The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-21
\ Ritualist Church.


The opening on Sunday of the new
ciifice of the Church of st lgnati us af-
iordcd striking demonstration of tho
progress of Ritualism in the Episcopal
church of New York. II is a very costly
structure, on which there il only a
very small debt. il a remarkable ex-
ample Of Gothic architecture, and at
The opening service. when high mass
was celebrated by Bishop GRAFTON, the
Ritualist Bishop Of Wisconsin, il was
crowded with an apparently sympathetic
congregation.
The services approached closely the
ritual Of the Roman Catholic Church.
The robes of the priests, the incense the
Sanctlls bell and tho genufexions suC-
gested Catholicism, and the preacher, the
rector oitho extremely Rituaistic and cx-
ccednSly prosperous Church Of st, Mary
The Virgin, proclaimed with emphasis
hat this church is part OF the Catho-
lie Church and not u part Of the Protcs-
tant sect, is the Church of the wor-
shippers in the tatacombs and through
the Middle Ages 10 to-day. is the
Church authorized by CHRIST through
~. PETER" He promulgated the doc
rrine of the Real Presence, defended
the right Of the priest to grant through
the confessional. absolution according
10 the warrant of the Gospels, and con-
tended that this fat h and these practices
are growing all over the land in the
Episcopal Church.
Il cannot be denied by any one familiar
with the development of that Church in
his country that the preacher had reason
for this exultatiDn. The most aggressive
party in the Episcopal Church is now
the High Church party and it Is steadily
pressing ahead to further extremes in
Eitualsm. toward medi%valism. sacra-
mentaranism and ,accrdotaliSm. The
priests of the Church for the last fifty
wears" said the preacher. have been
cleaning out the wells, do not let the
wells fill up again with rubbish and pre- jul
dice" And they have done the work
very thoroughly. High Churchism. both
here and in England, has advanced far
beyond the dreams of the most enthusiasts
tic leaders Of the Oxford movement at
its beginning in 1888. Even generation
ago, Episcopalians would have been hor-
rificd by he Romanism of the service
and the sermon at this opening of an
Episcopal church last Sunday, no matter
II they had been included in tho High
Church party as il then was BIT now
The teaching Of the Real Presence and
of confessional absolution in an Epis-
copai church produces no alarm, no lln-
usual sensation. though we observe that
fgnatius's to celebrate high mass, but
that a Rltualist Bishop from a Western
diocese was called in for the purpose.
Meantime. the Roman Catholic rejects
the right Of the Church Of 81. IgnathlS to
call itself Catholic church, refuses
orders, looks on its priests as mere lay
mon. and regards it's high mass az
an idle or impious ceremony. No matter
how near Episcopal Ritualism gets to
Rome in its forms il is still classed by
Rome with Professionalism and hcresv;
is pouy WITHOUT lTue NnulCnly du-
thority.
This is a worry remarkable situation.
and il will be interesting to watch the
outcome. As il is now, the Anglo
Catholicism Of tho Episcopal Ritualists
is In sharp conflict with the Roman
Catholic Church. The Churches which
glory in their Professionalism and in their
rejection Of lnedHval,m seem to be
Niewed moro respectfullv hv Romc.