The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-03-07


Important Official Address-DecIarotfor
OftheBIshOps of the Protestant EpIsco.
pal Church-RituaIIstIcI Innovations Con.
deHlned
We print below the declaration of the Bish-
ops of the Protestant Episcopal Church which
the last General Convention requested them
to prepare, in regard to the ritualistic innova.
lions in doctrine and worship. The document
is signed by two thirds of the House of Bish-
ops, representing all varieties of opinion on
other matters in that Church.
BUFFALO, January 10, 1867.
The Committee appointed to draft this dec
laration, owing to the great distance between
the dwelling places of its members. and their
frequent absence from their homes, were not
abe, very speedily, to complete their work.
Ii was by the unanimous advice of the Bish-
ops assembled at Detroit, in December. that
the Committee resolved to postpone this pub
LEGATION until the remotest Of our Bishops
might be heard from but, even at this date
1t is supposed that several of them have never
received the circular of the committee.
AS in 1.-THE ColenSo case" several of the
Bishops object to this form of meeting an evil
which they deeply deplore but not one of
the Bishops heard from has expressed any
sympathy with the ritualistic movement
The reverse is the fact.
The committee think it proDer no Ionoar +o
delay the publication.
A. CLEVELAND COKE, Secretary.
WHEREAS, At a meeting of the House. of
Bishops, held in the city Of New York in the
month of October, the subject of ritualism
was brought to the notice of the House and
considered with a great Degreee ofunanimity :;
and
WHEREAS, On account of the absence of a
number of the Right Reverend members of the
House, and the fact that the House was not
sitting as coordinate branch of the General
Convention of the Protestant EpisconaI
Church in the United States of America, if
was regarded as ineXpedient to proceed to any
formal action and
WHEREAS, 1t was nevertheless regarded as
highly desirable that an expression Of opinion
on the part OF the Eplscopate of this Church
should be given, with respect to ritualistic in
Therefore, the undersigned Bish-
ops, reserving each for himself his RIGHTS as
Ordinary of his own diocese, and also his
rights as member of the House of Bishops.
sitting IN General Convention, do unite in the
declaration following
We hold to the language of the Thirty
fourth Article of Religion, that "every rartic
ular or National Church hath authority to Or
dam, change and abolish ceremonies or rites
OF the church. ordained only by mans author
ity, so that all things be done to edifyinG >,
and also in the language of the same arti
Gle, that: ut is not necessary that traditions
and ceremonies be in all places one. or inter-
ly alike for at all times they have been di
yers, ana may be changed according to the
diversity OF countries, times and mems man.
ners, SO that nothing be ordained against
coos word )" and also, that this Church was
duly organized as particular and National
Church, IN communion with the Universal
or Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of
CnrlSt, ana tnat this organization, which took
place immediately after the American Revo-
luton was settled under the careful direction
and advice, with the cordial cooperation of
cody, well-learned and justly venerated di
vines, who were well acquainted with the
history Oh the CHURCH of England before and
since her blessed reformation, and who thor
oughly understood what was and is still re-
CURED by the peculiarities of this country and
its people.
We hold therefore that the ceremonies.
rites, and worship then established and ap,
proved by common authority, as set forth in
the Book Of common prayer of this church,
are the law OF this Church, which every bish-
op, presbyter and deacon of the Same has
bound himself by subscription to the Promise
OF conformity In Article VII. of the Constitu-
tlon 10 obey, observe and follow and that no
strange or foreign usages should he intro
duced or sanctioned by the private Judgment
0; any member or members of this Church.
clerical or Law ~
,,c we further hold, that while this Church is
dar from intending to depart from the Church
OF England in any essential point of doctrine
dlsclpllne or worship, or further than local
circumstances require" it has vet its necnIiar
place, character and duty as ''particular and
National Church 5" and that no prayer book
of the Church of England in the reion Of what
ever sovereign set forth, and no laws of the
Church OF England have any force of law in
this church such as can be Justly cited in de-
fence OF any departure from the express law
OF tnls Church,its liturgy, its discipline, rites
and usageS.
And we, therefore, consider that in this
particular National Church, any attemDt TO
introduce into the public worship of ALMIGHTY
Goa, usages that have never been known
such as the use OF incense, and the burning of
lights II the order for the holy Communion
reyerences to the Holy Table or to the ole
ments thereon, such as indicate or imply that
the sacrifice of our divine Lord and saviour
once offered" was not 'sfulI perfect and
suthclent sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction
Tor the SINS OF the whole world ~ the adon
ton of clerical habits hitherto unknown Or
material alterations of those which have been
in use since the establishment of orr Fnisoo
pate is an innovation which violates the dis
clplne OF the Church, ''ofend against its
common order, and hurteth the anfhoritv Of
the magistrate and woundeth the conscienccs
of the weak brethren"
Furthermore, that we be not misunder
stood, let it be noted that we include in these
censures all departures from the laws, ru-
brcs and ettled order of this Church, as
well as by defect as by excess of observance
designing to maintain in its integrity the
sound ,scriptural and. primitive, and, there
lore; the catholic and apostolic spirit of the
Book of Common Prayer.
Signed by the following Bishops
Smith, of Kentucky; McIlvame, of Ohio !;
hemper, of Wisconsin McCoskry, Of Michi-
gan Lee, Of Delaware ; Johns, Of Virginia ;
E 4 OF Massachusetts, Chase of New
| r:ahpSa!re Uptold, of Indiana Payne, AT
mean n! Mission; Williams, of Connecticut !;
paws, OF South Carolina Kip, of California !;
Lee, OF Iowa CLARK, of K. l. Gregg, of Tex
a. M;5 Assistant Bedell, of Ohio; Whipple of
WITNESS "a Assistant Talbot, of Indiana
Of Of Western New York; Clarkson Of Nebraska Iz !:
WW@TnGiaII, OF Colorado ; Kerfoot, of Pittsburgh
Mn mihna ms, OF Chinese Mission Assistant Chm,
n mlnS, kentucky Assistant Armitage, Wis