A series of brief historical sketches of the Church of England, and of the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States

Preface

The greater part of this tract was originally prepared as a series of Lectures for the benefit of the writer's own congregation, and was delivered in that form several years ago. He has hoped to see a short and lucid statement of the prominent points in the History of the Church of England given to the public, by some one abler and better informed than himself ; but having waited some time in vain, his conviction of the importance of the subjects herein discussed, and the advice of judicious friends, have induced him to publish these pages. He hopes they may be found useful to communicants of the Church who may not have time nor opportunity to examine larger works; and he sincerely trusts that they may be read by others also who are willing to foUow truth, when they are satisfied that it is truth, even though it should cross their prejudices, or lead them to conclusions directly contrary to those which they had previously held.

The Author is indebted to the kind assistance of his friend, the Rev. C. T. Quint ard, Rector of the Church of the Advent^ Nashville, for many of the notes found in theso pageS; and for many references to authorities which he could not otherwise have obtained except at the expense of much time and labor.

Chapter I

The Churcb of Christ must have a History. — Advantages of knowing that history. — The Chnrch the same in all ages. Organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church. — The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States one with the Church of England in doctrine and fellowship. — Origin of the Church of England. — Founded in the days of the Apostles, or very near them. — St. Paul probably the founder. — Origin of the British Councils and establishment of Schools of Theology. — Relapse into Paganism, and return to Christianity. — Labors of Augustine. — Refusal of the British Christians to submit to him. — The usurpation of the Bishop of Rome gradual. ... 11

Chapter II

The National Churches of Apostolic and primitive times. — The Faith, Government and Ministry the same everywhere. — Only one Bishop to every large city, but many presbyters and deacons. — All Bishops equal in authority and rank. — Provincial and National Churches. — Metropolitans. — Each National Church perfect in itself. — National Churches at present in existence. — Churches of Spain, France, Rome, England. — Rise, fall, and restoration of the English Church. — Who shall cast a stone at her? .35

VIU CONTENTS.

CHAPTER m.

The period of the decline of the English Church. — The Church quite pure in the time of Augustine. — Origin of using Latin in the Liturgy — its results. — IVIarriage of the Clergy prohibited, though customary at first. — Immunities granted to the Monasteries. — Their corruptions. — The good that they effected. — The Monasteries the schools of the middle ages. — Rise of the Papal authority in England. — The Pope's oppressive taxation of the English Church. — Changes in faith introduced by Papal authority. — Progress of error slow but constant. — The evil in the Church always more notorious than the good. — The English Church the purest in Western Europe. — Proofs that the Church was a living vine. ••.».. 50

Chapter IV

The morning star of the Reformation. — The Church ready and anxious for Reformation. — John Wickliffe, the first Reformer. — Wickliffe' s preparation for his work. — Controversy with the mendicant friars. — Refusal to pay tribute to the Pope. — Summary of Wickliffe's doctrines. — Statement of the doctrine of justification by faith. — Sound doctrine preached 500 years ago. — Wickliffe first brought to trial for heresy. — He denounces the friars on his sick bed. — His second trial. — His translation of the Bible. His third trial. — Is expelled from Oxford, but continues his labors. — His death. — Number and zeal of Wickliffe's disciples. — The fires of martyrdom kindle the fire of reformation 73

CHAPTER V. The Church of England during the reign of Henry VIII

Reformation desired. — Obstacles in the way of obtaining it. — God provides a leader for the reforming party. — Causes that led Henry VIII. to quarrel with the Pope. — Henry's efforts to keep on friendly terms. — His failure, and open rupture. Henry is forced to aid in reformation against his will. — Important improvements allowed by the king. — The wrath of man overruled to promote the glory of God 95

CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VI

The Reformation completed by Edward VI. and Archbishop Cranmer. — Thoroughness of Cranmer's reforms. — Extent of the refonns, and mode of accomplishing them. — Removal of images from the Chm^ches. — Cranmer's moderation in reforming the Prayer Book. — Alterations which were made in the Prayer Book. — Instractions to the clergy. — Favor shown to foreign reformers. — Proposition for a general confederation of all Protestant Churches. — Cranmer's plan the only feasible one ever proposed. — Cranmer did not found a new Church. 108

Chapter VII

The Church in trouble during the reign of Mary".— Arrests of the Bishops. — Preaching forbidden. — Mary promises submission to Rome. — She begins the persecutions. — Rogers, Hooper, Latimer and Ridley burnt alive. — Cranmer's trial. — His degradation from office. — His recantation. — Is condemned to be burnt. — Takes back his recantation. — Mary's persecutions estabh'shed the reformation more firmly 123

CHAPTER Vm.

