The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-15 00:00:00

THE BISHOPS AND RITUALISM.

In a pamphlet just published by Hatcher& •
the Dean of Ripon subjects the recent resolution of the
Bishops on ritualism to some very stringent criticism. The
Dean's strong antagonism to the whole system of the ritual-
ists makes his conclusions respecting the value of the epis-
copal deliverance the more noteworthy. The Dean writes in
the character of a member of the Northern Convocation.
which is about to be asked to concur in the resolution
of the Southern Province. He makes the prelimi-
nary observation that although the bishops have
ventured to speak of " our declaim" and "our judgment,"
those phrases cannot be taken consistently with the legal
powers of Convocation to mean more than " our opinion,"
since " every other meaning would decidedly bring them
within the penalties of the Statute of Submission." At
the same time, it is remarked, the evident deans on the
part of some of our prelates to assume • power which does
not belong to them, renders it of importance that the
use of such phraseology should be watched, and its
possible consequences guarded against. As an expression
of the opinions of the Southern Bishops, the resolution is
valuable ; but the claim to • power of dealing with
these ritualistic practices which the bishops ground
on a certain rubric in the Prayer-book is another
matter. Dean Goode believes their interpretation of the
rubric to be unsound, and that their decision will not meet
the requirements of the case with which they have to deal.
The case contemplated by the rubric is that of parties in
doubt, who are directed to apply to the bishop, who is
authorised to give an order on the subject " by his discre-
tion." But this episcopal authority is limited by the proviso
that such order shall not be contrary to anything contained
in the book. From this rubric the bishops draw the in-
ference that no change in the long-sanctioned and este-
' blished ritual is to be made without the sanction of the
bishop. This, says Deaa Goode, is a non-sequitur
the subjects are different in the premiss and the conclu-
sion. A change may be made in the ceremonial which has
been • long time in use where there may be no doubt as to
what the legal ceremonial is. If a change is made which
brings the ceremonial more into accordance with the
rubrie or the law of the church, there is no power vested
in the bishop to prevent such a change. The bishop is as
much bound by the laws of the church as the humblest
curate.

Next, as to the application of the resolution. Sup-
pose that in a given church a change of ritual is
made, and neither incumbent nor congregation choose
to entertain doubts about its legality. The bishop
cannot insist, under the rubric, that they ought to
doubt and so admit his authority. The only torus dawn
for him is on the ground that the practices are
illegal, and that is a point for him to prove in the Eccle-
siastical Court. But even where the bishop's authority
is invoked by members of the congregation who have
doubts, while the incumbent has none, but believes his
practices to be in accordance with church law, the bishop
is bound by the prayer-book, and only the Foclesiastical
Court can determine the meaning of its rubric. Dean
Goode further points out that if the " usage," change in
which is deprecated in the bishop's resolution, signifies
the usage of a particular church, no "change" will in
many places be required to introduce ritualistic practices,
nay, more, these practices will, to • certain extent.
be carried on under the publicly expressed sanction
of the very prelate (the Bishop of Oxford) who
moved this resolution—a remark which the Dean justi-
fies by a quotation from the bishop's last charge.
The resolution is further objectionable, inasmuch as it
implies that a change may be made in long-established and
legal ritual with the sanction of the bishop, and if the
bishop and the incumbent go together, there is no practi-
cal remedy, whatever the rubric may enjoin. The laity
have left themselves powerless by allowing • Church
Discipline Act to be passed through the influence of pre-
lates attached to the highest notions of episcopal power,
which is held by many to prevent any proceedings against
• clergyman without the sanction of his bishop. Dean
Goode'. conclusion upon the whole matter is that Convo- I
cation has, strictly speaking, nothing to do with passing
any resolution on this subject, although an expression of
its opinion may be useful :—" I believe it to be essential
to the peace and well-being of our church, that it should
be thoroughly understood by all parties that the bishops,
neither individually nor collectively, are entitled to assume
the office of judges. No legal judgment can be issued ex-
cept by a duly constituted ecclesiastical court. If it were
not so, the position of the clergy, to whatever school of
theology they might belong, would be intolerable."

