New-York tribune., 1874-05-30

." of the Reformation, and are determined by
Goods help to keep them unimpaired.' ..
The Diocesan Conventions of Pennsylvania
and Virginia seem to share the apprehensons
of the Bishops In the Pennsylvania Conven-
ton only one or two voices were raised In
behalf of Ritualism, and these rather IN the
way of apology than defense while the con-
demnatIon of ROmanizng tendencies was
outspoken. One distinguished clergyman
quoted the remark of Bishop Beckwith, that
." the Cummins movement paled before the
"advance of spurious Catholicism y and, for
himself, held that the struggle against
Ritualism involved the very existence
of the church itself. In the same
spirit the Convention adopted resolu-
tions condemning Ritualism, and instruct
ing its delegates to the General Convention
to oppose its advances. The Virginia Con-
ventiOn went still further, and by unanl-
nous vote instructed its delegates to " use
"ther earnest endeavOrs to obtain efficient
Legislation for the removal of ROmish errors
"and practices from the Protestant Episcopal
"Church, and the enforcement Of such legls-
"lation by proper discipline" And to
be more specific. and to avoid all mis-
diocese, il was further resolved that
the Convention of Virginia "does not
"believe any legislation would be effective
" for removing the doctrines and practices
"referred to which shall not expressly forbid
" i'm tho administration of the holy communion
"and on other occasions of public worship
:" the acts hereinafter enumerated-to wit
There follows the same enumeration OF
"eleven Objectionable practices condemned by
"the resolution of the House of Bishops IN
"1sn, with these addtionall: IL. The use OF
"wafer bread in the holy communion. 13.
"The practice of auricular confession and
"priyate absolutiOn, and all other practices
"and usages not sanctioned by the Book OF
Common Prayer. A. No clerical vestments
"shoud be used except the present episco-
opal robes-a white surplice, black or white
L" stole, black cassock black gown and
"bands"
As Bishop Cummins was the Assistant Bishop
of Kentucky before his withdrawal from the
Protestant Episcopal Church, the position OF
the senior Bishop, and of the Diocesan
Convention in that State, is matter
of peculiar interest to Churchmcn. The
aged Bishop has nothing to say on the ques-
ton of Rltualism, but as to the action OF Bishop
Cummins he remarks that had our late AS
"sistant Bishop fallen at his post, loyal to the
"church of his adoption, and true to the
"solemn vows and promises which he made In
"this city less than eight years ago, we
"cOuld have celebrated his Obsequies with
"tender, fraternal, and filial tears but his
abandonment of his post and his forgetful-
sl &c nj nfrpO r
"whelmed us with astonishment and filled
"our hearts with anguish" The Convention,
however, attacked Ritualsm in the first res
outions adopted. In these it is affirmed
that the well-being of the Church is serl-
"ously threatened from the effects OF that
"party within her falsely styling itself Catholic,
"and which is labOring to introduce GER
"tain medieval practices that are contrary
"tO her doctrine and discipline" 1t
is therefore declared that the Diocese of Ken
tucLy has no sympathy with such practices,
and the delegates to the General Convention
are instructed "tO direct their influence to
such legislation will suppress and
"prevent such Objectionable teachings and
practices"
The Ritualistic controversy is not a new
one to the Protestant Episcopal church, but
the present crisis has new elements of danger,
which seem to be fully realized by the leaders
of both contending parties. Not Tie least OF
these dangers is found in the fact that new
church, under the leadership of one who re-
ceived his ministry and his bishoprc in the
old church, stands with wide open doors to
receive the malcontents. Under these crcum-
stances the religious world will look forward
with fgreat interest to the next triennial
General Convention of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church, which will assemble in this city
few months hence. Upon its action largely
depends not only the future of the Church as
a body, but the individual UNCONVENTIONAL re-
latiOns of thousands of earnest Christians in
all parts of the United States.
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Locality has its influence in charity no less than
in politics. and striking instance of the fact
,os boan ivan of Iata xydelv-