Religion: Roman Oneness

The year 1923-24 saw a dream brighten on the irridescent heights of speculation, saw it fly like a comet around the world, saw it vanish for another century. It was a dream, dreamed by old men, of union between the Anglican and the Holy Roman Churches. The dream was invoked by Cardinal Mercier at a secret meeting in his palace (TIME, Feb. 18). It colored the last pontifical address of Pius XI (TIME, June 9). It agitated the cloisters of Oxford and was reflected in the writings of Bishop Gore (TIME, May 5). Finally the dream was propelled into the empyrean of never-never-land by an American journalist.

William Crawford, for the Century magazine, interviewed the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Said the Archbishop (Randall Davidson) : “I hope for a closer coöperation. I desire closer harmony. I doubt the possibility of a physical union between the Anglican Church with either Rome or the Nonconformist.”

Papal etiquette forbids that the Pope be quoted directly. His “unofficial opinion” is:

“While the Holy Father is particularly anxious to bring about a union, there can be no compromise, no meeting on halfway grounds to accomplish this end. The Roman Church is founded on the rock, Saint Peter. It has specific apostolic authority, delegated to its founder by Christ Himself. Every dogma, every one of its teachings, has been dictated by Christ through His vice-regents on earth; consequently, it cannot change, revise, or in any way alter any of its doctrines or principles in order to bring about a reunion.”