Publication date
11/15/08
Volume
29
Number
22
The WatchTower
The Nova Scotia Convention
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1908/22/1908-22-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXIX 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
DECEMBER 
1, 
1908 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
23 
that 
the 
High-church 
party 
in 
the 
Anglican 
fellowship 
through­ 
out 
the 
world 
will 
move 
heaven 
and 
earth 
to 
prevent 
the 
ratifi­ 
cation 
of 
the 
agreement 
on 
the 
Episcopalian 
part." 
From 
the 
same 
source 
we 
learn 
the 
following 
interesting 
details 
of 
how 
the 
joint-committee 
approached 
a 
problem 
so 
bristling 
with 
difficulties: 
"They 
began 
work 
by 
the 
model 
of 
the 
so-called 
La!Dbeth 
quadrilateral, 
and 
speedily 
agreed 
on 
the 
first 
three 
pomts­ 
that 
the 
Scriptures 
of 
the 
Old 
and 
New 
Testaments 
should 
be 
accepted 
as 
an 
infallible 
rule 
of 
faith 
and 
prac~ice; 
that 
the 
standard 
of 
doctrine 
should 
be 
the 
Apostles' 
and 
Nicene 
Creeds 
and 
that 
the 
sacraments 
observed 
in 
the 
United 
church 
should' 
be 
the 
Lord's 
Supper 
and 
Baptism. 
On 
the 
fourth 
point, 
'the 
historic 
episcopate 
locally 
adapted,' 
there 
came 
a 
hitch, 
and 
it 
took 
long 
and 
patient 
negotiation 
to 
find 
a 
way 
out 
satisfactory 
to 
both 
parties. 
"After 
a 
year 
of 
conferences, 
the 
joint-committee 
an 
nounced 
the 
adoption 
of 
an 
extended 
minute 
agreeing 
on 
the 
following 
principles 
and 
provi~ions: 
The 
U 
nited. 
chur~h 
shall 
be 
an 
independent 
church 
WIthout 
any 
connect~on 
wIth. 
t~e 
State. 
It 
shall 
recognize 
that 
the 
same 
succeSSIOn 
of 
mmIS­ 
terial 
orders 
was 
common 
to 
all 
Christians 
up 
until 
the. 
Re· 
formation, 
and 
since 
then 
the 
succession 
has 
been 
maintameJ 
with 
equal 
validity 
in 
the 
Anglican 
church 
through 
ordinati.on 
by 
bishops, 
and 
in 
the 
Presbyterian 
church 
through 
presbytenes 
presided 
over 
by 
moderators. 
In 
forming 
the 
United 
church 
there 
shall 
be 
held 
to 
be 
no 
difference 
whatever 
in 
the 
stand­ 
ing, 
rights, 
and 
privileges 
of 
Presbyterian 
ministers 
and 
of 
Anglican 
priests. 
(To 
this 
clause, 
wh~ch 
~s 
the 
hardest 
p.oint 
for 
High-churchmen 
to 
get 
over, 
a 
mmonty 
of 
the 
AnglIcan 
committee 
would 
give 
only 
a 
qualified 
assent.) 
"After 
the 
two 
churches 
are 
united, 
all 
ministers 
shall 
be 
called 
presbyters. 
Some 
form 
of 
superintendence 
will 
then 
be 
necessary, 
and 
the 
church 
shall 
therefore 
have 
power 
to 
elect 
any 
presbyter 
to 
be 
a 
bishop. 
But 
the 
church 
in 
its 
dUly 
constltuted 
legislative 
body 
shall 
have 
power 
not 
only 
to 
enact 
the 
laws 
which 
bishops 
must 
obey, 
but 
shall 
also 
have 
power 
to 
determine 
their 
ten~re 
of 
office 
in 
the. 
j?risdiction 
to 
which 
they 
are 
elected. 
