The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-05-27 00:00:00

THE PURCHAS CASE.

The BUM p of London has addreued the following loiter to
the Rev. It. temple West, Incumbent of di, Mary Magdalene,
Paddirgton, and has sent. copy to all Incumbents In the
diocese, who signed the remonttrance against the decision
of the Judicial Committee in the caw of " lieblurt
furchsa ":

_ .
"tombs Mouse, OW., May la
"My dear Mr. West,—You are perhaps aware that
a month back, while I was absent from home on
account of my health, a memorial was forwarded to
me by communicants and others of the working clam
belonging to your congregation.
I "I have not replied to it, not from any want of re-
spect towards those who drew and signed it, but be-
cause, while it was impossible for me to express con-
currence in their views I was unwilling to say any-
thing which would sound like a rebuke to men so evi.
dently sincere and earnest in their convictions; nor
would it have been easy to explain to them, unless at
very great length, a Bishop's position with respect to
the authority of Courts, as by law established, and the
enforcement of obedience to their decisions.
" You, however, can readily understand that the
most painful part of a Bishop's duties lies in what is
called his 'coercive jurisdiction,' and you are aware
that he promises solemnly, at his consecration, not only
'to maintain and set forward as touch as shall lie in
him, quietness, love, and peace among all men, but
also such as be unquiet, disobedient, and criminons
within his diocese, to correct and punish, according to
such authority as he has by God's Word, and as to him
shall be committed by the Ordinance of this Realm.'
The Bishop, indeed, with reference to offences against
the Laos -Ecclesiastical, is not in the position, and
ought not to be expected (as he often is) to perform
the duties of the policeman or the informer; but he is
in the position of a magistrate ; and as a magistrate is
bound both by law and by the obligation of his cones.
Cr rtion promise to take cognizance of ecclerriarstlcal
offences, if duly brought before him. It is on this
account that while I have had no difficulty in entering
into the feelings of the 4.700 clergymen (among whose
names I observe your own) who have signed a ',mon
strance against the late decision of the Judicial Com-
mittee, when they deprecate its rigorous enforcement,
I read with surprise the expression of their 'trust 'that
the ' Bishops will abstain from acting upon it.' Whence
have the Brehops this option 1
"But though lecrby the memorial I received from
members of your congregation to say this much with
reference to the position of a Bishop in his magisterial
capacity, this is not the real purpose of my letter. To
act in this character under any circumstances is
abhorrent to my feelings; and, if necessary, the
necessity is very painfuL During an episcopate of
eighteen years I have never yet taken proceedings
against clergymen, excepting for grave moral offences.
Toe relation of a Bishop towards his clergy should be
that of an elder brother or a father; and his authority,
although derived from God's Word, should be pater•
nally or fraternally exercised. That it is not always so
may not be in all cases the Bishop's fault. There may
be wanting on his part gentleness, considerateness, and
sympathy—a spirit of equity or a spirit of love ; but,
on the other part, if the true relationship is to be
maintained, there must be an appreciation of the diffi-
culties of his position and duties, indulgence towards
his failures of judgment or temper, an abnegation of
the spirit of soi, and wilfulness which is the prevalent
character of the times we live in, and a readiness, or,
at any rate, a determination, to obey his monitions, not
being contrary to God's Word, not merely when they
are agreeable to our own opinions and habits (which is
hardly worth calling obedience), but when tbey run
counter to our wises and feelings, do not commend
themselves to our Judgment, and requite a sacrifice of
our own will.
_

In this estimate of our relative positions and
duties Ido not believe that we differ. In this spirit,
if! know myself at all, I desire to act. And, therefore,
at this crud., of one Church's history, when her peace
ea.ci usefulness, her weal or woe for generations to
come. depend, under God, upon the course taken by
bar Bwhops and clergy now, I appeal to you, and to
thee clergy (there are many, earnest, and devoted to
their work) who feel with you with respect to the recent
judgment, - as a brother to his brethren, as a father
(.f you wail let me) to his children,—to coolly with my
earnest desire and my direction that the rules now laid
down for the ornaments of the Minister and the con.
duct of public worahip, may be the rules for our
diocese. I, at least, am bound both in law and con.
science by the recent decisions of the Courta ; nor do I
deny that they approve themselves to my own
judgment as correct interpretations of the mind and
laws of the Church of England, which, as a true and
living branch of the Church Catholic, Math power to
decree rites and ceremonies.'

" I may, of course, be in error ; but the responsi-
bility of the error (if such it be) rests properly on me,
and is one of the inherent burdens of my office. You,
if you accept my ruling, are free from all such responsi-
bility, especially if you accept it for duty's sake in
opposition to your own judgment and in spite of your
own strong convictions. Such a sacrifice of self--one,
perhaps, of the mast difficult—is never made without a
blessing.
" But on those who take a different course, even if
their judgment on the matter in dispute is right—much
more if it should prove to be wrong—there must lie a
very qeavy responsibility. They must contravene the
first principles of episcopacy, and, indeed, of all good
government, by limiting their obedience to such rules
and guidance as happen to coincide with their own
opinions or feelings. They must render union impos-
sible at a time when union is vital; and expend on in-
testine dissebsions concerning matters—which (I must
be pardoned for believing) we shall all hereafter look back
upon as relatively very small—the energy and ability
of many able and good men which were never more
urgently needed than now, in order to grapple in their
united force with ignorance, error, and infidelity. They
may precipitate a struggle at the same time between
various sections of the Church and between the
Church and the State; and they may hasten—possibly
they may court—a disruption, which, instead of
realizing the tempting, but most impossible ideal of a
disestablished but not disendowed Church, strong in its
freedom and rich in its possessions, must issue in two
or three severed and hostile Churches, cursed, perhaps,
with liberty to vary each its own creed and (onion-
larles, but disendowed as well as disestablished ; or if
In any degree endowed, subject, exactly in that degree,
to have their formularies and creeds examined, in-
terpreted and adjudicated on in the Civil Courts of
Law.
" What then shall we have gained? What should
we not have lost.

Fraying that the great Head of the Church may
guide no oil into the way of peace,
" I am your faithful friend and brother,
"J. LON I (41,"