Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-01-19
Ritualism,

| EpaScOOOtaCtT under date OF Dec. l9, an article
characteristic of him. able and full Of the spirit of
apostolic and evangelical simplicity, and in the
spirit OF admonition against the prevalent ten
dency ofthe church to run into mere ceremonial
observous and cymbolcal parade to the preiu-
dice Of vital godlness. The article is somewlt
lengthy, but we think the pious reader whose
heart as well as head is right, will feel with us
that the space occupied is very far from being
wasted.
REV. and DEAR SIR II was very
much pleased that you placed so promi-
nentlv in your paper the noble speech of
| the Rev. j. Cotton Smith, d. D., at the
/ late anniversary of the Evangelical Knowl-
edge Society in New York, on the Ritu-
alistic tendencies and denominations which
have become so alarming in the Church
Of England, and are coming out so boldly
and with such evident combination of
plan and effort, in our Church of the
United States. l have used the word
denominations. l might have said pueri-
lties. .talEies, de-, with entire justice, but
| ab02naya OtiOns includes all that, and means
much more. Some Ritualism all Chris
tlans have, among whom there is any rite.
I'VE have had ritualism in our Sacraments
and confirmation, and in all the simple
ceremonial which, from the organization
of our American Church, has marked
their observance, And we want no
more. But the Ritualism now rising be-
fore US and claiming free scope to do
what it lists In our Churches, is not a
mere unauthorized and deforming increase
| of ceremonial upon what we have been
accustomed to. 1t is not merely that
the one bowing to the name of Jesus in
the creed (which, by the way is no part
| of the appofnted ceremonial of our wor-
ship, as many of our people seem not to
know,) has grown to divers bewing to
this and that, by minister and people, and
! by some q have heard) where SHE FIR
gin lKary" comes in the Greed. f3f a
/ 1t is not merely that the one instance
in which the officiating minister is direct
| ed in our Rubrics, while standing, to
''t,1a to the Lords Ilx6le," has budded
and blossmed into the divers turnings,
which are now seen in some of our al
RANGED Churches, by choristers as we'll as
''cele6runtS," to use a, word which Ritual
1t is not merely that the single instance
OF tie sign oftte Gross in baptism, pro-
yided for by our Church directions, has
effloresced, and is multiplying into va
rlous other signs and mystic signifca-
tions, such as crosses on the Lords table
| OF wood or stone, crosses on coverings of
| the table, onclerical robes, crosses every
where-candles on the table and in the
chancel, burning in broad day light, &c.
If we look at these things simply as an
| Increased ceremonial | should be content
to speak of them as poterilites. But, in
the intention of those who are jealous for
tie ritualism which aspi,es to place itself
high and lifted up, in our churches, no
such comparatively innocent thing limits
| their view, Of coures it all means doc
hSae--aTUdnced doctrine-such as the
simple ritualism of our church hitherto
has not taught. 1t means what leader
| in the American movement meant when
he said recently IN published dis
Fcourse, and from one of the highest pla-
/ ces Of the Diocese Of New York, that
/ the Reformation brought on ''the dark
ages" 1t means return to what the Re
! formation cast out with Indignation. 1t
means the re-assertiOn of what, as u Pro
teStd,et Church, we have protested against
ever since the Reformation. 1t means
| the turning our backs upon all our great
Protestant diyines, and the Reputation
Of our chief Protestant Articles of reli-
gion. 1t means Romanism, in all its
strength and substance, and antagonism
f. tbn trua GOSna1 of Christ
1t means transubstantiation-t sacrl-
flee of the Mass-auriouIar confession,
the subjection of the minds and eOnscien-
ces of men to the dictum of the Priest
the closing up of all access to Christ and
His salvation to the narrow gate of the
ministration of Priest; justification by
efficacy of sacraments, through righteous
ness in ourselves by works, instead of
the righteousness of Christ by faith. 1t
means Penances, Prayers for the Dead,
and Purgatory, the necessity of Priests
absolution to the remmission Of sins. 1t
means Romish bondage for Christian lib
erty, sensuous, sentimental, deceitful
Journalism for the worship Of God Sin
| spirit III truth" 1t means, in one word,
the Identification, IN effect, of inward and
spiritual religion with the outward and
visible form, and that form for the most
part for mans contrivahce. 1t means,
say again, RODsdnisDa, and that is enough
to say, and therefore we say ''adonaSa0-
tionS" as we'll as folyies. If the move
ment has not yet grown to all the deYel-
opement given above, it is fast attaining
that far. Let 1t alone, and the rebellion
will soon show its genuine colors at high
mast, and High Mass viii not be far be-
hind.
But it is no new movement. 1t is SIM
ply that very out-cropping of the Trac-
tartan movement which, since its first
appearance in 1864, has never ceased its
Vaccinations or advances. Many good
men for years supposed it essentially dead.
l never did. / constantly maintained
the reverse 1t has simply waited to
prepare the way, to get the minds and
eyes of our people accustomed to certain
introductory ideas and presentations, and