New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-26
CONGREGATIONAL LITURGY.


j IA
sl-,d;ug journal Of This City belonging to that
Ter. It wou be foreign TO the scope OF daily
sr,,cr f. aoiue the matter referred TO in iis re-
s.,,s n.fect. but it has important bearings IN po-
&c, point Il ca which ought not to be overlooked
4, our escu.ators Of the future prospects OF this
eoiitIy.
The iuxsa-poston q terms at the head Of TINS ai-
fee might be deemed snr ion cal by those VINO h''e
Z Mt read Tie Ifyeafcnf 1t might D. t"'"s4'
l. borrowed from Doestcss and have 70 90 WIN
,eatiors by spiri.- aqpefs Yet mere Is no'''5
fe case but tie announcement III une Gun ' ~
tnrs o. the pope ebo e-inen'on'u '"a, '0'''',
-, =, ,ui,ic woisiip to be read b. the minister
taed r,,L rcepon a. by the people and the reci-
Creed aud con sion Of Faith by both min
,,sr and Poop and otter htugcal exercises hereto
g., aprropfisied by tie Episcopal Church in this
country 10 rsef to,ciber with The chanting OF the
n Dcum and the " 5nEcat and o'her an
,tn h, ms may lie properly nnl consiste lily
m ,oduced into TIE Congregational churches. The
eeor IL ths iIese forms o prayer and sacred music
ora copsidcrab portion OF them exi- e carrier than
The CLmah OF Fug.aui or even the Roman Ca'h'hci
TIA! h. 70 cay. tey be onged t. the Church Univefstl
/. or tie division htp secs, and that the modern
Coz. req ionaisls ave the same Hslt with other
en- hes TO sTproirao % their own use al or any OF
o.. fou.s of devotion as thoy ma, tnk will DO prof
aabo.
l. tie view ,elio. take Of the question the propri
e,os p OF these o,ins i quite immstcrial though
rsy be permitted 10 express the opinion that our
IL soopal irctlres have 10 peculiar right to the
ancient Liturgy es beng their property; but what
w.l t. cousiGe he occ 4sicn and significance OF
hi claim. now for the first time asserted by the de-
= D.. tofvt q gvr -. of llIz
iuooIpolea. estate n prayers and music
d. uas sail by Professor Sturevant and Others at
fe Congregation4i collation. in Brooklyn that the
sl tartiaI cement OF their ecclesiastical order was
, rrh inherent IN each church Of adopting its own
coy,n.neni AM molc of worship, which eft freel IN
Of ton 10 tie Individual churches, with general
conf nity Of al the churches in certain essential doc
tir,.. In order to cauy out this theory it would
,eeu that common creed would be necessary but in
= set,.c il has been dispensed with-at east no form
las been prescribed. The orthodoxy If the Minister
Ia. len considered sufficient guaranty for tho
fond faith Of the pcope under his charge.
This adapodaoss al the Congreg itpnal system to
m IN ntod Diversity in the individual churches is
~. en,ttc Of future power. 1t has in it the great
clement OF popular affinity. II is not my purpose TO
discuss Whether looking at the tendency Of unre-
nav net be reason 10 doubt that the system will
retain sufficient cohesivencss in its expansion over
20 vost an extent of territory, embracing large
population Of interior religious culture.
will only say that practically the Association Of
CT rcle. in New-Engiund, although me ely volun-
i,r, ha been bond Of union having as much moral
effc G. ~ oil or church organizations. There is no
coerci,o power in any of them But the affinity
III fIa Tnrla phu has
not been generally understood admitting a freedom
70 the extent now caimei-that to say the right of
each individual church to adopt its usages ire
sre, i've OF all other churches. The very theory of
asso, atm imports general consent not merely in
esse tia doctrines but in the mode of worship and
OIL q things relative to good order and edidcaton.
Bui if understand it right, the claim asserted is
flat g. lons os there is conformity in tho articles Of
fifth uiiaitei latitude is allowable t. each church
il tho mini traitor Of ts ahirs, and this Is said
coEtfins loiiivc principle, power Of progressive
ness and tension rncqu ed in any ether esiasti
cal oea ation. TneIe s se.i-compacency in this
aslnl iiou VIII III m GIT remind us Of the Hibernian
i G. OF social cqua IT., viz: that one man was not
OIL n good T. otLc., but great deal better.
But TO rctu Il from this DEPRESSION to the subject Of
the Iitur.y Ii woad be invidious to express anopin
ion A. t. the intrinsic worth OF a ritual service But of
il, cougruty with he faith aud general usages of the
{ ngic aionGl Churches may be permitted to speak
without beng % nox ous 10 sectsrian censure. One
tlc must say. Low ever that all churches might, as
il seems To- ne Wisely ad ,pt and that is udicous Sc
eci n iron tie Sci ltures for reading apart ofpub-
liz service instead o. Il. wing To the minister arbl
tam dsertion. Tie division into chapters is not
sufficient GUIDE, AM there are occasional passages
vi 4 e,i mon, al, I,,r.v fcouires 10 be omitted.
crmot lclp thinking that very little Judgment is
exl bred b. many ministers in the selection OF Scrip
lures ard tie practice OF reading an entire chapter,
without regard 10 come cton of subject or The OMISSION
Of q sinl e exc ltionahe verse Tins scrupuons re-
z, rd So an ANN cneu of the Scriptures, which has
no Divine nul oriiv seems to have no other basis than
fiat Of IcIe c.uNeuienoe. Upon The same principle
have Icafd tie mutiaton Of the meirica psalms and
h mrs justified furnishing tic exact number of
yeros ilat minister should read and saving him the
trolb'o If dscrmi anon.
But as TO prescribe forms Of devotion, it has been
fayorite opinion in lie Congregational churches
tlat cy IMPAIR a spiritual tone of mind, and 1t has
lCen thought pcciub'e to depend ON unaiied pious
emotion in pub ), pra, er 1t is true that this imposes
an additional effort upon the minister, especially If,
as will sometimes happen be is not in devotional
ta,e If mind. lie is Of course at liberty to aid him
sCli by prneditat and even preparing the phrase
olog,, Which 40 doubt is done to some extent, but
still The general labt Of extcnporaneous prayer is
main au,d.
II certa IL al ,xated view OF our devotional capa-
bihg g. suppose it possible have spiriinsl-mnd-
edres that i, able uuded 10y FORMS to sustain Itself
in puiIc woshp. Hitherto The Congregational min
sy have been ouud equal TO their o. &C. and if IN In