The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-07-16 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

IY)RCH/18TER, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1867.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The Reform Bill has passed through committee,
been reed a third time, and wended in a cloud of
rhetoric to the quiet atmosphere of the House of ;
Lords. The Bill in its first form, and the Bill in
its last form, bear no more resemblance than the
grub haa to the butterfly, and Mr. Disraeli has
friends upon his own ride of the Mouse, who are
anxious to prevent his satisfaction at the success of
his management from running into extreme exulta-
tion, and disturbing the modest equanimity of his
temper. Sir Rainard Knightely was very forward
on Tuesday afternoon in chanting sic ros 11011 °obis.
The Chancellor of the &chewier will doubtless
appreciate the good-nature of the honourable
baronet's suggestion that the original text of the Bill ;
should be printed, with the emendations and ,
omissions in the margin, wows to exhibit how much
; of the real authorship of the Bill belongs to the
Government. Such an edition of the Bill would,
Sir Rebuild thinks, be • en•ions literary and historical
document. Mr. Disraeli, we dare say, has no strong
' personal objection to the proposal. If adopted, it
would simply exhibit the completeness of his
ascendancy over the Tory party. lind, so mach
the better, it may be said for that party.
; Under the guidance of the Chancellor of
I the Exchequer a measure has been passed
which the country generally refer& with satisfaction,
though we are threatened with mattered agitation
I against the ratepaying ebonies. It is said that the
House of Lords will leave an interval of one week
' between the first and the second reading of the Bill.
According to the Observer, there is considerable talk
of the House of Lords either rejecting the lodger
' franchise altogether, or at least 000 tining ite opera.
tion to • few of the larger towns, and the untimely
; speech of Mr. Bouverie on Friday night against this
fnutchise, lends some oonfirmation to the rumour.
It is expected that the session will close about the
middle of Anima, although no calculation is at all
Reliable.

Mr. Berkeley made his annual motion in favour of
the ballot on Friday night, and was seconded by Mr.
Osborne hitherto bat • lukewarm supporter of the
proposal: Both the hon. gentlemen argued for mast
voting as essential to the protection, not of the poor
from the tyranny of the rich, but of the working
man from the dictation of his union and his clan.
De Tooqueville was quoted by the philosophical
member for Nottingham to show the neoemity of the
ballot as a corrective of the evils of Democracy, and
as • safeguard against the tyranny of numbers.
There were siais of awakened cariosity and atten-
tion upon the Onnasnative benches, and the cries of
scepticism and impatience which bare oommonly
proceeded thence were unheard. But the supporters
of the ballot seem to be slowly dwindling away, for
whereas on former occasions as many as 200 have
been in favour of it, on Friday night but 112 re-
recorded their votes in support of the motion.

On the proposal of Mr. J. W. Treeby, M.P. for
Lyme Regis, an important clause has been added to
the Reform Bill to prevent the °minion of namie
from the register which are entitled to be upon it.
The bon. member's motion, which TM aocepted
by the Government, requires the overseers of
parishes to make out, on or before the 22nd day of
July in each year, lists of moms in arrears of rates
due before the sth of the preceding January—the
lists to be amessible without feefor fourteen days after
the time of their oompliation. This iii compromise
between the Home &welary's proposal of • news-
paper advertisement and Mr. Locke's plan of indi-
vidual servioe of notice, and it is am amok better
than the former as it is inferior to the bitter.

