Veritas Ad Eutychum

To the Editor of The Chronicle.

Dear Sir:

Absence from home during the summer prevented me from replying to Eutychus in your last issue. The matter on which he dwells in answer to my former letter, viz., the question whether the Nicene Creed was or was not adopted under compulsion, is really not of great importance. Indeed, there are other Councils about which very much more that is objectionable could easily be alleged. The fundamental issue is not under what circumstances the Creed was actually adopted at the Council, but what was the view of the Church subsequent to the Council. It is evident that our acceptance of the Creed today is quite independent of what took place at the Council, and as it has often been pointed out, it is the way in which Conciliar decisions become universally accepted that provides the necessary guarantee that the Council has faithfully reflected the mind of the whole Church. A modern book on this subject states the true position thus:

"The question remains, How is it to be known whether a Council is truly 'General' and representative of the mind of the whole Church? To this it is believed that no answer can be returned at the moment. However large may be the number of the Bishops present, no guarantee is thereby afforded that they faithfully represent the mind of the universal Church. That which alone can show this is the afterreception of the decisions of the Council by the different parts of the Church."

Eutychus uses Gibbon in support of his contention, and no one would lightly question the great authority of that writer on matters of fact. But Gibbon's bias against Christianity must not be overlooked, and while he may record facts, he is apt to draw inferences which, while they may suit Eutychus, will not stand the test of fair examination. Thus, Eutychus doubtless knows of Gibbon's famous sneer against "the furious contests which the

difference of a single diphthong excited between the Homoousians and the Homoiousians," and yet, as we know, even Carlyle came to admit that the difference was vital to the very existence of Christianity. This alone shows that such matters as the difference of a single letter are not to be cavalierly set aside.

I will only add that, though Eutychus may think it "a waste of time and ink" to deal with the remainder of my letter, others will more naturally assume that the various statements I made in reply to the mistakes of Eutychus are not easily answered. Let me say again that there are many of us as strong ly Protestant as Eutychus could wish, but we are convinced that it is both needless, uncalled for, and dangerous to "throw away the Ichild with the bath."

In a New York City newspaper, dated September 30th, under the heading, "Baker Discusses Camp Recreation," Secretary Baker of the War Department is quoted as stating that "The Young Men's Christian Association represents the Protestant denominations, which will constitute roughly 60 per cent. of our new army."

"The Knights of Columbus represent the Catholic denomination, which will constitute, perhaps, 35 per cent. of the new army."

Some months ago it was stated officially by the Government that in the appointment of chaplains for the army and navy twenty-five per cent. would be selected from the Roman Catholic clergy.

Reading these statements one is led to ask: Do these appointments, like kissing, go by favor; or are they apportioned proportionately, according to the membership of the different religious bodies as shown by the last Census?

Secretary Baker states that, troops of the Roman Catholic denomination will constitute perhaps 35 per cent. of the new army.

For one occupying his position Secretary Baker displays much ignorance.

Two dominant policies of the Roman Catholic Church are self assertion and to claim everything. When the last religious census was taken the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States claimed to possess a membership of more than fourteen millions.

Dr. Carroll, the head of the Religious Department, or Bureau, stated that the above figures were exaggerated, or an exaggeration. The fourteen millions claimed include every baptized person, even the infants a month old. But suppose that the claim is a truthful one, if the population of the United States is near 100,000,000 the Roman Catholic population would number about 14 per cent. of the entire population.

Yet a large part of this 14 per cent. is composed of foreigners that are not citizens, who as aliens cannot be conscripted; who will stay at home in these United States; earn high wages and fatten while our American young men are killed on the battle front. There are millions of Germans, Austrians, Italians, Poles, numbered among the 14,000,000 Roman Catholics that are exempt from military service. Probably there are not more than 10,000,000 Roman Catholics, men, women and children, that are American citizens i. e., 10 per cent. of the entire population; yet 25 per cent. of the chaplains are to be selected from the Roman Catholic clergy.

The Methodists in these United States (who do not include infants as members) outnumber the Roman Catholics in membership; why are not 25 or 30 per cent. of the chaplains selected from the Methodists?

Why is special favor shown toward the Roman Catholic Church?

When the war began in Europe every Roman Catholic newspaper in this land, with one exception, favored and championed the cause of Germany and Austria.

There is much said and written about Democracy. Why not apply democratic principles in the appointment of chaplains for the army and navy by letting the soldiers and

Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

Reverend and dear Brother:

Your veracious and most instructive elucidation of the weighty subject of episcopal dress is most instructive, and I am glad that you are to further enlighten us readers in the inward meaning of such an important matter.

I trust that it may not appear to be presumptuous from one who has dwelt in a "sheep country" to request that you will please include in your instruction some explanation as to what reason our holy fathers in God have for carrying the sheep hook to Church.

The sheep is a shy but peculiar creature, which while not willing for the herder to approach within reaching distance with his hand, will allow the herder to approach to within almost that distance, so from the time that sheep were first herded it seems to have been customary for herders to use a hook, or crook, on the end of a stick, which can be used to hook the leg of the sheep, the "cow" is more wary so they have to be caught with a lariat from a greater distance. In a sheep country every hardware store carries sheep hooks, or they can be made by any blacksmith, the chief thing being that the hook has a loop in the angle sufficient to hold the leg of the sheep, and sufficient spring to hold, a pole from six to ten feet long can be put on by any herder.

Why in the name of common sense do our holy fathers use as their symbol a hook for pulling the leg of members of a flock? Very fraternally yours,

J. Neilson Barry

Socialism. Every one has about made up his mind that everyone else beside his own group is disloyal to the Church and that it is questionable how much longer he himself will remain loyal, if things go on as they have.

