ANGLO-CATHOLIC CHURCH

(See Church of England .) Any branch of the Church reformed on the principles of the English Reformation. In certain considerations of the first spiritual importance, the Church of England occupies a singularly felicitous position. The great majority of Christians—the Roman, Greek, and Eastern Churches—regard Episcopacy as indispensable to the integrity of Christianity; the Presbyterians and others, who have no bishops, nor, as far as we can judge, any means of obtaining the order, regard episcopacy as unnece ary. Supposing for a moment the question to be dubious, the position of the Presbyterian is, at the best, unsafe; the position of the member of the Church of England is, at the worst, perfectly safe: at the worst, he can only be in the same position at last as the Presbyterian is in at present. On the Anti-episcopalian’s own ground, the Episcopalian is on this point doubly fortified; whilst, on the opposite admi ion, the Presbyterian is doubly condemned, first, in the subversion of a Divine institution; and, secondly, in the invalidity of the ordinances of grace. Proceeding, therefore, on mere reason, it would be most unwise for a member of the Church of England to become a Presbyterian; he can gain nothing by the change, and may lose everything. The case is exactly the reverse with the Presbyterian. Again: by all apostolic Churches the apostolic succe ion is maintained to be a sine quâ non for the valid administration of the eucharist and the authoritative remi ion of sins. The sects beyond the pale of the apostolic succe ion very naturally reject its indispensability; but no one is so fanatical as to imagine its po e ion invalidates the ordinances of the Church po e ing it. Now, of all branches of the Catholic Church, the Church of England is most impregnable on this point; she unites in her priesthood the triple succe ions of the ancient British, the ancient Irish, and the ancient Roman Church. Supposing, therefore, the apostolic Churches to hold the right dogma on the succe ion, the member of the Church of England has not the slightest occasion to disturb his soul; he is trebly safe. Supposing, on the other hand, the apostolic succe ion to be a fortunate historical fact, not a divinely perpetuated authority, he is still, at the least, as safe as the di enter; whereas, if it is, as the Church holds, the only authority on earth which the Saviour has commi ioned with his power, what is the spiritual state of the schismatic who usurps, or of the a embly that pretends to bestow, what God alone can grant and has granted to his Church only. No plausible inducement to separate from the Church of England can counterbalance this nece ity for remaining in her communion: and her children have great cause to be grateful for being placed by her in a state of such complete security on two such e ential articles of administrative Christianity.— Morgan.