The Bonary Commissioners do not ezpsot to
report apoo the borough od enmity boundaries anti!
next Christmas. The mutant oommissimers will
bays to mak. their reports upon the proposed
boundaries, ...welt the commissioners themselves
mast consider, and in many oasis will have personally
to inspect before they can make their report
-

. -
The Bankruptcy Bill seared ou Thursday the fate
which awaits measures whioh at this period of the
seeslon still linger in their earlier stages, and the
Attorney General announced that it would be with-
draws. The friends of the Bill, if it kis auy, nay
my that It has been sacrificed to the brilliant moons
of Mr. Muesli's Reform legislation, and its
opponents, that a ditheult7 has been &loudly avoided;
oartainly, however, It is to late too make a good BM
of. bad one which his Mill to pen through Com-
mittee It oontained no less than 497 sections, was
divided into 44 parts, and would hare required more
than human power to master the &Win It seems
odd that it should take so much legislation to direst
honed men in so plain a matter as the realising
and distributing of the effects and estates of
bankrupts.
The Londaners must be almost embarrassed at
present by an aeons of sight-easing. The Sultan,
the Viceroy, the Belgians, with special entertain-
ments for them, or trending on each other's heels,
or tripping each other up. The Egyptian ruler
has now had a week's expwieooe in England, and
his reoFtioo, petting ands the cireurnstsnos that
his Hi noes would have been left to the accommoda-
tion o an hotel by Use Government but for the
gaterins hospitality MBAR Dudley, must have been
on the whole pleasing, although be was so" hunted"
at the Zoological Gadder that his osly 'ship was
a retreat,, and that he was supposed to Is
"honoured" by the assemblage at the Manatee
Hones of a crowd of two or three hundred people,
most of them of them of no distinction whatever
tbs ordinary and eager frequenting of the Lord
Mayor's table, wiling in his presence an elaborate
nd oppressive meal ! Those who understand

Lird Lyons is'gszetted to the Enghsh Embassy&
Park. He is succeeded at Constantinople by Mr.
Elliott, who, in turn, is replaced as Minister at
Floresice by Sir Augustus Paget.
The notable thing in the Paris news of the week is
a debate on the Mexican embroglio in the Corps
Legislatif. Mr. niers said :
"The Mexican expedition has ended without any
good minket* France. Our compatriots remain exposed
to greater losses than over, our commerce with Mexico
is rained, and the prestige of our greatness is °mil-
prombied in America. Even in Europe the Mexican
embroglio has hampered our attitude towards the great
revolution accomplished in Germany. The lesson of
this unhappy expeditior Is that control and opposition
are necessary. The Mexican expedition was approved
by no one in France, but was, nevertheless, undertaken
ansl continued for several years There are two ways
of understanding monarchical Government. The first
is the rule of a Prince with irresponsible Ministers, who
merely execute the orders they receive. The second is
a Prince governing with responsible Ministers, whohave
to submit their views to hint as the head of the State,
and can, if necessary, lean upon a representative
Assembly which is able to oppose the Ministers, both,
however, dependent upon public) opinion. This is the
form of monarchy towards which we must
advance as speedily as possible in the interest
of the Government and the country."
Perfect silence prevailed in the Chamber during this
speech. M. Granier de Careens° defended the
Mexican expedition. M. Jules Fevre stated that
the real idea of the expedition was the subversion
of the Mexican Republic and the establishment of
a throne in Mexico, but this intention had bees
enameled by the Government. The French troops
might to have brought bank Maximilian, and thus
have saved Frani» from the stain of blood which
will reek upon her. In the sitting of Wednesday,
M. Rouher spoke for two hours in • vain
attempt to show that the Mexican expedition was
• meritorious conception • that the chamber had
been sufficiently consulted about it; that the
Government had repeatedly premed Maximilian
to come home with the troops; that the failure had
not diminished the prestige of Franc,; that it
had not weighed upon her conduct in regard to
Germany, and he concluded by teeing in vain tbe
much abused named of Providence, which he was
persuaded would yet accomplish the grand and
generous ends which the Emperor had in view. M.
Jules Fevre maintained the opinion he held the
previous day. The following 'S same" occurred :
M. Payee: The government is responsible not only for
the security and honour of France, bet also for her
treasure and blood - (commotion). To lavish her blood '
iso erinie. To speculate upon and recklessly to coin.
re promise her venue by em oying it in defence of a
came which must inevitably all is more than a fault.
To spill the blood of our poor soldiers in • foreign in-
terest, is a responsibility from which no eloquence on
the part of any minister can free the government—
(great interruption). I will add that it is not only
Mexico you wished to strike; through the heart of
Mexico you likewise sought to pierce that of America
—(" enough, enough," loud denials).
M. Selniontel . You are denouncing Prance; it Is
not patriotic.
M. Fevre : The result of the expedition, on the contrary
has been to aggrandise America; the end of your policy
has been te throw this fine country which you desired
to save from anarchy into the arms of the United
States—(interruption). Yee, in that note of eh*
Moniteur which I alluded to the other day as insulting
tea government which bee strength, and against which
you are now powerless—(confusion and cries of
Enough")—in that note you said that Mexico would
be too happy at being absorbed by her powerful neigh-
bours Having thus compromised the finances of
France, having made use of French blood it a manner
that must weigh heavily on your conacienoes —(uprosr)
—I have aright to lay that in a free country you would
be impeached—)repeated and continued uproar, several
voices crying out "Order, order," "Enough," 'Ad-
journ").
A German paper published a bit of startling news
last week —that Russia had proposed to Franc, and
America an intervention on the "Irish question."
The Journal of St. Petersburg, however, is
authorised to declare the report "a pure invention."
Admiral Tegethoff, saps a Vienna telegram, has
left for Vera Cruz to claim the remains of the late
Emperor Maximilian, lie will be accompanied by
• French general, and the two together will proceed
to New Orleans, and there embark for Mexico. The
Globe of Saturday believes a serious quarrel is im-
pending between Mexico and the United States, on
amount of the &insure of Santa Anna on board an
American vessel, where he had been placed for
safety, and for his subselnent execution.
, Official news has been received from Omar Pasha
announcing that nearly all the districts in Candi*
have submitted to the Turkish troop, and that the
insurrection is stamped out.

