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

life there never was a wore ample field for work. It is
to be found in the very dangers to which the Arch-
bishop alludes. The same pressure of labour and
want which crushes from the minds of the poor
all thoughts but those of the present life tends, also,
to make them neglect everything but the barest animal
wants. There is much to be done towards raising and
purifying their life, and perhaps not less, for an oppo•
site reason, towards ennobling the life of the rich. It
has yet to be shown, as the Archbishop hints, that
"the framework of society" can be held together and
the best virtu s id the soul developed by any other
agency than that if the Church. If another influence
can do the Mlle work as well or better, the Church,
no doubt, way be dispensed with. It is for the Church
to look to it. She is, no doubt, challenged by more
than philosophy, and she will be judged, not unfairly,
by her fruits. If these are salutary, she need not be
! troubled to protect herself with artificial fences. Let
toe tree only continue to bear good fruit, and there
will be no thought of cutting it down.
This is the substantial merit on which the claims
of the Church must rest, but the Archbishop proceeds
to acknowledge that, though mechanism is not the
principal thing to be looked to, it is not the laid. If
it is true that only the bad workman complains of his
tools, it is also true that the good workman never
neglects them. Indeed, sectarian controversies are
often disputes about nothing but the tools it is best to
use. There can be no doubt the Church of England
has greatly suffered from a lack of variety in its ma-
chiriery and organisation. It is difficult to say how
much Protestantism may have lost in Ireland from the
ill judged attempt to force a purely Anglican Liturgy
and ceremonial on the people. We protested in
England against performing Divine service is an
unknown tongue, and proceeded to insist that the
Irish should worship in a tongue far more un-
known and unwelcome to them than Latin.
It has been, probably, a similar mistake that
our Liturgy has adinitted of no adaptation to the
poorer classes. The Archbishop acknowledges it is
not suited to them; and this, probably, as much as
anything else, drives them to meeting-houses in which
they are familiarly addressed, and in which they can
follow the service. Other classes have complained of
the stiffness and the ooasionally obsolete charact-r of
the Liturgy, and all will probably be rejoiced to hear
that a real effort is being made to obviate objec-
tions and to introduce greater elasticity. The Ritual
Ciimmiesion has been almost forgotten amid more ex-
citing subject., but their time has been well occupied
in suggesting amendments to the table of Lessons,
shortening and dividing the services, and seeking for
some solution of the oitticulty in the Burial Service.
Suggestions with this view, we &reassured, have actually
been drawn up, and have been submitted to the
opinion of the Divinity Professors and other digni-
taries. It is also proposed to apply the principle of
the Bishops' Resignation Act to the relief of aged or
disabled incumbents. This is a very considerable pro-
gramme of reform, and if the Archbishop succeeds in
carrying it he will confer * great boon on the Church.
The times, no doubt, are favourable to such an attempt.
There is movement all around, and it is generally felt,
even in quiet country parsonages, that something
must be done. If the problem be approached in the
spirit the Archbishop recommends, it will be solved
successfully. I.et the Church only believe in her
mission, and throw her heart into it, and let her, at
the same time, not shrink from any practical modifica-
tions of her system that may seem required by the
times, and her cause will be bound up with that of
truth, morality, and national happiness. What has
been may be, and the past in this case offers abundant
encouragement for the future.