Blessed, Praised and
Adored for evermore
be JESUS CHRIST
on his Throne of
Glory, and in the
Most Holy Sacrament
of the Altar.

+

INTRODUCTION

THE Catholic Congress had its inception in a meeting of the representatives of a group of Catholic organizations in the First, Second and Third Provinces of the American Episcopal Church, held at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, New York City, in October, 1923. These representatives organized themselves into "The Central Conference Of Associated Catholic Priests."

The first work of the Conference was the organization of the Priests' Convention which was held in Philadelphia, April 29 and 30, 1924. That memorable Convention has passed into history. It surpassed the fondest expectations of its organizers, more than one fourth of all the clergy in the three provinces being enrolled in its membership.

The Priests' Convention was frankly a demonstration and an experiment. Such blessings were visited upon it that it seemed clearly a call from God to go forward with a more permanent organization of forces for the advancement of the Catholic life of the American Church. In April, 1925, it was decided to hold an annual Catholic Congress, not for the clergy in particular, but for Catholics in general, both lay and clerical.

The first Congress was held in New Haven, Connecticut. November 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 1925. The outstanding feature of the New Haven Congress, as was the case with the Priests' Convention of the previous year, was its rebuke to the want of faith on the part of its projectors. Its achievements far exceeded all expectations. The present volume is a report of its proceedings.

The Congress Committee wishes to make it clear that the Catholic Congress movement is not a thing which lies in innocuous quiescence for the greater part of the year, emerging on rare occasions in a convention or a week of prayer. It is a permanent agency functioning continuously for the propagation of the Faith, and for the development of the spiritual life of all who come within the range of its activities.

During the present year, 1926, these activities are illustrated by the Cycle of Prayer which is in operation through the country. The plan of the Cycle is simple. The several hundred parishes and religious establishments engaged in the work, are divided into fifty-two groups, each group undertaking to keep a certain week in the year as a week of prayer, the intention being for the conversion of America to the Catholic Faith, and to a deeper consecration to the personal love and service of our Lord.

But these weeks of prayer are by no means the only work that is projected. Opportunity is given for the people to continue this work of intercession every day in the year. The Suggested Intercessions which have been printed on a folder have been distributed widely through the Church, and steps are being taken to organize parish groups which are to meet for corporate intercession for the Church at regular times. The Committee urges upon all those who desire the peace of Jerusalem to associate themselves with one of these groups.

 

OFFICERS OF THE CONGRESS.

HONORARY PRESIDENT
The Right Rev. CHAUNCEY BUNCE BREWSTER, D. D.
Bishop of Connecticut

HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS
The Right Reverend WILLIAM WALTER WEBB, D. D.
Bishop of Milwaukee.
The Right Reverend REGINAL HEBER WELLER, D. D.
Bishop of Fond du Lac.
The Right Reverend PAUL MATTHEWS, D. D.
Bishop of New Jersey.
The Right Reverend HARRY TUNIS MOORE, D.D., LL.D.
Bishop of Dallas.
The Right Reverend JOHN CHARLES WHITE, D. D.
Bishop of Springfield

CHAIRMAN OF THE SESSIONS
The Reverend WILLIAM HARMAN VAN ALLEN,
D.D., L.H.D., D.C.L., LL.D.
Rector of the Church of the Advent,
Boston, Massachusetts

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Reverend CHARLES C. EDMUNDS, D. D., Chairman
6 Chelsea Square, New York City
The Reverend FRANK DAMROSCH, Secretary
St. James Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.

The Reverend GEORGE W. ATKINSON, Jr., D. D.
The Reverend MORTON BARNES
The Reverend PAUL H. BIRDSALL
The Reverend F. T. HENSTRIDGE
The Reverend LOUIS B. HOWELL
The Reverend S. C. HUGHSON, O. H. C.
The Reverend MALCOLM DEP. MAYNARD
The Reverend MARCH MAYO
The Reverend HENRY N. O'CONNOR
The Reverend FREDERICK S. PENFOLD, D. D.
The Reverend F. B. ROSEBORO
The Reverend LOUIS E. M. SILLS
The Reverend FRANK L. VERNON, D. D.
The Reverend GRANVILLE M. WILLIAMS, S. S. J. E.

