RITUALISM, a term designating the prac tices of a party in the Church of England and the Episcopalian Church in the United States and elsewhere, in surrounding the 'public wor ship with a variety of rites and ceremonies, and in resuscitating certain features and usages of the Catholic Church in pre-Reformation times, such as the use of ornate eucharistic vest ments, use of the sign of the cross, belief in the 'Real Presence,* prayers for the dead, treating the communion service as a real sacri fice, auricular confession and many other be liefs and practices usually esteemed by Prot estants as the insignia of 'Romanism.' By many, Ritualism is held to be only another name fof Pitseyism and Tradtarianiszti; but'Drs PneeY, the reputed father of Puseyism, never adopted any of the practices of Ritualism. The rats defend their position against the charge that it is nothing but a revival of cRontanism* in the Protettant Church and that it is flag randy inconsistent with the simplicity of Chris tian worship as portrayed in the books of the New Testament, by saying that not all authorita tive regulation of ritual is laid down in the New Testament, and that what is obligatory in ritual is to be learned from apostolic tradition. They allege, in explanation of the simplicity of primitive Christian worship, the secrecy and restraint to which the church was subjected through the ages of the persecution. All through that time the apostolic tradition was preserved by the church. On the accession of Constantine the ritual of the church assumed its natural beauty and proportions. They cite the Anglican Book of Common Prayer in its original form as promulgated in the second year of Edward VI (1549) as authorizing most of the practices now condemned by Protestants as ritualistic and cRornanish.* They contend that the Episcopalian Church of England, with its daughter churches, is historically committed to the practices for which the Ritualists are censured. The following are some of the rites and usages which distinguish the. Ritualists from the mass of Protestants whether in the Episcopalian or other churches. The Ritualists hold that the 'altar" is a necessarypart of Christian worship. The Book of Common Prayer, in the corder for the administration of the Lord's Supper,* carefully avoids the word 'altars and says 'always The Ritualists revived the practice of auricular confession and set up in their churches confestion-boxes as in Roman Catholic churches. They brought back into use the eucharistic vestments— chasuble, cope, etc. The Puritans held the cross an abomination; the Ritualists set it on top of their churches and in the centre of the altar •-• and not only the cross, but the crucifix. The Ritualists insist au the eucharistic vestments; the pOsition to the east of the celebrant at the altar; the use of unleavened bread, the mixed chaltce, altar lights and incense. and they pay formal adoration to ,the 'Real Presence' of Christ's body and .blood, believed to underlie the species of bread and wine.
The growth of Ritualism assumed suds pro. portions in England that a commission was ap pointed by the government in 1867 for the put pose of inquiring 'into the rubrics, orders and directions for the regulation of the conduct of public worshipSeven years later the 'Pub.
lic Winship Regulation Act's was passed for the express purpose of putting down Ritualism; and a judge was appointed to try cases of ,vio. lation of the ritual. Numerous cases were tried, among the :defendants being. high digni, taries of the Established Church. Punishments; including imprisonment,' followed. But perse4 cud= only caused.the ritualistic movement to flourish. The Ritualists had the sympathy of many members of the church who were not themselves in favor of Ritualism, for it was very generally felt that it was not wise for the secular court to interfere in things spiritual and to compel priests,' clergymen and congrega tions to refrain fronipraeticts which they held to be essential. Practically all the objections against ritualistic' practices were the judges before whom the cases were brought; but this not only failed to drive Ritualism out of the Established Church of England, but it also failed to stop or even re tard its growth. The practices have been prac tically permitted by the legal authorities; so that Ritualism lives to-day strongly entrenched in the Episcopal Church, without fear of suc cessful opposition from anv quarter whatever.
The history of Ritualism in the Anglican Church in America is much the same as that of England, except that, on this side of the water, the secular government could take no part in the quarrel, the church on the Western continents being in no way connected with or dependent upon the government. A canon passed in 1874 at the General Convention in structed the bishops to proceed against any minister 'accused of introducing unauthorized ceremonies and practices)) But though the power to discipline the Ritualists rests in the hands of the bishops, it has never been used; and Ritualism to-day attracts little or no at tention or comment.
Bibliography.— Frere, W. H.,