THE Rev. J. A. Douglas, that unwearied promoter of the cause of reunion with the Holy Orthodox Church of the East, has received from Constantinople a letter from the Secretary of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate confirming the announcement made in the Morning Post of August 3 that the Synod had pronounced in favour of the validity of Anglican orders. We had waited for confirmation before making any comment upon a matter which so deeply concerns us. English Churchmen will rejoice, but without extravagance. They will be profoundly thankful that another stage has been entered on the road to reunion, they will remember that the road is still long before us. They will be glad indeed that the bonds are strengthened between England and those great Churches of the East from which we have so much to learn in loyalty to the ancient Faith, in beauty and dignity of worship, in mystical devotion, above all in that fidelity which has given to those persecuted Churches, and is still giving, so many glorious crowns of martyrdom. We are glad that the East should recognize the validity of our orders, but if it had not we should only be where we were before. Twenty-five years ago we regretted the decision of Rome, but only because it hindered reunion with Rome. We were undismayed, because we believed that Rome was misled and mistaken, and that our orders were valid despite her decision. We are not led to the conviction that we are in the Catholic Church because our orders are shown to be valid, we know that our orders are valid because we are in the Catholic Church. The pronouncement of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate does not add to our own certainty of our position, if we were uncertain we should not be where we are. But it enhances the hope of that reunion which every Catholic must ardently desire.

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