• Remarks on the Episcopal Resolutions passed in the
Upper House of the Southern Convocation on the subject
of Ritualism. By W. Goode, Dean of Ripon.

RITUALISTIC PRACTICES AT ST. MARY-LE-STRAND.
—At a meeting of the vestry and ratepayers of the parish
of St. Mary-le-amid last evening, Mr. Churchwarden
Bunn in the chair, an important discussion took place on
the subject of a presentment which had been made to the
Bishop of London against the Rev. A. It. Evans, the
rector of the parish, for having two candlesticks on the
I communion table without a faculty, and to which he had
replied that they had only replaced an old pair that he
found when inducted, and that his congregation were
almost unanimously in favour of their retention. The
chairman, Mr. Tennant, Mr. Jones, and others present re-
pudiated the explanation of the rector, and it was unani-
mousl resolved that the following statement should be
embodied in a letter to be addressed to the Bishop of Lon-
don:—" My Lord, a paragraph having appeared in the public
papers, stating that your lordship had called for an expla-
nation from the Rev. A. B. Evans' rector of this parish,
as to the legality of the candlesticks and lighted candles
on the communion table, which your lordship was in.
formed, as the paragraph stated, were placed there with-
out a faculty, the parishioners in vestry assembled take
this opportunity of explaining to your lordship what are
the facts. During the incumbency of the preceding rec-
tor two gasholder, in invitation of candlesticks, were
placed on the communion table. At his death the then
churchwarden removed them. On the appointment of the
Rev. A. B. Evans to this living a meeting of the
parishioners, with a few members of the congregation, was
assembled, at which Dr. Evans set forth his desires
as to the arrangement of the services, and obtained
the assent of the meeting to many ces in the then
system of worship. Among other prop made by the
rector to the meeting was one, that the candles should be
replaced on the communion-table, and that they should be
lighted. To the proposal that the candles should be
replaced consent was given, but to the lighting of them a
decided opposition was made, and the rector, in considera-
tion of the concessions made, agreed that they should not
be lighted. After more than twelve months, however,
he did light the candles, and the result has been the
stopping away of those parishioners who had for many
years attended the parish church, so that at present, as
we believe, not one parishioner being a ratepayer attends
the church. Further, we beg to inform your lordship that
a protest signed by upwards of 70, comprising more than
one-third of the ratepayers of the parish, was handed
to the rector on this subject, a copy of which is herein
inclosed."

Pusey's sermon, preached at AU Saints',
Margaret-street, on Ash Wednesday, has been published
by Mr. Parker. In en appendix, after putting forth his
views on the Holy Communion, he says :—" These truths
I hold, not as opinions,' but as matters of faith, for
which, if need were, I would gladly 'suffer the loss of all
things.' These truths I would thankfully have to main-
tain, by the help of God, on such terms that if (' per im-
possible,' as I trust) it should be decided by a competent
authority, that either the real Objective Presence, or the
Eucharistic Sacrifice, or the worship of Christ there pre-
sent (as I have above stated those doctrines) were contrary
to the doctrine held by the church of England, I would
resign my office. Extra-judicial censures, or contradic-
tions, or opinions, if directed against faith or truth, con-
demn none but their authors. Censures and criticisms of
bishops in 1841-45 have passed away, except in mournful
effects upon individuals; the system which they criti-
cised has lived, strengthened, rooted deeper through ad-
versity."
RITUALISM IN MADRAS.—For some time past
the religious mind of Madras has been considerably dis-
turbed by • controversy which is going on relative to
some so-called ritualistic practices which have been unfor-
tunately introduced into Bt. George's Cathedral and other
churches, and have given much offence to numerous
members of the congregation. A great many letters on
either side of the question have appeared in the local
papers, and the correspondence is not likely to reach its
close soon, unless the ritualists give way.—Madras Athe-
serest, Feb. 14.

SCHOOL FOR THE INDIGENT BLIND.—A general
court of the governors and subscribers of this charity was
held yesterday at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill;
the Rev. John Evans in the chair. The committee acknow-
ledged a legacy of 500 f. from Miu Miller, of Edinburgh,
and in their report stated that the number in the school
was 150, of whom 76 were males and 74 females.