CandIdates 
for 
the 
mIDlstry 
shall 
be 
first 
ordained 
to 
preach, 
without 
right 
to 
administer 
the 
sacraments, 
and 
shall 
then 
be 
called 
deacons 
or 
licentiate!!. 
When 
they 
are 
ordained 
as 
presbyters 
with 
power. 
of 
adminis~er­ 
ing 
sacraments, 
the 
act 
shall 
be 
performed 
WIth 
the 
laymg 
on 
of 
hands 
of 
one 
bishop 
and 
at 
least 
three 
presbyters. 
"When 
a 
presbyter 
is 
consecrated 
to 
the 
bishopric, 
three 
bishops 
and 
a 
committee 
of 
presbyters 
appointed 
for 
the 
pur­ 
pose 
shall 
'take 
part'; 
it 
is 
not 
stated 
who 
shall 
lay 
on 
hands. 
The 
Book 
of 
Common 
Prayer 
is 
to 
be 
sanctioned, 
and 
addi­ 
tional 
forms 
of 
worship 
with 
it; 
but 
local 
congregations, 
if 
they 
prefer, 
may 
adhere 
to 
non-liturgical 
services. 
Church 
wardens 
and 
ruling 
elders 
shall 
be 
superseded 
by 
an 
order 
of 
local 
lay 
officials, 
for 
whom 
no 
name 
is 
yet 
designated. 
who 
shall 
have 
oversight 
of 
the 
local 
congregation, 
but 
shall 
not 
have 
right 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
dispensation 
of 
the 
communion. 
"In 
the 
actual 
consummation 
of 
the 
union 
it 
is 
proposed 
that 
the 
primate 
of 
the 
Anglican 
church 
shall 
take 
every 
Presbyterian 
minister 
by 
the 
hand 
and 
confer 
upon 
him 
'all 
the 
rights, 
powers, 
and 
authorities 
pertaining 
to 
the 
office 
of 
a 
priest 
in 
the 
church 
as 
set 
forth 
in 
the 
ordinal 
of 
the 
Church 
of 
England.' 
Then 
the 
moderator 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
Assembly 
shall 
in 
turn 
confer 
by 
name 
on 
every 
Anglican 
priest 
'all 
the 
rights, 
powers, 
and 
authorities 
pertaining 
to 
the 
office 
of 
a 
presbyter 
in 
the 
church 
as 
set 
forth 
in 
the 
ordinal 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
church.' 
It 
is 
understood 
that 
before 
en­ 
tering 
the 
union 
the 
Presbyterian 
church 
of 
Australia 
will 
consecrate 
a 
few 
of 
its 
own 
pastors 
to 
the 
bishopric, 
so 
that 
they 
may 
be 
immediately 
assigned 
to 
dioceses 
along 
with 
present 
Anglican 
incumbents.' 
'-Literary 
Digest. 
* 
* 
* 
Although 
this 
Journal 
does 
not 
pretend 
to 
keep 
track 
of 
polities 
in 
the 
ordinary 
sense 
of 
the 
term, 
it 
seems 
scarcely 
proper 
to 
allow 
a 
matter 
of 
so 
world-wide 
an 
interest 
as 
the 
election 
of 
a 
President 
to 
pass 
without 
comment. 
The 
leaders 
of 
both 
of 
the 
prominent 
parties 
are 
men 
of 
such 
high 
character 
and 
ability 
that 
in 
our 
judgment 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
public 
would 
be 
quite 
safe 
in 
the 
hands 
of 
either. 
Now 
that 
Mr. 
Taft 
has 
secured 
the 
prize 
of 
the 
most 
honor­ 
able 
station 
of 
service 
in 
the 
gift 
of 
this 
nation, 
he 
is 
to 
be 
congratulated 
upon 
his 
popularity. 
