p. 18 | A FALLEN CHURCH by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 18, 1866

A FALLEN CHURCH.

By Editor

The following article which we clip from a leading New York paper, shows a remarkable state of things existing in the church of England. Has not this condition of religious matters, some connection with the prophecies which represent that in the last days, all religious organizations except such as receive, love, and obey, the truth, will fall into disorganization and ungodliness. The article says:

“SINGULAR STATE OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH.

The established church of Great Britain shows signs of dissolution. It is losing its hold upon the people, and is divided into two or three factions, the most prominent of which are the ritualists, who really belong in the Roman Catholic church; the liberals, who are in fact Unitarians, and repeat the creed in a Pickwickian sense; and the spiritual churchmen, who hold to the creed and to the prescribed ritual, and reject all innovations from the two extreme factions. The Roman Catholic practice of confession is rapidly gaining ground among the ritualists, and Dr. Pusey, in a letter to the London Times, rejoices and boasts over it, thus: ‘The use of confession among us all—priests and people—is very large. It pervades every rank, from the peer to the artisan or the peasant. In the course of this quarter of a century (to instance my own experience, which I must know), I have been applied to, to receive confessions from persons in every rank, of every age, old as well as young, in every profession, even those which you would think least accessible to it—army, navy, medicine, law.’

“The mania for ecclesiastical regalia and other tom-foolery has invaded the colleges, and at Oxford, ‘strong young men with whiskers and big arms and fat calves, men who are also fond of taking an oar or a bat in their hands, actually go in with a girlish delight for dressing themselves up in the quaintest, the richest, the most expensive ecclesiastical garments. A sort of celestial bagman goes round on behalf of a celebrated millinery warehouse, touting for orders. A publisher has a secret and sacred corner in his shop, where every information on costume can be obtained. Young men walk about the High street with garments and head-dresses on, that give the initiated to understand that their wearers are as much priests as it is possible for young laymen to be. And, naturally, the appropriate theology prevails also. Under-graduate after under-graduate announces that he is restored to the bosom of the true church; and as under the modern system, Roman Catholics are allowed to be members of many colleges, a fervent young man can go over when he pleases, and yet pursue his university career. Some, however, still hesitate. Gambling on a scale previously unknown, is said to have come in with this queer parody of ritualism, and epigrammatists remark that it is either mass or unlimited loo.’

“In the same line of progress, the London Guardian, high church, pronounces against sermons, and insists that if the rectors will preach after divine service, the people should be permitted to leave the church if they choose. The Guardian says that, as there is no sacramental efficacy in sermons, there is no reason why cultured people should be annoyed and bored with platitudes. Archdeacon Dennison goes further and has organized an active movement in favor of allowing the laboring classes an opportunity to enjoy themselves at cricket and other athletic sports on Sunday afternoon, after the morning has been spent at church.”