When I ventured to argue with the Colonel, he said to me: "That is
the worst of you High Churchmen, you make the ritual more important
than the Communion itself." All human judgments, my dear Mark, are
relative, and I have no doubt that this unpleasant young man (who,
as I have already said, was no doubt justly punished by Father
Rowley) may have felt the same kind of feeling in a different
degree that I should feel if I assisted at the jugglery of the
Reverend Archibald Tait. At any rate you, my dear boy, are bound to
credit this young man with as much sincerity as yourself, otherwise
you commit a sin against charity. You must acquire at least as much
toleration for the Ritualist as I am glad to notice you are
acquiring for the thief. When you are a priest yourself, and in a
comparatively short time you will be a priest, I do hope you won't,
without his experience, try to imitate Father Rowley too closely in
his summary treatment of what I have already I hope made myself
quite clear in believing to be in this case a most insufferable
young man. Don't misunderstand this letter. I have such great hopes
of you in the stormy days to come, and the stormy days are coming,
that I should feel I was wrong if I didn't warn you of your
attitude towards the merest trifles, for I shall always judge you
and your conduct by standards that I should be very cautious of
setting for most of my penitents.
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