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286 THE COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH.
it is impossible that a ritual of devotion should be conformed to
the states of feeling in each individual; its aim should rather be
to prompt and control feeling, but not without regard to that variety, as well as repetition, which is the spontaneous growth of the
closet. The closet is the model; and the plan of public worship
should be to come as near to it as possible. It is the natural flow
and rapidly-succeeding changes of the religious.affections, which
are to be regarded in the formation of a public ritual. In this
view, it will be seen that the Episcopal forms and modes of worship have been ordered in wisdom; and that they demonstrate a
consummate acquaintance with the human heart under the affections of religion.
4. But the common use of the ritual by all the people is a
mere mockery, and sanctions hypocrisy. It is well known that
there is no devotion in the hearts of a great portion of the congregation, and they know it themselves; and the practice, in connection with this consciousness, is in great danger of making them
mere formalists for life, and consequently it is perilous to their
souls.
That any person should fail to enter into the spirit of the
forms of public worship, on which he is accustomed to attend,
is certainly to be regretted; but I am not aware that this is a
sin peculiar to Episcopalians. It may possibly be more visible
among them ; but in all honesty I do not think it is more prevalent. What is the appearance of any person in a religious congregation, but an ostensible profession of worship? The reigning
public conscience of the community is in favor of religion; and
the ordinances of public worship are God's appointed means, not
only of edification to Christians, but of bringing unconverted men
—sinners, who in their conscience respect religion—home to himself. For the most part, those who use the solemn, and, as it
must be confessed by all, the appropriate ritual of the Episcopal
Church, may charitably be supposed to have a respect for its doctrine and sentiments; and in the exercise of the same charity, it
may also be presumed that their conscience goes with the service. On the last point, there is in most cases no doubt.
There is just as much reason for the ministry of the Church
| Title | The comprehensive church |
| Creator | Vail, Thomas H. (Thomas Hubbard) |
| Publisher | Appleton |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000290 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 286 THE COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH. it is impossible that a ritual of devotion should be conformed to the states of feeling in each individual; its aim should rather be to prompt and control feeling, but not without regard to that variety, as well as repetition, which is the spontaneous growth of the closet. The closet is the model; and the plan of public worship should be to come as near to it as possible. It is the natural flow and rapidly-succeeding changes of the religious.affections, which are to be regarded in the formation of a public ritual. In this view, it will be seen that the Episcopal forms and modes of worship have been ordered in wisdom; and that they demonstrate a consummate acquaintance with the human heart under the affections of religion. 4. But the common use of the ritual by all the people is a mere mockery, and sanctions hypocrisy. It is well known that there is no devotion in the hearts of a great portion of the congregation, and they know it themselves; and the practice, in connection with this consciousness, is in great danger of making them mere formalists for life, and consequently it is perilous to their souls. That any person should fail to enter into the spirit of the forms of public worship, on which he is accustomed to attend, is certainly to be regretted; but I am not aware that this is a sin peculiar to Episcopalians. It may possibly be more visible among them ; but in all honesty I do not think it is more prevalent. What is the appearance of any person in a religious congregation, but an ostensible profession of worship? The reigning public conscience of the community is in favor of religion; and the ordinances of public worship are God's appointed means, not only of edification to Christians, but of bringing unconverted men —sinners, who in their conscience respect religion—home to himself. For the most part, those who use the solemn, and, as it must be confessed by all, the appropriate ritual of the Episcopal Church, may charitably be supposed to have a respect for its doctrine and sentiments; and in the exercise of the same charity, it may also be presumed that their conscience goes with the service. On the last point, there is in most cases no doubt. There is just as much reason for the ministry of the Church |
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