[See page image]

Page 48

48

termined to introduce a uniform liturgy, and their unanimous outline for such a liturgy was approved by the council. Burgauer now objected to some unessential details and refused to yield, even when urged by Bullinger and Blaurer. The clergy, wearied by his obstinacy, finally requested the council to remove him from his position; and the council, after some hesitation, acquiesced. Burgauer's partizans, in their turn, insisted on Ritter's dismissal, and on Whitsunday, 1536, both received their congas.

On May 8, 1536, Ritter was called to Bern, where he soon became chief dean. Yet here again he was involved in controversy. The rigid Zwinglianism which had formerly prevailed in Bern had been disturbed by the call to the city of two advocates of the union urged by Butzer, Peter Kunz, and Sebastian Meyer. The unionistic faction was now headed by Kunz and, the Zwinglians by Kaspar Megander (q.v.). In the following year, however, Megander left Bern on account of certain changes made without his knowledge by Butzer ih a catechism which he had been commissioned by the council to frame, Butzer seeing in the original draft obstacles to the union between the Lutherans and the Reformed. Ritter, having taken no active part in the affair, felt able to obey the command of the council to subscribe to the catechism under pain of dismissal, but Megander, deeply offended by the successful opposition of Butzer, left Bern for Zurich, soon followed by his friend Johannes Moller (Rhellicanus). The compliance of Ritter, though sincere, especially in view of the needs of the church at Bern, was disapproved by his partisans; and clerical dissatisfaction with the nation and attitude of the council led to violent demonstrations. At this crisis Ritter labored successfully to secure peace, and at the same time regained the confidence he had forfeited.

In Mar., 1538, Ritter and Kunz were delegates to the Synod at Lausanne, where the former formed ties of friendship with Calvin, Farel, and Viret. He was the only one of the Bernese clergy to welcome the exiles from Geneva, later accompanying them to Zurich, where their case was to be considered in May; and when the council of Bern sent a delegation to Geneva to bring the exiles back, Ritter was one of the number at the special request of Calvin.

The places of Megander and Rhellicanus at Bern were filled by the unionistic Thomas Grynaeus and Simon Sulzer, but Ritter, though now the only Zwinglian among the city clergy, rapidly regained his wonted sure footing, especially as he was supported by the majority of the dissatisfied clergy of the countryside, and until his death he held his position, unwearied in his polemics.

(G. KmCHHOrEB.)

BIBLJOO$APH7: J. Strickler, Aktenaammlunp our achweiserisohen Reformotionapeachichte, Zurich, 187884; M. Kireh-

RITTER, KARL: German geographer; b. at Quedlinburg (31 m. a.w. of Magdeburg) Aug. 7, 1779; d. at Berlin Sept. 28, 1859. He received his education at Halle; served as pi vate tutor; became professor of history in the Gymnasium at Frankfort, 1819; and was appointed professor of geography in the University of Berlin in 1820, and gave a new and powerful impulse to that branch of study. Those of his works which are of interest for the student of the Bible are Der Jordan and die Betrehifung des Todten Meeres (Berlin, 1850); Ein Buck auf Pa tlstina (Berlin, 1852); and Die Errlkunde in nineteen parts (1822-59; in part translated by W. L. Gage and entitled The Comparative Geography of Palestine and the Sinaitic Penintrtda, 4 vols., Edinburgh, 1866).

BrauooawrHy: W. L. Gage, The Life of Carl Ritter, 1887; A. Guyot, Carl Ritter, Princeton, N. J., 1880; G. Kramer,

RITUAL: A form of worship or other solemn service, prescribed and established by law, precept, or custom, in contrast with a more or less extemporaneous mode of worship that depends on the discretion of the leader or the impulse of the worshipers. Also the office-book of a ritualistic body. See RrrueLism.

RITUAL-EXAMINATION (Gebettwerh6r). From the time when the Christian Church first developed into an objective organized institution, certain proofs of a knowledge of the faith have been exacted from those accepted into its membership. The Church has endeavored to guard, confirm, and cherish the Christian life of its members, by preaching, instruction, and the other instrumentalities of the care of souls, but also by formal tests, and admission to its honors and privileges, and even participation in the sacraments have been conditioned upon the result of such examination. Thus during the Middle Ages sponsors had to show that they knew at least the creed and the Lord's Prayer. People gathered for confession before the Holy Communion were examined, and even bride and bridegroom had to undergo a test (Brautexamen; see WEDDING CffaTOMs). The Protestant church rituals of the second half of the sixteenth century prescribe a public examination for all young people and servants, which was in no way identical «ith the catechetical tests for confirmation. The Pomeranian church ritual of 1593 appointed one Sunday afternoon in each quarter for this purpose. Similar orders and regulations are contained in the Brandenburg ecclesiastical order (1572) and in that of the electorate of Saxony (1580). The Thirty Years' War abolished these catechetical institutions, and it was not easy to restore them after the return of peace. But with the advent of Pietism (q.v.) under Spener they were revived.

These catechetical institutions underwent a peculiar development in Sweden and East Prussia. The Swedish ecclesiastical order of 1686 appointed examinations on a large scale. There was (1) an examination on the sermon on Sundays when the Holy Communion was not celebrated; (2) of persons