Thoughts on the “Anglo-Catholic” Convention

Extract

An “Anglo-Catholic Convention of Priests” has been held this summer at Oxford. Learning and piety, goodwill and good works, enthusiasm not without convenient forgetfulness, together with plenty of dicta, a la Podsnap’s “I don’t admit America,” have there been patent to all respectful observers. Another Anglican Congress of Fellowship was held at the same time in Oxford. Perhaps a third of the Anglicans therein taking part were of the same religion, or religions, as those in the Convention of “Anglo-Catholics.” Those of Fellowship had also their “don’t admit it.” Nor can they be gainsaid, when they declare that “Anglo-Catholicism” is not the Church of England in esse ; nor yet when they maintain that the Reformed Church of England never before Ruled these “Anglo-Catholic Priests,” nor their words, nor their works, nor their ways, until this day and hour.

“Let us give a rest to the religion of sacrifice,” seemed to be the dominant note at this Anglican Congress of Fellowship; “let us trust for religious reunion, to goodwill, charity, and philanthropy. Let us not exclude our brethren of the Free Churches, far nearer our faith than are our separated brethren of Rome. Let us take their Protestant orders ; let us exchange orders as equals.”

The late Rev. John de Soyres wrote to the present writer as follows : “Of course Pope Leo is quite right; we have no orders in the Roman Catholic sense ; but we are content with our orders as all Protestants understand them.”