THE RITUAL COMMISSION AND
CONVOCATION.

The importune of the debate in the House of
Lords, *hick arc, on Lord Shaftesbory's question
to the Archbishop of Canterbury, cannot be over-
robed; it has dispelled the dream of Arohdeaoon
Denison and some of his frisods, and sheen them
that, although the Country may permit them to play
the game of Eoclesiaatioa it will never leave the
Church in the hands of Convocation, while Ills made
op of its present materials. In answer to emu
memorialists from the diocese of Bath and Wells,
who uprooted their opinion of the danger that would
arise from any alteration of the Book of Common
Prayer, to., by the sole authority of Parliament,
les grace says r " I have the satisfaction of inform-
ing them that Convocation will be duly unstilted
upon the matters submitted to the royal commission
alluded to, before Parlament shall make any
enactment touching them." Here was Convocation
representing only one part of the clergy even and
none of the laity of the Church, placed ;hove
Parliament, and the royal commission I Men heard
and read this with astonishment; they could not
believe that the Primate had said this out of his
own head. They knew what a hand Mr. Wa/pole,
whose name is a sufficient guarantee for honest
stupidity, and imbecile subserviency, had had in
manufacturing the commission, and concluded that at
lout he had sanctioned this bold declaration of the
Archbishop. So Lord Ithaftasbur7, after due notice,
called his graos to account for Um document, con-
cluding his very able address with these words :

It was a matter of great importaoa.—oay of
necessity, that if they asoartained from the arebblahop
that he had authority for what he had stated In that
letter, they must cowls& that the authority on which
he acted concurred with him and that nothing **old
or ought to be don,upon the sole authority of parlia-
ment. It would be necessary for their lordships
to demand an explanation of what was the meaning
of Convmation—(lieer, Leai) If Clcb7cdati"' w" to
bs erected into a body of rush power their lordships
must know what it wee. They must ask whether it
wes to be confined to the single province of Centerbury,
or to be combined with the provinoe of York. They
oust go further than that, and ask whether the Coo-
vocations of Dublin and of Armagh were not to be
Included, and the repreeentatime of some 2,000
clergy in Ireland. All that mull be °toady set out
ware they could recognies Convocation as • power
to which they were to yield or to labia, and Parlierneot
must know exactly what that great power wee which
was assuming such nulititifidelli Proportions. They
must know also what was the relation of Convocation
to the two houses of Parliament. It was mid that
nothing maid be done, or ought to be dam,
on the sole authority of Parliament, and that
every alteration must be previously schtnittad
and approved of by Convocation; and of that the
archbishop approved. They must, therefore, aseertain
what where the relations of Convocation to Parliament;
they had a right when melt language was mod to
know whether it had any eo-ordhiste authority, and
whether Mere wee any supreme authority or any_sub-
ordinate authority. To say that Pediment amid not
see by its sole authority was to say that there wee
a oenceryeut jurisdiction. They must, therefor,
know in what relation Convocation Mood to the Paths.
meat; whether it poseemed supreme, condiment, or

