REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH, a denomination organized by members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, who give substantially the following state ment of the events and circumstances which, as they believe, justify their course: (1) The Protestant Reforma tion in England had outwardly a politi cal origin (in the act of the king, Henry VIII., renouncing allegiance to the Pope, and proclaiming himself head of the English Church), by which the work was biased and cut short. During the brief life of the young king, Edward VI., the regent, or protector, being in favor of the Reformation, great progress in it was made. Under Mary the su premacy of the Pope was again acknowl edged. When Elizabeth became queen, wishing to harmonize her divided sub jects, and hoping for reconciliation with Rome, she strove to have the liturgy framed so as to satisfy both parties. Consequently it contained contradictory elements. At a later period, when she had found her hope futile, the articles of faith adopted were decidedly Protestant. Thus it came to pass that in the Church of England two parties found support in her ritual; the one Protestant, the other having an affinity with Rome. (2) After the American Revolution, when the Church of England in the colonies became the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States, the Book of Com mon Prayer, having been adopted with out material alterations, retained its conflicting elements. (3) The Trac tarian movement, which began at Ox ford, 1833, was a successful endeavor to revive the principles of antiquity and Catholicity contained in the prayer book, in opposition to its Protestant elements. It discarded Protestant principles and taught the doctrines of apostolic suc cession, priestly absolution, baptismal re generation, the real presence, and the authority of the Church. (4) These teachings produced a powerful effect in the United States also. A great increase in ritualism, and of the drift toward Rome, was soon manifested; the oppo sition between the "High" and the "Low Church" parties was intensified, and practical measures were adopted by each which widened the chasm. (5) Several subsequent public events fanned the flame of discontent, especially the cen sure of one clergyman for preaching in a Methodist Church, and the suspension of another for omitti..g the word "re generate" in the baptismal office. (6) Remonstrances and petitions for relief, which were numerously and urgently presented to the General Convention, produced no effect. (7) During the ses sions of the Evangelical Alliance in New York in October, 1873, Bishop Cummins of the diocese of Kentucky, having, by invitation, officiated at a union celebra tion of the Lord's Supper, in company with representatives of other denomina tions, was for this act of Christian fel lowship bitterly censured through the press by members of the "High Church" party. After this,
that he could no longer rightfully continue in a church whose theory and practice (as interpreted by the majority of its mem bers) denied the brotherhood of believ ers in Christ, Bishop Cummins withdrew from the ministry of the Protestant Epis copal Church. (8) This led to the or ganization, Dec. 2, 1873, of the Reformed Episcopal Church, of which Bishop Cum mins and the Rev. Dr. Charles E. Cheney were elected bishops. At the same time the following declaration of principles was adopted: I. The Reformed Episco pal Church "holding the faith once de livered 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 divine institu tion 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 Reli gion. II. This Church, recognizes and adheres to Episcopacy, not as of divine right, but as a very ancient and desir 2ble form of Church polity. III. This Church, retaining a liturgy which shall not be imperative or repressive of free dom in prayer, accepts the Book of Com mon Prayer, as it was revised, proposed, and recommended for use by the General Convention of the Protestant Church, 1785; reserving full liberty to alter, abridge, enlarge, and amend the same as may seem most conducive to the edifica tion of the people, "provided that the substance of the faith be kept entire." IV. This Church condemns and rejects the following erroneous and strange doctrines as contrary to God's word: (1) That the Church of Christ exists only in one order or form of ecclesiasti cal policy. (2) That Christian minis ters are "priests" in another sense than that in which all believers are "a royal priesthood." (3) 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. (4) That the presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper is a presence in the elements of bread and wine. (5) That regeneration is insep arably connected with baptism. To this statement it may be added that in this Church the bishops do not constitute a separate order, but are presbyters; in council they vote with and as their brother presbyters, and are subject to :onfirmation or appointment by the general council. In 1919 the denomina tions had in the United States and Canada 11,217 communicants.