Nevertheless 
he 
also 
de­ 
serves 
Our 
sympathy, 
for 
however 
generally 
popular 
and 
suc­ 
cessful 
his 
execution 
of 
the 
laws 
may 
be, 
faithfulness 
to 
his 
responsibilities 
will 
present 
an 
arduous 
task. 
Besides, 
if 
our 
estimate 
of 
the 
conditions 
that 
will 
prevail 
during 
his 
regime 
prove 
correct, 
he 
will 
face 
grave 
responsibilities 
and 
more 
trying 
conditions 
than 
the 
present 
incumbent 
of 
the 
office­ 
strenuous 
though 
those 
have 
been. 
As 
for 
Mr. 
Bryan, 
per­ 
haps 
he 
is 
worthy 
of 
congratulations 
also, 
in 
that 
he 
has 
escaped 
arduous 
duties 
and 
responsibilities, 
severe 
trials 
and 
difficulties. 
If 
it 
be 
true, 
as 
we 
have 
heard 
it 
intim~ted, 
that 
he 
is 
a 
consecrated 
Christian, 
he 
may 
properly 
enough 
apply 
to 
himself 
the 
Scriptural 
declaration 
that 
"All 
things 
are 
working 
together 
for 
his 
good.' 
, 
We 
can 
readily 
surmise 
that 
many 
other 
positions 
in 
life 
will 
be 
more 
favorable 
to 
saintship 
and 
growth 
in 
grace 
than 
is 
the 
one 
which 
he 
has 
just 
missed. 
Recognizing 
the 
fact 
that 
we 
are 
now 
in 
the 
harvest 
time 
of 
this 
age, 
and 
that 
the 
Great 
King 
is 
taking 
a 
hand 
in 
all 
the 
affairs 
of 
the 
world, 
we 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
the 
election 
just 
closed 
has 
brought 
the 
results 
which 
he 
prefers. 
In 
this 
connection 
it 
may 
not 
be 
amiss 
for 
us 
to 
suggest 
what 
may 
be 
the 
probable 
influence 
of 
the 
election 
of 
Mr. 
Taft 
and 
a 
Republican 
Congress 
by 
so 
strong 
a 
majority. 
To 
us 
it 
means 
a 
strong 
sentiment 
of 
conservatism 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
majority 
and 
fear 
of 
anything 
radical 
in 
any 
direction. 
The 
large 
Republican 
majority 
in 
Congress, 
and 
particularly 
the 
elec­ 
tion 
of 
Speaker 
Cannon, 
will 
be 
considered 
an 
endorsement 
of 
a 
strongly 
conservative 
policy, 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
Re­ 
publican 
party 
and 
high 
tariff 
and 
trusts, 
more 
than 
an 
en­ 
dorsement 
of 
President 
Roosevelt 
and 
his 
more 
aggressive 
policy 
and 
utterances, 
of 
which 
Mr. 
Bryan 
seemed 
a 
more 
thorough 
exponent 
than 
Mr. 
Taft. 
This 
will 
probably 
mean, 
at 
least 
temporarily, 
a 
more 
favorable 
outlook 
for 
business 
prosperity 
than 
if 
Mr. 
Bryan 
had 
been 
elected. 
But 
even 
if 
a 
measure 
of 
prosperity 
should 
ensue, 
we 
must 
not 
forget 
that, 
according 
to 
the 
Scriptures, 
we 
are 
to 
anticipate 
further 
financial 
spasms, 
"As 
travail 
upon 
a 
woman 
with 
child," 
with 
increasing 
severity, 
until 
the 
climax 
shall 
be 
reached. 
Mr. 
Taft's 
broad-mindedness 
and 
worldly 
wisdom 
will 
make 
him 
popular 
with 
all 
religious 
people, 
Protestants 
and 
Cath­ 
olics, 
and 
be 
very 
favorable 
to 
the 
expected 
federation 
of 
Protestants 
and 
their 
sympathetic 
cooperation 
with 
Catholic­ 
ism 
in 
a 
combined 
effort 
to 
bring 
church 
and 
State 
into 
very 
close 
relationship, 
which 
the 
Scriptures 
lead 
us 
to 
expect 
within 
the 
period 
of 
Mr. 
