Imatges de pàgina
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"It would be tedious and unnecessary to mention the various visits made to different ecclesiastics and the Church's institutions, where we were everywhere most warmly received. On my return to St. Petersburg I was entertained by the Dean, Bishop Sergius, and the professors at the Academy. Here the students met me with the usual hymn of salutation, and in my progress through the institution I was addressed at different points by the students in speeches in Latin, Greek, and English. Subsequently I had interviews with His Eminence Antonius, and dined with him and the Exarch of Georgia, the Archbishop of Novgorod, Bishop Tikhon, and others of the Holy Governing Synod.

"With the Metropolitan I discussed freely the matters relating to the intercommunion of our respective Churches, and presented to him a letter which I had prepared on the subject. This letter, by the good offices of my friend, Mr. Birkbeck, was translated into the Russian language. There is much that I would like to state concerning the Metropolitan's kindness and sympathy, but which would hardly be a matter for so formal a report. To this letter I received subsequently a formal acknowledgment, which was brought to me in America by Bishop Innocent. Our communication was referred by the Holy Governing Synod to a special commission of theologians to report thereon. At their request I have sent them a number of books relating to our Church and its Constitution. Subjoined to this report is a copy of the letter which I addressed His Eminence.

"I would say that the letter has been subjected to a not unkindly criticism by Professor Sokoloff, which was carefully replied to, removing some of the misconceptions of the professor and answering some of his arguments, by the Rev. Sigourney W. Fay, Jr. This correspondence is to be found in the "American-Russian Messenger."

"The result of our visit certainly has been to awaken inquiry and to promote kindly feeling between the two Churches. The practical result we may strive for is such a mutual recognition as to allow of the Orthodox Church giving to our people,

when abroad and unable to receive ministrations of their own clergy, the Sacraments in time of need, and of our performing the same kindly offices for their people when in like situation.

"Again and again I was impressed with the conservative spirit of this ancient Church, using throughout all these ages the ancient liturgies inherited from Saints Basil and Chrysostom. The Eastern Church, it should be remembered, has not, to any great extent, come under the rationalizing spirit of Western scholasticism, or gone through the necessary but disturbing influences and convulsions of the Reformation. She has preserved, better than any other portion of Christendom, the ancient faith, though of course with its Eastern setting of ceremonial and worship, and her attitude towards us is in striking contrast with that of Rome. Rome, as the Eastern ecclesiastics said, asks of us and of you Anglicans submission. The papacy, with its claim of supreme monarchy and universal jurisdiction, demands and can demand nothing less, The only way of union with the Pope is by surrender of our inherited Catholicity, the destruction of our constitutional Episcopal system, and absolute submission to the papacy. Of all this the Eastern Church knows nothing. Like ourselves she is Catholic, but not papal. She does not ask us to submit to her. She only asks, in the interest of Christian fellowship, whether we hold the same inherited Catholic faith. If we do, we are brothers. And if we are brothers in the faith, then we are

one.

"As the Holy Governing Synod has appointed a Commission, my suggestion is that a similar Commission be appointed by our body, consisting of its chairman, two other Bishops, and two clergy, who shall be a committee to correspond and confer with that appointed by the Synod, and of which Bishop Sergius, the President of the Academy, is its head.

C. C. FOND DU LAC."

LETTER TO THE METROPOLITAN OF
ST. PETERSBURG

"To His Eminence the Most Reverend Archbishop Antonius, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga:

"Accept, we pray you, our greeting in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God of God, Light of Light, by Whom and in Whom alone salvation is to be found and Who ever liveth and reigneth, the Head of the Mystical Body, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

"We have taken the liberty of sending you by the Right Reverend Bishop Tikhon, who has so endeared himself to us and has most kindly undertaken this office of charity, a few theological books illustrative of our Church's position and teaching.

"They may not add anything to your present extensive knowledge of our communion, but may convey to you our humble desire that the holy Orthodox faith, so providentially preserved by you, may become better understood by us, and that by God's grace the two Churches may grow into greater accord and fellowship.

"You will in your goodness not despise our littleness or some peculiarities that have come from our inherited Westernism, but will, we believe, make generous allowances for the defects and the evils to which a Puritan invasion in the past and our present environment in America have exposed us. The Catholic revival is gradually developing within our communion and we ask for it your sympathy, encouragement, and prayers.

"Our Church has preserved the Apostolic Succession and the three holy orders of the ministry, and in her formularies has not departed, we humbly trust, from any essential or dogma of the Orthodox faith. There has been of late years a great revival of spiritual life in the whole Anglican Communion, a better comprehension of the Catholic and Orthodox theology, and a growing desire for a recognized fellowship, especially with the venerable Churches of the East.

"May we venture to say to your Holiness that in the ap

proachment of the two communions that portion of the Anglican Church which is in the United States stands the nearest to your venerated body. Politically the governments of the two countries, Russia and the United States, have always maintained most happy relations, and our Church here in America is unlike the Church in England, in being free from any State control, and so free to act in its recovery of Catholicity and its intercourse with other Churches. The thirtynine Articles do not form a portion of our Prayer Book, though bound up with it, and subscription to them is not required by us as it is in England. Our Liturgy and Eucharist differs from that in the English Book in that the doctrines of the Priesthood, Altar, and Sacrifice are more explicitly and fully stated. Our Canon for the Consecration of the Holy Elements is far more full, with a distinct offering and presentation of the Holy Sacrifice, and has the formal Invocation of the Holy Ghost.

"We use for the most part leavened bread in the Holy Eucharist, though unleavened wafers are allowed. It has been an almost universal custom with us to mingle a little water with the wine before the consecration of the elements. When some years ago an effort was made by some to forbid the use of incense, our Church refused to pass any prohibitory canon. We have, however, to acknowledge that this Scriptural and Evangelical symbol is as yet but very partially used among us. In Baptism immersion is provided for by our rubrics, but pouring, not sprinkling, is allowed, which is usually done three times, one at the mention of each name of the Blessed Trinity. We hold that there is but one 'Apxǹ in the Godhead, and that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father as the One Eternal Source and Fountain of Life, through the Son. While holding this faith as one, we believe, with yourselves, there seems to be a growing feeling that the Filioque Clause, which, without ecumenical authority, was added to the Creed, should be omitted.

"Along with yourselves we repudiate the Papal Supremacy and Rome's modern dogmas of the Papal Infallibility and the

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