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 9

A CRAVE CRISIS.

MEMORIAL TO THE ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY. A memorial—signed by 148 clergy, synod representatives, parochial nominators, churchwardens, parochial councillors, and other communicant laymen —has been forwarded to tho Anglican Archbishop of Sydney (Dr. Wright). It-is understood that in all about twenty clergymen within the diocese of Sydney signed tho document, the [full text of-which is:— "AVo, the undersigned, being clergy licensed within the diocese of Sydney, synod representatives, parochial nominators, churchwardens, parochial councillors, and other communicant laymen, dciiire to express tho anxiety and concern which wo share with a very considerable section of others throughout the Commonwealth in respect to tho present grave crisis in the history of the Anglican Church in this part of the world. "Protracted and unanimous efforts on the part of the porochial nominators fo obtain tho appointment of a rector who will carry on tho services at Si. James's Church, Sydney, in tho manner to which the congregation has been for some years accustomed, have been frustrated. Even the lato rector, Rev. AY. I. Can- Smith, who has done so great a work at St. James's, and who was willing, at whatever personal sacrifice, to return to his post, has been rejected. "AA'e consider that the spirit of the presentation ordinance has been set at nought. The rights of a congregation are being overridden in a manner which' was expressly repudiated at tho time tho ordinance was passed by synod. "A notoriously open and disputed question is being treated as if it were definitely and by common consent closed. A measure of liberty with regard to certain debated points of ceremonial which is allowed by the great majority of archbishops and bishops of the Anglican. Communion throughout the world is being here refused. AVhat is assumed to be 'the law' in one particular is being enforced, while deflections from the rules of the Prayer Book in other directions pass unnoticed. "AVe venture to approach your Graco on this subject because. we consider that in tho' existing condition of the - . Anglican Church a spirit of comprehension and conciliation is of • infinitely more importance than the enforcement of a rigid and. after all, an imperfect uniformity in detail. AVe deprecate a line of action which is likely to provoke strong antagonistic feeling,- 1 and which may result in the diminution of support to diocesan institutions. "In conclusion, wo would respectfully suggest that, in view of the diversity of opinion existing with regard to the question of vestments, and of the fact that- tho law, as interpreted by the Privy Council, is so widely in abeyance in England and elsewhere, no steps at jffesont be taken by your Grace against the usages now obtaining at St. James's, Sydney. The situation has become so acute that- we feel no apology is necessary for appealing to you as our father in God, and we should be failing in our duty if wo did not thus frankly place our views before you. AA'e do not ask for unlimited license either for ourselves or for others, but for such a measure of liberty as is accorded to our . fellow-churchmen elsewhere."