The Church during the reign of Elizabeth. — Romish Bishops removed. — The succession continued. — Fable of the "Nag's Head" ordination. — The consecrations vahd. — The Bishops were exiled but not degraded by Mary. — Only one Church in England in the first of Elizabeth's reign. — Disputes about trifles. — Want of charity. — Religious and political questions closely connected. — Quarrel about surplices. — Strictness of Elizabeth. — Sign of the cross in Baptism. — Organs. — Church music. — Right of choosing ministers. — Want of presbytery. — The Protestant Episcopal Church grant more than the Puritans asked 136

CONTENTS.

Chapter IX

The triumph of the Puritan party. — High views on the divine right of kings. — The Bishops take sides with the king. — Bishops opposed on political grounds. — Puritans ask further concessions — some are granted. — King James' Bible. — Sunday sports permitted. — Inflexibility of Archbishop Laud. — The Long Parliament not a Presbyterian body. — Puritans attempt to destroy the Church, but do not succeed 157

Chapter X

The results of Puritan dominion. — The clergy ejected. — Use of the Prayer Book prohibited. — Organs and surplices forbidden. — Violence of fanaticism. — Sects multiply. — The ministry usurped by ignorant enthusiasts. — Various sects permanently organized. — The evils of division fastened on the generations to come. — The reaction from Puritan strictness to great laxity, and then to coldness and formalism. — First intentions and efforts of the Wesleys. — Peculiarities of Mr. Wesley's discipline. — The first Methodists were all members of the Church of England. — Wesley's advice to the Methodists, not to separate from the English Church. — How the American Methodists came to separate 169

Chapter XI

Organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church. — Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. — Opposition of the Puritans to the appointment of American Bishops. — Difficulties under which the Church in the colonies labored. — Troubles about obtaining Bishops after the Revolution. — Complete organization of the New National Church. — The right to separate was the puritan principle. — Various divisions that have grown out of it. — Baptists, Quakers, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Methodists all have divided and subdivided since their separation from the Church of England. — The Church of England never divided. — The Protestant Episcopal Church has continued one Church and must so continue as long as she exists 186

Chapter I

The Church of Christ i^st have a History. — ^Advantages of kQowing that history.— The Church the same in all ages. Organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church. — The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States one with the Church of England in doctrine and fellowship. — Origin of the Church of England. — Founded in the days of the Apostles, or very near them. — St. Paul prohably the founder. — Origin of the British Councils and establishment of Schools of Theology. — Relapse into Paganism, and return to Christianity. — Labors of Augustine. — Refusal of the British Christians to submit to him. — The usurpation of the Bishop of Rome gradual.

The Church which Christ founded^ and which the Apostles more completely established, was, from its first beginning, an organized body of believers ; it was an association of living men and women, bound by solemn obligations not only to believe and to suffer but also to act ; it was a Church Militant, and " conquer or die " was one of the laws of its existence. Of course the Church must have a History ; it did not die, but it conquered and lived, and the record of its conquests is its history. A knowledge of this history must be useful to every member of Christ's Church ; for, as we read the record of the days when the Church increased and prospered, we may learn the causes which will make it increase and prosper now ; when we trace its corruption and decline, we are admonished to avoid those errors in doctrine and practice which would cause its decline now ; as we learn what was the belief of the Church in its best and purest days, we perceive the advantages of holding to sound doctrine and strict discipline ; and as we trace the close connexion between corruption in manners and errors in doctrine, we see the necessity of contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints. Indeed we can hardly have that certainty that we are holding to the true doctrines of the Christian religion, which every Christian ought to possess, unless we know something of the various heresies which have been denounced and exposed by the Church in past ages, and have learned when and how the faith which the Apostles believed and taught has overcome all that opposed it and become firmly established as the undisputed and indisputable truth of God.

It behooves Christians in this age and country to inform themselves in regard to Church History for another reason. We find ourselves everywhere surrounded by an array of rival societies, all more or less opposed to each other — varying in belief, differing in organization — and yet each one claiming to be the true Church which Christ founded, and nearer to the Apostolic model than any of its rivals. Each Christian must decide upon the claims of these opposing denominations before he unites with either of them, or he must without reflection and guided solely by prejudice or whim, determine to cast in his lot with some one of them for better or for worse. If he be a man of reflection, and desirous to arrive at the truth in regard to the claims of these various denominations, what plan more simple or more satisfactory than to commence his inquiry by asking '''Where and when did this or that denomination come into existence ? " What light does History throw on its claim of being a branch of the Church which Christ founded ? Did Christ and his Apostles organize it, or was it the offspring of later days and the work of uninspired men ?

