, 1874-10-15
gLADsTONE ON nITUALIsM,

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aLADgT0NE ON RITUALIsM.
Tho question Of Ris,,alism las assumed such |
importance in England that eyou statesman
like Gladstone does not consiler it beneAth him
to examine it aud write upon 1t. LoaYing
ireland, tho Irlsh Educational bill, and oven his
uomerlc atudioB tho OK Premier endeayors to
throw HOMO little light OIL tho Ritua!istic con-
troyorsy, Ritualisn, according to Gladstouc, iB
the supcrlatiyo degroc of Ritual. It il too much
Ritual, or, to put II In bis exact words, AN
undue disposition to Ritual" Tho Ritua!ist md
the Anti-Rituuliss differ not In kinl but
in degree. All Ritual IL not forbidden.
tollc injunction: "Let Ill things DO dono
decently aud In order" Doing things decent1y
and in order is therefore Ritual! An undue dis
position to do things decently mud In order Is
therefore, according to Gladstone, Ri.ualiHna.
Tho public. howcver, hnve lesa metaphysical
idea OF what Rituaism conpists In. Thoy do
not object to doing things docently and in order.
To them the words mean o disposition to alter
the ceremonial OF tho English Establlshoa
Church. to aHs!mslate 1t to that OF Rome, and
thus prepare tho way for the introduction into
England Of tho Roman Catholic Church. Tint
thia is tho popular view Of tho 1natter Mr. Glad
stone is fully AWARD. It Ia not his conception Of
it, however. Ritual he looks upon as "the
clothing which, In sornu form and some degree,
mon naturally aud inevitably gi:o to the per-
<r, - In +,rt,in r,,fie 14r
Nitualism only as tho abtao Of Ritual. There is
q kind Of Ritual In all tho public or solemn
acts Of hlunRn life Ritualism. Gladstone
thipka, has been tmpercoptibly obtnining
q 1oothold iu England. Modes Of cele-
bratiug the divine service havo become
habE.nal in tho Church which thirty yeasn ago
would huyo been denounced as Ritunlfsm. Now,
evon those who oppoGo tho progress OF what is
called Ritualisul take no notice OF theae modes.
The English Church is not tho only body in
which thin tendency has been observable. Non-'
conform;sts and Presbyterians have boen moving
in the Same direction. Gladstone appears neither
"a au advocate nor aa IN opponent Of Ritual.
Eo ia 4 little OF both; or rn:her ho is guardedly
nou-comtnistal, as becomes great statesman.
Judging from his latest uttoraucea, neither
Hiyh Church nor Low Church can claim him.
The most important question connected With tho
controversy is not, ho thinks, whether handful
Of the clergy aro engaged in tho via!ouary effort
to Ronauize the Church aud people Of England.
It IL question for each individual whether
the movement is healthy movement for him.
Hcre the statesman becomes tho p1eacher, and
writea Bornon On tho duty OF those who aro Bit
uas!s. Tie rulo by which ho would have tho right
orwrong Of Rltualieln decided Is this: WAesheri It
givea, or doea not give, assistance in Offering
moro collected act Of worship. Ritualism Ia, be
says, the adoption Of higher standard Of
religious profession. and therefore requires
higher stand Of religious practiee. This Is GER
taiuiy placing It III moro a,u1able and attractive
| light thau cau DO acceptable to its oppononts,
siuce. accortling to this theory, tho RitualiHts
should be the worry boat Of all religious people.
! Gladstone would not lay dorm any rule fixing
| the maximum ur minimum Of Ritual. mo Ritual
lie thiuks, is too much, provided 1t is made aub-
sidiary to tho inner work Of worship. But then
| lie sdds that there hae not been All Increase Ut
| inward forvor In the past thirty yoara corre-
spending to tho progross Of 1usual during tue
same pcriod. 10 be logical, Gludatoue shonld
forbid all Ritua on the ground TINT, what ia Rlt-
ual to ono mud helps Lin, is hitualiam to another
and imprdos him. Each man should hare lia
Own Mtunl. A public Ritual, where tastes, dispo-
sitioi, and religious feryor aro 80 very different
Is an absurdity.
Tho Bstiah Parliament recently passed law
for putting dowo Ritua!isrn. OF course Glad
stone Is not responsible for that lar, With tho
Ritualisslc movement ho has evidently no gym
pathy. But he Is probably opposed to the laH,
Judging that different churches should be al-
lowed to choose for themselves tho amount Of
ceremony which their taste aud fcr4or domand.
II, rs be aays, tho question Of Ritual Is an ndl-
v!dual Que the Church Of England would do a
nico thing in leaving 1t to nd!viduala to decide,
rather than endangar its own unity by adopting