The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-17

alternately the appointed psalm. IL has been
urged that many of the ceremonies in use before
the Reformation we're left standing by the
order of Elizabeth, which retained the 6rst Book
of Edward and set aside the second, In which
these bad been abolished. Be this as It may,
that Princess did many things for national
loosely held the Reformation principle'. but
In gaining them, 1t is well known that she
alienated others, whose disahection IN the course
Of o few years became SO widespread that the
result was the overthrow OF the Establishment,
and the revolution OF the nation. But suppose
that in England, by the letter OF the law, these
usages still stand, what is that to usH
The Prayer-Book that we use is of the Ameri.
can Church, made our own by actual adoption,
and after deliberate revision; and that, and
that alone, is the law and the testimony for us.
What it allows, that we are bound by; what it
does not, can justly have no place in our public
worship.
But higher yet is our appeal to the Holy
Scriptures, We have seen that the law, cere-
monial not less than moral, moral not less than
ceremonial, had been abrogated in Christ.
What, then, do we find in the New Testsment,
bearing on the subject? Hear Jesus HIMSELF
Speaking at the well OF Samaria, he says
woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye
shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jeru-
salem, worship the Father; but the true wor-
shippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship
HIM. Observe that all holy places, specifically,
are by this word abolished. And what shock
must that have given alike TO samaritan and to
Jerusalem and Mount Zion-psalms which the
devout IsTaelte had sung from age to age, and
which had moulded the national mind and
heart. How rude, then, must have been the
shock when it was declared that the time was
coming when the temple at Jerusalem would be
esteemed no longer sacred, and when prayers
Offered in its courts would be no more espe-
cially acceptable to God. But If not there,
then nowhere exclusively; but throughout the
wide world in every spot trodden by the foot of
man, where the heart might go up in aspiration
TO Heaven, there would be, for the time, sane
tuary of the Most High. Houses of worship
might, indeed, be erected and set apart for mans
convenience and edifcation, as being adapted to
human needs, but not as implying any sacred
ness, in view of Him to whom prayer is made.
Moreover He tells us that they who worship the
Father must "worship Him in spirit and in
TRUTH What does this mean, in connection
with the abolishment of sacred places, except
that an acceptable worship must be divested as
much as possible of that which is merely
outward, which appeals to the senses, and
through them is intended to affect the heart?
On this principle our own Church has certainly
proceeded. For where in all her services is
there aught that is in conflict with it t?-in them
all there being nothing but the words OF prayer
and Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
From beginning to end 1t is the mind that is
addressed and through it the heart engaged.
Neither pictures, nor lights, nor incense, nor
robed professions are found there, nor such
music as is designed for q sensuous or
theatrical effect. But turn again TO the pages of
the New Testament. Is baptism to be ad-
ministered? The most circumstantal account
recorded there of its administration, is that by
Philip of the Ethiopian eunuch. And thus we
read:-"As they went on their way, they came
to a certain water; and the eunuch said, See,
here is water, what doth hinder me to be bap-
tized? And Philip said, If thou believest with
and said, believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand
still. And they went down both into the water,
both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized
II hfv,r II1., 10 49,, -
ceremony! Is the Lords Supper to be admins
tered? In all the circuit of the inspired writings
there is nothing to lead us to suppose that 1t
was accompanied by aught tending to awaken
| feelings of unusual or preternatural awe. 1t is
only related, for instance, that Upon the first
day of the week, when the disciples came to-
ggetheI to break bread, Paul preached unto
considerable part OF the exercises, is evident
from the fact that "he continued his speech
till midnight" Look at st. Pauls re-
buke of the abuses connected with Its celebra-
ton in the Church at Corinth. These abuses
were fearful; but they show Hs that so far from
the ordinance itself being regarded as some
thing awful and mysterious, and made as much
so as possible by the manner of its celebration,
that manner was so simple that it was not diff
cult to glide from the right to wrong and very
loose way. Again:-With reference to the
public service generally, we are simply charged
mot to forsake the assembling of ourselves
together;" and in such assemblages mot to be
partial among ourselves, not to say to the man
place., while we say to the poor man, in vile
raiment, Stand thou there, or sit here under
my footstool.'" Indeed, the whole idea of wor-
ship, at that period of the Church, was such as
might be engrafted on the ordinary Synagogue
service. The Apostles were content, at first, to
go into the Synagogues, as they went from city
to city, and preach Christ. And there Christian
ity would have stayed and worshipped II Christ
had been received, insensibly moulding the SER
vices which it found there in accordance with its
own spirit and principles. But, being rejected,
what was to be doneY Establish rival service,
in which that of the Temple was the model ?
| Nay; but in withdrawing, to set up Christian
synagogue, as St. Paul did at Ephesus, "disputing
daily, Tor the space of two years, in the school
| of one Tyrannus." In truth, the Jews them
| selves, whether in their own or foreign lands,
never thought, in those assemblies winch con-
| vened every Sabbath day, and with which Jesus
thought, say, of initiating the elaborate ritual
| of the Temple; which was confined to itself, as
| being alone the place where sacrifice was
| offered-of which, as have said, sacrifice was
| the central thought. Nor did priests serve in
| the synagogue, but only ministers and elders
| Picture to yourselves that religious service in
| which Jesus participated in the synagogue al
| Capernaum. He enters; and although no ac
| credited minister, roll of the sacred Scrip
| lures is given Him to read He turns to &
| prophecy relating to Himself. He rehearses ii
| and then sits down. The solemnity of His man
| ner drew all eyes towards Him. And then He
began His instruction by saying, "This day i:
| this Scripture fulfilled in your earsn Doubtless
| prayer had preceded, and probably the recitation
| of the Psalms of David. And such was the
basis Of all the public Christian worship of thC
| Apostolic age.
How unfair, then, for the Episcopal champion
of this movement in our day, to seek his autho
| rity first in the law of Moses, which has beer
| abrogated, and then in the Church of the fourth
and fifth centuries, already full of corruption
leaving untouched the whole field of facts which