The main object of this tract is to furnish the members of the Protestant Episcopal Church in this country with such an amount of certain historical information as may satisfy them that the Church to which they belong has been in existence as an organiT^ed^ visible^ living y and acting body of professed Christians, from the days of the Apostles down to the present time ; that it has always held, taught and practised the fundamental articles of Christian faith and morals as laid down in the Gospel, and that it has never materially altered the organized form which the Apostles gave to it ; in a word, that the Church of which we are members to-day, is identical with the one which the Apostles planted ; that it is as truly the same church as the babe, the youth, the mature man and the grey-headed grandsire are only different ages and developments of one and the same individual.

The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States has been in existence as a separate and independent organization only from the time of the American Kevolution ; but it was not organized as a new Church at that time — very far from it. Its members had all been, previously to its separate organization^ members of the Church of England ; its ministers had all been ordained by Bishops of the English Church; its doctrines and worship were those of the Church of England^ and it was in all respects part and parcel of that Church, though greatly neglected, and laboring under many disadvantages.

Very shortly after the Revolution, in the year 1785; and again in 1786, the representatives of the Churches in the several states assembled in Convention, addressed an earnest and respectful memorial to the Archbishops of the Church of England, representing the difficulties and disadvantages under which the Churches in the United States were placed by the political changes that had been effected, and requesting them to consecrate Bishops for this country, so as to complete our organization as an independent branch of the Church. In this memorial they stated that the Church in this country did not propose to depart from the principles of the Church of England, nor to separate from the communion of that Church, nor to make any alterations in the doctrines, worship or organization of the Church; except such as were necessary to accommodate it to the different circumstances in which it had been placed by the political changes of the Kevolution.* After some delay (the principal object of which was to give

* The object of the Petition which was addressed to the Most Rev. and Rt. Rev. the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of the Church of England is thus stated in the Preamble — " When it pleased the Supreme Ruler of the universe that this part of the British empire should be free, sovereign and independent, it became the most important concern of the members of our communion to provide for its continuance : And while in accomplishing this they kept in view that wise and liberal part of the system of the Church of England which excludes as well the claiming as the acknowledging of such spiritual subjection as may be inconsistent with the civil duties of her children, it was nevertheless their earnest desire and resolution to retain the venerable form of Episcopal Government, handed down to them, as they conceived, from the time of the Apostles, and endeared to them by the remembrance of the holy Bishops of the primitive Church, of the blessed Martyrs who reformed the doctrine and worship of the Church of England, and of the many great and pious prelates who have adorned that Church in every succeeding age. But however general the desire of completing the orders of our Ministry, so diffused and unconnected were the members of our communion over this extensive country that much time and negotiation were necessary for the forming a representative body of the greater number of the Episcopalians in these States; and owing to the same causes, it was not until this Convention, that suflScient powers could be procured for the addressing your Lordships on this subject." — Journal of Convmtion of 1785 in Church Mevietv, Vol. XL p. 655,

In 1786 the Convention says — "We are unanimous and explicit in assuring your Lordships that we neither have departed nor propose to depart from the doctrines of your the English Bishops the fullest proof that we did not intend to depart from the doctrines or communion of the Church of England^) a sufficient number of Bishops were consecrated for the United States, and the Church in this country was completely organized according to the principles which it had held all along, and took the name of " the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America." Since its separate organization there has always been the most friendly feeling between the English and the American Churches ; the Clergy of the American Church are invited to officiate in English Churches and English Cler gymen can and do hold parishes in the United States.'*' In the plainest and most emphatic manner, both in public acts and in private intercourse, each Church has affirmed and does continually affirm that they stand to each other

Church. We have retained the same discipline and forms of worship as far as was consistent with our civil constitutions;" * * * '^ ^ Journal of Convention VI %Q — Church Beview, Vol. XII. p. 148.

* Since 1850, Bishops of the Church of England have been, present at and assisted in the consecration of four Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal church, viz : Bishops Horatio Potter, Atkinson, Davis, and Wainwright. 2

IS HISTORICAL SKETCHES

in the exact position of Mother and Daughter — not as rivals J for their aims are the same — not as opponents J for they hold common principles —not as separatists^ for they are one Family, one Communion, one as being each alike a Branch of Christ's living Vine, the Holy CathoUc Church.^^

Having now shown that the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States is really one with the Church of England, we are prepared for the next step in our historical investigation, which is, to inquire when did the Church of England originate and hy whom was it organized.

