[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—St. Cyril in his
Catechetical Lectures, gives a very fine exposition of the reasons which led the early Church to claim the proud title of " Catholic," and Mr. Alfred Noyes in his letter which appears in this week's Spectator, expands and restates those reasons with much eloquence and force.
The point, however, which is really in dispute is whether or not the Church of Rome is justified in asserting that this title is exclusively her own. The Greek Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox Church, can certainly lay strong claim to it, and the Patriarch of the Armenian Church has, I believe, been designated " Catholicos " for a great many years, without any question being raised as to his right to use such a name.
Moreover, the Anglican Church can hardly be "ruled out," seeing that, from its earliest days, it has professed its belief in "one Catholic and Apostolic Church," and in its petitions for Divine guidance has publicly prayed—at, all events since 1662—for "the good estate of the Catholic Church." I venture, therefore, to think that the claim to exclusive possession cannot be maintained.
It is, of course, indisputable that in common parlance; the word is often restricted to members of the Roman Corn:. munion. but remembering the Words of St. Paul
one spirit we are all baptized into one body," Anglicans, and perhaps all baptized Christians, can certainly claim • to be members of that Church Universal a " rapciaerypa iv obpaviii " at the present day—which we may hope will at sonic future time include all Christian Churches throughout the world.—
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