The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05
The RItuaIistlc Churches.

To THE EDITOR OF The ScN--Sir: When
the Rev Mr. Fillingham. the English rector
OF Hexton called on Bishop Potter to inter-
fere with the Ritualstic practices at the
Church of ST. Mary the Virgin. he overlooked
the fact that while in England liturgical
usages Of the Church can be regulated and
enforced by "the Act of Uniformity, taken
in connection with the decisions of the &c
clesiastical courts during the last fifty years.
in the United States the Bishops of the Prot
estant Episcopal Church have no such power.
There Is no act or canon Of uniformity in the
Digest of the Canons of the Church. Ministers
merely undertake to use the Book Of Common
Prayer but there have been no ecclesiastical
courts constituted to give an Interpretation
of its doubtful rubrics.
For example. there is no law regarding the
vesting Of the choir. there is no distinct law
regarding the vestmcnts OF the ministers. nor
are there any distinct rubrics en- Joining or
restricting the singing of hymns and anthems.
with the exception Of a canon which provides
that the anthems shall be in the words Of Holy
Scripture. the violation OF which in almost
every church is an encouragement to law
breaking In the sanctuary. Consequently.
the rector OF st: Mary the Virgin or the rector
OF ST. Ignatiuss Church Is at perfect liberty
to conduct his services as he believes them to
be in harmony with the Book of Common
Prayer. He can celebrate the holy sacrament
Just as it was celebrated In the year 1852. or
he can celebrate II after the style and manner
OF the late Dr. stephen Tying OF ST Georges
or the Rsy Heber Newton, formerly OF All
At one time Bishop Potter refused to hold
combinations in the Church Of ST. gnatius until
certain Ritualistic practices had ceased. but
the rector intimated that he would present
the Bishop for trial under the canon for neg
lect of duty. Observe Father Richie did not
threaten to send policeman after tho Bishop
merely turned to the law. and it is "A great pity
that Bishop Potter did not make the same
reference to the Jealous Mr.. Ptlingham
For the information of any one of your cor
respondents who might want % proceed against
the Roy. DR., Christian, I viii explain that he
must formulate his charges under Canon 3
constitute an offence under Section ) as a
breach Of ordination vows. He may. for en-
ample. take the use Of incense. the practice
of confession, and the eucharistic robes. and
affirm that in adopting these Romish prac-
tees DR.. Christian violates his ordination
VOWS. These charges could be made either by
the Church, and they should he sent TO the
Bishop. The Bishop would then. according
to the canons of the diocese of New York.
appoint committee consisting Of three
If this committee reported that there was
cause for a formal trial, Bishop Potter
would submit to DR. Christian the names Of
twelve clergymen of the diocese from whom
the accused rector would select five, and. nat
WTay R 'trSp
formal trial would then take place. prose
cutOr would be selected from among the
GaenG M
Now assuming that the three charges were
those 10 which have referred, the five learned
and unbiased clergy would soon discover thnt
the Book of Common Prayer has absolutely
no rubric which would prevent the use of in
cense. eucharstiC. vcstments and the practice
Of confession. All the rulings Of the scclesias-
which have inspired the zeal of the Rev, Mr..
Fillingham. would he ruled out. as they have
no legal bearing in the practices Of nor
The trial would be mere flasco. but il
would demonstrate afact which even Bishop
Potter seems To ignore, that clergyman has
on rubric of the Prayer Book ~ the Bishop.
The Bishop could express with that such
practices SHOULD be disconiinnsd, out , only
man to comply with therequest Of his Diocesan
Then it ia not generally known hat the Prot
estant Episcopal hurCh Of the United States
has no court OF appeal nor any uniform sys-
tom Of Jurisprudence, suppose, for example.
court constituted as I have indicated for the
trial Of the Rtnalistc rector condemns ne
three practices, this would only be law Tor
the diocese of New York, and not n law Of
Oklahoma or Honolulu
Your correspondents may rest assured that
Bishop Potter has absolutely no intention OF
Initiating trial on ritualism; " seems 70
me that it was the Bishops dutyto explain
n to hS secGr Of then Mn
Dillingham; would have returned to his native
land wiser man
In a word, a Bishop Of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church has absolutely no authority to
interfere with 4 rector in his Interpretation ~
the rubriCs Of the Prayer Book. for they have
never been interpreted by any ecclesiastical
court within the Church
Az APPROPRIATENESS CLERGYMAN.
NEW YORK. July ?.
To THE EDITOR OFF THE SIN Sir; T., II s."
in to-days SIN. asks in reference TO the ser
vices Of St. Mary tho Virgin. is il not an in
controvertible fact that these laws" those Of
the Protestant Episcopal hurcb Of America.
"are openly violated and defled"? IL IN not:
During the last twenty years have attended
@ great many services NJ the church In ques-
ton and have never seen any OF these laws,
a. far as am acquainted with them, violated
or deiled. +. o. G..
NEW York. July .