The Church existed in England and was recognized as the National Church when this country was first settled, for the Puritans came to New England to avoid conforming to its requirements. It existed in the time of Queen

*In October, 1853, a delegation from the venerable " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," composed of one Bishop and three Presbyters, attended the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church and the meeting of the Board of Missions held at the same time, — returning the courtesy shown by members of our House of Bishops in attending the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Society celebrated in London.

Elizabeth, for under her the use of the present Prayer Book was fully established. It existed in the time of Henry the Eighth, for he assisted to throw off the authority of the Pope. It existed hefore Henry the Eighth, or there would have been nothing for the Pope to lord it over. It existed in the days of William the Conqueror, or there would have been no Bishoprics for him to fill with foreign ecclesiastics. It existed in the year 596, for in that year Popo Gregory sent Augustine with forty monks to convert the Saxons, and when he came he found Bishops and Clergy and Churches among the Britons, who would not own his authority nor submit to his rule.

The first fact which we shall regard as a settied and certain matter of history is this, that a Churchy protected by royal authority and statute law, known as the Church of England^ has been in existence for twelve hundred years at leasts This point will not be argued ; if any one doubts or disputes it, let him turn to any history of England, and, opening to any period during the past twelve hundred years, see how far he can read without coming to some notice of the Church or of Churchmen.

Having established one fact, that the Church of England has existed at least four times as long as any denomination that dates its existence from the period of the Eeformation, we shall now try to point out as nearly as possible the exact time when it did come into existence.

The strong probabilities are that the Church was organized in Britain in the time of the Apostles, and by that one of them (St. Paul) who says of himself "^ I suppose that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest of the Apostles/' The reasons which go to support the probability of St. Paul's having been the founder of the British Church are — first^ Clement of Eome (the fellow laborer and friend of St. Paul) 5 writing to the Corinthians^ says, " Paul^ being a Herald (of the Cross) in the Bast and in the West^ preached righteousness through the whole world, and went to the utmost bounds of the West/' Now if Clement had said '^ went to Britain/' we should not have said that it was probable that St. Paul founded the British Church, but should have stated it as a certain fact. The reader will soon see how very little this probability falls short of being a certainty. The expression which Clement does use is in reality equivalent to saying that St. Paul went to Britain ; for, " the utmost bounds of the West '' was a term frequently used by writers of that period to designate Britain.*^ ^' If these words are to be taken in their literal sense/' says Bishop Shorty "little doubt can remain that this kingdom was converted to Christianity by the Apostle to the Gentiles.^'f When it is remembered that this is the statement of one whom St. Paul himself speaks of (Philippians 4:3) as one of his ^^ fellow lahorerSj whose names are in the Book of Life/' and who^ from personal intercourse with the Apostle, must have known .in what countries he had preached, we perceive that there is but a shade of difference in this case between prohahility and absolute certainty. This statement of Clement is con-

* " Fuisti in ultima Occidentis insula" — Thou hast been in the last island of the AVest.^ — CaiuUus.

St. Jerome says that St. Paul imitated the Sun of Righteousness in going from one ocean to the other. " Ut Evangelium Christi in Occidentis quoque partibus praedicaret " — that he might preach the Gospel of Clirist also in the parts of the West. Stillingfleet (Antiquities of the British Church, p. 88) produces many other authorities to Bhow that Britain was esteemed the extreme West.

t Short's History, p. 2, firmed by Eusebius, the historian of the early Church, Tsho flourished about A. D. 325. He says that the Apostles preached in all the world, some going to India and some to the British Isles, It is also confirmed by Theodoret, who says, ^^ Our fishermen and publicans, and the tent-maker (Paul) carried the evangelical laws to all men, and persuaded not only Eomans, and those tributary to them, but also Scythians and the Huns, besides the Indians, Britons and Gi-ermans, and, in a word, every nation and tribe of men to receive the laws of the Crucified One/^ From these testimonies we are justified in saying that there is the very strongest probability that some of the Apostles, of whom St. Paul was one, preached the Gospel in Britain and established the Church there. But we have now only to take a single step, and, leaving all probabilities behind us, place our feet on the firm ground of certain history. Whoever planted the Church in Britain, it is certain that by the end of the second century it was firmly established there ; for, about the year 200, TertuUian thus speaks of it — "All Spain, and the difierent nations of Graul, and the parts of Britain that are inaccessible to

OF THE CHUBCH. 2S

the Romans are brought into subjection to Christ/' In the year 240 the same statement is made in two different passages by Origen, one of which reads thus — '^ When did the land of Britain agree in the worship of one God before the coming of Christ ? When did the land of the Moors agree ? When did all the world thus agree ? But now, by means of the Churches, which occupy the very outposts of the world, the universal earth cries out with joy to the Lord of Israel/' In the third century, Britain not only had Churches, but she had Martyrs also. St. Alban was the first martyr to the faith in Britain,^' and history has preserved the names of others who suffered during the Diocletian persecution,

