respects, defective; but if others prefer them, we are entirely willing they should adopt them; and we hail them as members of the same spiritual family with us, belonging to the same body of Christ, which is the church. But when the sons of the Hierarchy come out with their exclusive claims-their jure divino exclusive opinions-when they profess to be the only true church, and to possess the only valid ministry and ordinances-when they unchurch every Protestant denomination but their own, calling their pastors unordained, and their sacraments unauthorized—when they arrogate to themselves all correct understanding of this subject-when they attribute the opinions of their brethren. who differ from them to prejudice and ignorance, and, in effect, say to the world, WE ARE THE PEOPLE, AND WISDOM WILL DIE WITH US"—when, not satisfied with preaching these doctrines week after week and month after month, they give them to the community in pamphlets—and when, illy at ease to have these pamphlets find their way into the bosom of families from respectable bookstores, they cause them TO BE HAWKED FROM DOOR TO DOOR IN BASKETS— then, we think that for us to keep silence on the subject would be an unpardonable omission of duty. Certainly our brethren of the Episcopal church cannot blame us, if, under such circumstances, we should review their exclusive claims with some degree of severity-if we should defend, with somewhat of a heavy hand, our own ECCLESIASTICAL EXIST

ENCE.

We have just received, through the columns of the Episcopal Recorder, some remarks of the venerable Dr. Milnor, Rector of St. George's Church, New-York city, against the influence of the Oxford Tracts and other publications of the same school, which go to show that, in his opinion, the increase of the exclusive doctrines of high church Episcopalians is to be attributed, in a great measure, to those publications. "That those tracts," says he, "have been the

means of corrupting the faith of many, and of leading some, for the sake of consistency, to abjure the reformed faith and to unite themselves with the church of Rome, is an unquestioned fact; and that they have led members still in communion to promulgate opinions which, a few years ago, would have identified them with the adherents of that cor

rupt church, is equally true." What those opinions are which are taught at Oxford and imbibed by a portion of the Episcopal church, and which, in the view of Dr. Milnor at least, would have identified their adherents with the Papal church, had they been promulgated a few years ago, we learn from the following extract. "When I can bring my mind to believe that, instead of taking my Bible as the guide of my path, I should dishonor the best of Heaven's gifts by admitting tradition to a coequal rank—when I can be persuaded that there is a dread obscurity in Scripture, even in the fundamentals of Christian faith, that renders indispensable the aid of such an adjunct in the discovery of truthwhen my charity so fails that I can consign my fellowChristians of other names, whatever the strength of their faith in Christ and the holiness of their lives, to the uncovenanted mercies of God, because of their not belonging to a church governed by bishops consecrated by succession from the Apostles-when I dare assert that that order is requisite not only to the perfection and completeness of a Christian church, but also to its very existence-when I am convinced that I must ascribe exclusively to the apostolic commission the derivation of the grace of the Spirit and our mystical communion with Christ, to believe, in truth, that the sacraments of the church are the only channels whereby the gifts of the Holy Spirit are conveyed to man-when I can see that there is an actual sacrament in the Eucharist, and that the Redeemer is really and essentially present in his natural body and blood, in that sacrament," &c.

* * *

"When I can make these admissions and subscribe to these

sentiments, I may join the ranks of the men of Oxford." In this extract the following things are noticeable:

1. It contains a list of those sentiments which have been embraced by a portion of the Episcopal church, under the influence of Oxford publications.

2. Among these sentiments we find that against which we are at present contending, viz., that which consigns "fellow-Christians of other names, whatever the strength of their faith in Christ and the holiness of their lives, to the uncovenanted mercies of God, because of their not belonging to a church governed by bishops consecrated by succession from the Apostles "-which "dares assert that that order is requisite not only to the completeness and perfection of a Christian church, but also to its very existence."

3. That in the opinion of the venerable Doctor Milnor, (and we suspect of many other Episcopal doctors,) this is one of the sentiments which, a few years ago, would have identified its adherents with the corrupt church of Rome."

