A QUESTION OF RITUAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1168, 1 July 1911, Page 4

A QUESTION OF RITUAL.

• BISHOP WILL NOT DISCUSS IT. (By TeleEiaph.-Prcsa Association.) Christchurch, Juno 30. Eight hundred and sixty members of the Church of England in this province havo memorialised Bishop Julius against ritualistic practices alleged to be indnlgcd in at St. Michael's Church, including tho wearing of Mass vestmonts, tho uso of wafers, tho elevation and adoration of the elenientSj and pi ostrations. They slato that thirty-four years ago a. clergy, man of this diocese was tried by tho Bishops for smaller practices than theso and relieved of his euro. Bishop Julius has rcpliod: "It villi bo my earnest endeavour to secure 6uch general obodienco to tho law of tho Church and the formularies of tho Book of Common Prayer as may bo possible undor altered time and circumstances. The Rubrics of tho Book of Common Prayer allow of a wide divergence in ritual, and I am not aware of any ritual, istic practice in St. Michael's Church contrary to ci reasonable and lawful interpretation of the samo." 110 adds that while in no way prepared to demand undue deference on tho part of tho clergy to local custom,' ho deprecates the introduction of ritual to which tho peoplo are not accustomed. Bishop Julius declines to discus* the subject of ritual at present, but will do so when tho Diocesan Synod mouts in September.