NATION BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2972, 9 January 1917, Page 5

NATION BUILDING

. i THE PART OF THE CHURCH. Sir—On December 19, 1916, you published the report of .» jf 4 "™ ° n the above-named subject in that day s Dominion. Although but a humble priest of the Anglo-Catholic Church, commonly spoken of as the Anglican or National Churoh of England, I ventoo to oriticise some remarks made by tne lecturer, the Very Rev. Father Lockington supported by His Grace Archbishop O'Shea. Not in a spirit of controversy, but simply to show a Britisher's'belief that our Empire and Church, although non-Roman Catholic, has done a something for "liberty and progress." The reverend lecturer said ■'the strongest force on the face ot God's earth was the Roman Catholic faith; it was the essence of liberty and progress," and thero would be >>o liberty and progress without it. f the lecturer had said "the Catholio faith" it would have passed the censor; ' becauso thoso who hold MM Catholic faith in all countries are labouring, under God, for the conversion nf mankind, and therefore for the uplifting of humanity, and tho Koman part of tho Church is but doing her share of this. But it is not only Rome that is moving in the direction of "liborty and progress,' but otßer countries. - . . . ■ __ ' ; - Take, 'for instance. Russia, .lne great Eastern Cliurch, the first of nil churches, with its beginning from tho apostolic chun&es of Jerusalem and Antircb, has fostered a deeply religions tone in the home life of the millions of tho peasantry in Russia, and is therefore doing something for .the progress" and religious uplifting of .the peoples of. the Tsar's wide dominions and elsewhere. Shortly before the war tho Bishops of this ancient, Greek Catholio Church in Russia, joined in communion with the Bishops of the Anglo-Catholic Church. .This wa forerunner of a greater unity. Wβ trust that the! ties now binding ub to cur Russian Allies will be further cemented by this closer union of the two nations through their national churches. This will do much to further the "liberty and progress" of humanity.'. . England, with her several brigades, all fighting for the "Captain of our Salvation,"; has also done a something for "liberty and progress, both religious and national, but it-is not necessary to enlarge upon that. Speaking of liberty, the very reverend lecturer said: "What are the nations fighting for? Liberty!" I presume he meant Great Britain and her Allies, for we do not think the Central Powers and Turkey are figW™£° n the ride of liberty aand progress, where, he says, "was the flag of liberty planted? In the soil of England! And who drew ui> Mafina Charta, from which England draws her liberties? Hie Catholic Bishop of England!" It was so. for although the national Church of England was always ii part of the Catholic Church (long before Augustine came), and her Bishops too, yet, at the time of King John, when the Charter was signed (June 15, Iflo), she was under tile domination of the Roman Church, and the lecturer appears to givo the impression that_tho great charter of our liberties was given us by that church. But Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, who drew; up the Charter, was an English Churchman first and a Roman Bishop after, for he acted in his real capacity as a Bishop of the Catholic Church of England, although , , at the time that fact was overshadowed by a more powerful foreign church. The first clause of Magna Charta shows this, national spirit; it runs thus: "That tho Church of England shall be free,. and_ hold her rights entire, and her liberties inviolate." And the Charta concludes with another clause to the same effect: "That the Church, of England be free, etc., in all places, for ever." That freedom wo now possess. The unwilling King appealed to the Popo Innocent 111, who proclaimed the Charta void, and absolved-King John from tho necessity of observing its conditions! But the English nobles stood firm; the Charta was to be the basis of their allegiance to the King. When Pope Innocent heard- this he ordered Langton and his Bishops to excommunicate the ; barons. . But tho Archbishop of Canterbury refused tho Pope's decree, whereupon Innocent suspended the Bishops from their offices. Thank God that the spirit of Stephen Langton, and his stout English heart, enabled him to obtain this first instalment of liberty, of which we now enjoy the fruits, for never again will such an interference with our national liberties, as I have described from tho writings of reliable historians, be attempted in our fair realm of England or her colonies—that is, if Britishers will only be true to their national traditions and rememberStephen Langton, ■ that courageous Archbishop of England, who defended Church and State against all comers. I am, etc., . • P. W. WHIBLEY. The Vicarage, I Ormondville, H.B.