The Indianapolis journal., 1903-07-05
what Is Thought OF an EngIishmsn's
Proposed War on Ritualists Of the
Episcopal Church.
SCENES MAY BE CREATED
AND THE Wears HARANGUEs May
BRING HIM NOTORIETY,
But the Opponents of Rftualism In
America Will Not Take Up Arms
Against Their Brethren.
'eciaI to the indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
! NEW YORK, July Are Ritualists and
Protestants in the Episcopal Church in
the United States to go TO war? For years
| it has been cause for wonder with Epis-
| copal leaders that the controversies that
have ragged in England did not extend here.
The Rev. r. c. Fillingham. vicar OF Hex
ton, England. announces his intention TO
come TO America next February and en-
deavor TO goad bishops to action. He will.
he says, pay special attention to the bishop
of Fond du Lac and visit ritualistic church.
es in Philadelphia, Boston. Chicago and
| Newark and make addresses In St Louis
Indianapolis. Louisville, Pittsburg. Wash
| ington and as many principal cities as he
| can. His method is not only 10 attend pub
lie worship in ritualistic churches in these
! cities but to secure wherever possible per-
mission to use Methodist. Baptist. Presby-
terian and other pulpits and in them to
make statements of faith Granted that he
can furnish the fire is there anything to
burn?
Counting everything. foreign and home.
there are ninety-one jurisdictions in the
| Episcopal Church, Of which exactly sixty
are in the United States and are independ-
ent or sef-supporting dioceses. OF these
the diocese of Fond du Lac, with only l,6i9
communicates. is admittedly the foremost
| in ritualistic leadership. OF course there
are few parishes in the jurisdiction that
are not given to ritualism, but under the
leadership Of Bishop Grafton, known as
the Nestor of the movement in America,
| the preponderance of ritualists is over
whelming. Fond du Lac stands in class
| by itself. In the next class are the four
dioceses of Milwaukee, Chcsgo, Spring.
field and Quincy, with ritualistic tendencies
in the order named. Then there are three
dioceses in a next class. where this element
does not always rule, but where II Is
strong. These three are the dioceses OF
Michigan City, Indianapolis and Newark.
These eight jurisdictions are all in the six
ty that the ritualistic or sacredotal party
can be said to have captured, and their hold
upon some Of them is by no means secure
RITUALISTIC CLERGYMEN.
Following these there are five jurisdic-
tions of which the bishops are pretty High
| Church. some of them tending toward
ritualism, but in which the laity, and I'm
some cases the clergy. are able TO hold the
balance of power without a contest These
are. in the order named. Delaware. Albany.
Maine. Vermont and Pittsburg. All other
jurisdictions are just ordinary. middle OF
the road ones. unless Massachusetts and
Rhode Island be mentioned as broad. and
Virginia as low. At the same time there
are, in most principal cities, parishes I'm
which ritualists have control. but which
are not strong enough to have much voice
! in diocesan affairs. These cities include
Newark Chicago. New York. Boston. Phil
adelphia, Milwaukee. Savannah and many
smaller ones. Bishop Grafton. CT Fond du
Lac, is looked upon leader, has been
said, but Bishop Nicholson. Of Milwaukee.
is influential. Among clergy are the Rev.
Drs. Mortimer, Philadelphia: Osborne. Bos-
ton: Clendenin and Ritchie. New York:
| Fiske of Providence; Larrabee, OF Chicago:
and Elemdorf, of Jersey City. The Rev.
| DR.. Christian, of st. Mary. New York. is
not as prominent as he used TO be when
rector Of Grace Church, Newark. Among
younger elements there are many strong
men. The seminary for their training Is.
pre-eminently, Nashotah House, Wisconsin
The membership OF the Episcopal Church
is 765. $50. The number OF members In the
Jurisdiction in which ritualists control Is
1852. That is. the proportion CT ritualists
to others is as '77.s52 TO ss7.7c4 That is, Of
course, TO take them as dioceses. Nothing
|
any other way. Counting again by dioceses
the financial contributions of the two ele-
ments is as s1.o51. PSI to sl4.lSs.e45. the total
offerings of this religious body last year.
for all objects, having been s15.1s4.s .s25.i OF
course, il is 10 be said that there are all
grades of churchmanship in all of these
| jurisdictions. Ritualists must not be classed
with High Church people. They are High
If<rt.
people who are not ritualists. The crusade
OF the Rev Mr.. Finingham is against Ritu-
alism, although he argues against all High
Church teachings. In England the same con-
ditions obtain, but there. as here, the cru
sade is and will be against practices I'm pub
/ lie worship
The Hexton vicar has been upbraided by
the Bishop of New York for assuming that
the laws which govern the Church OF Eng
land govern also the Episcopal Church In
the United States. While Hexton's position
is. on its face. untenable. IL is held to have
much substantial foundation. There are
those who argue that all English church
law not specifically annulled and I'm effect in
the colonies before the Revolutionary war
| is in effect still. This question has been UP
in church congresses more than once and
has always been able to command afrrma-
tive speakers. OF course these alternatives
| do not claim supremacy for political laws.
but Vicar Fillingham and Bishop Potter
| both referred TO ecclesiastical laws. and in
this the vicar is held TO have rather the
better OF the argument. The General Con-
vention of 1901 adopted the Thirty-nine Ar
ticles. as can be proved by reference to the
Book OF Common Prayer. as used by all
| Episcopalians. and IT has never since re-
pealed them. These articles condemn the
| position taken by the ritualists.
The trouble is held TO come. net alone
from difference OF temperament. but from
a bad piece OF reforming which was done
In England. The reformation in Germany.
Holland. Scotland and Switzerland was
| pretty thoroughly done. but not so in Eng
| land. Queen Elizabeth temporized. ana
whether reformation was essential or not. 4
was not well done. The articles just referred
TO are Protestant but the ritual contains
much that is Catholic. Trying 10 bind to-
gether two things quite unlike has produced
! two schools. or, tt may be said. has empha-