The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-12-30 00:00:00

The INHIBITION of the REV. A. TOOTH.

It will be remembered that the order of the Court of
Arches inhibiting the Rev. A. Tooth from officiating
for the term of three months within the diocese of
Rochester was served upon that rev, gentlemen on
Sunday, the 17th inst. It thereupon became necessary
for the Bishop of Rochester to consider whether
(in the terms of the Public Worship Act)" due
provision was otherwise made for the spiritual charge
of the parish." His lordship prooeeded to
revoke the licence of the Rev. W. H.
Browne, the assistant curate, and to appoint
as curate in charge the Rev. Canon Gee, D. D., a rural
dean and one of the proctors in Convocation for the
clergy of the diocese, and one of his Lordship's chap-
lains ; and notioe of the appointment was given to the
Rev. A. Tooth and to the churchwardens. On Sunday
morning, a few minutes before the usoal hour (half -
past ten) of morning prayers at St. James s, Canon
Gee, attended by the Bishop's secretary, entered the
church by the western door, and was at once met by
the Rev. A. Tooth and the churchwardens, behind
whom were ranged some thirty or forty persons, who
formed a cordon intercepting his further progress.
The Rev. A. Tooth, who was habited in cassock,
surplice, and stole, then proceeded to read a docu-
ment containing a protest against the jririediction
of the Court by which he had been inhibited, and
stating that he would not permit Canon Gee to mu-
elate or to take any part in the services in that church.
A copy of this document was applied for by Canon
Gee and was promised to be furnished hereafter.
After producing the Bishop's license, a copy of which
was at the same time handed to the churchwardens by
the Bishop's secretary, Canon Gee addressed himself
to those gentlemen, and received for reply that they
entirely adhered to the course of action taken by Mr.
Tooth, and it was evident from the remarks of other
persons present that they had come to the church for
the purpose of supporting the latter rev, gentleman,
Canon Gee finally expressed his intention of retiring,
under protest, and the proceedings, which had been
conducted on both sides with courtesy, terminated.

The Times of Tuesday says :—"lt was fully expected
that in consequence of the Rev. Arthur Tooth having
refused to allow the Rev Canon Gee, who was licensed
by the Bishop of Rochester, to perform Divine Service
in that church on Sunday, the Bishop himself would
have come down from Rochester on Monday and in-
sisted upon conducing the service. No one, however,
came, and at 11 o'clock the church was densely
crowded, and morning service commenced. There was
a precession more elaborate than any which has yet
been witnessed at St. James's. Two gross-bearers
were followed by acolytes and choristers, and at accus-
tomed, points six very beautiful banners were carried
in the prOcession. One of these was a white moire-antique
banner, edged with blue, having in the centre what
might be called a monogram of the Blessed Virgin, and
on the top the words embroidered, " Sancti Del
genitrix." Another banner represented the chalice
and the hest as both are known in the Roman
Catholic Church, and the other banners bore portraits
of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary. The vicar wore
a chasuble of silk, of the colour of that which is worn
upon Christmas Day in the Roman Catholic Church
as a sign of rejoicing. On this occasion nearly all
the acolytes wore the scarlet skull cap of a
Roman Catholic Cardinal. After the Creed, Mr.
Tooth divested himself of his chasuble at the
"altar," and ascended the pulpit, the main feature of
his discourse being the special characteristic of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, which, he said, was her self-
estraint. The text was, Mary kept all these things, and
pondered in her heart. From that great characteristic
of the Blessed Virgin Mary they should all, he said,
learn a great lesson in this season of their troubles, and
that lesson was not to be cast down by what people
said against them. Then the Communion was pro-
ceeded with. Nine acolytes came out from the sacristy
to the steps of the altar, and at the elevation lifted
immense wax-candles, las high as they could hold
them. Bells were at fae same time ringing, and the
whole &awe wan cobAuled with blouse. The altar

itself was lighted by six wax
profusion of beautiful flowers.
At the close of the service Mr. Tooth turned his
face to the congregation, and gave them his benedic-
tion, making the sign of the Cross after the manner in
which it is done at the mass in the Roman Catholic
Church. A great deal of Gregorian music was used
during the service, with which the whole congregation
appeared evidently to sympathize.

and on it was a