New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-20
TIM ryc11ss cHURCH CONTROVERSY.

THE ENGLISH CHURCH CONTROVERSY.
Recognizing the paramount interest OF me
nresent controversy IN the Church OF Engmhu'
Tho Tribune requested Dean LEROY, OF Nor
WITCH Cathedral England, to write for II an ar-
ticlc giving the point Of view Of the Protestant
or low Church wing Of the Church' ana HIS
article IS printed elsewhere lin to-day J ISSUE
,rboro IS Of course. another side 10 the ques-
ZION. and we have therefore secured from
Canon Scott Holland Of st. Paul's Cathedr%
London. who is n typical representative OF me
High Church party, promise to furhiSh Inc
Tribune an article I'm the near future giving
the views Of those who think with him. these
two articles. we believe will enable our readers
10 understand clearly just what are the ques-
tons ut issue M the controversy, as 10 WHICH
many intelligent Americans have no very ac-
ci,rate knowledge. Involving, as IT possibly
does. the fate Of the Established Church, the
nrpsent controversy over ritualism has aroused
the attention Of all intelligent people II mas
rent the ENGLISH Church into two hostile camps
whose leaders are assailing each other win ull-
cxampled bitterness and passion. Component
eive rs the Church IS, II would seem as though
the time Is not far distant when either the
Protestants or the AngloCatholics Will nave 10
Withdraw from its communion. The contest IS
n life and death struggle, and upon It's issue de-
pcnds largely the future Of English Christianity
Dean Lefrov's first point is that rituallsm IS
lowIcss II either ignores or antagonlZeS the
fact that the Church Of England is Protestant.
In support of this contention he quotes TWO
canons. which certainly give color to ms view.
Then he quotes from Walshs secret History
of the oxford Movement" which purportS 10
show that for many years the rltualSis have
been employing underhand ana aDhorrehu
methods in the incubation Of doctrines ana
practices opposed TO the teachings or thc
| Church. largely through the organization OF
confraternlties and Sodalities. by these meth-
DDS n religious cult has been established IN the
Church. not merely alien to the teachings OF the
Church. but alien also to the religious con-
/ seriousness of the English people.
Not only are unauthorized services miro
| duccd but the regular services are enlarged or
mutnatcd. They are muttcrcd beyond rccos-
"nlton Their flow is interrupted by the pro-
"longed secrete Of the priests in the presence
"of the people Here there is the assumption
"of vcstments there there IS removal; here they
! "are held UP, there they are let down; here the
! "stole the book, the altar are kissed. Inc
| CLERGY bless the incense, they cense the altar,
"tbcv cense the elements, they censc each
"othcr they ccnSe the congregation. Mysteri-
"ous movements mark the Ofiiclants The cce-
"brant glidcs TO the south Of the altar. washes
"his fingers. then glidcs 10 the centre; then sud
| denly faces the people with uplifted hands,
"and rs suddenly rcvCrscs his position. Mean
"whc the thurifcr is busy censing the deacon
'rhc subdcacon. the servers or acolytes, the
"choir and finally the people. Candles arc
"leh.cd They are borne by acolytcs. The
.Sanctus' is sung The sacrlng bell is runG
"Thc 'Bencdictus' IS sung next At last-thc
"praycr Of Humble Access being omitted-thc
"praycr Of conservation is reached. Nearly
"evcrv word. Is inaudible. rhe manual acts
care completely hidden. But at the words
This is my body the sacring bell IS again
"rlng and the bell in the church tower Is tollcd
''The bread is elevated. So is the wine. But
"'thc strangost thing Of all hns yet TO he men
"tioncd The celebrant tusns round and en-
"'braccs the deacon by placing his hands af
'fcctionaicly on his shoulders; the deacon
"'similarly embraces the sub-dcacon, who il
"'tuin embraces the server. The Agnes Del j.
"sunc. The cclcbrant then proceeds to the oh
cations. There are 10 communicates. Sc
"crctr are then offered at the north, south an(
centre Of the altar after which the performers
"leave the church
II Is against this sort Of thing, and more espc
cially against the teaching OF the mass ano
aurlcular confession. that the Low ChurchlGcI
protest They bciiey" that rtualism is essen
tally a false religion, and that its leaders ar,
traitors - the Church Of England Dean lie
troy condemns unsparngly what he regards a.
the palicrlng and timid policy of the Church.
? leaders in dealing with this movement. and de
carcs that since they have abdcatcd the
functions rs leaders the duty now confront
the laity OF the Church 10 make their voice anC
! their power felt. The laity should sit witt
the bishops and the other representative
CLERGY as they did with the apostles an,
"cdcrs' I'm the first Council Of Jerusalem. Tbcl
SHOULD share the responsibilities Of discipline
"as administered by the whole Church. Thi
they did in the Church Of Cornth. The,
! "hayc no directing. controlling, liturgical powc
"ln the Church of England. The words of FRO
! "fessor Hort bear solemn message to tn
, anglican Church manned as IN Is OF IL
numerical strength He says: The Eccles:
, "itsof q. the sum Of all rs adult members
p ais the primary body and. il would seem
"'evcn the primary authority. We canno