Taft's 
administration. 
It 
will 
be 
remembered 
that 
in 
this 
very 
month 
there 
is 
to 
meet 
in 
Philadelphia 
a 
council 
of 
various 
denominations, 
with 
a 
view 
to 
deciding 
on 
such 
a 
federation 
as 
we, 
so 
far 
back 
as 
1881, 
pointed 
out 
was 
coming. 
The 
method 
to 
be 
followed, 
we 
surmise, 
will 
be 
somewhat 
after 
the 
suggestions 
of 
the 
article 
following 
this 
one. 
The 
results 
will 
be 
a 
seem­ 
ing 
strengthening 
of 
all 
the 
forces 
of 
earth, 
making 
for 
law 
and 
order 
and 
good 
government, 
and 
"Peace, 
Peace," 
will 
be 
loudly 
proclaimed 
in 
many 
quarters. 
But, 
according 
to 
the 
Scriptures, 
the 
power 
will 
lead 
to 
very 
stringent 
laws 
and 
regulations 
and 
enforcements, 
which 
ultimately 
will 
result 
in 
a 
revolutionary 
upheaval 
and 
the 
predicted 
"time 
of 
trouble, 
such 
as 
never 
was 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation' 
'-Anarchy. 
CHURCH 
UNION 
SKILFULLY 
ARRANGED 
Special 
interest 
attaches 
to 
the 
proposed 
union 
between 
The 
combination 
above 
suggested 
impresses 
us 
as 
a 
most 
the 
Presbyterian 
and 
Anglican 
churches 
in 
Australia, 
which 
skilful 
one 
to 
accomplish 
a 
church 
union 
without 
seemingly 
is 
described 
as 
"the 
most 
elaborate 
program 
of 
reconciliation 
wounding 
the 
pride 
of 
the 
participants. 
By 
the 
method 
sug- 
between 
episcopacy 
and 
presbytery 
which 
has 
been 
worked 
gested, 
the 
sanction 
or 
blessing 
of 
the 
a:postolic 
succession 
out 
since 
the 
sanguine 
days 
of 
the 
Savoy 
Conference 
in 
London 
would 
be 
imparted 
to 
the 
Presbyterian 
minIsters 
without 
any 
just 
after 
the 
restoration 
of 
Charles 
II." 
Although 
the 
acknowledgment 
on 
their 
part 
of 
receiving 
the 
boon, 
because 
compact 
of 
union 
has 
been 
drawn 
up 
by 
a 
joint-committee 
the 
presiding 
officer 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
body 
would 
simulate 
comprising 
on 
the 
Episcopalian 
side 
the 
Archbishop 
of 
Mel- 
a 
similar 
blessing 
upon 
the 
Episcopal 
clergy. 
Nobody 
would 
bourne, 
three 
other 
bishops, 
six 
priests, 
and 
two 
laymen, 
and 
be 
deceived, 
yet 
everybody 
would 
affect 
to 
be 
deceived. 
Ap- 
on 
the 
Presbyterian 
side 
two 
ex-moderators 
of 
the 
General 
parently, 
by 
the 
assistance 
of 
some 
cunning 
fox, 
the 
way 
at 
Assembly, 
nine 
other 
ministers, 
and 
two 
laymen, 
the 
scheme 
last 
has 
been 
opened 
for 
a 
reuniting 
of 
Protestants 
of 
all 
has 
yet 
to 
go 
before 
the 
Pr,esbyterian 
General 
Assembly 
and 
denominations 
with 
the 
Episcopal 
system. 
the 
Anglican 
General 
Synod. 