the position of the Viceroy towards this subordinate authority. All those questions would
d arise
0011•47,
_mach appreciate him, bat his on the answer he expected to receive from
Mal fated to occupy the palace of moon to the rev. Primate. ft was vary possible that he might give.
each as answer as would remove all the existing
Sultan's sun, and this is to be as
' apprehension. He therefore took the liberty of putting
of the two potentates, whatever thrrroldninals
the question of which he bad given notice—on what
relating' to each other, he is far more deserving of authority it w stated that Convosation would be duly
courtesy from this country.
as
The Sultan's entry On consulted upon the matters submitted to the royal
Friday, was a grand triumphal mgr.* and commission before Parliament should make any enact.
strangely enough, this occurred on the blahommedan meat touching them.
Sabbath. We cannot say, however, whether any The Archbishop, having defended himself against
precept of Islam Was thus bridles' but, if se, we, this most inconvenient (location, by an appeal to
=the dultSultanhag leer" the bid practice of law and precedent, especially referring to the days
.breaking during his stay in Paris. The
Psdishah, the Sovereign of Turkey, the Commander , of Charles IL, found that be only made the case
worse than it was before: he had much better have
of the Faithful, is welcomed gladly, idahominedan
contented himself with acknowledging that he had
though he be, as one of the comity of European
gone beyond his powers, and that the promise to the
Kings. Ile is doing his beet, we believe, to fashion inemorie'i da was unauthorised ; his appeal to pie'
the goverment of his composite country after the
cedente only gave the opportunity for two heavy
beet, most modern, and most civilised model, and if I
,
blows to the dignity of C invocation, Lord Gran-
ite wishes to complete his work he cannot do worth and Lord Shaftesbury having shown, the
better than make a study of the country which now 1 former that his grace's particular precedents were
receives him as a guest, and is proud to do him inapplicable, the latter that precedents in general
honour. As for the Belgians they have, from the were spinet him.
monument of their landing. met with a very hearty bold Cranworth could not allow a remark which had
reception from the people. They have reoeived fall.n from the most rev, prelate to peso without
ovation, and proffers of fraternisation wherever 0b.,,,,,,g,,,,,. No Goalie it was true, as a legal principle,
they bay* gone. Indeed their visit must have been that attitude must he repealed by the same authority
highly plesettrable to them if they had been as Well as that by which it had been enacted; but the most rev.
treated by the authorities and the Reception COM- prelate was entirely mistaken if he supposed that the
mike* as they have by the public ; but from the authority of the Book of Common Prayer malted
Scat, it appears, there was a breakdown in the official from any act of the Convocati on.--(oheers) . It was
arrangements. very true that before the Act of Uniformity was pawed
a commission was directed to certain learned persons to
A long eorrespondenoe has peeled between the revise the Prayer Book, that the Prayer Book was then
Bishop of Durham and the Hon. and Rev. O. It referred to Convocation, and that it WM the recom-
Grey, brother of Earl Grey, and brother•in-law of mendation of Convocation which had induced perils,
the Earl of Carlisle, in rioneerpienoe of the Bishop meat to pass the act; but Convocation was not the body
having erased the name of Mr. Grey, who practices , which had given it the authority it pnenined.—(hear,
ultra.ritualiem in his Church, from his list of rural.. beery It might be perfectly expedient that Convoca•
deans. The Bishop, while regretting that be ni , tion should be again consulted •in fact he should be
oompelled to take this step, says that as rand dean disposedto with his noble friend that it would
be' but let no one (Ley that any alteration could be
it is Mr. Grey's office, as the i epresentative of the made inthe law byeny other authority than that of the
Diooesan, to guide and counsel the younger clergy, Queen, the Lords,and the Commons.—(oheers).
and so long NI be holds such office what be does The Earle( Shaftesbury said he was greatly relieved
will be considered as done by the authority of the to hear that no official sanction had been given to the
Bishop. Mr. Grey in reply expresses a willingness statement of the moat rev. prelate. If the most rev.
to have removed some of the objectionable "em' prelate rested his statements on precedent., he would
broidery," if be had been requested to do so, but end the precedents against him. The second Prayer
complains that although in use for the last ten years Book of Edward VL was pasted by royal authority,
his lordship bat only now objected to its use. In without controlling Convocation; and that of the diet
ani with'
another letter Mr. Grey says that be neither holds yoalTsna as nt of oene. of the reign of Elisabeth was not only
etten. but actually against I,
the doctrines of Transubstantistinn nor COMM
stantiation, but he does from his heart believe in the
b' and that Prayer Book was the Prajer Book of Eriglanri
from the time of Queen Elisabeth down to the time of
Reel Presto," M the Weed and wine. It will thus of the Protectorate. Out of courtesy to the most rev.
be seen that the differences between hint and the prelate, he (Lord Shafteshug) would postpone the
Bishop lie far deeper than any question as to wooed reading of the Clerical Vestments Bill, which
vaittnente, was on the orders for the following, day, till th,t day
. ._ . . . .. ~ .

