The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
SETBACK FOR RITUALISM.
FRhCTICES CONDEMNED BIZ THE
LAMBETH CONCLAVE

and somewhat petulant letter OF resignation
tho ready acceptance thereof by his politict
party. and the present condition OF that party
Sir William Harcourt Is perhaps one OF the las
men whom one might expect to hear raisinI
his voice in triumph. Nevertheless. yester
days Times contained more than two column
OF what might be called n song of victor
signed wv. V. Harcourt." This victory hai
not been gained In the political arena. but II
that battle which Sir William has been waRinl
this past half year against the extreme wing OF
Tho ritualistic party in the Church Of England
And ono cannot but admit that Sir William
IL justified In announcing a victory. The
practices OF n certain large and increasing
body OF Church OF England clergymcn. against
which Sir William has been delivering his at
tack. have been already set forth at different
times. IL was pointed out at first that 1t be-
hoved the bench OF Bishops to put things right
and at first the Bishops seemed to agree with
that prominent brother Of theirs who said that
people who did not like the practices at n ritu-
alistic church had better go elsewhere. But
Sir William stuck to his guns and soon made it
plain that an epoch in church history was being
worked out none could fail to see that n new
reformation on a small scale was going on. How
this reformation was to be effected was the
question. Would 1t have to be by legislature.
or by work from within, by the Bishops turning
over n new leaf, so to speak?
iHo ldlJtI IllCIIlbu. lp 'Ib Chn JUN 10 Nv
better. When. some little time ago. Sir William
Harcourt forced Mr.. A. j. Balfour to tackle the
subject. the latter was obliged to admit that
there was reason for the cutlery against illegal
practices. but pinned his faith to the Bishops.
Sir William. while welcoming the admissions
OF Balfour, expressed himself as ~skeptical with
regard to what might be expected from tho
bench. But Mr.. Balfour, when he made his
speech. was probably we'll informed. and now.
altar tho niGhonS hnyn nupin nasanhlpI nt
Lambeth and given their decision in regard to
the unlawful practices which they have re-
solved to condemn, Sir William Harcourt Is
fain to believe that he has won in the best way.
that he has convinced the spiritual peers that
they have neglected their duties and must in
future see tothem. In Sir Williams own words.
"even the Bishops have been aroused from
their slumbers They have become aware that
there actually is something wrong and that. In
fact. something must be done"
To those who have been following the course
of this conflict in the Episcopal Church the de-
cisions arrived at by the bishops are in them
selves sufficient to show the reasons for the
struggle and the result OF It up to the present
time. When the protestant" attack opened.
the Archbishop Of York received it in a dis
tinctly jeering spirit. recommending people
who objected to high church methods to go to
the many churches in which they would find
DSh NiSSp "a "i'h 'iSI iNNc lllNc !
then the Archbishop has changed his att itude
and openly tells his clergy that errors and
excuses there certainly are OF q scri-
Gus kind and much to be 'deplored. partic-
ularly in the great centres Of popula-
ton. " The prayer book as enacted by
the Statute of Uniformity constitutes our
orders aud yours. All that is wanted is a more
complete and more loyal conformity on all
sides to the plain directions OF the Book Of
Common prnyar II cnnnot hn pnrmiscihla to
say on the one hand this practice is an ancient
usage OF the Catholic Church, and we are en-
titled to resume it. or this is a remnant OF
Popery and we are entitled to neglect it. = y =
He regrets that the ~prefaces to the prayer book
are so little known even by the clergy.
He recognizes. too. Sir William Harcourt's
assertion that the voice OF the laity has a right
to n hearing. The Archbishop says:
"One Of the most prominent causes Of COM
plant in recent days has been the introduction
of services which are in no way authorized by
the prayer book itself. and are felt to be in
many cases alien to its spirit and teaching. In
some few instances they appear to be distinctly
Roman in character, and for these there can
only be direct and unqualified condemnation.
1t is sometimes replied that the laity are untitled
to Judge Of these things. and have no right to
do so. AS regards tho latter contention. it is
too generally forgotten that every baptized lay
Aie iAbD " I'm CIV III tIN SHuICl VI |
Christ. and has. no doubt. ii not a suflciency
OF theological knowledge. yet certain spiritual
instincts more or less clear which give to his
opinion n legitimate value which ought not to
be lightly esteemed. The general or predomi-
nant voice ofthe laity for the time being is a fac
tor which should not be ignored in the consid-
GRAFTON OF these questions. 1t is impossible for
any one who has calmly studied the present atti-
tude OF the lay mind i'll the English Church to be
ignorant that its characteristic featura 10 cue
picion and dislike Of anything which appears
to run counter to that Protestant feeling in the
country which is happily so strong. There can,
be little surprise that much anxiety
has been felt on the part of the laity at recent
advances and novelties both in ritual and doc
trine which have found a place among a GER
tain number of the clergy of the present day.
" y 1t is evident that the Introduction Of !
such services as those OF which have been
must seriously disturb a large pro- I
OF the faithful laity. even alternating 3
many from their proper parish church andthus
seriously hindering the fulflment of the pas
tors responsibility in the case OF the souls |
to his charge" {
And now to come to the twelve decisions OF !
the Bishops made ut the Lambeth conclave. I
first decision is: c
Prohibition OF the celebration OF holy DAYS
not authorized in the table OF the prayer book, ]
and special condemnation of the purely Roman ]
festival OF Corpus Christi and that of All Souls. S
which stands in the closest relation to the Ro- t
man doctrine of purgatory and pardons. and +
masses for the dead. which is so definitely con- t
iemned by the Church of England" On this n
point one may note that prayers for the dead" b
have been in the forefront Of the battle; year d
oy year tho extreme ritualists have been en- s
and extending the doctrine. The C
second decision is: l
No individual clergyman has a right TO in i
'roduce into the service OF his parish church f
any ceremony that is not clearly authorized or d
by the prayer book. Anything, C
in the nature Of Interpolation in any d
the appointed services is an infraction OF the n
Of the Church even hymns are not to be i
allowed to interfere with the proper sequence b
the different parts of divine service nor to Il
suggest any doctrine which is not in entire con- n
with the authorized teaching of the y
church. Tho faithful observance OF t,
his injunction is insisted on" This article b
mould perhaps be the most satisfactory of all tc