The North Eastern Ensign at KellyGang 29/10/1872 (2)
The straightforward and energetic mode of dealing with the trouble was not resorted to. What has been the result ? We have what neve existed before Dr Perry’s time three distinct parties in the Church of England – the High Church party; the Broad Church party, and the Low Church party. Between the High Church and the Low Church there is a very great difference both in doctrine and in practice. In this colony unhappily we have the High Church and Low Church. The latter are called the Low Church; but the truth is that they only wish the church to which they belong to be conducted as she was before traitors brought discord into her midst. The Bishop of Melbourne in this colony has had this difficulty to deal with. Such a spirit of opposition to their head has the High Church party shown, so determined are they to have their way, that they so opposed Dr Perry in a monthly journal they published that he had to produce a newspaper once a month to defend himself now known as the Church of England Messenger. It may be all very well to talk of liberality and forbearance and so forth but we cannot conceal from ourselves the fact that the further the Ritualists go the further they must become separated from the Low Church party when we believe throughout Great Britain and her dependencies are in the majority. Try as you will the time is fast approaching when owing to the volcano within herself the Church of England must of necessity fall to pieces. Why should the majority, those who hold those Evangelical doctrines which have ever been preached by most ministers be overridden by those holding High Church views.
We perceive that it is contemplated to establish an Australian Synod in these colonies including the dioceses of Sydney, Tasmania, Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth (Western- Australia), Brisbane, Goulburn, Grafton, Armidale, and, Bathurst; the Bishop of Sydney to be the Primate. The Synod is to consist of two Houses-vis., the House of Bishops and the House of Representatives. The powers of the General Synod are such as relate to the Government of the Church. We would, however, submit that when this Synod is formed the Church of England in Australia will become a more compact, body than at present, but with such divisions as now exist in her midst this unity will be but of short duration.
We are not advocates for extreme measures, but we believe the time is fast approaching when action should be taken. Are a set of malcontents to be allowed to tear to pieces the Church they pretend to care so much for? Are doctrines to be promulgated contrary to the spirit of the belief of that Church? Had such a schism occurred in any other body than the Church of England the schematics long ere this would either have been expelled, or have voluntarily left the body with the majority of whose members they differed. It may seem rather a bold course to advocate, but one of the first duties of this Synod should be to recommend to the heads of the Church at home such. alterations as would make the Church more Evangelical. All those things in the Rubuc, or in our 39 articles upon which Ritualists rely, should be for over struck out, and thus the doctrine and practice of the Church would become defined.
We go further, and say should the home ecclesiastical authorities refuse to take this decisive action let the Australian Synod do so themselves. Let them create an Australian Church of England, and, painful as it would be, sever the connection with the establishment at home, it would be a step the benefit of which would soon be felt.
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