week; has if **report of the Atari eimission were
not ready by that time. he bad no objection to postpone
the second reading of the Bill for • fortnight.
Here indeed was a "heavy blow and great dis-
couragement" to the Prteata' Parliament! and the
way in which Lord Cran worth's remarks were received
shows plainly enough that Convocation has little to
expect from the House of Lords. But greater die-
oouragement was in store for them, and from one of
themselves. The utter inospacity of Convocation
led to its practical suppression for a length of time,
until its foolish revival a few year. since In A. D.,
1704, • shrewd political writer says : "Will he he
pleased to tell us whether that body (Convocation)
who have DOW sat above fifteen years annually,
have done one act or thing for the beoeflt of the
Church they represent! Or have they done any.
thing but wrangle among themeless Have sot some
gentlemen filled the world with volumesand learned
tracts on little matters, relating to adjoarnings and
remises of that assembly! That one difficulty seems
not yet mastered; and how can we expect that
spirit of candour, that temper of mind which is
absolutely neoewary to bring to pass so great • bless-
ing as this of a Protestant Union!'
And now the Bishop of London, having referred
to the fact that for five years Convocation had in
vain endeavoured to pus a new canon to enable a
parent to be sponsor for his own child, proceeded
to soy—
Convocation, as it at present existed, roust not be
offended, therefore, if the imperial parliament, or if its
best friends, should think that as • machinery for
legislation it was one of a very cumbrous kind. It was
true that this course of referring measures to it had
been adopted on a recent °cession ; but in that ease be
might remark that there was no reference in the
preamble of the act to any co-ordinate jurisdiction of
convocation. A learned civilian had published • book
containing 2,000 pars of statutes relating to the
church. Of those there were only seven acts that did
not &prose to have been enacted by the mole authority of
parliament, and amongst those which had not received
the sanction of Convocation he had reason to believe
were two of the Ants of Uniformity. He could not
concur, therefore, in the opinion which had been
expressed upon the authority of Convocation, though
be agreed that they should show ell revue to an
ancient body which, tl on ;b in a very imperfect meaner,
did in some sort represent the clergy of the Church ot
England. It was suggested that this course of referr-
ing the proposed legislation to Convocation should be
taken out of deference to those who had high notions
of church authority, because it might be expected that
they would be willing to listen to the voice of Convoca-
tion in this matter. But he held in his hand a pamphlet
written by • gentleman who was • great authority
amongst such persons (the Bev. W. .1. Bennett, of
trona), and whose language on the subject was not
very satisfactory. He said, "The fact of • session of
presbytery in one house surrounded with technical
etiquette in approaching the other evidently outs off the
joint spirit of deliberation, and at once dcstroys the
convocation of the dery as an assembly working for
Ood'a church under the infinena of the Holy Ghost.
On this rround, therefore, we could not trust it. . .
What chance is there of any really pure, spiritual.
1 unbiassed deliberation in the affairs of the church in nob
an assembly as thia !" if, therefore, there gentlemen
did not hold convocation to be an assembly fit to be
entrusted with the diseumion of this subject, it would
I hardly be worth their lordships' while to go oot of the
I ordinary course for the sake of consulting it—(bear,
hear). One ruscn why many thought that it was
unreasonable that parliament alone should deal with
such subjects, was because it did not now consist
exclusively of m, nibere of the Church of England. Now
unlcas he (the right rev. prelate) was greatly mistaken
