The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-05-20 00:00:00

LECTURE ON PRIESTLY PRETEN,IIONS.

_ ... _
In coonection with tb• I/A.-imam+ Young Men
Christian Atsociation the R3V. W. C. TeMpieT loctured at
Alington Hill, on Tneorlay evening. on " What says the
Scritituro on Cm rowan of the Priest " Tie hxturer
opened the subject by stating the usuitli SlXlll3ldral on the
Prottettnt side, derived from Holy Scripture, and tbus
forcibly indicated an objection to the Cratessional :
But what we do objoct to Is plivate, auricular, and
particular confession to a priest. We object to a system
which herelves such intercourse as the following between
• confessor and his penitent—* You must not be dis-
couraged when, through the confessional or any other
way, you kern the fall of priests into the common frail.
ties of human nature with their penitents. Our Saviour
knew very well that the occasions and the temptations
we have to encounter in the confession of girls and women
are so numerous and sometimes so irrepressible that
man would fell. But He has given them the Holy
V Mary, who constantly asks and obtains their
pardon; He 6.. given them the sacrament of laminae*,
where they can receive their pardon as of ten aa they ask
for it. The vow of perfect chastity le a great honour and
privilege, bat we cannot conceal from ourselves that it
puts on our shoulders a burden, which many cannot carry
fee ever. St. Liguori IN/Ti that we must not rebuke this
penitent priest who falls only onoe a month; and some
other trustworthy theologians are still more charitable.
I" The Priest. the Woman, and the Confessional," by Pore
Miniqoy. W. T. Gibson, 12., Haymarket, London, 0178,
page 15 and 15.) We object to this system of private,
auricular, and particular confession, in the interests of
the priest hiroseU, who by his own showing admits he
cannot bear the burden. We object to it in the interests
of all penitents. None should be expelled to so contami-
nating sal degrading an ordeal. What shall we say then
when the victims of the system are principally cheats
women and tender maidens or girls! The seducing priest
has the Virgin Mary to fall back on and equip him for
further Indulgence ; but what is to become of the seduced
penitent? Echo answers what? What says the Seri
tore-" Shall we continue in ain that grace may /
God forbid.*

The lecturer neat took the opportunity of stating the
views of the Proustaut Church sit England. ea indicated
in the Prayer-book :

"Then the same day at trvenirut. being the first day of
the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples
were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood
In the midst, and rah unto them. Peace be unto you.
And when Ho had so said He showed them Ills hands and
His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the
Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you,
so my Fether bath sent me. even so send I you. And when
He bad said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto
them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye
remit, they are remitted unto them, and wlicesicever sins
ye retain they are rettinwl."—John as. 19-23.

What the Scripture' have witnessed in the explanation
of the above wows I have endeavoured to show, in the
first of this series of sermons on confession, En The
point now to which I address myself is—What says the
Prayer-book I This part of our subject may appear less
interesting to our Nonconformist brethren then to us
churchmen; hut I believe that the spiritual welfare of all
who profess and call themaelvee Christians is more or lens
involved in it. Before entering directly on the subject. I
beg to premise that the Bible is the interpreter of the
Prayer-book, rather than the Prayer-Wok of the Bible.
The Bible is the standard of the opimons of Christ's
Church, and not the opinion of Clirigt's Church, in any of
its Jealous, the standard of the Bible. Whether we take
the church to mean the universal visible church, particu-
lar branch of the same, or the spiritual nieutheri of
Christ's body, the truth itself derives not its authority
from the consent of the church. The Bible, the Word of
God, whether the Prayer-hook 'apses or not The church
in either of the above sanest. imperfect, has of ten behm
at fault, and in collision with itself. A fallible agent can-
not he the infallible interpreter 01 the Word of God, the
only infallible interpreter of which is God, the Holy
Ghost. This principle the Church of England samerte in
her Prayer-book from end to end. Constant and intended
defeeence to Scripture shines like abeam of light on every
I took occasion once to count the number of times
rtg:hich our Prayer book refers to the Bills as the one
great source from which she derives her light ant her
strength. Without adducing the Psalms. leesouth and
direct Scriptures which she real,, I found the number to
be more titan a hundred. Space will not permit me to
quote then all: but here is ono—" Holy Seripture
easeteirieth all things necessary to salvation, ID that what-
soever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is
not to be required of any man that It should be believed
as an article of faith, or be thought reqiiisite or
necesaery to salvation.- (Articles, Church of England,
No. I) This is a most important principle, to be kept
steadily In view while examining the truth or otherwise
of any proposition advanced by the Church of England.
Where the Bible is silent she desires to be 'talent, what
the Bible teaches she &litres to teach, and nothing else.
If she brings forward anything not in harmony with, or
capable of Scriptural proof, she binds no man to reoisive
It. As in delivering judgment the Bench admits the force
of some great governing principle, which directs the judges
to a righteous decision, so the Church of England
constantly and invariably appeals and defers to Scripture,
me the great expositor and interpreter of her doctrines and
order. We are not true Church of England men, or
children of the glorious Reforsuatn, till we have grasped
this.

