New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-12
THE ANGLICAN CRISIS.
IN OUTSIDERS VIEW OF THE RITUAL
ISTIC CONTROVERSY.

N1Cax respective countries In matters temporal,
a. wen as ecclesiastical They are the Gar Of
Russia and Queen Victoria There Is a third
sovereign who has put forth similar pretenslons,
namely, Emperor William. But his claims TO
the position Of Summus EpisCopus Of tie Lu-
theran Church 10 such extent ignored by
kitty and clergy alike that only a short time
ago the Consistory Of the Lutheran or state
Church Of the province Of East Prussia IN
which are the imperial game preserves OF
Eoninten, went TO the length OF passing a
unanimous vote OF severe censure upon the
Kaiser for having desecrated the sabbath and
Violated the secular laws with regard to its OBJ
servance by giving a big hunting party on
Sunday at Rominten
No other rulers in Europe have any status
TO warrant their interference in questions OF
ritual or OF doctrine In Sweden, Norway and
Denmark as well as In those Independent SOW
ereignties comprised in the federation known
as the German Empire, where the Lutheran
Is recognized as the State Church, ecclesiastical
questions are settled by the clergy themselves
without any interference on the part OF the
Government, while in the case Of those nations
where the established religion is Roman Cath
aic II is naturally the Pope to whom all mat
tiers spiritual referred in final appeal Inc
majority Of the nations Of the Old WoTld nave
State religions. but England and Russia are Int
sniy two where the Crown or its delegates III
Che persons Of secular judges retains the flEn'
To iuAict penalties TO the extent OF impriaon-
ment upon members Of the clergy who may nave
rendered themselves guilty Of an infraction not
Of the laws Of the land, but merely Of the ruorlc
o. the Established Church
That IS to say. as matters now stand IN Eng
hnd. a tribunal composed exclusively Of lay
tpdres possesses the constitutional right by
virtue Of the sovercign's supremacy 70 SEN
fence 10 prison TO fine and TO deprive or
ecclesiastical Office any ordained clergyman
who has disobcyed the rules Of the Church III
Ritual or doctrinal matters-by the use for in
etance Of incense, or Of vestments pertaining
10 the Church Of Rome and by teaching the
aogrnas relating to the power Of the clergy 10
grant absoluton OF TO the intercession OF lhe
Virgin and Of the Saints, and to the actuai
Presence In the Sacrament
II is perfectly true that many years nave
eapsed since any English clergyman has SUI
fered Imprisonment for disoDellehce OF ILLS
kind to the rules Of the Church Of England ana
me utmost length to which the courts have gone
during the reign Of Queen Victoria has been 10
sentence recalcitrant parsons either to suspen-
zion "ab diviniS" or to deprivation OF theH
uvines Perhaps the best known case is that OF
>
az St Adams. In the Holborn District Of Lon
don. who was punished first by suspension
md then by deprivation for Titualisuc pTac-
t;ces the highest lay court in the realm the
1udicial Committee Of the Privy Council. giving
a judgment to the effect that the use OF IN
eense. the mixing OF water with the VINE Is
vel as the elevation Of the Elements In 'he
Sacrament are Illegal
80 1,tyrr r1ctIOpg RIGHT OF VETO
T. these penalties have not been more fre-
suently enforced. and II convictions such es
mat Of the rector Of St Adams are COMPARE
lively few In number. It Is owing to the lac'
that modern legislation has provided bishops
xyt,b tho right TO veto proceedings against the
r,erf-v OF their dioceses for ritual offences until
tbev have satisfied themselves that there Is
--ound for legal interference. Formerly any
newman who possessed the financial means ana
me reoulste spirit Of intolerance could insu-
fu+e a lawsuit against the rector or MS PARISH
or indeed against any benehced clergyman VINO
had rendered himself guilty Of ohences such
es those which led to the conviction OF the rec
for OF St Adams. Now. however, no one can
institute legal proceedings against Clergy ii~'i'
Tor infractions Of the law in connection WIN
ystual or doctrine unless he has first OF all Cd
tained the permission OF the Bishop OF the oio-
,ese and this permission has been very rarely
granted. -,-., T.
The agitation now in progress IN England h
m favor OF the bishops being deprived py act Vi
Parliament OF this prerogative OF veto 30 thal
II may be within the power OF every CiIMen "
Institute legal proceedings against any orui
nary clergyman or even dean OF Dlshop' ""o
happens TO depart in the most TRIVIAL par''cu-
To- from the ritual and the doctrinal teachings
- ,ha state Church OF England This agitation
e being carried on by that extreme eyangeli-
L,. cn...-oh II lnrland which has