The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-18


! non-beevers In the divinity OF Jesus of Nazareth
respectfully and with all due Difference to the
the constitution OF the United states which will give
10 1t a religious or sectaran bias sH,occ.s,,x.,
WASHINGTON D. c., Feb s, 1879.
Confession i'm the Episcopal Church.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Recent developments In the Episcopal Church
have so brought the topic OF confession and Its law
iulness or unlawfulness IN that Church before the
public that 1t folly to attempt to blink 1t. 1t
Is the topic in the counting room, and 1t was the
topic IN our parlors on New Years Day. The move
ments OF the rtualists bold, determined and
CARELESS OF fear or favor. We have to deal with
set or men who. whatever we may think OF Them,
are at any rate thoroughly III earnest One OF them
astonshes the moneyed men OF his vestry by calling
upon them to cease interfering with ana cneckmat-
Ing him with their money, or that he would resign
and 60 where he could be free. Another up one
OF the most magnificent affairs in this or any other
country, and covers it with lighted candles.
third openly adyertises In one of our journals
that he hears confessions on certain
day. These men, struggling in poverty
and through much unp0pularity, evidently
mean work. They may be ridculed, bat the day is
gone when we can afford TO despise them. Money
does not seem to weigh feather with them nor
abuse to swerve them from their purpose, ana they
rubbing Of spectacles and examination OF what Is
going First along they laughed at for their
candles and their vestments They were thought to
be eccentric folk. But 1t seems that all the time
they have been burning candles and wearing vest.
ments they have also been hearing confessions.
Tine whole affair Is evidently deeper than candles,
lace and eccenrlcty. This Is clear from the follow
ing:-When the Bishop of New York prohibited
excessive ritual he Obeyed by all the rtualistc
alan
chasubles and there has Deen excessive rtualism
in New York SINCE But the moment the Bishop
OF Connecticut took one OF these New YORK clergy.
men to task for talking IN his diocese about seven
sacraments (and among the SEVEN cOnfesson), the
said priest" bristled up, showed fight, did no. bulge
an inch, and published the correspondence. And
the moment the Bishop OF Pennsylvania takes an
other to task Tor the confessional that other, too,
shows ngnt, wins his case and publishes his CORE
spondence also. And the instant the question OF
OF the real presence Of Christ under forms
OF bread and wine III the sacrament OF tile altar,
third SHOWS light on the floor Of the Convention.
and dehes any man to present MN for trial, ii he
uares ana no one dareS. 1t Is evident mat 1t IS
not mere matler OF empty forms, and candles,
and tomo0lery, and taste, and cOlOred cloths with
these men. IL Is something more profound and
s nan We ne World y SsSy 1ssp xs
their candles. But men 40 not willingly go INTO I'M
popularity and abuse nor leave lucrative positions
that rItuallsm means something else besides ritual
ism EN- credloly Informed that Is II not merely
ladies, but that EpscOpaans are quietly nocking |
BY the hundreds; and mat among those that 20
the men, II anything. are In tue majority: Also
mat the phenomenon Is by no means confined 10
New YORK, but that 1t has shown Itself stimuli
taneOusly in Maryland, Massachusetts. Rhode
Islan1, Connecticut, Texas. Illinois, Tennessee Flor.
Ida Louisiana, Canada, England. scotand-every
where. Mere rdlcue before so great and grave
movement Is ridiculous, ana mere sc0rn Is mp0tent
am oredibly informed. TOO that this anair OF hear
ing confessions IN the Protestant Episcopal Church
Is net vi recent occurrence either, rs has been sup
posed, nor confined to one or two New YORK priests
Indeed these facts are incontroverlible. Now MI.
Editor were this rItualism mere local piece OF
whlinsicaiity we mlgnt laugh at 1t and let II go.
anu steady and silent Ior that hear thai there IS
actually more oil THIS ritual movement In Baltimore
there informed that there Is an attendance at
the early communion Of no less tnan thirty every
Lukes, in BALTIMORE, Is said to be something won.
deriul. Here, IN New York, on Christmas morning
a. aay9n ndrea saa Iaac there were no hess
church. Now 0ld-laslioned churchmen li must wake
nd iaes e m% ns e are s9re troubled
Protestant Episcopal church sanction the concession
OF ones sins to presty Ii so. then there Is an end
OF the matter and 1t Is the Church herself and not
the 1ituasts that we should rldicue and oppose, II
any ridlcue is TO be thrown or opposition TO be |
made. ii their Church sanctions confession then |
how can churchmen nave the face or temcrity to |
oppose ny Tne cnurchmsn thinks everything OF mis-
Church, and when ne opposes confession he Is sim
ply hoist on his own petard. But IT, on the other
hand the Protestant Episcopal Church does not rer
The purpose Of getting comfort, advice and absou-
ton, then an example ought promptly to be made Of
one VINO hears and communicating one VINO
makes confessions. Ii, however, the Anglican
church does not sanction the confession OF ones
sins to priest, how happens 1t that find IN the
Prayer Book OF the English Church with which the
Protestant Episcopal Church OF the United states oil
America Is avOwedly at 'ln ull essential points
OF doctrine discipline and Worship as she says she
the preface to her Prayer Book the following
Here shall the SICK person be moved to make
special confession Of his sins II he feel his con-
science troubled with any weighty matter; alter
which confession the priest shall aDsove him, II he
humbly aud heartily desire IT, after TINS sort-Our
Lord, Jesus Christ, who nath left power to HIS
Church alb sove all sinners who truly repent and
believe In Him, of His great mercy forgive thee
thine offences: and by His authority committed
unto me l absolve Inee IRON all thy sins, In The
name the Father, and OF the Son and oil the Holy
Ghost. Amen" Now, am churchman and have
II your correspondents enhghlen usS VINO are
right, the churchmen who oppose or the ritualists
VINO are not afraid to practise aud openly TO defend
Is not manly to hide the matter under bushel II !.
1t is right to hear them It Is right. and no one need
stopit. II 1t Is wrong Will some one tell what
shalt say In answer when rituallst asks me what
ordaninQ priest, he says ''Whose sins thou dost
forgive they are forgiven and whose slas
tnou a faithful dispenser OF the Word OF |
God and Of HIS holy sacramentsa'' and when the
be faithful dispenser Of Christ anu HIS merits TO
the sinner unless he uses the "auth0rity' thus |
what our rectors mean when they tell us, every |
Sunday morning and evening, that Almighty God |
ham given power and that He hath given command |
ment 10 His ministers 10 declare and pronounce TO |
HIS penitent people tue absoluton and re Mission OF
their hinsS Mr.. Editor, have worshipped In the |
Protestant Episcopal Church and partaken a. her /
altar nearly thirty years. but am AFRAID have |
heard ana read her words nnumerable times with.
ont realizing what they meant; and II the Protestant
Episcopal Cnurch sanctions confession am either |
going to leave ner or am going to stay in her and
defend confession, and, IN man-iashi0n, deiend |
those who hear aud those who make confessions I |
must OF least DE honest and the other an |
honest man must do. CIluRCuMAN
Church Hubbub in Baltimore.
The Baltimore American says:-Sr John Hutch |
inson, Clergyman OF the Church of England. a |