The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-24
fCoMMUHICAFED.1
zHE FACTS CONCERNING ST. CLEMENTS
CHURCH.


Chnrch having published their MANIFESTO the rector
mas been constrained tn enter the and resent
he outrageous assault made upon him. Pamphlet
eefinR In churches is scandaous and dsgraceful at
Pill times; but the vestry cast the rst stone
here, let them be welcome to all the shame-Or
glory, " they consider it.
All the cry about rtualIsm, the confessional, and
prayers for the dead, in the in which the vestry
|woud have the people understand 1t, is unfair,
Just, snd untrue.
SO far as rituasm Ia concerned, the service at St.
Elements is exactly like that at st. Marks aud we
hear no complaint about that church. 1t is the
bathedral service Of the Church OF England and
hoihing more or less.
There no confes Ona establish ed In the church,
md there is no practising aurcular confession in
tae offensive sense put forth by the vestry. But
man or woman who is heavily laden or borne down
with grief, unhappy husband or wife, or parent,
child who chooses tn go to the rector assistant
minister Of 81. Clements, and pour out his or her
grief, or confess his or her sins, will Gnd deaf ear;
hnd while loud voice cries against abomn atoms
and errors the clergy Of St. Clements will always
hear such persons kindly and patiently at heme on
he street. in the church, because IL Is their duty
10 do SO; and they will hear them alone in the
presence of friends. And let no man. be he bishop,
priest, or layman, say they should not, or do aught
b hinder them. No one Is asked to come, no one is
old that he ought TO come. one is induced to
eome; but IL he does come he will not be rebuked
'or coming and codiy turned away. And this is
Svhat AL cierpymen Of al denominations do-ltsten
o tales Il private Rrieis wrongs, and sins. Pnysi-
iaLs do 1t lawyers do it; parents do it.
1t is enjoineo by holy writ, Confess your sins to
pne another" Who would prevent 1t?
But It is said that absOuton is given after sucn
bon fession. Well, why not? At the ordination of
prests in the Episcopal Church their charge is this,
RI ceive the Holy Ghost. Whose sins thou
bost forgive, they forgiven and whose sins thou
aost retain, they are retained" IL not this full
bower TO grant absouton? And there is authority
b Scripture for this too.
PRAYERS for the dead are not said at st. Clements
Church. There is no liturgy or mass for the dead
in the Book OF Common Prayer. Whether such
prayers ought to have been lef5 in It is question
hpon which The clergy OF st. Clements Church are
Entitled to have an opinion well the vestry;
Ind until the clergy announce their views and
BITE mpt to force them upon the vestry the latter
have no tight to raise causeess aarum. Probably
is only done to fTighten pew-hoders having the
right to vote at the election next month. The ae-
cation hat the Clergy bound by the sediments
= Sn this subject uttered by visiting clergymen from
he pptt OF st. Clements Church, because such
Clergymen came there by invitation, Is not supported
~ reason; for Bishop stevens, who has not omitted
take ad gantage OF the opportunity to express his
entments on the subject, sometimes breaches from
hat pulpit; and therefore all he says must be ap-
proved by the clergy at st. Clements, which puts
them In the position OF approving and disappearing
different views upon the same subject.
The PROFESSIONAL ny INNS, cHOrd SERVICES, carrying
the banner bOwings to the altar invo cation to the
Trinity before the sermon. adding water to the
wine wearing OF cOored stoles, changing the altar
cloth Church furniure) with the Church seasons,
and the of the candles, are all ceremonies OF the
Church. The authority for their use Is derived from
the traditions Of the Church. 'There is legal dis
tincton between rite and a ceremony: rite con-
sists in services expressed in words; ceremony in
gestures or acts preceding, accompanying, or follow
ing the utterance of the words" "The criterion Of
the legality OF such ceremonies is in their con-
formity with primitive and catholic use, and not In
their antaponism to Rome" "The mere fact or their
identity with the ceremonies in use b,f0re the Re-
formation is not sufficient ground from which to
deduce their uDlawfuness; nor does the fact that
practice is novel prove that 1t is unlawful."-Mac-
konochies case in The Arches Court OF England,
A ID 1868. ut is not necessary that traditions and
ceremonies be in all places or utterly alike; for
Ehey have been divers, and may be changed accord
fpp TO the diversity Of coun res times and meas
manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods
IWord. ."-XXIV Article OF Religion, Book OF Com
mon Prayer.
The use itself is matter OF taste altogether with
the clergy and worshlppers. Let tho e who like
such ceremonies go to ST. Clements Church, and
Ret those who dislike them go where the forms are
iiffeIen; for 1t is mere matter OF forms and cere-
monies, and forms and ceremonies, IN higher or
hover degree, exist everywhere and In all churches.
Ms there not a regular uuchanging form Of worship,
after uay the DdptlSG,
teran churches? There is form and order in the
ssmeeting house even" The Ceremonies at st. Gle
me nt's not peculiarly the property OF what we
Consider an erroneous church." and neither the
clergy nor the congregation intend to surrender
them to any church, erroneous or otherwise, any
more than they intend to surrender their brthrght
of the apostolic succession, another peculiarly OF
an "erroneous church,"
A majority OF the congregation and pew-holders
at st. Clements like the form OF services now held
there, and intend that they shall remain as they are
II the gentlemen Of the vesty do not like form
of services (and that they do not is shown by the
fact that they have a resolution for their abolish
ment lying on the table, ready TO be taken Off aud
assed should the result OF Easter Mondays election
Zoe favorable to them), why let them go elsewhere al
once. They have no right TO disturb the peace and
happiness OF st. Clements Church by their unseemly
camor. The truth is that they have become offended
with ministers who tell them their duty in plain
words rather than humoring them with a very weak
solution OF religious duty and personal ease.
or the ten dissenters OF the vestry three are moi
communicates one has never been baptized, three
do not attend st. Clements at all, and one has Ie
ceived communion only once In twenty years. II
seems that Christian duties Of any Kind lay heavy
upon them, and neglected. Christian prfUileges-
voluntary penance, for instance-are abominable II
their sight
These gentlemen have never met with any oppo
zition heretofore have done all the voting aud, o.
course, have easily elected and reelected them
selves unanimously But, then, they never before
met with resistance from the rector, although it II
their characteristic 10 quarrel with each the
have had. Now, after the present clergy hav
gathered together large congregation for them ant
started the church In It's path 70 temporal prosperity
its spi ua peace broken by the yestry, and bite
newspaper ana pamphlet war waged by them. 1t i