The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-04
Tho Rituaiistio Controversy In tho
Episcopal Church.

Tho Rituaiisttc Controversy In Tho
Episcopal Church.
Tho sermon preached by Bishop
Morris OF Oregon at the opening OF
the Episcopal General Convention. on
Wednesday. seems TO indicate that a
bitter controversy over Ritualism Is
to distinguish the proceedings. The
Oregon Bishops reference TO the sub
jeot was In a tone which must be par
ticularly eIasperating TO the Ritualists.
The movement In which they are engag-
ing so pa~ssionstely, a. involving ques-
tons which are the most serious In
Importance Of all those which can be
considered by their Church. he treated
a. a foolish and (" frivolous controversy
I'VE copcs. and mitres, candlesticks and
incense. postures and attitudes. and
other unmeaning frivolities
Such a description. in the Ritualist
estimation. savors Of nothing less than
sacrilege. In their eyes, II IL ridicule
Of supremely holy things, fippant treat
ment Of symbols Of the most awful
mysteries OF religion. and trcachery
20 the doctrine and tradition which give
the Episcopal Church the Catholicity
that alone entities it to be called Church.
The Rituslistic party annot be treated
thus contemptuously without provok-
ing its deep resentment, and. as IL is
now the most aggressive, the most
terribly earnest party in the Anglican
Church and its American ofshoot.
its Indignation is likely To be expressed
very emphatically at the San Francisco
convention. II will fight all the harder
because Of this insult 10 10 from the
episcopal bench. for 80 II will regard the
language Of Bishop MORRIS.
The question Of principle underlying
Ritualism was bound TO lie brought
up in any event when the report OF the
new marriage and divorce canons was
submitted, for they ouch IL directly;
but tho attitude toward IL Of the school
OF Rpiscopahans represented by Bishop
NORRIS "a thus declared by him at the
very opening Of the convention, seems
to assure absolutely the prominence OF
the Ritual-tio controversy In h present
council. ThOe. n must he I'M
satisfactory, II not intolerablv offensive
10 the Rituslists. for they propose
n policy merely and do not rest on tho
positive principle Of marriage which
Rituslism holds 20 he absolutely oblig-
atorv. That j.. they simply forbid
an Episcopal clergyman 10 marry
anew any person who has been d.
yorced for any cause arising after his
original marriage, during the life time
" his divorced mate, and exclude from
baptism. confirmation and the com
munion those who thus marry; but
with the exemption from his penalty
of the innocent party to a divorce for
adultery. That exception, OF course.
implie. sanction of such a divorce.
and therefore on principle the new
canons do not differ essentially from
the present canonical recognition Of a
divorce for adultery. Marriage is not
made n sacrament in either, vet that II
/. n sacrament. 20 violate which Is a
r~rievon- sin, is an article Of faith with
tho Ritualis's.
They must, therefore, in consistency,
look on the new canons Ne sacrificing
vital principle To n policy Of e~Spedlency,
II ~ questionable. too, n practically
the new would prove any more cor
receive Of the divorce evil than are the
old. OF course. the prohibition Of the
marriage by Episcopal clergymen Of
tho divorced for any cause, and the eN-
communication Of those who marry again
after divorce, except innocent parties
To divorces for adultery. would put the
stamp OF the Church's disapproval on.
at least. FREQ divorce" So called, but
already 10 clergy are forbidden To rccog-
nize ary divorce except for adultery; and
what has been the consequence Many
Episcopalians socially conspicuous have
not hcsitated Ia get divorces for deScr-
tions. real or nominal. or for any other
causes than adultery allowed IN the
States of frccst divorce laws, and then
they have proceeded al once W get mar
ned 10 now mates. by other than Ep'sco-
raj clergvmcn or by civil magistrates.
That -. they noutci the law ~ their
Church when II stood m the way of the
qualification of their incl,nR'ions. II n
ne~ law shall ercommunicste such people
will they not defy Il also' They have