The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-03


 and ''ritualism" The brief talk Of the rector to his vestry that memorable evening very promptly aroused the alarming suspicion that We had incau- tiously gotten high churchman for our minister, and possibly an extreme ritu- alist. But as none of us knew just what constituted a high chuTchman or low churchman, opinions on the mat ter were widely at variance. Another important question seriously concerned l the interest of the parish at this event 1 full time, namely, Was a ritualist the same thing as high churchman or worse?
 i It is curious fact that the perplexi- 1 ties and doubts about his true position ! in the ranks of the clergy were never settled. The numerous cross s-eXamina- ] tions to which he was subjected from 1 time to time could only extract from l him the statement that he was simply 1 prayer-book churchman. But he still unconsciously kept his people in a state 1 of anxiety and alarm by the queer i things he did. In reading the creed and when pronouncing the ascription 1 turned his back to the congregation, hence some of them irreverently called i him wheeler. He discarded the black gown and preached in his surplice. Again when on Sunday he announced the saints days of the coming week the 1 excitement was intensified. That sure 1 ly betrayed his leaning towards popery l and the worship of the saints. When l he was enquired of by self-constituted commit tee as to why he had made the 1 announcement of the saints days. say ing that they had never heard it before except on Ash-Wednesday or Good Fri day when the church was to be opened. the surprise was mutual. He was sur prised that 1t was not the practice in 1 New Haven to announce the saints days and the committee was surprised to learn that MT. Whittingham had no discretion about it, the Rubric saying 1 the minister shall declare unto the people what holy days or fasting days are in the week following. But the cu- riosity to witness choral service was stronger than the objections, and the church was packed to it's utmost ca pacity. When he declared his purpose to have a choral service 1t created a sensation. Those who were in doubt before about him now said he had thrown off his disguise and was, in fact, real ritualist, because a choral ser vice was the very essence of ritualism.
 I have no doubt it appears to many of the present audience remarkably strange that the introduction of prac- tices which are now so common should have occasioned such agitation in our little parish. Do not forget that at this time the controversy between high church and low church was sharp and animated, and St. Johns was a church militant, and not of temper to be left out in such an emergency. High church parties and low church parties were recognized among the people, and re- cruits could be had for either party among us at that time.
 But after all the prosperity of St
 Johns was not materially hindered by the situation. Possibly it was promoted by the additional interest in her welfare
 which it excited.
 But the parish had other troubles upon which it could act harmoniously and which diverted attention somewhat
 from the discussions of ecclesiastical
 polity. The debt in January 1868 was a
 debt of $1,2O0, which was subsequently
 increased by a second enlargement oi
 the building to $2,OOO, the annual inter-
 est of which in addition to current ex.
 penses was for us formidable amount
 It had become an urgent necessity to be
 released of this load and many were the
 discussions in the vestry as to the
 means of accomplishing it.
 The plan finally adopted in 1867 was
 to appoint solicitors to solicit donations
 not only in the parish, but from libera
 minded churchmen outside the parish
 Our zealous senior warden, Elias Pier.
 pont, who had always been a libera contributor to the parish, promptly
 stimulated this proposal by offering tt
 add 5000 to every $10O.00 obtained ir
 that way; and an equally jealous mem
 Der of the vestry Mir Joseph Brown
 followed with a similar pledge of s5Ot
 for every $100.00. These stimulants proved very active, An organized ef.
 fort was immediately instituted to se- cure those extra 5000 and extra $500 I can only mention one or two instances l to illustrate the activity aroused by the liberality of these gentlemen. One of tht
 ladies of the parish, distinguished fol ! her many good works in the church (who is present here to-day), but who's modesty' I will not shock by naming her, made few calls upon some of hel personal friends and before the end o the week politly notified MT. Pierpon 1 and MT. Brown that she had $30000 fol the church which she would like to aug, ment with their checks for 5000 anC 1 $15.00
 It is invidious to mention name! where so many were earnestly working in the same cause. But I must be per mtted to mention one name with whicf you are all familiar, and who has only E lately died. MT. Ward Nichols was a that time conductor on the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad anC 7 on his train it happened that there wer, } a good many commuters" not few O - them were prosperous and libera churchmen. MT. Nichols daily int CT
 views with them made them persona | acuaintances so that he was well in l formed as to their politics and thei church affinities. It afforded fine fiel( , for the sort Of missionary service il which he was engaged. He cultivated 7 1t vigorously, and with such skillfu | IL p,,II. T1-