ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Scope of the Essay — For whom intended — Remarks on the Tone of certain Writers on Ritual — The Method adopted is an Appeal to the New Testament — Not for Construction but for Verification — The proper Spirit for such an Inquiry pp, 1-19

PART I.

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC RITUAL RECOGNISED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER I. A GENERAL VIEW.

Two preliminary Objections : 1. There is no Code of Ritual in the New Testament as in the Old — Catholic Reply — Difference between the two Dispensations — No Code of Morals, yet much Morality; 2. There is little said about Ritual— Reply — Further Reply : The Objection proves too much, and would overthrow the Sabbath or Smiday — Corollaries 21-37

CHAPTER II. SPIRIT AND TRUTH.

Meaning of the words Spirit and Truth — Are they opposed to Ritual? — Catholic View stated — Our Lord's Maxims — Quaker's Views — Logical Issue in Rationalism 38-51

CHAPTER III. IMPRESSIVE RITUAL.

Section I. Divine Pageantry.

Splendour not essential to Ritual, yet eminently Christian — This is proved from a Review of the supernatural Phenomena which accompanied the Birth, Baptism, Transfiguration, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, and the Descent of the Holy Ghost — This was God's own Ritual, and the Model on which Catholic Ritual has been formed 52-62

Section II. Apostolic Worship.

Apostolic Worship not splendid — Protestant Argument from this — Catholic Explanation in the Poverty and Persecution of the Early Church — Proofs that absence of Splendour was not the Result of Principle — Protestants misinterpret the Accounts of our Lord's "Simplicity" in the New Testament, as the Jews misinterpreted the Prophecies of the Messiah's "Magnificence" — Some Contrasts of Holy Scripture that explain each other 62-67

Section III. Supposed Danger of Abuse.

Not so great as of the Splendour of Nature — Illustrations from Travellers and Poets — Protestants misjudge the Effect of Ritual on Catholics : 1. Because they do not understand the absorbing nature of Catholic Faith ; 2. Because to Protestants Ritual is strange and perplexing, not to Catholics ; 3. Because modem Controversies have given Ritual an unnatural Prominence — Is Protestant Simplicity always Spiritual? — Testimonies of Menzel, Hamilton, Wilson. 67-77

CHAPTER IV. SYMBOLIC RITUAL.

Section I. The Teaching of our Lord.

Strange Mistakes of some regarding the Effect of Ritual in the Conversion of the Heathen, and on Catholic Populations — Splendour is a rare Feature in Catholic Worship — Symbolism is an ordinary Characteristic — Objections stated to a multiplied, minute, and symbolic Ceremonial — No Analogy between Ritualism and Pharisaism — List of minute Ceremonies used by Jesus Christ and His Apostles — Symbolism of Ceremonies in all Religions 78-90

Section II. Symbolism of Vestments.

Ridicule of "Ecclesiastical Millinery" — Use of Colours justified — Mr. Marriott's sophistical Appeal to Antiquity — Milton's Attack on Vestments — Symbolism of Vestments abundantly recognised in New Testament pp, 90-97

Section III. Symbolic Language.

Images may be presented to the Mind by Rites as well as by Words — Verbal Imagery derived from Ritual — Nature made typical by our Lord's Parables — So also Christian Churches and Ritual recall Divine Teaching pp, 97-104

Section IV. Multitude and Obscurity.

Two Objections of the Anglican Reformers : 1. Multiplicity — Catholic Ceremonial not a Burden — Some Words of St. Peter explained ; 2. Obscurity — Catholic Worship not theatrical — In what Sense, to what Extent, and for what Purpose, Ritual is obscure — It is obscure like Holy Scripture 104-110

Section V. On the Use of Dead Languages.

Past and present Discipline with regard to Dead Languages — Catholic Theory of Action and Prayer in Worship — Reasons for using Dead Languages — Catholic Discipline compared with the Doctrine of St. Paul 110-119

CHAPTER V. EFFICIENT RITUAL NOT MAGICAL.

Sacramental Influences — Objection about Magic answered : 1. From Language of New Testament ; 2. from History of Simon the Magician ; 3. from Miracles worked at Ephesus to destroy Heathen Magic — Use of Relics 120-130

CHAPTER VI. THE REAL PRESENCE AS REGARDS RITUAL.

