Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-08-29
"MAss IN MASQUERADE.

"MASS IN MASQUERADE.
| The following is the speech Of Mr..
Disraeh on the bill before the British
house of commons for the suppression
of ritualism in the English church,
which is more than likely to become
law:
What the country understands by
ritualism, said Mr. Disraeli, is prae-
tiees in the church to which they are
not used, but which they believe are
symbolic of doctrines which are most
uncompromisingly expressed and ac-
knOwledged BY writers of that school.
(Hear, hear.) Therefore, / think
there can be no mistake among praeti-
cal men as to what we mean when we
say II IS our desire to discourage ritu-
alism. The right honorable gentle
man, the member for Greenwhich,
said the other night that to his sur
prise he found Parliament-he having
been some time absent from it--yery
much excited upon the church and re-
/ ligious question; and be seemed to
taunt this side of the house and the
conservative party generally with the
greatness of the disappointment which
he believed to have been experienced
from such a result, we having, as he
said, held out to the world promise
that there would now be Tranquil
time, and that the attention of parlia-
ment would no longer be absorbed by
discussions and considerations ofsuch
character. But do not think. so
far as / am individually concerned.
that the taunt was deserved or was
just. can say most sincerely that |
never addressed any body of my cOun-
trymen for the last three years without
having taken the opportunity of inti-
mating TO them that great change is
occurring in the politics of the world,
and that is would be well for them to
prepare for that change-thear, hear
that it was impossible for us to CON
ceal from ourselves that that great
struggle between the temporal and the
spiritual power which had stamped
such indelibie features on the past was
reyiving again in our time. Hear,
hear. | never spoke upon this sub
ject with, passion, nor did | seek in
any way, at any time, to excite such
feelings on the part of those | address
ed. Hear | spoke upon q matter
which it was difficult for. the million
to comprehend, and therefore it was
not done TO create political excitement.
| spoke from strong conviction and
wishing % direct the public mind. 50
far as | could, to the conditions and
circumstances in which they we're
deeply interested, and which could not
fail to influence the history Of their
country. CCheers] l said then that
1t did sppear to me OF the utmost i'm
pOrtanee, at the time when addressed
large bodies of my eountrymen in the
last tautumn, and say now that, look
ing to what is occurring in Europe
looking to the struggle between the
temporal and spiritual powers which
has been precipitated by the changes
of which many in this house are ia
miliar, and to which we ought not TO
shutour eyes~I said then, as now, that
in the disasters-or rather in the dis
bul puuCC anu ROrCtDiC N-lodcJtIb W uACll
must awake Europe, and which to a
certain degree sympathetieally affect
England, it would be wise for Us 10
rely upon the broad platform of the
principles of the reformation were
never so completely and so powerfully
represented as by the church of Eng
land lcheers believing that without
the learning, the authority, the wealth,
and the independence of that church
the various seets of the reformation
would by this time have dwiDdled into
nothing. Cheers Therefore (cOn-
tinued Mr. Disraeli, | do not hold
that the taunt of the right honOra-
bic gentleman was one, 50 far as j am
concerned, to which was liable, for L
confess myself that / have looked for
ward, though with deep regret and ap-
prehension, to discussions such as this
which now occupy and which will
much more occupy our time-with that
sense of responsibility to which any
man whose mind is open to the vast
consequences involved in such prinei-
Piles and discussions cannot be blind.
lCheers.l | have now considered this
bill, and / say-to use a phrase OF
which I have already availed myself.
and which may be objected tO-that it
is a bill to put down rItualism.
lCheer.l The right honorable gentle
man, the member for Greenwich, says
he docs not know what ritualism is 1
have referred to the acts and writings
which combined together have assisted
the people of England 20 arrive at
that conclusion. | wish most sincere
ly, and in the strongest manner, that
all should understand that If | make
the slightest ailusion to the dogmas
and ceremonies which are proiessed
and promulgated By English ritualits.
should not presume TO offer here or
at any time any opinion which could
offend the convictions Of any gentle
man In this house. Hear, hear.
Whether those doctrines which are
quoted from authoritative writings
from books which am sorry to say are
found on too many Of the shelves and
library tables of English churchmeD;
whether the doctrines are or are not
adopted by them; whether they apply
to the worship Of the Virgin, to the
confessional, or to the various subjects
which were quoted by the honorable
member for Berks-so long as they are
doctrines held by the Roman Catho-
lie church, am prepared 10 treat
them with reverence but what | OBJ
ject to. is that they should be claimed
to be held by ministers Of the church
who, when they enter il, enter II at the
same time with solemn, contract en-
tered into with the nation loud
cheers that they will oppose those
doctrines and utterly resist them.
! fRenewed cheers]. What do object
to j. mass in masquerade. Cheers.
To the solemn ceremonies OF our RO-
man Catholic friends | am prepared to
extend that reverence which my mind
and conscience extend always TO re-
4 ligious ceremonies sincerely believed
in-[ hear, hear l-but the false position
10 which we have been placed by, |
believe, small but powerful and we'll
organised body. called English clergy
men, is one which the country thinks
intoleFable-- hear, hear land, | be-
lieve, from which we ought to rid our
selves.
4 d.