1. Thia being •o, I proceed, in the light of this
principle, to eillolll2o the several passages in our
Prayer-book which ere alleged by ritualist@ to support
the sacerdotal assumptions of Anglican priesthood
Ist. The first of these reproduces the latter words
of our text, which our chureh employs in her service fur
'The Orderine of Primate." "Beceivethe Holy Gb et hir the
office and work of a priest in the Church of God, now
committed unto thee by the imposition of hands.
, Whose sins thou doe forgive they are forgiven,
and when sins thou dust rettln they are retained, and be
thou a faithful dispenser of the Word of God end of His
Holy Hecranseets, stc., (rubric), then the bishop gall
deliver to every one of them kneeling the Bible into his
hand, saying—" Take thou authority to preach the Word
of God, and to minister the holy sacrament in tbe
rutt
be alien thrrbetald ti,b:itlawf"ully.apLinted there. 0nt0.."
not one al stronger than the Scripture wilet It Is
derived, so that if the Bible does not, as we have shown,
bestow sweedotel power., neither doss the lime-book,
as far ea this connection is coscarned. Moreover, when
our Lard invested His ministers with the powen he
intended to bestow, Hs connected the commission, as we
have men, with the heed= o( the Holy Ghost So when
the Church ol England invests her candidates with the
office of priests or presbyters. the connects such ordiee.
tioa with • faithful dispensation of the Word of God.
This is ertablirked, boeiled digitate, not ante by the words
and rubric already quoted, but edally by the
Immediately succeeding the imposition of hands. hVost
merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send open these Thy
aryeaete Thy heavenly blessing, that they is be clothed
, and that Thy Word
;eelithee :Stheibe " spoken by their mouths-may(nothetbree
such emcees that it may never be spoken In vain. Grant
also that on may have gram to hear and receive what they
shall deliver out of Thy most holy Word, or airselble to
the same," hr. le. de. My contention, therefore, is that
as no man can receive the powers of our text, according
to the scripture, without the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
so no man cm receive and really exert-lee thee powers,
according to Scripture and our Prayer-book anises he be
a faithful "dispenser of the Word of God sad of His Holy
Sacraments." This I defy any Roman Catholic or Anglican
Catholic Ritualistic priest to be, as such; for many
reasons I defy them, but, If for no other, for this one,
they profess to repeat the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus
Christ r body and blood in the sacrament of Holy
Communion. This the Bible denies, for "by one offering
He bath perfected for ever them that are sanctified a
(Hebrews x., IL) This, too,. our Prayer-book denies, for
Christ has 'made there on His cross
.1 His
one oblation of Himself ono, offered, • full, per-
fect, and sufficient mention oblation, andaction
for the sins of the whole world."—(C.oeunualen service.)
Whatever the pewee then conveyed in the Church a
Etigland's ordering of Prieste,priseta as presbyters, as able
rulnieters of the New Testament, may receive, mad be able
to exercise them but priests as sacriffee-a, never' because
such priests whether Boman or Anglican can nee.. be
" Faithful dispenser, of the Word of God." But it is
mond "per not the Church of Breland imply that her
priests are invested with sacerdotal powers. in her marries@
for the visitation and communion of the sick, and in one
of her invitations to the Holy CC/M=llloof " I reply no,
distinctly, no. There is no ground in either of these
offices, for the compelling or inviting to private auricular
confession to a priest, or to his pronouncing an she...lute
absolution thereon. Let us see. tat. The Church of
England admits confession generally and individually,
but never, not even in this mueb-relied-on service,
particularly and privately to a priest alone. Neither is
the "special confession" of this office • thing to be
demanded, but to which the penitent may be " mover
and not even is he to be moved to confession unless he feels
his conscience troubled with some " weighty matter."
Neither Is the absolving sentence to be pronounced
unless the sick person heartily desire it, nor is the form
of abeelution supplied imperative, but an aleolution may
be need "alter the sort"--(ses rubric) " Our Lord Jesus
Christ who has 1.11 power to His Church," not to ministers
only, "to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe
in Him, of his great merry forgive thee thine offence."
"It is God then that justtfleth." and "by His authority
committed to me, 1 absolve thee from all thy sins, in the
name of the Father, and of the lion, and of the lloly
Oboe. Had this form been the only reference
In our prayer book to the grace of absolution,
and had not the form Heelf been surrounded by rubrics
and contexts which unite to interpret its real meaning,
and bad it not occurred in a book whose governing
principle is that nothing which is incapable of ecriptural
proof is a part of her wenn, we might have had 11011113 I
difficulty in explaining the nature of the authority here
claimed. But new there is none. The general complexion
of the Prayer-hook--her two other forms of absolution—
and the notelets intrrounding this one supply the light in
which this absolving sentence must be reed The priest
or Presbyter le here es in all our church's offices, simply
• minister of God's Word Ile Is one who has received
authority through that word to declare and pronounce
God., Pasdise and forgiveness to all ",Inners who truly
repent sot
position from
from that In ouzlsorda
the .lssur Christ" (iste the
ro,u absolueon under Rubrics). Tee is • I'M
diger
priest
or invites to prints auricular conferelon. avehtlet!lheenele
nosiness &habits absolutes thereon. The absolution of
this office cesspit bt µabet and absolute. For if so tit*
priest would not be ieeinidad to pray altar it, delivery—
' Oh inset merciful Father . . . . open Thiue eye of
mercy upon this Thy servant, who mygt earnestly desireth
perdpn and forgiveness. Impute not unto him his former
mina- Here then we apply the governing principle
before mentioned. The less must be Interpreted bv the
greater—the occasional by the gesuirei—the form hp
Dot insisted on by the forme which are inestedwon —an
IL:Mikes! astabc• In Ast exattlikasil metric* by the