it wai not until 1672 that Roman catbolies and noncon-
formists were occluded from parliament, and therefore
the great acts relating to the church had all been pared
in parliaments constituted very mush as the present
was—(hear, hear).
Thus showing at the same time the Incapacity of
Convocation, the utter want of respect for it on
the part of the Ritualist., and the perfect fitness of
Parliament to do all that was necemary. Of course
the discussion could not end without a few words
from the Bishop of Oxford. Having endeavoured to
stop the Bishop of Carlisle in his well-timed warning
to Lord Derby to take care not to identify himself
with Convocation, his lordship asked "where this
die:union was to end, for his part he was content to
leave the matter where it now Was." Admirable
simplicity I No one has a greater objection to dis-
cussion than Dr. Samuel Wilberforce, when the
truth is thereby brought to light, and we can well
believe that he did begin to wonder where the dis-
cussion would end; it bad already been sufficiently
damaging to himself and his party; it had already
leaked out that the Royal Commission is not quite a
"happy family," that it would be obliged to correct
some abuses in spite of itself; of course, therefore,
the sooner the discussion was stopped the better for
that single.nunded prelate, who is always content to
leave things as they are, when they are going hia
way, although no man has done more to abuse thing@
from what they were than himself.
However, the Bishop of Carlisle was not to be put
down, and he succeeded in wringing from Lord
Derby a somewhat reluctant and ungracious admis-
sion, "that Parliament was in no way dependent
upon any opinion Or consent of Convocation in
legislating on these matten. As, however, the
noble Earl expressed his opinion that it was duir-
able that Convocation should be unsuited, we
would add our warning against this suicidal taunts.
, There is a striking resemblance between his lord.
ship's position, and that of the last ministry of
Queen Anne. Harley seemed to have quiet possee•
non of his position, and oertainly was well qualified
to bold II: but in his Cabinet there were from the
beginning the seeds of diswalation, via., certain High
Churchmen whose devotion to Eleeerdotal power
and privilege was Ovir • stumbling-block in tne
path of that enlightened statesman. Intend of follow.
mg his own instincts, which would have made his
name illustrious for ever in England's history, and
re-uniting the broken fragments of the Christian
Church in one strong Protestant body, he was
hampered and hindered by Convocation which, in
consequence of the High Chun* element in his
Cabinet, he could not throw overboard, sad so, like
a strong swimmer with a heavy weight attached to
, him, he sank in the troubled waters of the politics
of the day. Lord Derby has a glorious prospect
! before him. He has to form and fashion the vastly
increased oonstituency which be himself has intro-
duced into the Bate, and with his own commanding
genius, and high unselfish character, and a Cabinet
full of able men of business, evidently bent on
winning their way to the country's confidence, be
may find himself more secure than ever in his
honourable position ; but let him keep clew of Con.
vocation. The next election will see many new
men coming to the front, but few will enter Parlia-
ment who have not frankly pledged themselves to
resist the aggressive power of those who look on
Convocation as the great engine of their ambition,
and who are rightly suspected of being the enemies
of the trite liberty of the people—who will give the
laity liberty to duce and sing and amass them.
salves, hue no liberty to think for them-
selves on the one most important subject.
Identified with that party, no statesman can
stand, and if Lord Derby makes the mistake of
Harley an& Bolingbroke, an entire and final break
uniting with them, his fall will be, like that of
up of his party.