TREASURER
Mr. E. S. PEGRAM
New Canaan, Connecticut

COMMITTEE ON THE CONGRESS
The Reverend SHIRLEY C. HUGHSON, O. H. C. Chairman
West Park, N. Y.
The Reverend FREDERICK S. PENFOLD, D. D., Secretary
114 George Street, Providence, R. I.
The Reverend FRANK DAMROSCH, Jr.
The Reverend LOUIS B. HOWELL
The Reverend FRANK L. VERNON, D.D.

COMMITTEE ON LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS
The Reverend WM. OSBORN BAKER, Chairman
824 York Street, New Haven, Connecticut
The Reverend HENRY E. KELLY
The Reverend ARTHUR H. KINNEY
The Reverend LEONEL E. W. MITCHELL
The Reverend HOWARD D. PERKINS
Mr. FRANCIS J. SMITH

 

CONTENTS

ADDRESS OF WELCOME - 9
The Rt. Rev. Chauncey B. Brewster, D.D., Bishop of Connecticut.

THE CONGRESS SERMON - 13
The Rt. Rev. Benj. F. P. Ivins, D.D., Coadjutor Bishop of Milwaukee.

THE REFORMATION IN ENGLAND - 22
Rev. Frank Gavin, Th.D., of the General Theological Seminary, New York City.

"WHAT IS THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH?" - 36
The Rev. S. C. Hughson, of the Order of the Holy Cross.

CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS IN A NON-CHRISTIAN WORLD - 49
Hon. Thomas L. Raymond, LL.B., Mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

THE EUCHARISTIC SACRIFICE - 75
The Rev. Granville M. Williams, of the Society of St. John the Evangelist.

THE USE OF THE MASS - 91
The Rev. Frank L. Vernon, D.D., St. Mark's Church, Philadelphia, Pa.

THE CHURCH'S CHIEF ACT OF WORSHIP - 101
The Rev. William Harman van Allen, S.T.D., Church of the Advent, Boston, Massachusetts.

WHAT IS THE BIBLE? - 110
The Rev. William Pitt McCune, Ph.D., St. Ignatius' Church, New York City.

READING THE BIBLE BY BOOKS - 118
Professor Charles Sears Baldwin, Ph.D., Columbia University.

SUFFERING AND THE WILL OF GOD - 124
The Rev. Francis J. Hall, D.D., of the General Theological Seminary, New York City.

FAITH HEALING - 141
The Rev. Selden Peabody Delany, D.D., Church of St. Mary the Virgin, New York City.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY UNCTION - 152
The Rev. Charles L. Gomph, Grace Church, Newark, New Jersey.

Address of Welcome
By
THE RIGHT REVEREND CHAUNCEY B. BREWSTER
Bishop of Connecticut

My Brethren:

It is counted by me a signal privilege to stand here and heartily bid you welcome to Connecticut, the eldest see of the Anglican Communion outside the British Isles. Familiar to you all is the romantic story of its securing the episcopate from the "Catholic Remainder" of the ancient Church of Scotland, whence came through Connecticut also the richest contribution to the American Book of Common Prayer. Most of you know that earlier story of the astounding event in this town when, in 1722, the Rector of Yale College, with several other leading ministers, turned to the Catholic order. They were followed by many another. In the half-century before the Revolution forty-three Connecticut men braved the ocean voyage to secure ordination; six gave their lives in the attempt. Churchmanship here was rooted in conviction that cost sacrifice.

Consequently, when the writings of the Tractarians came hither, they were not here received as novelties. In the Connecticut Churchmanship of that earlier day, howsoever dry it later may have become, there had been astir something anticipatory of the Catholic Revival of the nineteenth century.

