APOSTOLIC CLAIMS OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH. TO THE EDITOR OF
THE SPECTATOR.
Stn—The question of Apostolical Succession is one of deep importance, as
affecting the claims of the different hierarchies and sects in the land. The questit n, however, lies a little deeper than is generally imagined, as it is con- nected with the due administration of the ordinance of Baptism. Titus we' find S. CYPRIAN objecting to NOVATIAN, the first Anti-Pope, that he ought not to have been admitted even to priest's orders, inasmuch as he had only re- ceived clinic baptism ; a rule of the Church, as lie says, having strictly ex- cluded all SO baptized from being admitted to holy orders. The same CY PRIAN, with the Churches of Carthage and Numidia, denied the validity of heretical baptism ; in which view he was supported by the celebrated S. FIRMILIAN, Bishop of Cappedocia. Those who hold that that is not a true baptism which is administered by sprinkling, (and not by immersion, which was the custom for so many hundred years,) must deny that persons are christened, i. c. chris- tianed, in the Ecclesiastical Establishment of England; consequently seek are not fit recipients of the sacraments, much less when ordained can they transmit ovum succession in an unbroken line front theApostles. S. IRENA:US, who is so great an authority with time half-taught men of the present day, eapressly speaks of certain heretics in his time, 4` who do not think it necessary to bring the new disciples or catechumens to the water, hot consider it sufficient to sprinkle water upon them." What would Inesemns then have said to the pretensions of the sprinkled and sprinkling ministers of the Anglican heresy ? Nothing indeed would have more pained and shocked those independent champions of the Church, 'Resta:Cs and IGSATIvS, than to have their names mingled up with a system so characterized by oppression to the pour and servility to the rich as is the Church of England.
The Greek Church, administering the rite of Baptism by immersion, in
perfect consistency denies that the members even of the Church of Rome are baptized : and the DatclICSs KENT can tell you that her sister, prior to marry- ing the late Grand Duke CONSTANTINE, had to be baptized and receive a new name on being made a Christian by becoming a metnber of the Greek Church. By the by, this same Saxe-Coburg family is a very accommodating one in matters of religion—Lutheran, Greek, Roman Catholic, and Church of Englaud, according as it has allied itself with the Imperial, Royal and Princely houses of Russia, England, France, and Lichtenstein.
But to return, is it likely that Mr. GLADS1ONE will persuade either Greek
or Roman to admit the validity of the Anglican ordinations ? Does he know that these latter did not recognize the Honourable Mr. SPENCER'S orders when some years ago he embraced the Roman faith ? neither did they acknnwledge the Episcopal consecration of RIDLEY according to the Church of England as good ; but whilst they degraded CRA N mr.n and LATIMER from being; Bishops; they degraded lleur,EY from no higher order than priest's orders, which he had already received in the Church of Berne.
But further, the Apostolic succession in the Church of England has been
long since destroyed by the marriage of her ministers (Igor they had entered into orders, as all such alter marriages were contrary to the undoubted and unquestioned rule of the dame!' handed down from the earliest Ones, grounded indeed upon this, that they ought in fitet, prior to ordination, tole! selected from the ranks of married men with believing end well-conducted eitildren—" hus- bands of one wife," as the holy widows were to be " wives of one husband," that is married but once, consequently not admitting any after marriage. This tradition, rigidly observed in some of the Eastern Churches to this day, was nude ti:e groundwork of a canon in a Council held at Route by GREGORY the SUOMI, at \6h:1 Sept:Luis from Ireland and FERCHARDUS from Scot- land insisted. After observing that some PEC,bytCES,011 the death of their wive, (coiled Prcsbyterte, Pre'itytercs'tee,) had married contrary to the rule of the. Church, it was enacted that such Presbyters should be deposed. There is no doubt that it was the nphlication or misapplication of this canon which led to those measures of severity on the Fart of De NSTAN, and which ended in the general celibacy of the clergy of this isle, as well as other parts of the West of Europe. The Apostolic canon laid down by PAC!, in his letters to TIMOTHY and T.ErEs, while ft enjoins the selection to be made ntnong these already married, RS still followed in Russia, so, by limiting them to one mai tinge, it necessarily prohibits marriage after tiling orders ; end tints by misinterpretation led the Maly to celibacy, the very thing it was intended to prevent. Mr. GLAD.,,TONI: will find flint he must trovel a little further fbr his Epis- copal succeesion ; and that lie still he more likely to obtain it pure at the hands of a Itishop of COITLI than Of is Bishop of Canterbury. With what face can the Church of England chin' the name of Catholic? Why, site is so tied down by law that she cannot Fend one of her Bishops cV...11 to our own Celonies withsut the liceece of an net of a Parliament in which sit Catholics, Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, Aloravians, Quakers, reel Secinians I While on this subject, I cannot repress my indignation et that Article of hers "respecting General Councils," in which site lays it down that General Coto:ells must not be called but by permission of princes; thus basely betraying the independence of the Church, which is Christ's kingdom, to the arrogance of the minces oh this world. 1 should further observe. that a primitive Episcopacy, Snell AS IGNATIUS speaks of, never existed w ithout a coairoillog couucil (crupapiny) of Pres- bytees—a Prcskj.,tery ; F.0 that in every raj:Korea (parish) was to be Ruud, a Bishep with a Cellege of E!ders end seven Deacons according to primitive in- stitution—the camin of the Council of Nice and practice of the Roman Church with its seven Cardinal Deacons. Now where is this attended to in the Church of England ? who hatess whether at any particular time she has Deacons or trot ? to lice At-Cildt:;:(141S, thought their title " %emeralds" implies tltat they are inferior to their "reverend" brethren, yet they are in priests orders and build their visitations over priests contrary to a canon of the primitive Church which expressly forbade such usurpation on their part. Yet the sticklers for Episcopacy have lost sight of all this, being content with a name, while the reality is altogether tentative.. Having deeply and conscientiously studied this subject as a student for the ministry of the Church of England, and having read. the Fathers and Councils for myself in the originals, I feel it ray duty to expose the shallowness of the pretensions of that body ; which, let tne say, Sir, can only impose upon men who are ready to take names for thinys and shaclows for realities.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, WILIAAM S. Visstens SANKEY, M.A.
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