REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
1. Organization and Principles. On the sec ond day of December, 1873, certain clergymen and laymen, formerly connected with the Protes tant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, met in New York and organized the Re formed Episcopal Church, with Bishop Cummins as its first presiding bishop.
The following Declaration of Principles con stituted its basis: I. The Reformed Episcopal Church, holding the faith once delivered to the saints,' declares its belief in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God, and the sole rule of faith and practice; in the Creed, commonly called the Apostles' Creed; in the di vine institution of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper ; and in the doctrines of grace, substantially as they are set forth in the Thirty nine Articles of Religion.
II. This church recognizes and adheres to Epis copacy, not as of divine right, but as a very an cient and desirable form of church polity.
This church retaining a liturgy which shall not be imperative or repressive of freedom in prayer, accepts the Book of Common Prayer, as it was revised, proposed and recommended for use by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, A. D. 1785, reserving full lib erty to alter, abridge, enlarge and amend the same, as may seem most conducive to the edifi cation of the people, 'provided that the substance of the faith be kept entire.' IV. This church condemns and rejects the fol lowing erroneous and strange doctrines as con trary to God's Word: First. That the church of Christ exists only in one order or form of ecclesiastical polity.
Second. That Christian ministers are "priests" in another sense than that in which all believers are a "royal priesthood." Third. That the Lord's table is an altar, on which the oblation of the body and blood of Christ is offered anew to the Father.
Fourth. That the presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper is a presence in the elements of bread and wine.
Fifth. That regeneration is inseparably con nected with baptism.
2. Antecedent History. (1) Church of Eng land. As will be seen from the above, the Re formed Episcopal Church is an offshoot from the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States and through it from the Church of England. The
history of Protestant principles in the English Church is thus the antecedent history of the Re formed Episcopal Church.
(1) Edward VI. The Reformers, under King Edward VI, proceeded with caution, avoiding an abrupt change from accustomed modes of worship, until the people should become familiar with the principles of the Reformation. Homi lies were set forth for popular instruction and appointed to be read in churches—many of the clergy being unable to preach. Probably the most efficient educator was the rendition of the serv ices in English, instead of Latin. Errors, which passed unchallenged when disguised in an un known tongue, were clearly seen, and three years after the first prayer-book, the second was issued. This second book, issued in 1552, is Protestant in character. It was in use but a short time, how ever, for the accession of Queen Mary checked the Reformation. The prominent reformers were put to death, and Romanian was reestablished.
(2) Elizabeth. Upon the accession of Eliza beth, difficulties confronted the Reformation as great if not greater than under King Edward. Protestanism had been extirpated; only devoted Romanists occupied the bishoprics; the Catholic monarchs were ready, should the Pope command. to dethrone the English Queen. Elizabeth tem porized. Catholic monarchs who aspired to the queen's hand in marriage were skillfully pitted against each other, and the Pope was quieted by the prospect of Elizabeth's submission to his spir itual sway. Time was gained, while the Reforma tion in the English Church was reviving.
The second prayer book was too Protestant to please the Pope or the English Catholics. It was modified, therefore, by features taken from the first book, and for ten years Catholics and Protestants united in its use. The sacerdotal features, thus introduced into the English liturgy from motives of state policy, have never been re moved.