AN IDEAL FOR THE NATIONAL CHURCH. [To THE EDITOR OT
TILE " SriscrAroa.")
Ste,—At the present time, when so many united religious services have been held in connexion with the Day of Special Prayer and Thanksgiving, the following Ideal for the National Church may not be out of place. The hope is that it might unite people of very divergent views, both within and outside the Church of England, make it more truly national, and at the same time fall in with the recommendation of the Archbishops' Committee on Church and State, as to the fundamental franchise for the repre- sentation of the laity.
The object of all well-wishers is to make the English branch of the Universal Church more truly national and to attract to its services the masses of the common people. What could conduce more to this end than the opening of her doors the widest possible by inviting to the Communion of the Lord's Supper all who are religiously and devoutly disposed? This without any inquiry—for conscience' sake—as to the particular tenets held by the partici- pants. Is it not said in one of the After-Communion prayers in the Prayer Book that the true Church is " the blessed company of all faithful people"? And I ask, what human being—be he priest or bishop—is to decide who are the faithful people. Can we attempt to restrict the invitation of our Lord, Who said: "Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest? "
What could be a nobler or grander epoch-making event in the life of the Church and nation than that on the Sunday next before the celebration of the Peace, whenever it comes, the offici- ating clergyman in every church throughout the land—and the dominions of the King—should announce that " On Sunday next I purpose, through God's assistance, to administer to all such an shall be religiously and devoutly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, to be by them re- ceived in remembrance of His meritorious Cross and Passion . . ."? Our churches would be crowded by people of all Christian creeds, and many who have never seen their way to conform to any particular creed or practice would nevertheless be thankful to have the opportunity to kneel before the Lord's Table. There may be many who would think it sacrilege to join with people of diverse creeds and practice, so let them stay away from these special universal services, to which all should be invited, but " The love of God is greater than the measure of man's mind, And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind."
It would be well if these open Ccimmunions were celebrated at least four times a year; and on other Sundays the Communion could be still restricted, as per the rubric in the Prayer Book, to those who have been confirmed, and thereby shown that they have enrolled themselves as full members incorporate of the Church of England; whereas the other general participants might be known as associates.
You have shown in the Spectator that such Communion, open to all parishioners—including Nonconformists—is in accordance with the laws of Church and State, and, therefore, no new Par-
liamentary legislation is necessary. If these views could be at all accepted as a compromise by the varying schools of thought in the Church, could not the Representative Church Council petition the King to issue a decree, that in all places of his dominion, on a specified Sunday, and in future four times in every year, all churches should be open to administer to all end sundry " who shall be religiously and devoutly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ "? It will be objected by many that this, being a compromise, would not he wholly acceptable to any one school of thought in the Church, but are not the very laws of the land, and even our mortal bodies, the efficient result of compromise?
I do not sign this with my name or address, for it weld by no means add any weight to my suggestions, but I merely put them forward to be judged on their own merits, and subscribe myself Ax 01,D CHURCHWARDEN.
[We heartily agree with the spirit of our correspondent's letter. But we fear that the mention of four special Sundays in the year might seem to prohibit the other Sundays to Nonconformists. Nonconformists have a legal right, as our correspondent rightly says, to communicate in a church at all times.—ED. Spectator.]
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