The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-05
THE CHORAL SERVICE.
TIE OTHER SIDE OF THE QUESTION
A REPLY TO "CHURCHMAM."
A VindIcation Of the Position OF Bishop
Howe.

xk@G LIZ
A VindIcation of the Position Of Bishop
Howe.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
Your paper of the 18th September contains
an elaborate article, signed ''Churchmap,"
on Bishop Howe's late pastoral. The article
cannot pass unnotlced. In your widely clrcu-
lated Journal 1t has been read by many who
perhaps will not trouble themselves to ascer-
tain from other quarters what has been or
NAV be said by those who think differently,
and, therefore, a place Is asked for the follow
Ing remarks, though removed, like the article
referred to, from the ordinary topics of a
newspaper
"Cburcbman" arrives at the conclusion that
| the late decision of the bishop relating to
| choral service, supported by the official and,
| therefore, well-considered opinion of his
| ~canonical advisers, IVA the result of misap-
| prehension and consequent misconslruction
OF that upon which such ruling was based"
Remembering the position and qualifications
of those who are responsible for thls ruling,
the bishop. aud a body composed of able cler.
| gymen and lawyers, and comprising men Of
all schools Of thought, the words quoted are,
| to say the least, a little startling. The right
of members Of the church 10 discuss matters
| OF contesSedly great Interest to them, is not
questioned. Nor Is it proposed here 10 reply
at large to the paper reterredto Snch reply
| could not be compressed into requisite limits.
| The present writer should say he has not the
| honor to belong to the standing committee,
| and is not authorized to speak Tor the bishop,
or the committee, or AM one OF them. But
| the unity Of the church and the harmony OF
| her members are Of the highest concern to all
| who love her. To dlstrust and qrek-
| mind, our Individual tastes, and even our
| opinions, upon matters touching that unity
| aud hurmony, IL only to apprehend and De
| loyal to the true church Idea. When indiVid-
| ual opinion Ia arrayed against that OF ''apos-
! Ties (bishops) aud elders come togetesT Jor 70
consider of this surely lt ~ tlms 10
hear,h More than ihis-when individual con-
| clusions, reached by examining the subject
| ,oith lioht from one single Qudrter, are arrayed
against those OF u body who, In the oonscien.
cious dis charge of a solemn official duty, rest
ed not, acted not, until light was had from
euery quorter, We say with emphasis to church.
men. 1--WE ought TO give inc more earnest
heed' to the latter than To the former. s
For how stands the case -" -
the bishop Is not clear as to the lawfulness
of the choral services; 8 question OF form or
ceremony In worship. Events require him to
decide. It Ia his duty 30 to do-recognlzad
by the whole church In the last General Con.
vention TO be hls duty. He cannot avoid IL II
he would.
Remembering that he: Is pastor. over the
whole flock, earnest In his endeavor to ascer-
tain whether choral service Is sjustided oy
fair and careful Interpretation OF the lturgical
rules" he Is unwilling 10 rely wholly on his
own Investigations, and calls together his ca.
nonical advisers. Grave men go 10 WORK 10
discharge a grave duty. It Ia q solemn judi
cisi act they have to perform. Does a Judge
near but one side? Who can doubt that these
jndpesi rose above superficial narrow, one
Aided views, and discarding preconcelved Ideas
sought truth on all sides, n finding II, FOL.
lowed 1t fearlessly, though leading, IL may De,
In directions other than they. had pre-sup-
posed. Their work was one o! interpreeaILoni;
rules BY which Law is Interpreted. rules well
defined vet broad and, comprehensive. BY
sno1 rufcs wos d not they reached thelr
conclusion, as was their duty.
Hear what one of the highest authorizes
saws Of interpreting canon and ritual law: W
have for our guidance aud the light OF our
psth rubrical and oanonical provisions, expo
sItions of The learned bishops and doctors 81
lhe English Church, decisions OF Engl'an trl-
bunsls. md q fountain OF explanation III unit
ed declarations OF both housed OF convention.
And when all these are silent or indlstlnct,
when novel questions arise where the written
law has no onart, and these sources OF con-
struction yield nc solution, we have the do.
nestle forum Of The church to resort to, the
nrImItivs reslduary power of the bishop
:. Bnt how is 1t with s'Churchman ~ He Is
satisfied With light from one single source. It
Is a guide, bat only one OF the guides resorted
to on such occasions. he makes "a collection
OF rubrlcs from different sources Of the prayer
L--t. "a !. a M ha lnfnrnrofa nnn no QnnfhQr-
that ia, IL word In one rubrio will bear 8
giyea definition, and will not bear It In anotn-
ar. he Ia at once satisfied that ouch definition
ia altogether and everywhere erroneous, re-
gardless OF lhesefect of use and context upon
lis several applications. What will he say TO
the word 'let" employed not IN merely dlf-
fsrent, but In exactly opposite senses In
two OF our glorious collects, that for the fourth
Sunday In Advent, "whereas We are sore, let
and hindered in running the race that Is set
rhetore ue:n and again 10 that for the sixteenth
Sunday after Trinity, 'tlet thy continual pity
cleanse" &c. Then he passes by use, q necee-
sary element In rubrlcal Interpretation, But
"Cburchman' dlsclaims this; He says, we are
NOT discussing use In the church, nor hasing
onr lawful rendering Of the service upon II.
We are addressing ourselves 10 rubrical inter-
pretation; as If the two things could be sepa-
rated. He who dlscards use, when he sets
himaelf to interpret the ruhrlcs OF the prayer
book, disquall1es himself Tor tne TASK, and
cannot prove a true prophet. The navigator
who sticks to shallow water will make no dis
coverles, and yet run greater risk from rocks
and shoals than another will from deep water,
who looking &c his charts and maps is still
guided by the untalling needle ever pointing
TO the star.
The American Church, 60 nontne, and as
an independent church, has existed only
since 1888. But It is, and Ia recognized to be-,
o branch Of the Anglican Church, and 80 q
branch OF the Church Catholic and Apostolic.
The church ia this diocese, q member of the
American Church, is either an offshoot from
the Anglican Church or she Is no church.
As an offshoot she has q heritage from the
English Church. She has willed TO hold that
heritage as one of the many members Of the
whole body, the church general In the United
States. SO far as doctrine ID concerned, she
can alter nothing; 80 far as ritual Is concern.
ed, she has q right to modify 1t. But she has
elected to exercise This right only in con-
junction with the other dloceses. Such modI-
hcations as the dioceses agreed upon were
made In the book OF common prayer.
but still the great body of the liturgical heri.
tage remained just as 1t came to us from
Enaland. Many of the rubrics are Identical,
or nearly 80, with those OF the English Church.
Questions such as that of choral service Deces-
sHsrIly take the form Of ruDrical Interpretation.
Rut n In obvious to every one who knows the