The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-16

desire to assume the new obligations he has
ably described.
TIE ANzTRITUAL CONVENTTON
A CONVENTION of clergymen and laymen of
the Protestant Episcopal Church who are op-
posed to ritualistic innovations will meet in
Chicago to-day, to consider matters relative to
the welfare of the Church, and especially
whether some decided effort cannot be made
to check the anti-Protestant tendencies of
portion of the clergy. 1t was hoped that the
last General Convention would take some
decided action with regard to the ritualstic
movement; but to the disappointment of all
true friends of the Episcopal Church, the con-
vention evaded the question, refusing to meet
the issue, and allowing it to remain in the
same unsettled and unsatisfactory condition
as before-a cause of trouble, contention, and
strife The call for the convention which
meets to-day sets forth in plain and decided
terms, the causes of the disagreement, and
the unprotestant character of the ritualistic
utterances and teachings cannot be denied;
indeed, many of the more advanced ritualists
repudiate the name of Protestant" alto
gether, and they advocate doctrines that were
among those which produced the Reforma-
ton, and were expressly repudiated by those
who threw off the yoke of the Church of
Rome.
1t is probable that the Protestant party in
the Episcopal Church place too high an est-
mate on the influence and importance of the
ritualists but the existence of body of men in
the heart of Protestant denomination who
draw their religious ideas and practices from
the dark ages will always be a source of trou-
bic and discomfort, and will ultimately lead
to dismemberment Of the Church, unless
something is done to check their perform
ances and to define the rites ceremonies, and
belief of the Church in such plain and un-
mistakable manner that there will be no ex-
cuse for mistaking their meaning.
There is one important consideration, how
ever, which it behooves the members of the
convention and all other anti-ritualists not to
lose sight of. The ritualists-properly so
called-are now few in number However OBJ
stinately they may have insisted on carrying
out their own views, they have never yet ap-
peared as an aggressive and contentious party
in the Church. They have contrived to throw
on their opponents the onus of quarrelsome-
ness, bad temper, and violence; and the Low
Church party, with all the right on its side,
has consequently been placed at a disadvan-
tage, and has secured for its opponents an
amount of sympathy which they otherwise
would not have obtained
If the Chicago Convention expects to ac-
cOmplish any real good, its deliberations must
be conducted calmly, dispassionately, and in
the most liberal Christian spirit. Otherwise,
its only result will be to produce schism in
the Church and cause a scandal which will Sc
riously damage Episcopalianism and bring the
Christian religion into disrepute
If the discussion of the important questions
brought before it is conducted in a proper
spirit, the convention can do much good, and
its action and conclusions will be heartily en-
dorsed by genuine Protestants everywhere
If the matters under dispute, however,
cannot be arranged to the satisfaction of all
parties, it would perhaps he better that a
separation should take place, and Episcopa-
hans everywhere be called upon to declare
their principles clearly and definitely, whether
Protestant or otherwise Such disunion
would be matter Of regret, but it would be
far better than a continuation of the present
scandalous squabble.
The Episcopal Church represents much of
the wealth, intellect, and mental culture of
the nation, and its responsibilities are proper
tionably great. 1t cannot be denied, how
ever, that its influence has been seriously
injured by the quarrels between the High and
the Low Church parties, which, ON many oc-
caslons' has been waged with bitterness
that is anything but in accordance with the
spirit and principles of Christianity.
just as the Presbyterians have succeedad in
reconciling their differences, and effeeting .
union which will enable them to present an
unbroken front in the great contest that tba
Church of Christ is called upon to wage un-
ceasingly with the kingdom of sin, Satan, and
death, it would be particularly unfortunate if
a break in the Episcopal Church should take
place.
One great cause, however, of the weakness,
the want Of influence, ana the Inherent diff