Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/185

KITCHIE. 165 RITSCHL. Ifatural Rlqhts (1895), Political and Social Ethics ( UWi j, and Plato (l'J02). RITCHIE, Thomas ( 177S-1854) . An Amori- eiiii jdUiiKilist, l)oni in Essex County, Virginia." After studying medicine and doing some teaeliing he removed to Rieliniond and became editor of the Exaiiiiiwr in 1SU4. He clianged its name to Emiuircr. and remained its editor and projjrietor till 1S45. wlien at the request of I'resident Polk lie gave it up to his sons and removed to Washington. There he founded the I'liioii as the ollieial organ of Polk's Administration. In lS4lt he retired and spent his last years in Kielimond. He was a States-rights Democrat and a born editor, full of pugnacity and Scotch stubborn- ness. He made the Eiiqiiirer a power through the Union, and was himself an important figure in contemporary politics. RITE (Lat. ritus, custom; connected with rlii. way, usage, n", to flow) . A religious act per- formed according to an established order, de- termined by rule and usage. In established re- ligions, worship must be carried on in a specified manner, by particular persons, and at special times and places, while its conduct requires train- ing in the celebrant, who usually belongs to an order of priests. The hymns of the Rig Veda, as compared with Hindu faiths of subsequent ages, show incomparably greater directness and sim- plicity. From these and similar cases it has been inferred that acts of worship were originally not limited by prescribed form, but might take place at an}' time and be performed by any individual at his own pleasure. If this doctrine were accepted the history of rites would be relatively modern. Recent investigations, how- ever, have placed a diflferent face on the matter; in North America, at least, aboriginal worship appears to have been ritualistic to an extraordi- nary degree. The Xavahos, for example, possess elaborate ceremonies, of which many are of nine days' duration. So complicated are these, that to become a chanter is the task of many years, and no one person can jierfectly know more than one rite. These offices are performed primarily in order to heal the sick, but have also the seconda- ry purpose of securing temporal blessings of all sorts, of bestowing amusement and social ]ileas- ure. and in general of gratifying religious emo- tions. Other ceremonies' are efficacious in plant- ing, harvesting, building, war. nubility, marriage, travel, and rain-bringing. In their celebration means are employed which answer to the ele- ments of ritual in other continents, such as prayer, sacrifice, singing, dancing, incense, music, painting, procession, and casting of sacred meal. In the ordering of the service the most minute accuracy is required; for example, use is made of 'ketliawns,' or plumed prayer-sticks, which are conceived as conveying messages to the gods. Each of these wands has its owti special symbol- ism, must be offered in a particular manner, and laid in a particular direction, so as to convey its tidings to one speeial deity. When the hearer of the sacrifice leaves the lodge, he proceeds in a direction leading toward a selected place: after he has deposited his offering, he turns to the right and returns by a sunwise path. He must not cross the trail taken in coming, must not cross an ant-hill, and must run during the whole of his route. In the course of the ceremony songs are chanted, which are traditional, having been handed down by word of mouth perlnips for cen- turies; these nuist be known with exactness, for any error made in singing, even to the inis|ilue- ing of a single vocable, will be fatal to the ellicaey of the rite. The songs are not isolated, but di- vi.Ud into groups, which must follow in estab- lished order, and each has a place in its own grou|) which nuist not be changed, inider penally of divine displeasure, and the officiating priest is obliged to remember this ])laee, though the series may contain some two hundred or three hundred pieces. During the function, each day and each night has its own ordained duties. Although the performances of the Niivahos may excel in precision and variety, yet the same character of ritualism seems to i>elong to Indian trilics thnnigh North and South America. If not found among any particular race, the delieiency may be attributed either to imperfccl record, or to the social conditions which have brought into abej'ance an earlier ceremonial religion. The question presents itself, liow far the principles applicable to American ritual may be taken to represent general early religious custom. For the answer to this inquiry material is as yet hardly accessible. It may be atlirnied. however, that the evidence accessible seems to imply that the Indian ritual was lypical. Among the Australians all tribes appear to have elalxi- rate ceremonies, exhibiting many similar features. Throughout Africa full and detailed accounts liave not yet been obtained re])resenting the trilial ceremonies in which corres])ondence would be looked for. Early Egyptian art makes it clear that before the construction of the first pyramids there existed elaborate rites, in which stories of gods were acted out in dance, sony. masquerade, and procession. Although Greek and Roman literature has failed to jireservc de- tailed accounts of local worship, it is certain that every district and temple at one time had its own mysteries, sacred dranuis, aiul exact ob- servance of ceremony. RITES, C'ONGREG.^TION OF. A conuuittee of cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, founded by Pope Sixtus V. ( l-JS-i-loOO) . The number of members has varied from time to time. They are assisted by consultors and minor officials. It takes cognizance of the liturgy, the rites per- taining to the sacraments, the rubrics of the missal and lireviary, the ceremonies of the Church in its public functions, such as the feasts, the due reception of exalted personages, in order to se- cure uniformity and reasonable consistency, and the canonization of saints. The congregation meets at the house of the prefect, who is the senior cardinal of the congregation; but it has an office, the Palazzo della Cancelleria Apostolica, Rome. Consult Bangen, Die riiinischc Curie (Miinster. 1854). RITSCHL. rich'l. ALnRECiiT (1822-89). A German Protestant theologian, the founder of one of the most imjiortant schools of theological thought of the present time. He was born in Berlin. His boyhood was spent in Stettin, his father having been Bishop and general superin- tendent of the Evangelical Church in Pomerania from 18-27. He studied at Bonn. Halle, Heidel- berg, and Tiibingen. In 184(i he became doeent at Bonn, professor extraordinary of theology in 1852, and full professor in 1850. In 18154 he was called to Gottingen, where he died.