general bearing and teseldng of that book, which
claims every doctrine and practice repugaant to the Word ;
of God. I notice further that son all her order the
Church of England uses this office as a service,
therefore, it is not to be confined to the sick person and
lb. " armlet/sr" or "piled" alone (both terms are em-
ployed) but to be witnessed at lease and shared in also,
by others. By those for instance whom the minister
&Weems& seen be enters the sick pawn's hou.se—
" Peace be to thia borne, and to MI that dwell in it. Let
no pray," contiuues the minister The sulmegusnt peti-
tions came.; be put up by the minister and sick p rson
Moue, because the !Meister say." Hear as, Almighty and
most merciful tied and Saviour, extend Thy accus-
tomed goorluees to this Thy servant," de, so that
she luck !erten is plainly distinguisbed from the I
Who are the es, end the " I Sorely not the
i minister alone, but the minister and those inmates of the
bowie who ere beeline • service round the sick person's
bed, "those of whom he has teen asking forgiveness." See
rubrie after the oenermion of faith.—This is of out
1 importance in the solution of this difficulty. For, once
you eataloli•'. that the confusions permitted by the
1 Church of England can only be rendered during &service,
1 cud in the pnmenes of third pat-tic.; and the confessional,
mere Remo, ae for as Englend's Church is concerned, is
knocked n the head. 3 And this position is strongly,
fortided by the Moo of the "communion of the sick."
The previous rubric in hich insists that "three or two
at the ems" stull be present with the minister and the
sick pereen on the occaeleu. And the more strongly to
show bow the Church of England excludes the priset in •
sacriticine and meerdotal sense, she appends to this
service the following ruhric :—"But if • man, either by
reason ;if extremity of sicknese or for want of warning in
due time to the curate, or for lack of company to receive
with Lilo or by any other just impediment, do not receive
the Sacrainent of Chriet'e body and blood, the curate shell
instruct him—that if he do truly repent him of hie ens,
and stedfastly believe that Jams Christ had sneered
death upon the Cruse for hint, and shed his blood for his
redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he lath
thereby, mid giving him bearty thanks therefore, he does
eat and drink the body and ',toe of our Saviour Christ
profitably to his souls health, although he du not
receive the Secrament with his mouth,"—• rubric
which completely &epodes of the sacerdotal charac-
ter of the priests •if the Church of England, by
estaleishing the fact that • man may receive "the
Seerament ot the body and blood of Christ," outwardly
web hi. mouth and yet net receive "The body and the
blood," imel, serein, that • ni -ii in repentence towerd• Gel
awl ly teith in the lore Jmus Christ does "spiritually"
(sCe Corn inuldon service) it :eel drink the b ely end
Wood of Curet, although with his mouth he does not par-
take of the &ammo tit eget is thesis:l and pledge thereof."
But ilos• not one of the invititions to the Holy C ee•
townie's say " Became ills requeite that no man should
cone: to the holy colatnintion but with a full trust in G
mercy, and with • quirt conseienee, therefore if there le
any ut tett who by thi4 rneaus cannot quiet his own con-
science herein, but reqiiiri tie further comfort or counsel,
Let him cause to we ier Biome other discreet and learned
minister of 0 ode word and "open his grief, that ey the
ministry of God's word, be may receive the benefit of
absolution together with ermatly counsel and advice "I
It does; but meninx • grief is one tiling and privets
coula soother.
ssion is anoer. And here again does the
Mitircchuli strf England lay the circumflex aco-ent in empower-
ing her:presbyters on their capability of ministering God's
word—so that according to the requirements of this very
invitation, no Roman nor Anglican Catholic Prime as
one who insists cm sacesdotal power., can as much ea issue
this invitation—on the other hand "discreet and learned
ministers of God's wont," though of other communions, are
recognised here as possessors of theme powers—nowhere
in her Prayer-book, nowhere in her articles, nowhere in
her homiliel does the Church of England affirm that none
are to be recognised u aele ministers of the New Testa-
ment but the ministers of her owe communion. She
aims indeed that the three several orders of bishops,
priests (presbyter.), and deacons have exercised their
ministry in the visible Church of Christ. (Preface to the
ordaining of bleurpe, priests, &add...mac) But she never
affirms that no other orders have done so. On the
contrary, she recognises in the pricer she uses in the
ordering of priests. " apostles, popheta, evangelists,
doctors, and pastors," end "ells ministers generally in an
exhortation in the same (Ince "messenger., watchmen,
and steward. of the Lord," so that tie teaching so much
relied on by this invitation, while it excludes all
