II. Doctrines and Usages. — 1. Speaking generally, the doctrines of the Reformed Episcopal Church may be identified as those of Orthodox and Evangelical Protestantism. The men who organized the Church were of that class of clergymen and laymen in the old Protestant Episcopal Church who had been largely associated with the Christians of other Protestant Churches, and harmonized with them in belief and practice. In their choice and adjustment of doctri- nal standards, they could but give expression to this agreement. When they set forth in the " Declaration of Principles" the belief that "the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the sole Rule of faith and practice," thus making the Bible the only ultimate fountain of authority in the set- tlement of religious questions ; and when they revised the old Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, not changing their substance, but making them more distinctive, and adapting them to present phases of life and thought, they but put the Church squarely on the great platform of Evangelical Christianity. This Church, if not broader, is somewhat less particular in its doc- trinal basis than some of its sister Communions. Thus\ like the old Episcopal Church, it holds in its bosom, and freely tolerates, clergymen of the Calvinistic and Armin- ian schools of thought. The eighteenth "Article of Re- ligion," entitled "Of Election, Predestination, and Free Will," runs thus: "While the Scriptures distinctly set forth the election, predestination, and calling of the peo- ple of God unto eternal life, as Christ saith, 'All that the Father giveth me shall come to me,' they no less posi- tively affirm man's free agency and responsibility, and that salvation is freely offered to all through Christ. This Church, accordingly, simply affirms these doc- trines as the Word of God sets them forth, and submits them to the individual judgment of its members, as
REFORMED EPISC. CHURCH 1010 REFORMED KPISC. CHURCH
HolyS - them that
Enandeth all men even and that
we can be sa ...
the only distinct aware of to unite in one
- of truth that lie. one on the side of divi: 5 the other on the
side of ma - How fat this
effort has successful, 2 I hristian
men mu^:
■ - aration on these
_ • trine than in n • amnions.
rral - strains to harmony than
a . With but little dis -
- re
trina] thought find a fair field for united and hat action in extending and building up the kingdom of • In adopting the Nieene Creed as one of its symbols. - stand on the historical Church doctrine of the Trinity, asserting not a mere modal dis- tinction, but an essential, iri-personal distinction in the divine nature. Justification by faith, as held and
■ _ _ state of the remission of sin. hi.: the imputation of Chris 9 rig mess. 1
trines that cluster around these, as in a measui dent upon them, are stated in the articles in harmonious - - 2. Among the distinctive usages of this Church, the - gnated :
Liturgical Church. I - rganized and those who, since its
into it and helped to form its sys- tem and direct its course in history, have l>een men either trained in t Protestant Epis .'. Church, where
:e of the value of litur- gic forms in public worship or convinced from expe- rience, in chure!. - - irely extemporal, of the in irgy from the actual lack of it. They ha-. • 1 that the evils connected with - n the old parent Church are
- - . but to certain doctrinal
3 at the .-era of the Eeforma' . : of Edward VI. rapid
re made in the line of a thoi Service- ;ne. and the Romish re Elizal>eth. in th< - . revision
that should, if possible, unite in comm . :nan Catholic
: into one channel of Church lit r.-_
fined in attire ever since. < >ut of the
stream thus formed, and flowing down throng the exh .•:. unentarianism and ritualism in
_ :.ave risen. In the revision of the i. .'. Church, it is claimed, these elements neous doctrine have been takci am. The
and best contribnti Church 'a tion an;
:.). scriptural.
5 ge that is almost mined on any
for free prayer, when thi
- -
l»i_'niiy and | ropriety are thus united to that warmth and earnestness which a
- kindle. 1 _ r:n«. with
their chastening and educating influence, is secured by ,
law. and also that liberty for times and seasons when, by - _ of the limits of prescription, worship can be adapted to all the dema. - e listic and revival
work. This, it b - an approach as
can be made t.> a perfect system of worship.
• - --'.nelly a Church of Law. Neither in the individual membership, n r in the rela- tions of the separate churches, nor yet in the connection of the larger ecclesiastical divisions is the bond of union that of mere association, under any 1 1 of that term. Opinion, whether it relVr to doctrine, to
- to Christian life, rinds its legitimate sion in the councils. In this way. in
: to particular law under th< the constitution ; and then all, wheth- er sections ire bound by the law. The le- system is canons like the old historical episcopal canon law. simply shorn of those arbitrary and tyrannical features of the old system derived from monarchical institutions in the State and 1