The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-30 00:00:00

HAYMAxxsr.

TRIS EVENING. AN t!iiiiCti MATCH. Messrs. Rockstone,
Chlppendae. Rogers, Kendal, Clark, Weadhenloy, ac. ; Mes-
dames 4edgsrlek. Vitswitliam, &c.—TO PARIS AND BACK FOR
AA Mr. Buekstone.—And PETER SMINK.

BIRTAIITRA

Tara Drum. THE SEA; OR. THE OCEAN CHILD
The Brothers Henke' ; the Char:proton Skaters; Mr. J. Plump-
ton Mr. and Mrs. Coleman and Mr. W. Brown.—And TOE
LAST MAN; OR. THE MISER OF ELTRAM GREEN.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDOL
flit DAT —Morning. 21i. 13m......Ati0rn00n. n 20m.
TO-MolgOm—Morning, 3b. Om.-- —Afternoon, 30. 40m.

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 30.

Tug First Report of the Royal Commission on
Ritual fulfils in one important respect the predic-
tions which were commonly made when Lord DERBY
stated in the House of Lords the limits of the pro-
posed inquiry. In explaining that doctrine was
not within the scope of the contemplated investi-
gation, he made it evident that Ritualism must
be treated by the Commission apart from its
natural foundation and root. It is no reproach,
therefore, to the authors of the Report now
published that in it they take a purely ex-
ternal view of Ritual : they were strictly con-
fined to its superficial aspects, and have treated the
subject accordingly. At present they have only dealt
with the question of the vestments worn by the
clergy at the time of their ministrations, and the
conclusion they have come to is that " it is ex-
" pedient to restrain in the public services of
" the United Church of England and Ireland all
" variations in respect of vesture from that which
" has long been the established usage of the
" said United Church, and we think that this
" may be best secured by providing aggrieved
" parishioners with an easy and effectual process
" for complaint and redress." Assuming, as is
not uncommonly done, that the Ritualistic clergy
have introduced or revived the vestments in
question, in a weak and frivolous spirit, from a
childish love of finery, it was hardly possible
for the Commission to have come to any conclusion
more distasteful and damaging to them than that
which is here announced. They are to lose their
beautiful coloured and gold-embroidered silk copes
and chasubles, with all the trappings in which they,
have now for some time past been admired, and
return to the plain white surplice. If they are the
vain and silly creatures some suppose them to be,
they will run to their secret chambers and cry and
stamp with rage and vexation.
But there is another view of the case which at
least deserves mention, especially as it is recog-
nised by the Royal Commissioners in their Report.
We are told that witnesses appeared before the
Commission who valued these vestments as sym-
bolical of doctrine, while others considered that
honour was done to the Holy Communion, as the
highest act of Christian worship, by the use of a
distinctive vesture. It is plain that the language
of stem, peremptory rebuke suitable to puerile
innovators would not bo appropriate in this case,
and it is important to ascertain how the Commis-
sioners propose to deal with those who cherish the
feeling they describe. The Ritualistic clergy, it will be
remembered, assert that their vestments are those
warranted by the law of the Church, or, rather
are strictly prescribed by it ; so that those who do
not wearthem evade and disobeythe law. This being
the case, it is very remarkable that although the
Commisoieners were instructed to make a full and
impartial inquiry " into this and other masters,
" with the view of altering or amending the
" Rubric," they avoid all mention of the rubric
by which the use of the vestment is justified.
They state that they have had before them the
cases which were submitted to eminent counsel for
their opinion ; they must, therefore, be aware of
the legal ground which the Ritualists take up, and
in declining to pronounce that ground untenable,
but proposing instead new legislation to meet the
case, they leave the impression upon the im partial
observer that they do not feel sure that the
Ritualists may not have the law on their
side. The Commissioners urge their recommenda-
tions on the ground of expediency. They remark
that the vestments are not regarded by any as
essential, while to many they give grave offence.
The Ritualists might reply that if their vestments
are not essential, neither are those more familiar to
congregations generally, and that the sentiment
which leads to the use of the older vesture' is as
worthy of respect as that which would prevent it.
They would plead, however, in vain. If uniformity
is to be secured, the majority must decide, and the
majority against the Ritualists would be literally
overwhelming. It is not quite clear, however,
how far the Commissioners would carry an-
tagonism to the vestments. They speak of " re-
" straining"—not of absolutely prohibiting—all
variations from the ordinary use, and their sugges-
tion that this may be best secured by providing
aggrieved parishioners with an easy and effectual
process fur complaint and redress is one which
would leave the best known Ritualistic clergy un-
scathed. Practically the action of parishioners
must be the action of the majority. A law pur-
porting to give a couple of stern Protestants power
to alter the character of " Catholic" services which
were drawing a full congregation would not work,
and Mr. MACRONOCRIE might declare himself
ready to abide by the expressed wish of the fre-
quenters of St. Albans without danger of losing
his cope.

We need not, however,dwell upon a recom-
mendation in which its authors themselves are
afraid to express confidence. If the future re-
ports of the Commiss'on do not deal wish the
matters referred to it more thoroughly than the
present, Parliament will not find in them any
satisfactory basis of legislation. This first Report
is at once halting and arbitrary. It proposes to
attack the cherished convictions of thousands of
devoted Churchmen, without giving any clear and

deliberate statement of the considerations which
loako that course advisable. It is easy to see how

it happens that just seven words are allotted to the

reason% fur the legislation proposed. It took
the Commission several weeks to arrive
at tho unsupported conclusion already stated,
and in the process the various reasons which might
have been given why the use of the vestments
sliou'ol be restrained have been eliminated. If