sacrificing, confessing, and absolving priests, as such, as
entitled for reasons before given to proclaim the imita-
tion, includes all minister, of every denomination, an
entitled to the power, provided only they be discreet and
learned ministers of Gele Word. It is then, by the
discreet and spiritual application Weise Word of Gad that
wounded consciences and broken hearts are made whole.
Ihisenistlsower the words of our text convey, and this
Is the principle which pervades the Prayer-book from end
to ; and if in some of her occasional sereices she
moms to use steam language, because the pewer of
preaching God's Word is • farm—the Church of England
always expinins her real meaning either by some inserted
rubric or comment, or by direct reference to the Word of
God. These occasional services, mach relied on by our
oppon nta, together with their rubrics, I have not
scrupled to handle and diemt. Bat where, either in the
Bible or the Prayer-book shall we find authority for such
teaching as the following :—"Go into the church or
vestry at the appointed time" (What appointed time?)
"and when the priest is ready to bur you, kneel down,
he will then etre you his blessing, and bid you commence
your con( sdon. Bring the paper with you on which you
Lave written down your ales. . . . . State as far
SS you can remember each net of sin, . . . . be
sure to confess all, te . dm. He will then pro-
nounce over you the form of absolution. which you
will find in the Prayer-look in the order for the visitation
of the sick." (But these penitents are suppowel to he
whole and in the church, and not sick and in their berme
" You are clean now," and then, after advising an unap-
pointed form of thenkstriving, the confesior continues—
" Remember not to talk shout what the priest has +aid to
you. Be very careful &bolt this, for light and trivial talk
often deprives spiritual blessings of half their benefit.
Amid if you tell others what he haa sal I to you, he may
get the blame of Ito beim( known." "You are forgiven
now- but the hest rule al-cut confession is that you should
use it whenever you are preparing to come to Holy
Communi Here, Olen, • young person is Coedit to
tell • tweet whit he or she is charged not to tell the
reteleita Why is Gest Let the pried should be Waned.
But wiry should he be blamed if hem, doing right( The
rowel is he knows hale not einem right, and his conscience .
makes • coward of him. And well it may, for in all
probabilities (ace" The Priest in Absolution ") the confessor
has been talking in private to a young person of either me
(children of seven yearn ace; Hine to the evidence brought
to light in the late "Rock " cue) on sullecti which have
been frequently brandeil a," moieties. and " unutter-
ahle." What I uk, then, is—Where is the Scripture,
where are the rubrics, where is the Bible authority. where
Is thir Prayer-book authority, for this mole of exercising
priestly rowers! Can my opponent, pot their hand on the
tient Can they produce either the service or the rubric
which supports the above procedure t Is it not rather,
together with all its kindrel appointments, a priest-
enntrered ordinance, inventel for the erection of • priestly
despetien on the ruins of the ministry of the pure Word
of God t ler. Heok tells us the word " priest " is
derived from protre, and pr-Ire from pore—father—or
elder; but, the truth is, it is hard to introduce a prime in
the sense of Rome, wherms in the Church of England
there is no literal altar. The word "altar does not occur
In the Prayeelionk, except in Scripteral 'quotations—
it is intentionally excluded. Where there is no
literal altar there is no literal sacrifice, and
where there is no literal tacrifice there is no
priest in the ileum of literal sacrificer. Where there Is
no such priest tetra is no private auricular and particular
cenfeetion to • Tweet and no absolute elosolution by •
Priest. In a word, call it what you will, " Puseyiseue
" Tractarianisue" or)" Ilitualion,"—it is nothieg more or
leis than " it•enanisin" disguised. Our Armee-book will
have none of it, and appeals to the Bible. Borne teacher
that the Church my that the Poto is infallible. England
teaches that Rem, herself is fallible. "Ac the churches
of ieruselena. Alexendne, •nil Antioch hare erred, so
also the Church of Rome bath erred, not °ley in their
living and meaner ot ceremonies, led also in matters of
faith" (Article xix.) It nue teaches that the priest has
power to absolve absolutely. England's church teaches
that We ministers have power to declare the fergirenes•
of (led in His nature conditionally. Rome teaches that
the church has • power in herself to add the traditions of
the Church to this Word of G.A. England teaches that
the Word of Gad is the only rule, arbiter, and ground of
the authority of her ministers. Item, terms you to the
Church—that is to the priest for salvation. England leads
you to Christ (for Christ is the Word personified) for the
saving of the soul; that is, Rome leads you to man for
safety, England leads you to God.

