New-York tribune., 1878-01-04
RITTiLISH ~ 4 AMERICA.
LETTER FROM THE REV. DIR. EVER.
THE RiTUALisTIC PARTY-QUEs1IONs ASKED AM


ANsWEgr1.
TO thc Edi!or O( Thc Trtbune.
SIR: III your issue Of the 9Th is an item
in which YOU give the substance o. 1be ChWrth JOdrs
comments on DE- Hopkins, late lctler rs follows
The seoqs r o. ige m1eT % s1 uaar s9n, baG ' ar n 10
ite AIMS. They perfectly oeaE,]e Their are H.,
adro leadership. Thete The outside those who .
vaguely and whom gn.i will lead anywhere There ere the
ambitious ynO wait pciemen' anu 80 lhe NAiIe o. rnnH
There are e iimd fear the ho-lly of paw which
rames with rs secret open organizations a through the
church, etc
Such comments calculated to STIR once more fears
and Irritation In the church which woud he AS unhappy
as they would be grOundess. II the present peace III
the church be not maintained. il all. High and Low, In
their common zeal FOR the Masters cause, are not per
itted to let the abandoned weapons rest tina; have been
used against each other II they not permitted 10
love and respect each other II they not permitted
more and more TO cooperate with each other MS they
bend their common energies In the direction or
practical good works, II will be from misundcr-
standings OF each other fomeDtcd by statements ike
those of The church Journal There real differences
enough already between the Low Churchmen Of all
grades On the one hand and the High Churchnen Of all
GRADES on the other; but H. Notwithstanding these differ
csces the two live together in the same household
Ias they had Just begun 10 learn that they CAM inspired
ONLY with loving emulation as to which, with ts own
means shall best for the Master among our fel-
n.
10 all parties it, to stir np strife by ungrarded state
ments calculated once more Catholics in fal-c
light before their brethren who differ with them. II
Catholics only were suffer from such statements
make no doubt not OF them wOHd lift his voice in the
matter But the trouble H. the whole church viii feel
the consequences more or less
What are the real facts
Fyrst-s the Rualistic party" called, perfectly
organzed ~" The simple truth is, there such thing
rs organization among men who understood to be
Catholics"
Seeondig--Are there any secret confraterntes aud
Guilds at the heart Uf movement in the American
Church 7 Not one.
ThirdiAre there amy secret c0niIateInics or guilds
at o,li Not one Some nine or ten years single
society was organized which possibly might nave becn
called In some sense secret body. Many earnest men,
Law and cleric, Joined this organization under the
distinct understanding that its object was to
combine Cathoicmindcd laymcn for the purpose
Of sustaining and cooperating with band OF
clergy In practical work among the poor and
neglected classes. 1t soon appeared, however, that
no such real work was TO be undertaken. The cOnso
Qucnce many members disgusted and left at
| once; the guild fingered in morbund existence
with few members and without influence and u died
at last s deserved death. IL mere meteor in the
the whole inverted pyramid of secret confratemies
ana guilds ~ tne heart OF the movement" has been built
foWthly-As for the "adrolt eaderships." That
Is entire myth. or there Is Catholic move
ment In the church. and has since 1888 OF course
persons are from various causes more prominent
leaders who pan and give are followed as
leaders, "adroit or otherwise. IL notorious that the
gone widening and deepening without orgsniza,
and without leaders II has long since passed out
of hands Of and solely into the hands God
Fihhiy-Do Catholic minded men form compact
party"f Not In the least
This the groundless Imagination of heated brain
That the party, II that which is without organization