THE BISHOP CP SALISBURY'S CHARGE.
(hanin Konen)
The chirp of Um Bishop of Salisbury has now
been tothe hands el the clergy long enough to admit
of that "calm, equitable, thoughtful, patient, dutiful,
and charitable conetleration" of his statement, which
his lordship at the Um* of iits delivery claimed, both
of them and of tho kity (Charge, p. 22). And in
°outman, ae we holies*, with a vest proportion of
=
of this &noose, we are looking with no
ety for the result of such oonsidera on
Ow part of so 6 fewer than 700 clergy of our Pro.
instant Church, lot, as a kind of counterpoise to

the insult white this charge offers to tbs Church of
England, and to the injury which it may effect, it
bears with it this one element of good. It has
brought on • ciisis. In the one of any clergyman
who would be respected by his parishioners, by his
clerical brethren, or by the Church generally, it
renders neutrality and even Wenn' on such
momentous subjects impossible. The Bishop has so
addressed the clergy, be has so challenged them, be
bas invested them with such powersiand so defined
that which in his estimation is the relative position
of clergy and laity, especially in the use of our
liturgy, that they math either by word Of deed az-
press their assent to his teaching and attempt to
•cert those powers, or they must avow their dimwit
from such teaching and d inland/such p'iwars as un•
protestant and unscriptural. Timidity or mit
interest or mistaken deference to fancied authority,
or personal regard to the Bishop, may suggest •
middle mum : and one and another may think
it eulficient to express a general disapproval of the
Charge, with a certain degree of ridicule of the
attempts at argument contained in IL But for any
one who would be regarded as an honest Protestant,
this will not be sufficient nor for the cause of the
Established Church itself will such a wenn, if pin.
sued by numbers, be either prudent or safe. The
Bishop is right in his assertion, that "the time is
come, at any rate in this dloosse, when men must
' be ontspoken in defence of the truth" (Charge, p. 58).
I He. sod his remerated friend Dr. Pussy! are right in
their opinion that the issue of that battle in the
"English Church will depend very mainly on the
issue of that *hi& is now *aged against what is
called Elacerdotaiiimi" (page 121). This is the very
system developed by the Bishop in his charge—a
system entailing a bondage which our fathers could
not endure, and for deliveranos from which they abed
their blood. The Bishop mark notwithstanding that it
is the system of the Church of England, and that every
clergymen who doss not so understand and use the
Liturgy of his Church, is either ignorpnt of its true
meaning. or unfaithful to his engagements. To a
bodyvof 700 Presbyters and Deacons, not a few or
whom werebis seniors, many of whom in scholarship,
In intelligence, in piety, in devotedness to their
Master's service are certainly his equals, his
lordship has in the confidence of his position
and of his fancied powers addressed such words as
these

