The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-28
THE EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
Continuation Of the Ritual Debate
I. Important Committee Reports, &c.
EIGHTEENTH DAY-ocroBER "a.

|
| EIGHTEENTH DAY-oCToBER "a.
In the Episcopal Convention at Baltimore
on Tuesday, the committee on the prayer.
book reported against any additional service
for the burial Of such persons as cannot, be-
cause of the first rubrlc ofthe service for the
burial Of the dead, be buried with that service
Also against any alteration of the prayer for
the President, or any change whatever in the
prayer-book; also in opposition to permitting
any clergyman 10 omit passages which he
does not conscientiously agree with. The re.
port was adopted by the house. The commit
| tee on christian education presented resolu-
| tions, which were adopted, declaring that
Except where weishty local or special con.
our own educational institutions by our gifts
and our patronage; A message was receiV-
ed from the House of Bishops announcing the
adoption OF the canon on ritual as reported by
the joint committee on that subject, In which
1t asks the concurrence of the House Of Cleri-
cal and Lay Deputies.
THE DISCUSSION OF THE RITUAL
was then resumed, during which Rev. Dr..
Paddock, OF Long Island, denied that rtualism
was declining. 1t had attained 10 dangerous
proportions in Eng and and was hourlshing
as it came from the House Of Bishops.
DR.. Jackson, of Connecticut, said that the
ritualists were relormers; their publications
were everywhere. while we who oppose them
are doing nothing. What we should do is to
mould public opinion. to inform the people OF
the errors of ritualsm, and then public epin-
ion will endorse the legislation we may fnG
ritual very necessary thing, and he wished
the church had more of it. What he prnci-
paliy objected to In the ritualists was the doc
trine of auricular confession, which they were
industriousy propagatlng. He had seen things
in the administration Of the Holy sacrament
which he regretted, because ne thought IL was
made mere mechanical ceremony. But, as
he said before, the true remedy was to mould
public opinion, to point out these errors to the
people.
would be Immediate action, as this question OF
ritualism has been agltating the public mind
for six years.
Judge Shefey. of Virginia, said he was one
of the representatives OF the oldest diocese on
of this noble old church of ours He held that
1t should be made plain what practices were to
be prohibited, and not Leave so important q
matter in the discretion OF any one man, and
advocated the prohibition by positive enact
ment of the practices recommended to be so
prohibited by the report of the five bishops.
He said that although 1t was not now the prac-
tice In his diocese, he would be willing to have
it made obligatory to do reverence at the men,
tion OF the name OF the Lord Jesus.
Rev. DR.. Vlnton, Of Massachusetts,. said the
denial of the corporeal presence of Christ was
the only excuse the Church OF England had
for being. To admit that would carry cher
back to the Church of Rome. The evidence
of this cornerstone OF the church's faith was
so plain that it was lnconceivable how any one
could argue otherwise. He then went on to
argue that rituallsm was Romanism without
the Pope. Its tendency was TO secure that
supreme control OF one man over another
mans mind that had been the bane of the
generations. It was like the serpents which
encirced Medusa's head, scattering venom and
the breath of spiritual death all around. he
was In the main for this amendment, (Dr.
Mead's,) but it did not 60 far enough. It left
untouched the celebration of the quasi mass,
which was the core of the whole evil. For the
aesthetics of the thing he cared nothing; let the
garments, let the many-colored fringes go; II
minister and his congregation want more OF
have 1t; but do not give up this great central
treasure OF the church's faith. Something
| ought to be done, something must be done, OF
the citadel OF God will be given over to Its
foes.
Mr.. Carter, of Maryland, said no one was
than he. but he wanted law which, it was to
be supposed, would be the law of the church
for all time, maturely and most cheerfully con.
sidered and hence he should be most sorry to
see In the haste of the moment this canon as
1t now stood passed. These are to be the
laws of ritual, and nothing else. Is the cross
which surmounts most Of our churches placed
there by authority of canon? Is the beauti-
| full evergreen with which the churches are
decked at Christmas done by Authority OF q
canon? Is 1t by authority OF canon that the
congregation In some churches rises when the
ofertory ls recited by the minister? No; all
these things ore done according to usage.
Yet, according to this canon 1t is In the pow
er OF the bishop to prohibit all these things.
He did not say that any OF them would be
prohibited, but If such an attempt was made
the whole church would rise up against 1t.
But he only alluded to them to show to them
how many forms that are dear 10 the church
rest not on any canon but on usage.
After further debate, the house adjourned.
1t is understood that the vote by which the
canon on ritual passed the House OF Bishops
was q to l9
The Closing Proceedings.
BALTIMoRE, October q.
The convention resolved TO elect an assis-
tant bishop for Texas. The text OF the resolu.
ton finally adopted Is as follows:
Resolved, That this convention hereby ex-
press It's decided condemnation of all ceremo-
nles, observances and practices which are tit.
ted to express doctrine foreign TO that set
forth in the authorized standards OF this
church.
RESOLVED, That in the judgment of this house
the traternal counsel and advice OF our Right
Reverend Fathers, the Bishops of the Church,
Is deemed sufficient at this time to secure the
suppression OF oil that is irregular and un-
seemly, and to promote greater uniformity 10
conducting the public worship OF the church,
and in the administration OF the holy sacra'
ment.
The closing ceremonies were very impress
siVe.