The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-23
FROM RITUALISM TO ROME.
Letter Of tho Rev. DR.. Rogers, Of Mem
phfs, announcing his Adhesion to the
roman Catholic Church-Hfs rare
well to his Flock.

well to his FLOCK
The following is the letter in which the Rev.
]. W. Rogers, the Rector OF "The Church OF
the Blessed Virgin" in Memphis, and the lead
er of Ritualism in Tennessee, announces to his
congregation his formal adhesion to the Church
of Rome:
MEMPHIS, November u, 1893.
10 the Congregation of the Church Of the
Blessed Virgin:
BELOVED m CHRIsr- Graphing, however fee
bly. with the manifold errors OF Ratlonalism
during the past year, determined some
months since, as You all know, TO throw my
self. heart and soul, into the effort now bemg
made BY the Catholic party in the Church OF
England to unite that church with the Church
of Rome; but, unwilling to do anything
stealthily, preached and wrote too boldly
for my brethren, and declared on the house
top what others admitted In private;
The Bishop sent his " interdiction but
Was unable consistently to try me; mean
while nv studies and efforts convinced
me. more and more, that even If our clergy
were ready for such union as that proposed,
ihe people would, for the most part, split On
the rock Of private Interpretation, so that after
all, our partial success would only be q'tdsa
justification for future sqhisms, whenever am,
bilious rulers, ecclesiastical or owl, should
grow re sriye under the Cross; and therefore,
after mature deliheration-led, huMblY trust,
by the Holy Spirit have determined to re-
nounce the Episcopal Church, and leave the
rest to God. Should those pure and noble
spirits who have hitherto sought the cathonc
truth under my poor administrations, now reel
bound to abandon all further Investigation III
its behalf, need scarcely say, considering the
awful srrus giles my own soul has experienced,
that it is what most mon would do. 1t ID g
fearful thing to meet the aVerted glances OF
those who once loved us, but Tar more terrible
will it be, beloved, to meet an offended GOD ana
Saviour.
=. I have. therefore. deliberately (though most
unworthy of it), ascended this cross. even
when my risndiess wife and children, like the
Blessed Virgin and st. John, suffer around it.
L believe the ancient See OF Rome to be the
centre Of all Jurisdiction in my Masters KING
dom, and humbly yield 10 convictions winch
ell my worldly hopes and interests would dis-
perse.
Appealing to God, the Father, Son and Hoy
Ghost, for the purity Of my motives, am, as
ever, your faithful servant in Christ Jesus.
i. e.SH''''' e' -. '..1-iorI,,l J. ". ROGERS.
= The Memphis Avalanche intimates that the
movement OF DR.. Rogers-who from early boy
hood has been identified with Memphis and
with the Episcopal Church Of the Southwest
was precipitatod by the action of the late Epis-
copal General Convention on the subject of
Ritualism. DR.. Rogers farewell to his flock
was pronounced on Sunday, the 18th, in the
presence Of an immense congregation. The
Avalanche says:
...' At about quarter past eleven DR.. Rogers
came before the audience in plain dress and
/, ,addressed them. After adverting to the pecu-
liar circumstances under which he came before
them, he proceeded to one OF the most power
.fnl discourses that we have ever listened to-:
During the course Of his address flashes OF
'elouuence lit up the otherwise argumentatlve
oration, and when he came to the close-the
bidding farewell to the flock that had followed
his lead, many of whom he had baptsed as
children, and who had grown up under his
very eye, and all ofwhom had known him for q
quarter Of century, in his struggles With the
world and against 1.-THE scene was truly
affecting. There was scarcely dry eye in the
he had considered and weighed the question
well. and had determined that it was not lor
him to withstand the edicts OF those who,
riehtfully or wronefully, are the leaders Of q
branch OF the church to which he held allegi-
ance. Believing that the doctrines OF the
Church OF Rome were right, he would go to
them and he implored all those who we're,
like himself, in the awful state Of doubt, to
make ND their minds either not to resist or to
90 With him. At the conclusion there was not
q dry eye in the house, and We understand that
many Of those who thus far have followed the
fortunes OF DR.. Rogers have determined to go
with him into the bosom Of the Church Of
Rome. u, 70,