"And here I would say that unless the cronsecration
prayer be admitted to have this ita historical form (that
of imparting to the bread and wine the body and
blood of Christ) as the central feature of the Buelisristie
service, as the Sioramental action which ie intro•
doctor, of our Lord's most precious gifts, it most be
prononnced • senseless unreality, which darkens the
most solemn sot of the hamiut soul in its Communioa
with God." (Charm page M.)
Now we ask, will the majority of 100 Protestant
Clergymen quietly submit to such an imputation on
their intelligence, their mriptural knowledge. and the
spirituality of their worships, this? Will they by
their silence admit such an imputation against the
Proteelaut and scriptural esprension and spirit of
our Communion service. We trust not. if how-
ever, this should unhappily be the cam, we can
assure them that the majority of the laity, at least of
the middle and working classes, will not submit to it.
And that, if the clergy will not lead them. even as
a few faithful men amongst them appear willing to
do, in resisting this bold effort of the Bishop to aid
in unprotestantising the Church of It island, then
the laity will do it alone. We believe they will not
leave a Church so truly Protestant sod Scriptural in
her Creeds, her Article*, her Liturgy, and in the
teaching imparted throughout her service'. We
believe that they are more than ever willing to yield
due deference to the clergyman, helms Bishop. Priest,
or Demon, who, in dependence, according to his pro-
fession, on the teaching of God's spirit, draws his
instruction and advice from God's Word. But
they will not submit to the mode of study and of
teaching which the Bishop so inconsistently pre-
scribes. For let any of our readers individualize the
term laity, and consider the following prescript in
as administered to any nobleman, squire, farmer,
tradesman, merchant, or even labourer, who (and
there are now many such) has learnt to read his
Bible with thought and intelligence :

“ This you will best do (inform yourselves u to "the
duties sod responcibilities resulting from the prune.
tives which belong to you, as those on whom the
unction of the Holy One, our Prophet, Priest, and
King has in • true muse Wen"), by us,ng your Prsyer
Book and the other formularies of your Mural as your
guide in the study of God's word. In such honest
endeavours to inform yourselves what is the faith and
duty of a Churchman, your own clergy, will, I am sure,
most cheerfuily give you (as they are bound to do) help,
and will advise you what other books au provide you
d.pendable assistance.”—page 114.

Naw we, in our simplicity, have ever thought
that while it 'fiords a great oonfirmation to their
views of Scripture, to find throe views set forth in
creeds and formularies, compiled or prepared by
men, who laid dowa their lives, or were ready to
lay down their lives for the truth, yet that members
of a Protestant Church, in possession of an open
Bible, should read and use the Prayer Book in the
light which Scripture throws on it, rather than use it
as • commentary (which it is not) on Scripture. We
hold its doctrines, because they are proved by
certain warranty of Scripture. We adopt and use its
services because these are consistent sib Scripture.
We believe and strive to obey the Scripture not
because of what man says respecting it, but because
in it God teaches. We find, moreover, that the
meaning of the Prayer Book is plain enough, and
that it was intended to be plain-110 that plain men
in using it might worship Gol in spirit and in truth.
But if it were otherwise with us, we should not
follow the advice of tbe Bishop and be ao fully
persuaded of "the supernatural powers" imparted
at his ordination inevitably to any clergyman, that
we should expect, as • matter of course, from
him sound and scriptural advice. Why I the
Bishop himself implies that many of the
clergy may not yet have oonvinced themselves
of "the historical and true meaning" of certain
words in the Ordination service, and that they
must go through a pretty wide course of study in
order to be fully convinced of this. And what if
many of them should recommend, even as his lord-
ship has done, the notorious "Church and the
World," as a book to give us dependable
seeistanoe I Does be expect the laity in such
cases implicitly to obey him or his clergy?
If so he is greatly mistaken. We repeat it:
the charge has brought on a crisis. The middle
classes have thought and read more on this subject
than either the Bishop or many of the aristocracy
suppose; and unions some decided steps be taken by
the clergy and by Parliament too, there will soon be
a kind of action which will astonish the Bishop, many
of his clergy, and not a few of our aristocracy. We
beer • good many who are far removed from what
the Bishop would style the Puritan or Evangelical
schoel, and who so love the Church of England that
they will not leave it, yet, expressing their deter- I
mination neither to allow their children to be con- 11
firmed by him, nor to receive the Holy Communion
from him or his obedient followers. We expect
that at the proposed Protestant meeting at Salisbury '
that, will be some plain speaking on these points.