Section I. Protestant View of the Real Presence.

Macaulay's Proof Chaise — Dr. Vaughan's conceited Ignorance 131-136

Section II. An Argument from Analogy.

History of the sensible Presence of God on Earth, from the Creation of Man to the Incarnation — God's Presence in the Incarnation : 1. More Real ; 2. More Hidden ; 3. More Loving — Protestant View on the Disappearance of the Shechinah, and Catholic View on its Permanence contrasted 136-146

Section III. Objections and their Results.

The Real Presence neither unspiritual nor too spiritual — The Mystery of Faith — The Protestant Mode of Thought destroys Belief in Scripture — Progress in Negation exemplified in Milton and Wordsworth — Harmonious Development of God's. Providence in the Catholic View — Real Source of Opposition to God's sensible Presence 147-157

CHAPTER VII. COMPENSATION AND REPARATION.

Reparation a natural Instinct, which has peculiar Scope in the Religion of Jesus Christ — Singular Reasoning of some — The Wise Men at Bethlehem — Magdalen's Worship — The Procession of Palms — Application to Catholic Worship — Christian Chivalry 158-166

CHAPTER VIII. THE PATTERN ON THE MOUNT.

How Catholic Ritual grew up — The Pattern on the Mount is the Life of Jesus Christ — The Church is able to create Ritual — Answer to Objections — Catholic Ritual results from the Love of Jesus Christ 167-174

PART II.

THE ORIGIN OF CATHOLIC RITUAL JUSTIFIED BY THE NEW TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER I. RITUAL CONSIDERED AS TRADITION.

Scope of the Second Part is to show the Testimony of the New Testament to Traditional Ritual — "Unwritten" Tradition does not exclude Literature — Tradition not collected from ancient Books — It is living — The Publication of the Canon of the New Testament could not displace Tradition, even if they were Coextensive — Institutions must speak — Ritual Institutions of Divine Origin contain and proclaim Clusters of Doctrines — A supernatural Ritual does not admit Interruption — Therefore the assumption "Bible alone" rejects such a Ritual a priori and is inconsistent with free inquiry 175-186

CHAPTER II. SCRIPTURE SENDS US TO RITUAL AND TRADITION.

What Traditions our Lord condemned — Some Protestant Traditions — Tradition necessary for Ignorant and for Learned — Unanimity through Tradition — Our Lord and the Apostles both send us to Tradition — Living Tradition and Scripture both Instruments of the Holy Ghost — Tradition never superseded 187-199

CHAPTER III. RITUAL A KEY TO SCRIPTURE.

Section I. How Ritual helped to edit the New Testament, Whately's Sophism about the Church as an ignorant Letter-Carrier — A true Analogy of Church as Guardian of Scripture — She alone could edit the Apostolic Writings 200-205

Section II. What Key will open the New Testament.

Historico-Grammatical Method not sufficient for understanding New Testament — Locke's Defence of Diversity a Reductio ad absurdum — Cause of Obscurity of New Testament — Providentially thus inspired lest the Casket should be opened without the Key of Unity and Charity 205-212

Section III. Baptism and Communion.

The Notices of divinely instituted Rites in the New Testament presuppose the Knowledge of the Rites : 1. Notices of Baptism ; 2. Notices of Communion — Those for whom the New Testament was written had the Key in their Ritual 212-222

Section IV. Other Rites.

Other Rites considered — Feet- Washing — Anointing — Need of some Rule to determine the relative Importance and Permanency of Ritual — Rites may be justified but not derived from Scriptural Notices pp, 222-229

CHAPTER IV. THE CANON AND THE CODE.

Traditions sifted like Scripture, by the Church only — The Canon of Scripture and Code of Ritual — Is Scripture incomplete? — Plan of Inspiration — Well-known Doctrines and permanent Facts not prominent — This is no Difficulty to those who possess Tradition, but Cause of Embarrassment and Error to Protestants pp, 230-240

CHAPTER V. VIEWS OF HISTORY.

The Protestant View makes Religious History an Anti-Climax — Passage from Milton — Grandeur of Catholic View — Recapitulation — The Tradition here defended not sub- Apostolic, but now living — The Catholic Church is always Apostolic — Illustration of Protestant, Anglican, and Catholic Views from a Building — The Church is God's Building — Circumspice pp, 241-250