[10] This greeting to you comes, let me say, from one who near the beginning of his priesthood took for himself the motto of the old theologian of Barcelona, St. Pacian: "Christian is my name, Catholic my surname," although perhaps an inheritance from Pilgrim ancestry had not predisposed him toward elaboration of ritual. I need not remind you that the earliest leaders of the Catholic movement, while rejoicing "In beauty of holiness, with ordered pomp," may not properly be called ritualists.

Far be it from me to detract from the importance of ritual as it shall serve to evoke the sublime vision, to call forth loving devotion and reverence for the awful mystery, and to express adoring worship, of our God. Yet it may be that it is not ceremonial to-day so much as the Church's Apostolic foundation and Catholic faith that we ought to be emphasizing. I am glad my friend, Dr. Baldwin, is to speak of the use of the Bible, that sacred library, the cherished possession of the Church. While recently we have seen strikingly manifested in Tennessee the reductio ad absurdum of ultra-Protestantism in bibliolatry that may justly be characterized as superstitious, it is nevertheless true that many Protestants have drawn quite away from the position of Chillingworth: "The Bible, the Bible only, the religion of Protestants." This means that many are looking for a position that has foundations.

Then, too, we may not forget what may be described as the spiritual illiteracy of the people, not so much, it may be, in this or that region, but throughout the land as a whole. Much to be desired is the application of what we might call spiritual technique, for example, better instruction of children, evangelization of their elders and their training in prayer, in silent [10/11] waiting upon God, in the practice of meditation. Is there not here a special mission for Anglo-Catholics in America to-day rather than in the direction of the elaboration of ritual and the multiplication of modern rites and ceremonies not closely connected with ancient Catholic tradition?

What we need to-day is to get ourselves and others well away from the individualism which has for some centuries marred Christianity. True Christianity is always personal, and should cherish what has been won for personal freedom and personal relations to God; but while thus essentially personal, true Christianity is never individualistic. It is essentially, as it is eternally, social. Impressive from such a quarter is the testimony of the late Dr. Royce of Harvard, to "the fact, that, whatever else the Christian religion involves, some sort of faith or doctrine regarding the office and the meaning of the Church was an essential part of the earliest Christianity that existed after the founder had passed from earth." [The Problem of Christianity, I. 51.] At Pentecost began the corporate fellowship of His Holy Spirit to gather persons and nations into the unity of the One Body which is the Catholic Church. All its subsequent history was divinely designed to mean "the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."

As we remember how this divine design of Catholic unity has been thwarted and marred, it behooves us the more earnestly to contemplate the sublimity of the design, and highly resolve to do all that in us lies toward a realisation of this unity of love in the smaller and larger circles of Church life. Let me repeat the [11/12] note sounded at the last Lambeth Conference, the call to fellowship. Well may we all beware of putting overmuch stress and strain upon the bonds of Catholic fellowship by such one-sidedness as really falls short of Catholic completeness. It may well be you need no word of exhortation to remember consideration for them who are brethren, to beware of over-accentuation of extremes, of intensity of partizanship, of acrid controversy. It is not thus but rather by drawing together for conference, in systematic desire to recognize and appreciate each other’s' standpoints with their respective views of truths that may each need emphasizing, seeking not to abolish differences but to take them up into a higher unity; it is only so that more and more we may all come unto that wholeness of truth, wherein contraries do not necessarily contradict nor opposites oppose, that wholeness of truth which is of the very essence of genuine Catholicity.

This calls for that perhaps indefinable grace, reasonableness. It is what St. Paul meant in his familiar injunction counselling moderation. He meant that reasonableness to which he appealed as characterizing our Blessed Lord Himself. "I beseech you by the meekness and reasonableness of Christ."

You will, I am sure, brethren, suffer my voice to be heard on behalf of unity within our borders, in genuine fellowship, mediated through Sacraments reflecting the love of Christ and sealed by His Spirit! Truth is no private pond or restricted reservoir; rather it is an ocean, washing many shores. The deeper our convictions of Catholic truth, the more should they not separate but rather unite us to our brethren, even as the ocean, with its unplumbed depths, is the highway from shore to shore.

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