[posted] Posted(#64741, Cowan)

[David Price]

The Ritual Movement, by James Galloway Cowan                             64741
   [Subtitle: Three plain sermons preached at St. John the Evangelist's,
              Hammersmith]
   [Link: http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/7/4/64741 ]
   [Files: 64741-0.txt; 64741-h.htm]


For those wishing to know: in the early 1800's Church of England services 
were very plain, with no special robes, choirs, ceremony etc.  That was 
challanged by the Tractarian movement which amongst other things wanted to 
see a lot of older ritual restored.  When Rev. Cowan (1828-1875) decided 
to tackle the subject in these 1866 sermons, there were heated debates in 
the local newspapers, special interest groups at each other's throats etc. 
Cowan rejected blanket ritual practises but in a surprise move (given he 
wasn't known as a ritualist) he defended quite a bit of the Ritualist 
Movement on the basis of the Bible and the established Church of England 
written practise.  In particular he thought the church could do with 
better decoration and more money being spent on it.  Unlike some of his 
other topical sermons, this is three sermons togethers, each following on 
from the previous one.

All the best,
David,
Sunny England (now night so cannot see)