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Fr. Richard William Enraght SSC |
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The text below is from an 1880
protest poster against the Public Worship Regulation Act [2] |
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THE VICTORIAN PERSECUTION
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF |
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Notable sources that mention Fr Richard Enraght Richard William Enraght (1837-1898), Rector of Bintry,
Controversialist 1879-81: correspondence and papers on his prosecution
for ritualist practices held at Lambeth Palace Library, Reference -
Archibald Campbell Tait, NRA 8476 Tait |
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A letter from Fr Enraght to the Brighton Gazette on 22nd January 1874 on the subject of Penance in the Primitive Church Sir, I have only just seen the Rev. A. Cooper’s letter in your paper of Jan 8th. It is calculated to mislead on account of the way in which it connects true premises with conclusions, which in no wise way of necessity follow from them. It is most unfair, as Protestant controversialists so commonly do; to adduce the doctrines and practices of modern Rome, and then take for granted that English Catholics endorse them in all particulars. As a matter of fact-attested, amongst others by Roman Catholic theologians of eminence in the earliest times there was no private Confessions, except in connection with the public discipline; 1) the many exhortations to Penance occurring in the writings of the Fathers related always to public ceremonial discipline; 2) in primitive times Absolution was not given in public 3) Confession and Absolution were not, in the Primitive Church, considered of absolute necessity even in the case of grievous sins. From premise, such as these, familiar to all possessing any knowledge of the Primitive Church, Mr. Cooper deduces the conclusion that the more modern forms of Sacramental Confession and Absolution are not merely of no use, but having been found, in certain cases, in the Roman Church, positively harmful, ought to be resisted to the uttermost. And banished from the English Church. Now the true conclusion from the above premises obviously is, to endeavour to return to the practice of the Primitive Church, as the English Church expresses her wish to do in the Commination Office. And meanwhile, “until the said Godly discipline may be restored again” to do the best we can under the altered circumstances of the case, as the Catholic Church has done for centuries, and as the English Church directs her members, both clerical and lay, in her first exhortations in the Communion Office; in the Rubric before the Absolution in the Office for the Visitation of the Sick; in the 33rd Article of Religion; in the 113th Canon of 1603-04; and elsewhere, especially by the mouths of upwards of one hundred of her most eminent Bishops and Divines during the last 300 years. This must be better than to follow the advice of Mr. Cooper and others and let go all penitential discipline whatsoever, Into the merits of the question, I will not enter Richard W. Enraght Portslade |
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"The Late School Board Meeting at Portslade" To the editor of Brighton Gazette, 3rd June 1875 Sir, My attention has only just be drawn to an attack made upon me, in my absence, by Mr. Gossett, of Portslade. I only noticed Mr. Gossett’s slander for the sake of the people to whom I lately ministered. Mr. Gossett is reported to have said, “ The Rev. Mr. Enraght, whose doctrines, if they were not doctrines of the Church of Rome, he (Mr. Gossett) was ignorant to what Church they belonged”. I beg to inform all who care to know that “my doctrines” are those of the “one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church”, in which Mr. Gossett has professed to, but does not, I suppose “believe”; whereas I do. If Mr Gossett means that amongst “my doctrines” as – The Holy Trinity; the Incarnation; the Atonement; that “a child is by baptism regenerates” (Private Baptism of Children in Houses) or “the body and blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper”, (Church Catechism); or that “Our Lord Jesus hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him (Visitation of the Sick); or any such like doctrines common to all parts of the Catholic Church in all ages, and therefore now held by the Church of England in common with “the Church of Rome”- he utters a truism. But if Mr. Gossett means to imply that I have ever said or written one single syllable in defence of those many points wherein the Church of England differs from “the Church of Rome” he utters what all intelligent and unprejudiced persons whom I have taught know to be a slander, and one which I hereby challenge him either to substantiate or withdraw. It is shameful that “Protestants” should persist in deceiving the people with the palpable fallacy that because we hold the old faith in Christ in common with Rome, therefore we also hold all that Rome has seen fit to add to that old faith I am & c Richard W. Enraght Holy Trinity Vicarage, Birmingham |
| From the 1885 Edition of Showell’s
Dictionary of Birmingham:- Ritualism– though there have been many instances of local clergymen adopting practices which usually come under the name of ritualistic, we have had but one “Martyr to the Cause” in the person of the Rev R. W. Enraght, of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Bordesley. Among the numerous practices of which complaint was made against him were the following:- The use of lighted candles, the wearing of the alb and chausuble, the ceremonial mixing of water and wine, the making of the sign of the cross towards the congregation, the use of wafers instead of bread, standing with his back to the congregation during the prayer of consecration, not continuing to stand for the whole time during the prayer, elevation of the cup and paten more than is necessary, causing the Agnus Dei to be sung immediately after the consecration, standing instead of kneeling during the Confession, and kissing the Prayer Book. Remonstrance, monition and inhibition not being sufficient to teach him the error of his ways, Mr Enraght was committed for contempt on Nov. 20, 1880, and taken to Warwick gaol on the 27th. He was released soon after Christmas, and another Vicar filleth his place. |
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Other Websites featuring Fr Enraght Douglas, B. (2006) Enraght’s Eucharistic Theology; part of a PhD thesis entitled, Ways of knowing Anglican Eucharistic Tradition : Ramifications for Theological Education” (The Revd Dr Brian Douglas is Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia). An brief article on Fr Enraght by the journalist Adam Trimmingham on the Brighton Buses “Name that Bus” webpage, under 905 Rev Richard Enraght The research carried out in the Parish of St Nicolas & St Andrew Portslade was used to compose an article for Wikipedia (The Free Encyclopaedia), this can be seen at the following link: - Revd Richard William Enraght |
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References [1] R.T.David (1891). Life of Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury. Vol. 2 page 264 [2] R.T.David (1891). Life of Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury Vol.2 page 422 |
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