A WORD FOR "WARNING."

Evening Star, Issue 5042, 2 May 1879, Page 4

A WORD FOR "WARNING."

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Your correspondent "Warning" has fallen upon evil days. The old "evangelical" party, of which he evidently implies that he is a champion, no longer exists. High Church and Low Church have now joined hands, and under the title "Churchmen" have undertaken to combat Ritualism on the one part, and Nonconformity on the other. Whether this lias resulted from the free passage of Jesuit Fathers over. English highways I cannot say, but that it is so, where Ritualism is concerned, lam able.to cite no les« an authority than that'of the London :' Times.' In' a leader of its .weekly edition, February 14, the following occurs :

, Since Tractarianism has turned into Romanism or burlesqued its old self as Ritualism, tho Church <>f England has needed no special party within itself to balance it. At the beginning: of the struggle, besides High Church and Low Church, there was* the Church which contained both. Still inert and sluggish, it was a mass against whose passive lethargy the two parties alike strove. Within it each sought to make converts, who. however, when won remained Churchmen as before, though .stationed inoneor the other camp. Ritualis'B now may be numerically strong ; they might even claim, though we do not expect to see the day, to be a majority "of the clergy ; but, few or many, they are marshalled on one side, with the whole body of Churchmen who are not Ritualists on the other. Formerly a Churchman who acted up to his duties must almost necessarily have been a High Churchman or Evangelical A man now need bear no other appellation than that siuiplv of Churchman to be reckoned as of course an enemv of Ritualism. J

: But, if I understand aright, the controversy that is now going on does nut so much touch upon questions of doctrine, but refers to whether or not it is advisable to make some changes in the method in which the Anglican service is conducted in this City. This, it is heediess to say, does not concern nie personally in any degree, but as feelincr of necessity an interest in any topic under public discussion, I may be excused if I quote again from the ' Times' to show that '"Churchmen" in England are now agreed as to the lawfulness at least of an attractive form of service. The 'Times,' then, in the same leader from which I have already quoted, says :—" Controversy has softened since those times/ and pronounced Evangelical views are no longer incompatible with orderingthe'stately ceremonial of cathedral service." In Conclusion, I will add that it is not quite clear whether your correspondent has in his letter intended a blow for the Jesuit Fathers or for the Church of England-; he has certainly meant a blow for either, or perhaps for both. If, then, he aims at the former, I need refer him to no weapons of attack ; they are numerous, and to be found everywhere: But if his intention be to wound the latter, let me recommend him to study an article headed ".Aggressive Nonconformity," in the January number of the ' Quarterly Review.' He will find there, culled from Nonconformist sources, some passages that he will no doubt consider should help him to his end. Take for example, the following :—" Now, however, a heavy langor lies over nearly all cathedral citieß. Ecclesiasticism reigns in the place of religion, and the grossest immoralities find in that stagnant air a cause and ah encouragement. . . Of course if any community chooses to found its claim for superiority to all others on the fact that the scum and the chaff, the nonworshipping, the profane, the debauched, the imprisoned, are her peculiar heritage and glory and constitute her preponderating spiritual strength, she will find no rival for the honor among those decent and holy Churches of Christ which are called sects. . . .To ravin like a wolf and to plunder like a freebooter has been the peculiar prerogative of the Church, of England." etc (P.p. 53, 54.)-I am, etc., 1 John F. Perrin. 'Tablet' Office, Dunedin, May 1.