According 
to 
The 
Interior, 
a 
This, 
as 
our 
readers 
generally 
know, 
we 
have 
been 
ex- 
Presbyterian 
paper 
published 
in 
Chicago, 
"it 
is 
already 
plain 
pecting 
for 
a 
long 
time-since 
1880, 
when 
first 
we 
saw 
it 
(355-35 
6) 
[4285] 
V-3S 
Vou. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., DECEMBER 1, 1908 No. 238 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER Although this Journal does not pretend to keep track of polities in the ordinary sense of the term, it seems scarcely proper to allow a matter of so world-wide an interest as the election of a President to pass without comment. The leaders of both of the prominent parties are men of such high character and ability that in our judgment the interests of the public would be quite safe in the hands of either. Now that Mr. Taft has secured the prize of the most honorable station of service in the gift of this nation, he is to be congratulated upon his popularity. Nevertheless he also deserves our sympathy, for however generally popular and successful his execution of the laws may be, faithfulness to his responsibilities will present an arduous task. Besides, if our estimate of the conditions that will prevail during his regime prove correct, he will face grave responsibilities and more trying conditions than the present incumbent of the office—strenuous though those have been. As for Mr. Bryan, perhaps he is worthy of congratulations also, in that he has escaped arduous duties and responsibilities, severe trials and difficulties. If it be true, as we have heard it intimated, that he is a consecrated Christian, he may properly enough apply to himself the Scriptural declaration that ‘‘ All things are working together for his good.’? We can readily surmise that many other positions in life will be more favorable to saintship and growth in grace than is the one which he has just missed. Recognizing the fact that we are now in the harvest time of this age, and that the Great King is taking a hand in all the affairs of the world, we may be sure that the election just closed has brought the results which he prefers. In this connection it may not be amiss for us to suggest what may be the probable influence of the election of Mr. Taft and a Republican Congress by so strong a majority. To us it means a strong sentiment of conservatism on the part of the majority and fear of anything radical in any direction. The large Republican majority in Congress, and particularly the election of Speaker Cannon, will be considered an endorsement of a strongly conservative policy, in harmony with the Republican party and high tariff and trusts, more than an endorsement of President Roosevelt and his more aggressive policy and utterances, of which Mr. Bryan seemed a more thorough exponent than Mr. Taft. This will probably mean, at least temporarily, a more favorable outlook for business prosperity than if Mr. Bryan had been elected. But even if a measure of prosperity should ensue, we must not forget that, according to the Scriptures, we are to anticipate further financial spasms, ‘‘ As travail upon a woman with child,’’ with increasing severity, until the climax shall be reached. Mr. Taft’s broad-mindedness and worldly wisdom will make him popular with all religious people, Protestants and Catholics, and be very favorable to the expected federation of Protestants and their sympathetic codperation with Catholicism in a combined effort to bring church and State into very close relationship, which the Scriptures lead us to expect within the period of Mr. Taft’s administration. It will be remembered that in this very month there is to meet in Philadelphia a council of various denominations, with a view to deciding on such a federation as we, so far back as 1881, pointed out was coming. The method to be followed, we surmise, will be somewhat after the suggestions of the article following this one. The results will be a seeming strengthening of all the forces of earth, making for law and order and good government, and ‘‘Peace, Peace,’?’ will be loudly proclaimed in many quarters. But, according to the Scriptures, the power will lead to very stringent laws and regulations and enforcements, which ultimately will result in a revolutionary upheaval and the predicted ‘‘time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation’’—Anarchy. CHURCH UNION SKILFULLY ARRANGED Special interest attaches to the proposed union between the Presbyterian and Anglican churches in Australia, which is described as ‘‘the most elaborate program of reconciliation between episcopacy and presbytery which has been worked out since the sanguine days of the Savoy Conference in London just after the restoration of Charles II.’’ Although the compact of union has been drawn up by a joint-committee comprising on the Episcopalian side the Archbishop of Melbourne, three other bishops, six priests, and two laymen, and on the Presbyterian side two ex-moderators of the General Assembly, nine other ministers, and two laymen, the scheme has yet to go before the Presbyterian General Assembly and the Anglican General Synod. According to The Interior, a Presbyterian paper published in Chicago, ‘‘it is already plain (355-356) V—38 that the High-church party in the Anglican fellowship throughout the world will move heaven and earth to prevent the ratification of the agreement on the Episcopalian part.’’ From the same source we learn the following interesting details of how the joint-committee approached a problem so bristling with difficulties: ‘¢They began work by the model of the so-called Lambeth quadrilateral, and speedily agreed on the first three points— that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments should be accepted as an infallible rule of faith and practice; that the standard of doctrine should be the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, and that the sacraments observed in the United church should be the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. On the fourth point, ‘the historic episcopate locally adapted,’ there came a hitch, and it took long and patient negotiation to find a way out satisfactory to both parties. ‘¢After a year of conferences, the joint-committee an nounced the adoption of an extended minute agreeing on the following principles and provisions: The United church shall be an independent church without any connection with the State. It shall recognize that the same succession of ministerial orders was common to all Christians up until the Reformation, and since then the succession has been maintained with equal validity in the Anglican church through ordination by bishops, and in the Presbyterian church through presbyteries presided over by moderators. In forming the United church there shall be held to be no difference whatever in the standing, rights, and privileges of Presbyterian ministers and of Anglican priests. (To this clause, which is the hardest point for High-churchmen to get over, a minority of the Anglican committee would give only a qualified assent.) ‘“¢‘After the two churches are united, all ministers shall be called presbyters. Some form of superintendence will then be necessary, and the church shall therefore have power to elect any presbyter to be a bishop. But the church in its duly constituted legislative body shall have power not only to enact the laws which bishops must obey, but shall also have power to determine their tenure of office in the jurisdiction to which they are elected. Candidates for the ministry shall be first ordained to preach, without right to administer the sacraments, and shall then be ealled deacons or licentiates. When they are ordained as presbyters with power of administering sacraments, the act shall be performed with the laying on of hands of one bishop and at least three presbyters. ‘(When a presbyter is consecrated to the bishopric, three bishops and a committee of presbyters appointed for the purpose shall ‘take part’; it is not stated who shall lay on hands. The Book of Common Prayer is to be sanctioned, and additional forms of worship with it; but local congregations, if they prefer, may adhere to non-liturgical services. Church wardens and ruling elders shall be superseded by an order of local lay officials, for whom no name is yet designated. who shall have oversight of the local congregation, but shall not have right to participate in the dispensation of the communion. ‘*In the actual consummation of the union it is proposed that the primate of the Anglican church shall take every Presbyterian minister by the hand and confer upon him ‘all the rights, powers, and authorities pertaining to the office of a priest in the church as set forth in the ordinal of the church of England.’ Then the moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly shall in turn confer by name on every Anglican priest ‘all the rights, powers, and authorities pertaining to the office of a presbyter in the church as set forth in the ordinal of the Presbyterian church.’ It is understood that before entering the union the Presbyterian church of Australia will consecrate a few of its own pastors to the bishopric, so that they may be immediately assigned to dioceses along with present Anglican incumbents.’’—-Literary Digest. * * * The combination above suggested impresses us as a most skilful one to accomplish a church union without seemingly wounding the pride of the participants. By the method suggested, the sanction or blessing of the apostolic succession would be imparted to the Presbyterian ministers without any acknowledgment on their part of receiving the boon, because the presiding officer of the Presbyterian body would simulate a similar blessing upon the Episcopal clergy. Nobody would be deceived, yet everybody would affect to be deceived. Apparently, by the assistance of some cunning fox, the way at jast has been opened for a reuniting of Protestants of all denominations with the Episcopal system. This, as our readers generally know, we have been expecting for a long time—since 1880, when first we saw it [4285]

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