That is our Anglo-Saxon way of threshing it all out with ourselves, just as in the great war, at the beginning, the whole British empire was evidently falling apart. What became of the British empire when the test came, the Germans by this time pretty well know. The whole empire fell into step. It is just so with our Church. When the test comes, all the different dividing lines disappear and the whole Church falls into step. We may trust that it will always be this way. The very fact that we do quarrel so with each other all the time is a safeguard, or at least a safety valve. The Pension Fund shows what work and power there is in the Church.

The Province of Washington has addressed the following resolution to the presiding bishop:

"The Rt. Rev. Daniel Sylvester Tuttle, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L., Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. "Right Reverend and Dear Brother:

"We, bishops of the Province of Washington, believing that a meeting of the House of Bishops at this critical period in the history of the Nation and of the Christian Church would be of great spiritual help and stimulus to ourselves and to the Church at large, do respectfully request:

"That you call together the bishops of the American Church in special meeting for spiritual counsel and conference; for a period of not less than seven nor more than fourteen days; to be convened somewhere at your discretion in the Middle West; and not later than the first week in Advent, 1917."

As the House of Bishops is to meet in Chicago this month, Bishop Tuttle has requested the bishops to arrange

their time so that they can remain in Chicago long enough to be "of great spiritual help and stimulus" to the Church at large. The presiding bishop, we believe, did not exactly state how long our chief pastors will have to remain in Chicago to be all that the invitation suggests.

The diocese of Western New York having been refused by two presbyters, who happen to be, just at present, the rectors of the two most prominent churches in this country, has now proceded to elect the Rt. Rev. Charles Henry Brent, Bishop of the Philippines, probably the best advertized of all our missionary bishops. Buffalo is doubtless a good place for any well advertised business, but the diocese of Western New York must present narrow opportunities for the abilities of big men who would spend and be spent in a larger field.

On October 4th, the Very Rev. Harry Tunis Moore, D.D., Dean of St. Matthew's Cathedral, Dallas, was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Dallas in the cathedral of which he had been dean for twelve years. The bishop of Dallas, the Rt. Rev. Alexander C. Garrett has been obliged, through infirmity, to hand over to the new coadjutor "the administration of all diocesan affairs, he retaining for himself his throne in St. Matthew's Cathedral and the presidency of St. Mary's College, to which he has appointed Dr. Carrington as active head.” Friends of Bishop Garrett, while sympathizing deeply with him on account of his blindness, are much encouraged to find him strong enough still to retain his office. This will at least secure his continued helpfulness in St. Matthew's Cathedral.

On Sept. 27th the Rev. Arthur C. Thompson, D.D., rector of Trinity Church, Portsmouth, Va., was consecrated Bishop Suffragan of southern Virginia, in his own parish Church.

Turning from bishops and things pontifical, one is reminded that the Church Congress will be meeting in Cin

cinnati in the last week of October. The Rev. Frederick A. Wright will read a paper on "The Essentials of Continuity in the Ministry" and Bishop Francis of Indianapolis has been asked to speak on "Religious Conditions in the Middle West." The morning sessions will be held at the Y. M. C. A. and other sessions at the Woman's Club. Addresses and meeting places alike suggest the thrilling interest which has recently attended the sessions of this solemn body. Those who attend are promised an opportunity to see all that's good in Cincinnati.

On Sunday, October 7, the Very Rev. Howard Chandler Robbins preached his first sermon as dean at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York. He said that the Gospel is alone sufficient to make the world safe for democracy.

The pacifist connections of Bishop Jones of Utah have stirred up great excitement in his diocese, where action. has been taken by official boards toward securing his resignation. One would think that the present time of stress was a better time for patience and perhaps silence on both sides of such an episcopal

controversy.

On October 3 there was a meeting at the Church Missions House, New York, of the Board of Missions. The board decided to raise missionary salaries in China and Cuba, because of the present increased cost of living. Of course, the clergy at home need not expect such things, though it is doubtful if expenses in those countries have increased as much as they have in the United States.

In China missionaries are paid in gold, but the Chinese currency is silver. Heretofore, the capable missionary could buy $2.40 worth of silver for $1.00 in gold. Thus, if we paid him between one and two thousand dollars a year, it is easy to see what his salary really was. Now, gold is not good enough for the

missionaries. A dollar in gold has dropped to $1.16 silver. The board therefore has generously agreed (at the expense of the people at home) to guarantee to every Chinese worker $2.00 in silver for $1.00 in gold, so that their salaries may be at least twice what they are supposed to be. In these dealings in Oriental exchange it appears that the missionaries are to be protected when exchange goes against us and to make something handsome when exchange is in our favor. This, however, is not too much of a concession to the people who consecrate their lives to the hard and dangerous task of preaching to the Chinese in the sea-coast towns. As few missionaries work much beyond the reach of the guns of our warships, this war has been particularly hard on them, because of alarms of German searaiders.

One big Church-gathering that met this month was the Annual Convention of St. Andrew's Brotherhood. This convened at Philadelphia from October 10 to 14. The daily services, including the daily devotional half hour, conductpublic mass meeting at the Metropolitan ed by Bishop Lloyd at ten o'clock, the Opera House where Bishop Rhinelander presided, make an important part of the convention. The "Charge to the Brotherhood" at the evening service in Holy Trinity Church, this year took the form of "A Charge to the Enlisted Men in the King's Army."

Brotherhood meetings are largely given over to enthusiasm. There is little business to report. In fact the St. Andrew's Cross says: "When one contemplates the wide field of the Brotherhood and that the annual assemblage is Church-wide in scope, he is amazed that so little time of its sessions is devoted to business."

The attendance this year was very gratifying, considering the war conditions.