THE PRAYER BOOK [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Relton's " six points " on the Prayer Book question are not only most misleading, but they contain very serious historical errors and misrepresentations. To comment shortly on them :— •
1. He practically admits that the Church by accepting the new Prayer •Book " proposes to adopt " a new " standard of doctrine," and this after all the official declarations to the contrary ! ! His statement is, however, incorrect, since the new- Prayer Book Measure makes it quite clear that the 1662 Prayer Book is still the only " standard of doctrine."
2. He shows an amazing ignorance of Anglican history in opposing the terms " Catholic " and " Protestant.' Our Reformers and their successors made it abundantly clear that their " Protestantism " was a " witness for " true primitive Catholicity ; or as Bishop Chr. Wordsworth declared, " The Church of England became Protestant at the Reformation that she might become more truly and purely Catholic."
. In regard to Professor Relton's bugbear " Continental Protestantism," he has evidently forgotten Bishop Jewel's assertion concerning the Elizabethan doctrinal settlement that "we do not differ from your doctrine (i.e., the Swiss Reformed) by a nail's breadth." It is an undoubted fact that both the Anglican and foreign Reformers made their appeal to the . supreme and final authority of God's Word, and this is what.
true Catholic Churchmen are doing to-day over the Prayer Book controversy.
4 and 5; Dr; Relton makes the astounding assertion that Parliament is only concerned to safeguard the Church from papal jurisdiction, since this is all the " Protestantism " of the Church of England involves. But any intelligent school- boy knows quite well that while the " Protestantism " of Henry VIII: s " Breach with Rome " only touched papal jurisdiction; that of the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth mainly dealt with doctrine. We shall be soon told that the Marian martyrs died simply for refusing Papal supremacy ! Article XIX., however, definitely declares that " the Church of Rome bath erred in matters of Faith," and the historic Royal oath against transubstantiation is sufficient proof that when Parliament defends the " Protestant Reformed Religion " established by law, it has in so doing to guard against the re- introduction of .specific papal doctrines as well as jurisdiction.
The. celebrated Caroline divine, Bishop Sanderson, defines the Church of England as a Protestant Church which has " freed itself from the tyranny and idolatry of Rome and reformed its doctrine and worship from popish corruptions and restored them to the ancient primitive purity." That is, the Reformer% aim was to restore, not the mediaeval faith, a return to which so attracts Dr. Belton, but the true Catholic Faith of early times. What Parliament has therefore to decide is whether this new Prayer Book is a " betrayal " of this essential " Protestant " witness for the Catholic Faith, which has been the peculiar glory of our Reformed Church of England. The Church certainly his a right to adapt itself to the " changed con- ditions " of to-day, but these do not necessitate a return to discarded mediaeval doctrines.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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