* WheD persecution began St. Alban was a Pagan, but his humanity would not allow him to refuse an asylum under his roof to a proscribed Christian priest. While hospitably sheltered there the pious clergyman's religious fervor so efifectually won Alban's veneration that he readily received instruction in the faith of Jesus. He resided at Verulam, afterwards named St. Alban's. The place of his martyrdom was the hill overlooking the spot then occupied by that ancient city. Here in after times arose the noble abbey of St. Alban's, a worthy commemoration of Britain's earliest blood-stained testimony against heathen errors. After Alban's example many other members of the ancient British Church surreiulered their lives rather than deny their Saviour. — Horn, in Pass, S. Alhan. — UOieloc. in Bed., p. 36.

which extended to all ]3arts of the Roman Empire. In the year 307^ Constantine the Great, who was then commander of the Eoman army in Britain, was proclaimed Emperor of Eome, and on ascending the throne protected the Church by becoming a Christian himself and by putting an end to persecution.

The various heresies that arose at an early period required to be examined and condemned by the faithful, and for this purpose many Councils of Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Authorities were convened. The records of these councils give additional proof of the existence of the Church in the British Isles. In the vear 314 the Council of Aries was called by Constantine, among the members of which we find three British Bishops. At the famous Council of Nice, A. D. 325, bishops from Britain are supposed to have been present ; but at the Council of Sardica, A. D. 347, and of Ariminum, A. D. 450, their presence is clearly established. At this latter council most of the British Bishops refused to receive the allowance made to them for their expenses by the emperor, only three of them accepting it, which is a proof both of the number and the wealth of the

British bishops who were there. The earliest of the British councils was that of Verulam in the year 446 ; which was convened by Germanus and Lupns^ bishops from Gaul, who were invited by the British divines to aid them in opposing the Pelagian heresy, which had made considerable progress in Britain. As the best means of putting an effectual stop to these heresies, Germanus and his assistants established schools of theology, which became very famous for producing learned theologians ; so much so that Bede, who was not favorable to the British church, confesses that it was well furnished with learned men at the coming of Augustine to England in 596. These same Bishops, Germanus and Lupus, are said to have brought with them into the British churches the use of the Gallican liturgy, which was derived probably from St. John through Polycarp and Irenaeus. The principal differences between this and the Roman liturgy, were followed by our Reformers, when they purified the Prayer Book from Romish corruptions, in the time of Edward VI.

From these historical notices of the British Church, which have been given, and from others which are confirmatory of these, we are led to the conclusion that the British Isles were very thoroughly converted to Christianity by the middle of the fifth century — that their faith was pure, that their churches were numerous and well endowed, and that their clergy were equal in point of learning and zeal to those of the neighboring countries. We also have abundant evidence upon two points which are of great interest to us of the present day. One point is that the early British Church was beyond question Episcopal in its organization, i. e., it was governed by Bishops and had three orders of ministers ; it also used a written Liturgy and not extempore prayers. The othei point is, that it was not subject to the authority of the Koman Church, nor recognized the Pope as being superior in authority to their own Bishops. It was as independent of foreign jurisdiction as the Protestant Episcopal Church is at this day.

But very shortly after the year 450 the bright prospects of the British church were darkened by the political convulsions then rapidly approaching, and a fearful storm burst on both Church and State. The Koman Empire, becoming weakened by internal commotions, and not being able to defend all its conquered provinces, withdrew its armies from Britain, and left the country exposed to the attacks of its barbarous neighbors, against whom the Britons were not able to protect themselves. The consequence was that the Saxons, who were then a heathen nation, invaded Britain, and after a struggle of about a hundred years, succeeded in driving the Britons into the mountainous districts, particularly into that portion now called Wales, and in reducing the remainder to a state of servitude. By this Saxon invasion, the country which had been almost entirely Christian under the rule of the Romans, was carried back into Paganism, its churches destroyed and their members scattered and oppressed, except in Wales, where the Britons still maintained their independence both political and religious. It was not long however before the Saxons themselves began to grow weary of their Paganism and disposed to accept the Christianity which they had been the means of overthrowing in Britain. By the marriage of Ethelbert, one of their kings, with Bertha, a Christian lady, the Chiistian religion and its teachings became known to those in authority, and through her influence doubtless they became more indulgent toward the oppressed remnants of the British Church.^*^ Influenced probably by what