THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY ON RITUALISM.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3831, 8 April 1881, Page 1

THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY ON RITUALISM.

In a recent letter to the A rehdeacooaof bis diocese, the Bishop of Salisbury has made the following remarks on the subject of religious prosecutions:—" The controversy which for three centuries has existed in the Church of Englard between the Catholic and Puritan parties within its borders, has gradually gathered round the 1 Ornaments Bubric;' one side claims the right of ' retaining' 'the use 'j- of the vestments ordered by the rubric of .1519, the other desires to banish all such usages, and the clergy who maintain them, absolutely out. of the Church.. The other side, ignoring the slumbering controversy of more than three centuries,, hare sharpened their rubrics, and established by mere Act of Parliament a new- '■ court to enforce them; thereby stirring | up so deep and anxious distress among the quiet hard-working clergy and their congregations, that we seem to be at this moment face to face with the danger of a schism of inconceivably evil consequence. I have ventured to refer to these ■ things because they seem to me to suggest the practical course ot action in regard to them which I would recommend to those of ,my clergy, who feel most distressed at tbe present state and prospect of things around us. I would say, of all things be patient. Do not precipitate action unde; the Church Discipline Act and the Public Worship Kegulation Act, by challenging the penalties which they enact. Be content to devote yourselves to the sacred teaching of the Church in your parishes. . Spend and be spent in the gracious work of feeding- tbe souls of your people with the true food of ths Gospel, and swelling tbe ranks of intelligent and faithful Church-people by your faithful teaching. If you are wronged as I think you are, by being forbidden by temporal courts to adopt rarious usages which belonged to the ancient universal Church, and are recognised by the rubric of 1549, do not doubt that theife^ * blessing on those who endure suJßsring wrongfully, which may more^ than compensate for the lobs of things, which, though comely, and full of sacred teaching,' cannot be considered really essential to the. unquestioned grace of earnest and faithful Communion And if, going beyond this fatherly counsel to my own clergy, I may speak of the public action which we deeply need, I do not hesitate to say that the ! first and greatest of needs amongst us ia | a larger and larger-hearted toleration within our communion. Why should not I the Church of England tolerate things; which the ancient Church considered good and useful ? Why should we try-to fore© an outward uniformity upon men of various habits of mind and character, agreeing in tb*e great essentials of faith and-practice?" ... , ~-