The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-09-18 00:00:00

police
tended.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND
ITS "MISSION.'
The Guardian has published the following as the
text of a speech recently delivered by the Archbishop
of Canterbury to the alergy of the rural deanery of
"%WA Dartftrd
" Ilia Grace desired, he Raid, to con,er with them upon
subjects interesting tons all at this time as members if the
church of England. No one could fail to see that we were
coming—nay, had already entered upon—difficult times. 'two
great Milne:leen were actively at work. both alien to the pro-
gress of true and living Chrittiauity—the one superstition,
the other infidelity. Each of therm seemed to be more active
than at any former period in the history of the world. lle
was not speaking of England only, but of Europe When wa
look at the state of Italy whit do we see? We see men
if 'rating between superstition of a most Miming
kind arid hoed..., unfathomable scepticism. So it has
threatened to he In Spain, thougl we cannot but hope, there,
that the free circolati 111 l of the Holy Scripture., hitherto
almost entirely unknown, may, in the good providence of
God, lead to better things Wheu we come to our own
country the danger from infidelity seems to be not so much .
from abstract speculations and questlonings—though this
(lettere 18 not to be overlooked—but of a grosser and far Mere
threatening kind. The denser is that the masses of our popn-
latton. keo wing nothing and caring nothing about pinto-
sophical questions, may become practical infidels, sunk inte
materialism, living only for the life which now is, and putting
altogether out of thee' thoughts the world unseen.
" Against these two dengers—superatition on the one hand
and infidelity on the other—the Church of England has
various means within her reach, such as no other Church or
institution In the world possesses. In the drat place, her
purity of doctrine and inculcation of faith in God manifest
in Christ, then the Importance she attaches to education
and the culture of the reasoning powers, adapt her to the
wants and feelings of the educated classes. Dissenting
bodies equally with ourselves have taken alarm at the danger
which acmes to be menacing the framework of society and
the souls of men, but they have not the same vantagetgroand
for met ting the dangers which we have. We have, in the
Seat place, a defined ecclesiastical position, and we have
all advantage as an Establishment. there can be no
that this latter position is likely to be invaded.
• an attack on the Establishment is not to be an-
ted at present, though some persons doubt on this
But, taking what some call the more hopeful view
—namely, that the attack is likely to be postponed come
Jo or 12 years—surely such a hope it but a poor hope. It is
a very poor thing to limit one's energies to the defence of
a position which is hardly worth defending, to postpone its
downfall merely until our day is ended. Rather it sheuld be
our endeavour to take up a position which may he held and
maintained after our woik has passed to other hands. And
to do this we meet prove to the world that our position is a
righteous one, that our Church is doing God's work. If there
are weak points, now is the time to strengthen them; If there
are blots, now is the time to wipe them out. Only let this
he ri membered before all things, that an alteration of
mechattisin is not the principle thing to be looked to ; that is
good and desirable in its place, but far more needful is it that
the clergy show by their zeal and self denial, by their energy
and love, that they are doing God's wok, that they long for
the salvation at the wads of men. The heart that in fed
with love from the spirit of God, that has begun rightly.
And having so begun it will feel that it is bound to look well
to the appliances and plans which change of circumstances
and thugs as they are retelered necessary.
"The first case which occurs to our thoughts, the case
which seems likely to be soon brought under discussions, is
the Liturgy. Though adapted to the educated it is hardly so
to die poor, and does not seem to commend itself to the
lower middle classes. The Ritual Commission, in considering
the question of the rubrics, has always most carefully kept
in view that matters of doctrine are not within its scope.
The one object which it haa set before itself is to examine
whether the mimics can be altered so as to further the
present work of the Church and increase its useinlness. It
may be well to state here a few changes which are likely to
he proposed ; it will citable the clergy to consider them, and
weigh them, before they are definitely laid open.
"But first let one point be made clear. Great alarm Is
expressed on one side lest the Imperial Legislature should
act without Convocation ; on the other, lest Con Vocation
should interfere with the prerogative of Parliament. Now,
really both deneers are somewhat vision:try. We may de-
pend upon it the gross et ddilculty will lie to get Parliament
to legislate at all ; there Is a tendency and a desire to ighore
the whole matter; end if Parliament does legislate, it will
be in consequehce if the expressed and unmistakeable desire
of the whole Church, whether expressed through Convoca-
tion or by any other method. Now, it lies, therefore, upon
the clergy to consider well what the weak no its of cur pre-
sent system are, and it they Mad it wanting, hisuflicient for
the needs of the time, then to let it be known that they de-
sire niodill,ations in their system. The Bitiisl Commisdon
has heela sitting lo ,e, met the changes which It thinks de-
arable have now Men drawn up and are at present icing
eit ciliated among the Divinity Professors of the Universities
and other digoitaries of the Church. They may be summed
Up as follows
I. A hew Lectionary. Many chapters have been added. as
reCt]d to etlitication ; some have been omitted. A grrater
elasticity has beett given nt the Lectionary. The prin-
ciple &angel are iii the daily lessons.
2. Alterations in the at dimity it:ally service. Evidently, to
men bu ily engaged the service as it stands at present
does not eomniend itself. Even the City churches which
have a daily service are but thinly attended. A shorter ,
service, therefore, will lie proposed—shot ter, but strictly •
based upon the exiiting materiils.
3. Every bendy for dividing services and using different
services at dtlferent times, acc trdiug to the exigencies
at daferent coneregations.
4. ha the Burial Service some solution of a difficulty com-
monly felt will be offered.
"These ate the chief matters dealt wills by the Ritual
Commis-ion. Nothing revolutionary need be anticipated.
The character of the Prayer-b ok sill he preserved intact.
Other twitter imperatively donated atteution. 55 hat a
seamial, for instance, to take up a newspaper anti find whole
columns devoted to the advertisements of sale et livings,
and to see the tone and language of some of the advertise-
ments themselves It may be difficult to deal with this, but
an att, mot will probably be made
" The Bill which has lately passed with reference to the
restoration of Bishops is identical in its scope with a
plan proposed in Convocation three years ago ci h re.
fereuce to the other cleigy. It is not unlikely that
81u,ilar IneaSure will be proposed for this end. More
efficient eptscoiod sure.rvision is required, although Church-
menu may not have made up their minds as to the best means
of ((Rifling It. The desirability or nonotestrability of a ser-
vice for children is a matter upon which the clergy will do
well to form an ipinion. The abolition of church-rates bas
led to one difficulty not anticipated. The paymeut of fees
by oh irchwai dens can vow be more legally demanded than
formerly. But the chin chwardees themselves have no guar-
antee that they will be repaid. Might not this lead to
parishioners retusieg the office! Some in'ormation as to
whether this had actually occurred was desirable'

11

iuestion

prhemid

point.