Hearty votes of thanks were pegged by a numerous and
vary much intereeted sudieure, who were presided over by
the president of the Yonne Meer ebfirtinn drermistke.
Dr. Come

HASTPOOTL4JiI.
HILTON FRIENDLY SOCIETY.
The annual festival in conueetion with the above
excellent society took place on Tuesday. The weather
we, very unfavourable, rain falling nearly the whole of
the day. The members, numbering about 140, aseembled
at the Fox Inn, at ten o'clock, sad with two new tanners
In front, scarlet and blue, each besting the words" Hilton
Friendly Society," and headed by the fiturminster
Newton brass band, under the leadership of Mr. E.
mkt.. proceeded to the pariah church at Hilton, where
an appropriate eumon, suitshle to the omasion, we,
Preached by the Rev. J. Marsh. After leering the
Church the proceslion perambulated the Tillage, calling
at the residences of Messrs. Kings, Pitman, Tett, and
Woodhouse. Thee then wth ended eir way beck to the
club house at the Fox Inn, at the back of which premium
had been laid by Mrs. Davi, a capital hot dinner, which
was heartily partaken of, at about 2 o'clock, after the long
march round during the morning; about 120 sat down.
The chair was taken by the Rev. J. Marsh, Mr. K
Woodhouse being in the vice chair, and among the
company were Mr. W. Watts, Mr. A. Woodhouse, and
Mr. Beckingharn. After the usual loyal touts had been
proposed and drunk "the health of the chairman" was
given by Mr. E. Woodhouse in very aim plimentary terms
The rev. geuthuussi responded, remarking he we,,
pleased at the way in wWch the members had conducted
me.m.mme that morning, and traded they would keep it
up all day. he took a great interest in the eociety, as also
did Mrs. Marsh, and hoped.t they would go on and prosper.
"8.00,.. to the Hilton Friendly Society " followed, and
wetrozonded to by Mr. Backinghana who rid that
as they would see by the balance sheet they
had paid out a considerable sum in sick pay, • much
larger amount than in previous years, they were
still increasing in numbers and funds. Mr. Becking-
hmu then proposed the health of the young fanners
who were present, remarking he we pleased to
see them there to-day, and thought that all firmer, ought
to artist these societies and give their presence on thees
' occenons. With the tout he coupled the name of Mr.
' W. Watts, who was always ready to come forward and
help them an every possible way. Mr. Wens said Mr.
Beckitutharn had heaped too many good things on his
bead. lie Mould always give the club his support. "Mr.
K and A. Woodhouse', health" we, next proposed sad
enthusiastiegly drank by the company. with "three
times three" Both gentlemen responded, remarking they
would always do their ben to forward the interests of
the society, and was glad to me their two new banners.
The health of the Secretary, Mr Kirby. was proposed by
Backinghatn, who responded, saying.. without the
valuable ardatance given him by Mr. K woodhoun, In
helping him with his books, he should not be able to get
on very well, end gave Mr. Woodhou.his grateful thanks
for his waistlines to the rink "The Hostess" and other
touts followed. Although thy weather considerably
militated against the succese of the day, and prevented
many fair damsels from the neighlrnring 'inane* tripping
It on the light fantastic, everything pained off in • right
141 Y counta7 stele, everyone seaming to thoroughly enjoy
themselves.

