Smyrna times., 1874-06-17
.MISceL/UW e Gus .
Bishop Lee on Ritualism.

annual Convention at Seaford, last week, re-
ferred freely to the withdrawal from the Church
of Bishop CumminS, of Kentucky and to the
cause of controversy which threaten the place
and unity of the church. On these subjects,
he spoke as follows:
another name must be removed from the
roll OF our Episcopate. For the second time
10 our history,
ZONE OF OUR BISHOPS HAS FoRsAKEN
the communion which invested him with his
high Office. Such detection is more startling
and painful than the removal of a servant OF
the Lord by the dispenSation of Providence. |
AS the Right Reverend George David Cum
minis was connected with this Diocese by ties |
of kindred and earl y association, as here he |
was highly esteemed and loved, as here he |
received his ordination as Deacon and Presby-
ter, we cannot but feel this severence most sen
sibly. NJ own opin on that it was a step hasty
and unwarranted has been made public, and
on this point | have nothing to add. How
ever strongly diSapprove the act, my feelings
of personal friendship are unchanged, and up
to the last day of the six months allowed by
the Canon for Retracton, | did not wholly
abandon the hope that he might avail himself
of this cOnsi1erate fOrbearance
but in view Of this distressing event, shall
not the church roIse herself to apprehend the
present critical condition and remove the causes
which have not only prccipitated this calamity,
but have given Islnn to sc ndI strife, and
bitter contention, growing more intense from
year to year!
THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES
which for more thln thirty years I'VE dis
Quieted anil alarmed our communion, have pro
duc.I their gtim tie fruit. One usage after
another has been introduced from the Church
Of Rome, and the deep line of demarcatiOn
drawn by our martyred Reform'rs hls been as
ohl Il.
General Convention meeting the evil and
danger with Out-poken decision, the question
was evaled in 1868 and 1871. The Bishops,
Indeed, were ready TO act, and the
LAST PASTORAL LETTER HAS NO UNCERTAIN
SOUND,
but utterS its decided aud unequivoca condem
nation of these ROmiSh doctrines and practices.
The House OF Clerical and Lly Deputies failed
to concur, in a IN jority of DiOceses, and osten
sibly left the matter to be regulated by the
daternal counsel of the Diocesan Bishops But
while the ahettors of the Objectionable novel
ties profess high theories of the Epi>copatp
their course has been almost unvarying to re-.
sent and repddlate Episcopal advice or moni
ton. My own preference is always for express
enactment inSteld of discretionary powers
although discretion to some extent would seem
to nhere in the OH e Of watchman and over.
seer Express legislation was recommended
by the unan'm0uS report to the General Con.
ventiOn of 1871, of a commission of five RiS.
hops, on Ritual Uniformity, on which | had
the honor to serve. Thatany other course will
relieve u from these offensive practices | see
no reason to believe. That the
GREAT HEART OF THE CHURCH Is soUNDLY
PROTESTANT
there can be no doubt. Expressions of indig-
nation at the abuse OF past fOrbearance and al
the extent to which the evil has grown have
come from diocese after diocese with tones
that cannot be mistaken. And appearances
now augur a wide spread and resolute purpose
no longer to tolerate the avOwal of d0gnas as
Object ,nahle as those which the Reformpr,
resisted unto blood the turning of our churche,
into stage for theatrical exhibitions, the
begulllng of unsuspecting wOrshipers into
actual ldOlatry. and consequent upon these
things, the driving away from the church o
Ro1iy and conscientious men, The amount OF
unhappiness and disquiet thus caused is be-
yond all knowledge but Gods; and upor
whom rests the whole responsibility for un
happy consequences, the Lreaking up the har
mOny Ot congregations,
EXPOSING THE CHURCH TO SUSPICION AND RE
PROACH,
and alternating her members but upon thos
who persist in introducing these offensive inno
yations?
These evils may be considered in two.fol,
aspect: lst, The destroying of uniformity O
worship and unity of feeling among our con
RregatiOns is greatly, to be deplOred In tn
words OF the report of the FIVE Bishops
Unless something il done, and done soon
these diversities bid fare to equal if thew d
not exceed, those which, at the period of tn
Anglica0 Reformation, were regarded as
evil to be remedIed, and which led to the dec
sion that the whole realm should have but on
use They occasion, even now, confusion
trouble, and perplexity, and these evils mus
increase as their causes are multiplied
LIZ any parochlal minister is at liberty TO ir
troduce, at his own will diversitiesin the mod
OF conducting divine worship, one great obieC
OF prescribed liturgy is destroyed Many {
these innovations are of greater moment tina
would De the insertion of new rubrcs in th
Book of Common Prayer. A communicaI
removing to another parish finds himself
"a STRANGER IN A STRANGE PLACE.
The hours of public devotion are robbed
their sweetness and edi6cation, and the wo
shipper reires disappointed and disturbed
THE parish, it should be remembered, is n
an independent unit it is but part Of Il
Diocese; and il the Diocese is to be united al
harmonious, no rector is at liberty to indul
his Own whims and fancies. And this is tr
even if the new rites, practices, and orn
meDts are not Of necessity allied to CORFU
doctrine.
"But still graver objections lie against mu
of what is known by the name of Ritualis
Not only is the church distracted and rent, t
truth of Christ is imperiled. Practices tn
symbolic false doctrine deserve the strongC
censure and condemnation. These are mair
connected with the administration of the He
communion.
THE MEMORIAL FEAST rs REPRESENTED
asa renewed sacrifice of the Lord Jesus; t
minister would exalt himself into a medat
between God and men; Christ is incorporat
with the material elements and adored in {
bread and wine. Having protested agai
these. dangers in a charge delivered three yel
ago, do not feel it incumbent on me now
dwell upon them at length. During thu