Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/177

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THE REV. GEORGE BAYFIELD ROBERTS
145

the movement was practically begun less than twenty-five years ago by Dr Mortimer and Father Maturin. In the Western States the Low Church party has been practically obliterated. The Bishop of Fond-du-Lac said at a meeting that the contest of Catholics was not now with the Low Church, because they have practically ceased to exist, but with the Broad Church. Another thing which struck the visitors was the splendour of the churches and the gorgeousness of the ceremonial. This is the more remarkable as there are no endowments and all the expenses have to be paid by the various congregations. The Church in America is, indeed, a comparatively small body, but Mr Harry Wilson assured me that it has a general influence exceeding the actual proportion of its members, who are also rapidly increasing."

"What do you consider the future work of the Church Union to be?"

"I think the great work which lies before the E.C.U. in the future is to secure the recognition by Churchmen as a whole of the fact that there is no such thing as an independent Church of England. What we have to teach Churchmen is, that the Church of England is in reality only two provinces of that 'One Catholic Church,' in which we daily profess our belief in the Creed. That is to say, that while in matters of discipline these two provinces have the undoubted right to