Introduction THE new Anglican Bishop of Birmingham has published a sixpenny edition of a book originally put forth by him in 1888, Roman Catholic Claims. The cheap issue is evidently meant to serve as a popular deterrent against "secession" to Rome. The contents are very miscellaneous, but one point strikes me as salient and capital. It is this dilemma: either the Papal Church, the Bishop argues, existed in early centuries absolutely developed as it is now in government and in creed, or it must be repudiated as making unauthorized additions to the revelation of Christ. It is the old Protestant argument. Newman met it with his Essay on Development. Bishop Gore will hear of no development of doctrine, only of doctrinal language and of practices; and in point of practice he seems unwilling to allow that Church government can ever develop. The principal aim of these 7 few pages is to advocate development in Newman's sense, especially the development of Papal power alike in theory and in practice. I have touched in the sequel upon a few "claims" made by the Bishop in incrimination of Rome, such as that of Anglican Ordinations. Christ established kingdom. He did He was not as a could say much I start from this position. In Christ there were not two persons, as Nestorius maintained, but one person in two natures one Christ, not two, and He was God made man. a society, a spiritual not do this blindly. man ignorant. He better than St. Paul, "As a wise architect I have laid the foundation (I Cor. iii. 10). That foundation He declared (Matt. xvi. 18). "He Himself knew what He was about to do" (John vi. 6). He had an eye to futurity, and to the effects of His words in the future, He "in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden " (Col. ii. 3), He who is, "yesterday and today, the same also for ever" (Heb. xiii. 8). He planned the constitution of His Kingdom from the first. He made it a monarchy under Himself and an earthly viceroy. He designated the |