The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-08
Ritualism in England.

SCENE AT THE BISHOP Oh, ,sALIsBuRYs VISITATION.
The Bishop of Salisbury held his triennial visi-
tation at Bridport England, on the 18th OF May,
when there was o large attendance OF clergy ana
tchurchwardens. When he came to the subject u
absolution, he said there was a time TO speak and
time to keep slence and he believed the time for
being outspoken had arrived in his diocese, and
he had, without any mental reservation, GOO
knew, acted on that conviction. At this point the
Rev. VIM. O. Templer, the rector OF Burton Brad
Of his Lordship, al d exclaimed with much fervor,
ct believe there is time to speak and time TO
be silent let those that on the Lords side fol-
low me-" and he turned and walked out OF the
church, followed by one church warden. s
This scene created profound impression, ana
the Bishop was for moment apparently much
disconnected Intense silence prevailed for Q
minute or two, and then the Bishop said, 81 would
only remind you that this is court, and the clergy
are bound to attend il, though their consciences
are not bound TO receive all they hear, OF course
person may be punished for any contempt Of
court. :" ,.-,,s- g
He then proceeded with the reading Of his
charge, but before he had concluded. though he
reading, every churchwardsn had left the churohi
and the clergy manifested signs OF weariness. In
the afternoon the churchwardens held q meeting,
and adopted the following address to the Bishop,
which was agned by thirty-fopr of them;
"My Lord: AS church wardens of the several
parishes within your diocese, we have this day at
tended your triennial visitation, and heard the
charge delivered by you to your clergy. Feeling
that we have also responsible duties to perform,
in endeavoring to preserve our reformed church
from innovations and practices nimcaI to its pure
faith, we avail ourselves OF the occasion to ex,
press our deep regret at some Of the opinions and
doctrines therein enunciated. We believe them to
be at variance with those principles for which
sled more than three hundred years ago when
they protested against the errors OF the Church
| of Rome Entertaining the highest possible re-
spect for your Lordship's personal character and
Office, we nevertheless feel it incumbent on US TO
assert our belief that unless check is at once and
promptly made both by the clergy and lalty to
those innovations and practices which are alien to
/ the feelings or all sound churchmen, consider
able portion Of those who are now sincerely devo-
ted to the establishment will be induced to with
draw to dissenting places OF worship or be nsldl.
ously attracted toward the Church Of Rome, and
thereby destroy the harmony and weaken the con,
fdence which has 80 long and happily existed
| among them"
the key of the ritualistic controversy. Here 1t ls
i sIt Is O. question Of power, and the question ls
| Who is to be master in the Church OF England,
the clergy or the congregation We can hardly
doubt what the answer will be when the issue is
once made thoroughly clear to the common un. l1
derstanding. The average Briton can put up with
a great deal. So long as the. clergyman confines
himself to sermons he will only growl IN hardy ,
articulate manner, and will, Tor the most part, 30,
lace himself by sitting still and thinking about
other things. But when he fully understand;
that the Clergyman is not content with being Q
sort of authorized official squire or le turer, but
claims in addition to be the master OF his parish,
toner's, divinely invested with all manner Of
mysterious authority over them, and when
he perceives that rituahsm is only one
way OF asserting and exercising this au-
thority, he will feel called upon to make his
clerical friends know their places, as his fore,
fathers did three hundred years ago.. He viii
give them to understand that he utterly dlsbeleyes
their divine commission, their power to forgive
sins, to extort confessions, to work invisible
miracles and the like; he will make them feel that
church property is not the property of the clergy
but the property Of the nation, that it is for the
public as Represented by Parliament TO decide how
It shall be used and for what purposes, and not
tor the clergy either Individually or collectively
When launched upon these reflections the lalty
will probably take into consideration some othel
TOPICS which have been left untouched for long
time. They will be little apt to ask who appoint
and remove the clergy and whether the congre
gatinn have not certain degree OF interest IN the
+ subject which ought to be recognized by the Law
as well as the interests Of the clergy themselves
and those OF their patrons Such questions vii
most assuredly be asked before long, and will press
for an answer in most urgent manner"