The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-11

modic attempts to revive various external
rites, but they fell through. They owed their
origin co the same morbid love Of the sensuous,
which gave birth to Romanticism in liter
ature. Time has almost effaced ~ their
fair hopes of seeing siiilIse.r simiIs.r result when
this present romantic revival has produced "A
marked change of the phase Of the question. :
There is considerable difference, in other re-
spects also, between the controversy as it stood
then, and as il: presents itself to us now. 1t Is
not mere ecclesiastical dilettanteism. The
| phenomenon which has to be dealt with now,
SAYS DR.. L1TrLEDALE, in ..The Church and the
World, lis that ceremonial observances, every
where in England to-day co-exist with active
parochial and missionary work, and are re-
garded by practical men perfectly free from
effeminate sentimentalism, rs important ad-
iuncts in their labors. 5g.z,, sTs 2J - ~
Tractarianism, it is said, was only a religion
for gentlemen; but it has now taken shape
which will enable it to wrest the middle classes
from dissent-to ciyilize and christianize those
poorer classes, which have hitherto been either
neglected altogether, or approached in man ::
ner which had no effect on them. 1t was tory,
and is now fast becoming democratic Argu-
ment cannot avail against such party. They
have been taunted with the histrionic charae-
ter of their ceremonial. DR.. LITTLEDALE,
quoted above, says in reply, "1t IS an axiom
in liturgiology that no public worship is really
deserving Of the name unless it be histrionic.
The Ritualists already claim to be the
largest party in the church, and to be still on:
the increase. In the London Quarterly for Jan
uary we find much information on this subject.
As mark of its progress, the reviewer refers
to the, "Directorium Anglcanum, y first pub
lished in 1857, edited by Rev. j.. PURcHAs.
The second edition, under the care of Dr. LEE,
was published in 1865. The illustrations of the
first and second editions (for each has set of
prints different from the othcr) ore significant
as to the development which Ritualism had un-
dergone during the interval of seven or eight
years. Thus, whereas the original frontispiece
represents some early stage in the celebration
Of the Eucharist, the frontispiece of the second
edition displays the elevation of the chalice,'
which, in the meantime, had been added to the
stock of ceremonies. In the first edition there
are two candles on the altar and two at the
sides; but in the second edition there are eight
additional candles and four pots Of flowers, on
what, we think, is called the super-altar.
x ~ The sacolyte, from
a tall young man carrying a hagon, has dwin-
died down to a little boy with girdle round
his waist and armed with a censer. In 1857
the altar was surmounted by on ornamental
cross; in the edition of 1865 this has been su-
perseded by crucifx."
CDR. PERRY, in the "Church and the World"
cnumerates the following as the five prominent
points of the Charter of an Englishman's Ri
tualistic liberties. l. The ancient vestments
of the bishops and other clergy; 2. the two
lights on the altar; 8. the incense; 4. the
mixed chalice; and S. the eastward position in
front of the altar, Of the priest and his assist
ants at the celebration of the Holy Communion.
Another author adds three additional points.
G. the use of wafer bread I. the presence Of
the faithful for what is styled Spiritual
communion; and Sth, the elevation of the con-
sccrated elements.
These several points are now all in court.
The opinions of e Inent counsel have been
taken, and they vary in their Jennings, influ-
cnccd largely, no doubt, by prcconceived
opinion. The weight of authority, however,
seems to be against the Riiualists; and they
must either rclinIuish these tenets or their
bencticcs. They say they will do neither, and
confidently assert that ere long public opinion
and the lawmaking power will be with them.
We wish those English courts joy Of these
knotty questions.
The worship of the Virgin and the Saints,
auricular confession, and other kindred doc
trines and obseryances, are advocated by
some; but are not as yet part of the ritualistic
creed.