The sun., 1903-06-21
RITEALISN.
Its Rise. Meaning and Inauence Explained
and Discussed.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: 1t has
been asserted that the present century will
witness the extinction Of "the Church pa
per" and If proof is needed for this asser-
tion it may, perhaps, be found in the cir
cumstancc that an influential secular paper
like THE Sun has for several weeks gen.
erously thrown open its columns to dis
cussion of the ritualistio question. You
have clearly seen that the religious feelings
excited in England through the general
tendency OF the Education Bill which has
passed the House OF Commons, and the dis
c,lssion of the change of name Of the Epis-
copal Church in the United States have
! raised issues Of great Importance in the
world Of thought and action
Some letters which have appeared in your
columns have betrayed the most absolute
| ignorance and prejudice on the subject OF
Ritualism, but you have also published sew
eral communications which have been
| written in both scholarly and temperate
| spirit If. however, | may be allowed to
, express an opinion, l would say that your
correspondents have, for the most part 3.
failed to grasp the essential features OF the
Rtualistic movement
II Ritualism, as many of your correspon-
dents seem to imply. had been simply
Romeward movement. it would have died
out long ago. 1t would not have intro
duced liturgcal forms of service in places
, Of worship OF other religious denominations,
it would not have placed crosses on the
spires of Presbyterian churches, nor would
it have given Christian character to our
large burying grounds where all sorts and
conditions Of men find resting place.
There is, of course. a certa IN affinity be-
tween Ritualism and Romanism. but this
affinity retards rather than promotes the
movement. In the first place. y must be
observed that .Ritualism per Sc" is some
thing quite distinct from the Tractarian
movement. | remember Dr. Pusey very
we'll, and think I am correct in saying that
stic practices The same may be said OF
Mr.. Kebe and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce.
1t is not generally known that modern
Ritualism was started by a comparatively
a graduate Of Durham University and
vicar of ST James's Church. Wednesbury:
Stafrordshire, England. Mr.. Stanton OF
St Alban's and other Ritualistic leaders
were Mr.. Twigg 3 curates for, time; Mr.
Twigg, whom had the privilege of know
ing, was singularly earnest and sanity
man, broad minded and liberal. He read
Spurgeons sermons and preached like
|. Methodist; but his church was like Roman
yHoratory.
He considered Ritualism the legitimate
outcome of the Tractarian movement. He
, reasoned that Catholic teachings had been
ohecured in the Church Of England by Puri-
tan practices. He did not contend FOR the
Latin or Roman use. but sought FOR revival
Of such Ritualism as was common IN both
Eastern and Western Churches. Moving on
/ these lines. Rituaism effected the following
changes:
i. Altar worship. Even Bushnell. the
great Congregational minister declared
hat 1 n a necessary } I
tian worship To the Ritualist in the An
plican Church it seemed absolutely rcces-
sary Consequently. the Ritualistic priest
instead Of standing at the north end OF me
the officiating deacons stood on the right
and left for the Gospel and the Epistle..
?, The removal of the three e-decker;
"Whcn was boy" al Mr.. Gladstone, would
in almost every church. 1t stood in the
centre Of the church and completely OBJ
: sclred the altar. On the lower deck there
was desk for the clerk who said the Amen
and the responses. On the second was
req ding desk for the minister who, read
the PRAYERS" And then above was the pull
pit, with large red cushion which the
preacher leaned gracefully upon when he
praved, and men like Rowland Hill thumped
until he dust few when they preached the
.Gospel- The "three decker was removed.
The office Of the church clerk ceased: The
Draver desk wGs placed sideways IN The
choir and the pulpit was placed on one side
so as not 20 obscure the altar.
Puritans the cross was an abomination
even AVS it was to the Prophet of Arnbit. in
the seventh century. The Ritunlist made IT
the great Christian emblem. He put ii on
the top of his church. He placed II IN me
centre Of the altar, He made the sacred
sign on his breast AZ he foughv the devil
Bowing at the name of Jesus. This
had been enjoned in one ofthe Protestan,
Eolnilies Of tho I hurch. But with the er-
ccption of bowing al the sacred name in
the creed. due reverence was seldom
made at the name Of Jesus. The R,ualirts
made it an essential feature OF worship
1t introduced a sense or reverence. IL also
kept the sleepy worshippers awake during
divine service. Bowling but not turning to
tho Fast as orr custom s in America, at
The recitation of the Gloria was also intro
ducnd, -,
5 Wafer bread The Tractarian doc
trioe of the Zeal Presence. whether sub.
The bread should I've reverentlV admins,
tered The Ritualist consequently revived
the old custom Of using waters instead ot
common bread and saw nothing Romlsh
Mixing water with tho vine, This
was found ia be an ancient custom from
the earliest ages. ard The Ritualist cor
sidered it highly symbolic of the water
and the blood which came from tue Say;
,Ot,T 6 Sl0p W ill'.I SNili''pi nav W
i.solf eren to the Calvinist Topladv in his
nnnular hvmu. Rock Of Ages.
J. Eucharstic robes. Thcs" had been
retained in the Curch OF England after
tha Reformation. Thev had fallen into
disusa through CsIvinistic prejudice The
Ritualists thought tho coDe with cross
more seemlv than the masters or doctor
university hood in celebrating the Holy
8 The surpiced choir, The introduce
ton OF the 'surplced choir into n parish
church was regarded AZ rank Romarism
Thirty Years ago ! rcmerber whole con-
rrccation walking out of ,he church as
the surpiced choir walked in, vet surpliced
choirs had existed in every Prot estant
cathedral from the time Of the Reforma-
ton.
o. Preaching in the surplicc. The Rtu
aIists did not Introduce the custom nf
preanhinG in the slrplice. Bishop Bloomfield
81 London did It is really the only author
ized vestment mentioned in tho canon. and
is no longer regarded as Romish. The
modern Ritualst prefers preaching in his
black cassock. and II is not Improbable
tha. the time NAV come when the surplicc
viii he removed nt the altar aEd the
preacher will take his place in the pulpit
even as the old monks in Italy do at tho
10. lnton,ng and monotoning In large
catbe Jra,s like 81 Pa,ll's, London, it is