CHURCH AND PRIVY COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 945, 12 October 1910, Page 5

CHURCH AND PRIVY COUNCIL.

HIGH ANGLICAN VIEW. By Telcgraph-Eress Association—Copyright. Sydney, October 11. At a meeting of tho Church Defence League, a resolution was adopted repudiating tho authority 'of the Privy Council on tho question of vestments, and de.precating autocratio rule by one bishop in doubtful points of doctrine and ceremonial, THE VESTMENT CONTROVERSY. The uncompromising opposition of tho Anglican Archbishop ol Sydney fDr. Wright) to the u&e of eucharistic vestments resulted in the formation of tho Church Defence League by representatives .of .the High' Church" party. Dr. Wright takes Ms staid-'Upon-.a- deoision of "the Privy .Council : .:some : fifty■; years ago; .vestments to /be; illegal..' This-, judgment : has,:been': very/severely criticised -both from, .the historical .''and legal .points of: view,, and 'has. been': ig- : nored and-repudiated by High .Churchmen who object.; to having , questions of doctrine: and/ritual' decided "by ; a 'secular' : court. ; The question of . the. relation of the Church'to thelPrivy Council is now being'very keenly "debated' in' Australia; The Anglican Church;-':ii; New>Zealand 1 does not. recognise .'any'.jurisdiction on the partof the Privy, Council 4n ecclesiastical matters. ' These questions have to be settled, by 'its;, own' courts. ..Keferring' to;: the; decisions. :of the Privy Council the '.well-known English \ High -. Church' paper, the: "Church Times,"- says: : "When a .Royal Commission 'and the Home ;Episc<K pate {have vto 'confess'-that a-body 'of' churchmen; too . considerable to -' be ; ignored,; attaches ho: moral weight to 'the Privy';'Council(findings, .it: seems rjither late. .in 'the; day for the Archbishop of Sydney to try: to ' rehabilitate .that tribunal in his diocese, and that in a colony where, the" Church; is entirely free from State contxoL" :.'. ;: : . : :,-, ,