EPISCOPACY AND THE CHURCH
Sta,—As one who reads The Spectator, I really must take excep- tion to the statement of Mr. Borthwick on episcopacy. It is just matter of truth and fact. Compare the two statements: "The founders of the Established Church argued no more in favour of episcopacy than that it was a decent and legal way of Church government." (Borthwick) and: "It is evident unto all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church; Bishops, priests and deacons. Which offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation . . . that except he were approved and admitted by lawful authority, etc." (Preface to the Ordinal in the Book of Common Prayer). The naked truth is that Cranmer and his colleagues were determined to reject overweening claims of the Papacy, and to translate their services into English, but were equally determined (as is shown in the Prefaces in the Prayer-book) to be utterly loyal to Scripture and the Primitive Church. It is not a question of controversy but of studying the statements and Prefaces of the Book of Common Prayer. Let all interested study them.—Faithfully yours,
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