66

The truth is, High Church Episcopacy is fast verging towards Oxford, and Oxford is more than half way on her journey to the Italian capital. When we read, in one of the principal and recent publications of the Oxford school, such sentences as these-" We cannot stand where we are; we must either go backwards or forwards, and it will surely be the latter :"—"It is absolutely necessary to the consistency of the system which we are laboring to restore, that truths should be clearly stated which as yet have been but intimated, and others developed which are now but in the germ; and as we go on WE MUST RECEDE MOre and more FROM THE PRINCIPLES, IF ANY THERE BE, OF THE ENGLISH REFORMATION -I say, when we read such sentences as these in their leading and recent tracts, we cannot close our eyes to the fact that that portion of the Episcopal church, with the feelings of a homesick daughter, is rushing to the embrace of her Papal mother.

This

In controversy it is necessary, in order to be clearly understood, that we define with precision and perspicuity the things about which we contend, and the principles which we shall endeavor to establish. In order to this, the first inquiry which meets the mind is-What is Episcopacy? This term is derived from the Greek word Επισκοπος, which signifies an overseer, a bishop. It has come to designate those religious denominations which are governed by diocesan bishops. These omitting to notice the Greek church-may be divided into the Episcopal Papal, and Episcopal Protestant. The Episcopal Protestant church is the established church of Great Britain The King or Queen is the supreme head on earth of the English church. no one will doubt who has ever read the history of the English reformation, or the statutes of Parliament upon the subject, or Sir William Blackstone's inimitable Commentary Queen Victoria is at present the upon English law. Next to this supreme head on earth of the English church. royal lady we find two archbishops; next to them comes a line of bishops: next, archdeacons; then presbyters; and then deacons. So that, in the English Episcopal church, besides her supreme earthly head, there are five orders or distinctions of clergy. Episcopalians in this country have concluded to dispense with a king for their supreme headit not being very convenient to find one. They have likewise taken down the lofty arches in their magnificent Episcopal temple-such as archbishops and archdeacons, and have adopted the more simple form of the threefold ministry, as it is sometimes called. By the canons of the Episcopal church, at least three bishops are necessary to ordain a bishop. Presbyters have nothing to do with the ordination of bishops. Presbyters are ordained by the bishop of the diocese to which they belong; the presbyters who are present placing their hands upon the candidate's head by way of consent. Deacons are ordained by the bishop alone.

Bishops may preach, baptize, and administer the sacraments. The duties peculiar to a bishop are confirmation, ordination, and supreme ecclesiastical rule, within the bounds of his own diocese. The duties of a priest, or presbyter, are to preach, baptize, administer the holy eucharist, and superintend the affairs of his own particular charge, subject in all things to his bishop. The duties of a deacon are to preach, and, if necessary, to baptize; to which is nominally added a sort of superintendence of the charities for the poor I am thus explicit in describing these several offices and their respective duties, to prevent continual explanations in the progress of this discussion.

Presbytery is a term arived from the Greek word ПIɛoBúzegos, which signifies an old man-an elder. Presbyter is used to designate a minister, or pastor, of a church—and Presbytery is the name applied to a council of such ministers met as equals in office to transact business for the churches over which they preside. Hence this term is used to designate all those denominations of Christians who believe in the parity, or official equality of the clergy. The main points of difference between presbytery and jure divino Episcopacy, are the following:

1. Episcopacy holds that the Apostolic office is a permanent office in the church, and that diocesan bishops are nothing less than apostles, the succession of the college of apostles who were about our Lord Jesus Christ. Presbytery holds that the apostolic office was limited and extraordinary; that there never were but twelve apostles at the same time; that they never had successors; that when they died the office of apostle ceased.

2. Episcopacy holds that the commission given by Christ to his disciples, just before he ascended to heaven, to preach, baptize, and govern the church, was given to them as apostles, and is to be continued in the line of apostles to the end of time; and that, if there is a single link defective or want