The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1914. AN ANGLICAN CHURCH CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 8 January 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1914. AN ANGLICAN CHURCH CRISIS.

If is a litMe over a week since wc had the I!rat Win ning of an approaching crisis in the Anglican Church, when the Dishop of London, in the course of a sermon dealing with the industrial and political unrest of. the world to-day, remarked that "amid all these turmoils the Church itself was face to face with a dispute-, which, unless properly, firmly and delicately handled, might split it in twain." Dr. Ingrain is a prelate of the optimistic kind, for lie professed himself in 110 wis# alarmed at the aspect'of tilings. The worst .unrest might, he declared, be "the necessary path to righteous peace," and hot discussion in the Church would not be altogether a misfortune, if in the end it led them to the knowledge of the principles upon which the Church was founded. It now appears that the dispute to which he referred is the "storm in a tea-cup" that has beeii raised 011 Urn subject of Anglicans co-opeiutil'ig with other Protestant sects in mission work in East Africa and receiving members of these segts in communion. Although people of non-ecelesiastie stamp cannot see tlie slightest reason for getting excited over what to them seems but a matter of ordinary common-sense, it is undoubied that the various churches or sects.are working themselves lip to fever pitch over the matter. It is indeed amazing that in this enlightened age — an age of religious toleration, 'breadth and catholicity—•men should be found who, view as a question of vital importance tlie 011 c that has been raised by the missionary bishops of East Africa. Every person of average intelligence is perfectly well thai all church organisations are but human devices—that 110 ode of them has any more divine authority than another; that historic connect ion or "apostolic succession" are matters of no serious concern; that the. "two or three" of the most obscure sect may be—and, as a matter of fact, often are as true followers of Christ as the members of the most, vcncralile church or sect on earth. And, knowing this, sensible people of all denomin- . jations may well marvel at the obstin- | acy with which various Church dignutaries cling to the superstition that their own "ism'' and "ology" has a sanctity, a virtue or an authority superior to all . others. Well may they marvel, also, j at the quibbling -that takes place oyer the paltry question of inter-communion, I when all the sects have rqiial claim to communion with the Head of tlie Great Church Invisible. It is this spirit of magnifying man-made and non-essential distinctions that is driving men of intellect from the churches. The same wretched spirit of sectarianism is causing the heathen to make a mock of Christianity. Mohammedanism is making far more converts than Christianity r' in. the whole of tlie African continent, Even in England the religion of the J'al-.e Prophet has obtained a foothold. A mosque was opened in Liverpool some twelve years and an Anglican clergyman converted to Mohammedanism. Latest papers from England tflY tliat Lord ireadlam, a well-known peer, has just publicly announced that lie has become a Mohammedan, and he states that the main reason* that actuated him were the divisions in the Christian Church and the intolerance of many professed Christians. There has been much discussion of his '"Vonversion'' in ftie newspapers. Lord Headlam, mi a letter, stated that the religion oi Mohammed taught the duty of surrendi'r and submisuion to Cod and l;enelieence to nil His .ercai nres, and added; "It seems to me that Christ al<o taught this, wliich explains \thy it is impossible to In- a. <;:>od Mohammedan without aleo beiii'j. a «*ond Christian." In lcply to this an Anglican c!eri>vmaii, v. to j he Pall M'all Cazettc, contends that, to be a Christian, one need not do his duty to Cod or man—he need not be kind, or even moral the only thing necessary 10 make him a Christian is that he must be baptised! To tcaeli otherwise, it se?n:s, is both "erroneous and dangerous." Xow. as Lord lleadlam Ik's Ik en baptism!. Ihc. argument is that he cannot de-Christianise himself, 110 matter what he may do or what he may call himself. I'rubably. however, though it is not so stated, (lie baptism would have to lie according to some particular formula, in order to be effi'A cacious. Another extraordinary occurri'iice at Home has been reported in the papers. At the annual "churching" ol I llie Lord Mayor, alijeriueii and councillors of Manchester in November last, the l.ord Mayor (Alderman McCabc), who is v. Roman Catholic, declined to attend ihc' Anglican service. Thereupon llishop Welldon, in the Course ol lii.s sermon, said "they regretted the absence of the l.ord Mayor, b'ut they regretted still more the reason for bis absence. The spirit of religious exclusiveness among Christians was so far from their own minds and hearts tlia-t they eouttl scarcely realise how in the twentieth century it could linger anywhere else." The remarks read like a wild saline, in view of the tempest that has' been raised over the very simple nialter of Anglican co-operation with other Prolesl.uit sects in Africa. Surely nothing else than

"the spirit of religious exelusivencss" animates those Anglicans who arc objecting so strenuously to the action of the Bisliops of Uganda and Mombasa. It iS very evident that Anglicans are i not all of one mind; and however much we may rejoice that some are broadminded and enlightened, it is pitiful to contemplate a rupture in the Church of England over so small a matter as that j .raised in Africa. It is a mere splitting i of straws to assert that the co-operation aimed at will endanger any Anglican ' principles; awl if it does endanger them, most people will say, "So much the worse for the principles." Quite a different spirit animated a meeting of the World Missioner Conference, held at The Hague towards the close of Kovember last. The Queen of Holland, in the course of a message to the representatives, said: ''Your aspiration to unity and co-opera-tion iu mission work is re-echoed in the Netherlands. Here, too, we aim at a sympathetic understanding of foreign races as faithful disciples of Him Who came to serve. . . May our zeal be inspired and sanctified and we all ho fitted for the .several vocations to which ] Christ calls us individually, so that flic sun of His Truth may shine over the whole world, shedding light in the darkness of human misery and gladdening the hearts of all mankind with the ineffable richness of His Divine Love!" And to admirable sentiments such as these certain Anglican prelates interpose the objection that "free communion" would bo destructive of sound principle. It seems very much to be desired that these gentlemen should be led to enquire into the principles upon which the Christian Church—not the Anglican—was founded; and it will also jbe well if the Anglican Communion [should be brought to define uhere exactly it stands. In the words of the • Bishop of London, "hot discission" will not lie wasted if it should lead.lo that ! conclusion