The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-06-26
The Ritui,,alistic ii.,i,, i,, Controversy. i

The second report ofithe commission ap-
pointed by The English Government to inquire
into the forms of Worship. by the established
Church has been published This commission, con
it Will be remembered, was appointed to settle
the,yexed question OF Ritualism, and the, first
report, published come time sinoe, covered
the important question OF rvestments, and set
'tledi against the Ritualists or innoyators.
The second report, just published, is also ad-
worse to- them on the subjects OF candles and
incense. ;o.'- so ~. !.
! IT, is.decided that the use of lighted
candles. when they are not needed for the pur-
nose of giving light at the celebration OF the
communion service, is novelty OF only twenty
five years, standing. Previous TO that time, for
period of perhaps three hundred years years
have been placed on the table durlng com.
munion service in cathedrals and cathedral
cbapels. and also in chapels Of royal and
Episcopal residences; but there is no positive
evidence that the candies we're lighted. In
parish churches no lighted candles nave Deen
used since the Reformation. Respecting IN
cense, The testimony seems TO be conclusive
that its uso during worship cannot be traced
in The Established Church TO period more re-
mote hnp twenty five years ago.
The conclusion, then, is that the use OF
liphted candles and incense is an lnnova-
tim. and ought to be restrained. AS o means
for preventing their use it is recommended
that parishioners, aggrieved by their introduc-
tion, shall have the liberty, under certain con-
ditions, of applying 10 the bishop, whose duty
it shall be- to inquire whether there D as SgSa zen
case is proved, tho bishop shall Make provls-
ion 10 suppress the innovation and "enforce
the same summarly." The bishops decision
on any ouestiop of candles or incense is to be
subject to appeal to the Archbishop, and ulti-
matsly to the Queen 10 council.
This decision will be regarded GItn he Greas co M
mission is composed OF some thirty or forty
persous consisting of the most learned Bish-
ops of the English Church, and lnclndes o
number OF ssI.aw Lords'' of the House OF Peers,
and several eminent doctors of. ecclesiastical
law. 1t was presided over by the Archbishop OF
Canterbury. Any yioWs advanced by com,
mission 80 learned and eminent must command
respect. The Ritualists are virtually condemn,
ed and it remains to be seen whether they will
take the responsibility of refusing obedience
to the authority of the Royal Commission.
It NAV detract, however, from the weight OF
the report, that tho commission ID far from
being unanimous respecting it. Appended to
the majority report are no less than five pro
tests or remon strances OF members against its
conclusions. These protests constitute the
mos. voluminous portion OF the report: me
Bishop OF Oxford and DR.. Goodwin object to
one phase: the learned DIR. PhIlemoro and
three tr ys others dissent from another section;
Judge Coleridgo and Dean Stanley to third;
the Duko of Beauchamp TO fourth, and Ger
tain j. W. Perry objects to the whole proceed
ipgs. The latter takes very strong ground in
deed. Ho insists that candles and incense
may be lawfully used in the worship, according
to the Church of England, and that the efforts
of practice ia an 'unwarrantable invasion Of the
rights Of private opinion and conscience, and
contrary to the fundamental principles Of Prot
estantsm.