New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
TALKS WITH CLERGYMEN.

| ship is in FOrty-seyentl-st. near LexingtOn-ave.
It has been SAID that many members had Withdrawn
from it, and in consequence the par
| ish was heavily IN debt. AS st. Adams
is considered by many as one of the representative
Riualstic parishes of the city, the fact that lack
of interest and increasing feebleness were notice
able there has been taken by some persons to mean
that extreme High Church practices are becoming
unpopular in NewYork and that Ritualism is dying
ont
The views of several clergymen prominent in the
Episcopal Church were obtained yesterday in regard
| to the connection Of Ritualism with st. Adams
! lack of prosperity, and IN regard especially to
the present and future Of Rtuasm in this country
| IL was unfortunately impossible find Father
Morrill, or his assistant at ST. Adams. The general
opinion seemed TO be that st. Abah's. which sit
uated in proximity to the Hudson River and
New-York Central Railway tracks, had lost MEM
bers and diminished in size and resources on ac-
count of the noisy Eeighborhood rather than from
any growing dislike for IS obseryauces. As to the
position that Rtuasm holds, it stated that the
| term has become somewhat indefinite, being differ
| entity understood by different persons. The oqn-
! ions Of Rtuasts aud those opposed TO m elaborate
ritual however given, together with some Of the
| distinctions in the use OF The word.
| The first clergyman called npcn was prominent
advocate of elaborate ritual lie SAID; There is
great demand IN the Church tor information and |
think one OF tire best indications Of this the fact
that 80, 600 copies of Church League leaflets and
tracts have been called for throughout the Union
WITHIN the last twelve months Now there is a time
in all great movemcnts-and The last half of the
| nineteenth century is ccrcainly Witnessing a great
reIgo Gus movemont-when they encounter immense
opposition and when q great hue and cry raised.
This IS the case IN all movements social and DOil;l-
| cal, as with abolitIOnisD, and IL usually happens
when they first come QUE. Then comes time when
! the cry ceases ana the movement rolls quietly
| TO a final triumph Rtuahsm not an
exception 1t has passed successfully through
the stage Of ridicuie and public Elisrepra-
| sentatOn, and the indications are that 1t
| has nearly passed the stage OF violent argument
and that il viii attain the position Of quiet
ceptance. Properly speaking Rltuallsm Is only the
external expression of deep, vital principles. 1t
might as well he called churchmanship. and church
| mauship, or Ritualism, Is growing and spreading
| rapidly and mperccpubly a. the grass blades grow
quietly over the hills spring. Another indication
] oil the growth Of Ritualisn is that year ago
| church paper started to fight the
| old battles over again. This paper
used the old language about Rltuasts
and Roman Catholics, but its efforts have fallen
positively stil-brrn. People are tired to death of
| everlasting talk upon the subject However widely
persons may differ, they cannot tail to that TO
PARTY is attached more firmly to the Church than
| the dcspsed RItuaiists. They have won the day
| rairst the Protestant side Of the Church That Is
| To saw the prayer-book has gained n victory
| over the CrOulWclhan element that IL
! rroducad into the Church. Now The battle
| is against Roman Catholicism, and ihls
| is another indication that Rtualism is strong be-
cause all rfualstic writer's are now firing M Rome.
Their purpose ~ 10 BRING out TIE thuIcA IS double
/ witness against Protestant sn ana home.
HE MOVEMENT IN THIS CITY.
g. In this city the churches OF 81. Mary the Virgin
aud 81. Iguatiu5 were never Furnishing as
now s.. Adams is peculiar in many respects. 1t IS
| an cxcertiou to the other churches. 1t was doing
very well until the railroad tracks were laid that
xii led 50 many people before they were sunk AID
! bridged over i fore the tunnel cut
the railway acted kind OF embargo
on the church, nasmnen a. most 81 ITS
| peopl. lived TO the Nest Then after that
/ there was another nuisance which hal nos been
/ taken INFO account. This was the everlasting
| yh.s,ng. and &c IN, used mp the church.
! Their mistake was 10 not seeing TIE trouble
sooner, selling ,odt And moving to more
trouble and realizes - MI 'Nr IN" congregation
has been scattered. For the last two three years
It has been getting bchndhand ~ tae running *
peuses and mas incurred dc1t. Now tie wish Is 70
sell out and find "a better situation"
\ call was then made upon the Rev. 7. Mckee
Brown rector Of thc Church OF It. Mary ihe Virgin
/ III West Forty-hf hist. VINO was found inclined TO
-" What is Pitnaisn - heasked " If theologian
means that | have read every Ritual from the year
one TO the year 1850; But II street
boy calls me a kitualSt lie ~ speaking
" every layman who uses praYcr-book IL 4
Rituast Won know. for he is using ritual. Yes.
there are certain fOrms and Obscrvances that are
or wing i'm favor IN the Church, think suppose
tho is that here, as IN England |
increasing culture and refinement tend to a love |
for the beautiful. what may be called the ornate
aesthetic the Clurcb. Il is through, the eternal
fitness of things that this comes about.
lfut L-ul IL a laTl IN de
There are many different understandings of the |
term that really don't know what 10 say But |
and know of no failures. In regard TO ST. Adams
l only know has IT'S PEOPLE intend 70 Anild a new
church. Come INTO my church and ri show you |
whether kImaiism Is - failure or not"
Entering the church which Is next the rectory, |
MIR. Brown pointed ont some paintings covering the
rear wall Oh the chance. They were done IN Lon
don Look al that" said Mr.. Brown does ilat |
look # Ritualsm were ialureF
the OPINION or TH1 REV. DIR. TYING. JR
The views If the Rev. DR.. Stephen IL. Tying. jr, |
wer. next obtained.
think RitualIsin exists only on the surface" he
said dou't believe it hIs any real deep life |
Now take the best Rltualistic Churches here
in the city ST. Adams ST. Mary the Virgin. and St.
Ignatius. They are all very small and count a com
para+ivelv tr!ling number If worshippers. Why, |
vo couJi nut the congregations of all three into ST.
llomns's & aurcl Oh course tIls Is great |
centre Of thought. and all forms of thought |
whatever a man believes and breaches ami how |
ever he may preach A., ne wall ina some 10 hear
him ana svlnplthize with him. When you ask |
whether kltunlism Is the increase i must make
distinction between Dsthetc aud dOgnatlc Ritual
lsn. Tie tendency TO adoEn and Deautl5 the forms
of worship j. perhaps increasing; but ths Is due to
the suprror refinement Of The age and the increase
IA taain. place IN other denominations as
well ~ in the Episcopal Church. |
A good example OF This is the attempt in the late
Pan-Presby terrain Council 10 introduce the Liturgy
into Presbyterian chhiches ne eEisl feature OF
doamatic Rtuasm the doctrine OF the Real Pres
ence IN the bread and VINE of the sacrament. Now |
this rs extremely .isfactOry. On the hand
"a ZvInglesm-fhe doctrine that the bread and wine
are merely memorials OF the death of Christ and
on tine OF Der hand the Roman Catholic doctrine OF
trausuhstlutlatIOn. The Roman tdtnOhcS be- |