BROAD WIT.
DIATH has been rather busy in the neighbourhood
lately, and funeral* frequent, considering the mail'
mord the population. William Burr Vatcher, guard
of the London and South Wee/tem Hallway, mum to
Weymouth in February, 1675. was taken ill with
ecereemPtiee directly, and ban only done about a
month's duty. Ilia case was taken much intereet in
by the Revd& Benham an,l J. S. Butcher, and he
made a glorious end. On the 13th be wall buried at
Broadwey churchyard, a large number of people of the
neighbourhood, besides his relatives. witnessed the
funeral, and .01110 young ladies brought beautiful
gazian.6 of dowers aml placed ou his odbu. lie was
a member of the thitlfellowe and of the liallwaY
Friendly Society. Mn. Vatcher wishes to thank the
following ladiea and gentlemen and other friends for
their kind attention to her late husband and herself
during his long illnn. :- -The Rev. Benham, Rev.
Butcher, Bev. Ilurt and Nies. Burt, Mi.. SAZISOM,
Mims Gale, Miss Holmes, lir. and Mn. Elliott, Miss
Peter., Mies (*.liens, 'Mrs. Morrie, Sire. Roger., and
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, who contributed a quantity of
flowers for the funeral. Mr. Cloak statroaaaaeter,
Brockeohurat, also ant a lot of lowers.

BZIDPOZT.

Sia Momessug The worthy baronet,
who is at present residing in Scotland, has just had
the honour of having the distinction of Grand Coin-
minder of the Conaistory of the 30th degree conferral
upon him, by the unanimous voting of the Supreme
Council of Scotland. Sir M. H. Nepean was
previously a member of the Supreme Council and
Grand Sword Bearer.