The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-31

as Hymns, Ancient and Modern, an:
s:Hymns for Church and Home" with the con.
sent Of the Bishop OF the diocese. The reso
luton, az reported by the committee, was
adopted.
The oyder of the day, being the majority ant
minority reports on Ritualism, was then called
The majority report concluded with reso
luton declaring the sense of the Convention te
be that the enactment OF any canon on the
subject Of Ritualism would be Hnwise and m
expedient at the present time; that the avoid
ance Of the dangers Of Irreverence and lawle5s'
pess on one hand, and Of extravaganza and su.
perstition on the other, and the preservation
Of doctrine from the peril OF intentional OF un.
Intentional change, require that all ministers
Of the church, in all matters doubtful, should
refer to the Ordinary for guidance, and that nc
changes should be made against the godly
counsel and judgment of the Bishop.
The minority report was presented by the
Rev. DR.. Howe, Of Pennsylvania. It closed
with several resolutions declaring the sense oil
the Convention to be that the maintenance OF
uniformity and simplicity in worship is ez-
ceedingly desirable to secure the church from
the introduction Of 1nsound doctrine. While
there is no absolute directory in the canon OF
rubrics Of the church specifying ALI official
vestments and practices, and all ecclesiastical
ornaments " hich may be ftly used therein, yet
there is the indication Of great simplicity; and
the traditional usage Of the church in this be-
half, from the date OF it's organization here to
the present period, is in conformity Herewith,
and has, in the hearts and minds OF the great
body of it's local members, the force Of law;
that none other than the "clerical habit" known
to our fathers, and referred to by the House OF
Bishops at the General Convention Of 1874, as
appropriate to ministers officiating in the con-
gregation-bands. gowns and surplices, With
their customary appendages, cassocks and
akota, bay, ,lo1 o,,l thofra or mn
ornaments Uf the sacred places, conducive to
vain show or superstition, be introduced; and
that the burning Of lights in the Order OF the
Holy Communion, the burning of incense, rev-
erences to the holy table or to the elements
thereon, the elevation Of the elements, making
the sign OF the cross Except when prescribed
in the rubric), are innovations which wound
the conscience Of many members OF the
church.
Judge Conyngham, Of Pennsylvania, sup
ported the minority report as in accordance
with the spirit and customs Of their forefath-
ers. BE did not rise to oppose the majority
report-he deemed legislation on this subject
unnecessary at this time-but if any legislation
is necessary and 10 be adopted, he preferred
the resolutions presented by the minority. He
condemned the ritualistic tendencies and
changes Of the present day, and showed their
injurious effects upon the minds of the young.
But why, he asked, were these changes made
OF dQOpCeu! WndG Necessity eAlStSu loI tueui!
He hoped that the House would reflect and see
how it looked to others, and act accordingly.
Judge Otis, Of Illinois, spoke against the sub
stitute. He said that no minister of the church
could be tried for offences committed CONTRARY
TO resolutions OF this convention. They can
only be tried for offences against the canons
and doctrines of the church. This House can
not legislate to deprive ministers Of the right
to carry out their own conscientious convic-
tionsI There is nothing in the legislation Of
the church against teaching by symbols, and
these so-called innovations have been acknow-
ledged and practiced in the Church Of England
since the Reformation. This- church in the
United States rs not new church, but is
branch OF the English Church, both by law and
fact; and as such they have never violated the
principles, doctrines. or practices OF the Church
OF England. And wherever colonist OF Eng
land goes, he carries the common law as well
as the religion Of England with him; if we ad-
init him, we allow him the right to be governed
by the same. We are here as the primitive
eeaurch Of the Christian world. We stand in
the middle line between Rome and Geneva,
neither oversteps the line. Laughter From
1850 to 1909 the English Church lost SO, 900 of
her communicates by her intoleran. acts to-
ward John Wesley and the Methodists. He
hoped this Convention would not follow that
example, but would allow the utmost Liberty
consistent with peace, and harmony, and good
order.
Mr.. S. B. Rlggles, Of New York, followed
Mr. Otis in the same strain asking for tolera-
ton. he repeated his remarks made upon
this same subject when it was brought up In
The Convention Of 1859, to show were he then
stool and stands now. He urged liberation,
Ind if he moved anything it would be to lay
these two abstract propositions on the table.
But he did not want to move anything at this
time.
DR.. Mason, of North Carolina, expressed his
he thought the majority report was very wise
in allowing liberty and liberation. There are,
he said, various kinds of rclgions-of spirl-
tuality, of idolatry, OF superstition, of SYM
.bols, OF sensuousness, &c. he called atten-
tion to the establishment Of the sacrament OF
the Lords Supper where table and 1d y not al an
altar was used, and candles were on that table
but not for purposes Of worship. He could not
therefore concur at all in the practices of the
Rtualsts.
DR.. Haight opposed the resolutions of the
minority as being untrue and not founded upon
facts. Uniformity Of rites and ceremonies vas
never adopted IN the church in this country:
Then there was another view which his friend
from Illinois had eIplcded-namely, that this
is new church. He denied that this church
was anything else than the Church Of England
in America. And whatever is not prohibited is
not only allOWeQ, Dut DlnQng. de related IN
cidents Of his experience during his ministry
in Ohio and in Trinity Church, to show the
want of uniformity and the multiplicity of
changes that have taken place within from
thirty to fifty years. He mentioned three
things to show the fallacy that lay at the bot
tom Of the minority's report. He was in favor
Of liberation.
DR.. Breck, Of Delaware, related incidents OF
his experience ID travelling around in different
churches in search Of Rituaism, both in this
city, Brooklyn, Baltimore, and elsewhere, to
show that the church is not 80 distracted nor
in such danger as many gentlemen suppose
and believe.
DR.. Burr, Of Ohio, eerrecIed impressions
made by the speech Of his friend from New
York tHaight) in regard to Ohio. He contend-
ed that his diocese was as rubrical as any other
in the country. He favored the minority re-
port because he believed it would tend to great
er uniformity in church worship. But he
thought that the adoption OF either report
would be useful as an expression of opinioro OF
this house.
Mr.. Ed. McCgady, of South Carolina, took
exceptions to the statements that this church
is the Church Of England in America. and said
If they belonged to any it was to tle Church OF
Scotland; and moreover, one of their Bishops
came from that church. He did not take the
part Of cne side or the other, but denied the po-
sitions Of both. By act Of Parliament the Eng
ish Church is compelled to adopt uniformity.