The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-03 00:00:00

AT ST. ALBANS CHURCH, IN LONDON,
ON SUNDAY MORNING.

In London,last Sunday morning, there wasconsider-
able excitement at the church of St. Alban's., Holborn,
in consequence of the suspension of the Rev. Alexander
Ilerirt Mackonochie by a decree from the Arches'
Court of Canterbury. The church was crowded in
every part, and many present were evidently opposed
to the high forms of Ritualism practised.
The interest on the present occasion was greatly
enhanced by its having been announced on Saturday by
those papers which publish the London list of preachers
that Mr. Mackonochie would preach on Sunday
morning. This by many was construed into a determina-
tion on Mr. Mackonochie's part to put the law at
defiance, and previous to the morning service the
subject was one of general discussion outside the
church. By some of the rev, gentleman's friends it
was stated that he had not received any legal prohibi-
tion, and he was therefore not yet legally restricted.
In a very short time the excitement became intense,
for shortly before the commencement of the service
a Queen's messenger arrived with a writ of suspension.
He at once proceeded to the clergy house just as Mr.
Mat konochie was preparing for the f ommunion
Service. The excitement, however, reached its climax
when the Qtwee'ff messenger affixed a copy of the
prohibition to too at the principal entrance to
the cip
The
Lim, I.

•
be prohibition served upon
pon psrchusent :
torn the Arches Court of Can-
.
.6 of Coal of the United King.
land, Queen, Defender of the
.r liege su, jects, being literate
resoever 'nand throughout our
g. Whereas in an appeal now
lel Committee of our Privy
Ain, a parishioner of the new
rn, In our county of Middlesex,
xe of Canterbury, as appellant,
ot Msekonochle, a clerk In Holy
:11 of England and Ireland, and
. .

the .t and perpetual curate of the said parish, a. re-
, onition was issued, bearing date the 15th day of
and was duly served, commanding him, the
.810 nee. Alexander Lleroit Mackonochle, to abstain for the
future from the elevation of the cup and paten during the
administration of the Holy t ommunion and from the use
of license, and from mixing water with the wine during
the said adminiatration of the said Holy Communion, anti
from kneeling or prostrating himself before the consecrated
elements during the prayer of consecration, and also from
using In the said church lighted candles on the Communion
Table during the celebration of the Holy Communion at
times when such lighted candles were not wanted for the
purpose of giving lieht And, whereas, on the 26th day of
November, 1570. the Judicial Committee did pronounce
that the nail Nov. Alexander Ilertot Mackonochle had
not obeyed the said monition, more especially in not
having atstained from the elevation of the paten during
the prayer of consecration in the order of the administra-
tion 4+l the Holy Communion, and from prostrating himself
before the consecrated elements during the prayer of con-
aecration. and the acid Judicial Committee did, therefore,
order that for each, his disobedience, he the nail Rev.
Alexander Harlot Mackonochte, be suspended for the space
of three months from and after the said 25th day of No-
vember, 1070. from the discharge and execution of all the
functions of hie clerical office—that is to say from teach-
ing the Word of God and administering the Sacraments
and performing all other duties of such his clerical
office, and did direct that a decree of euspenelon be
issued suspending him accordingly, and that the same be
published by affixing • copy thereof on or near the door
of the alibi church on Sunday next, the 27th day of No-
vember, 1570, and clue by personally service it upon the
said Rev. Alexander Herlot Mackonochle. We do, there-
fore, hereby command you that you do, on Sunday next, the
27th day of November, 1570, previous to the commencement
of Divine Service, by affixing, or causing to be affixed, these
presents under seal for some time on the principal door of
the said church of the new parish of it. Alban's, and by
leaving thereon shined a true copy thereof, and also by
showing, or causing to be shown, these pr.:Aleuts under seal
to the said Rev. Alexander lieriot Mackonochle, and by
leaving or causing to be left with hint • trite copy hereof.
notify to the said Alexander Herlot Ileckonochie, and to all
others Whom it may concern, that he, the said Rev. Alt voider
Herlot Mackonochle, Is suspended for the epee., of three
months from and further the said 231 h day of November,
1570, from the discharge and exercise of all the functions of
his clerical office—title is to say from preaching the Word
of God and administrating the Sacraments, and performing
all other duties of such his clerical office under pain of the
law. and contempt thereof, and hereof faU not —Given at
London, 'crier the seal which we floe in this behalf, the 25th
day of November, 1570.
"U. C. R0271E114, Her Majesty's Regletrar.
"Siteperuilon taken by Moore and Currey, Doctors' Com-
ment"

The delivery of this document for a time canned the
most profound interest and animated discussion as to
what course would be pursued. Several legal gentle-
men present gave an opinion that no legal document
cluld be lawfully served on the Sabbath day. As
there was no professed ecclesiastical lawyer present,
Mr. Mackonochie ultimately resolved to personally
obey the prohibition, and the service was shortly after.
wards commenced. .

There was no procession, the candles on the Com-
munion table were not lighted, and there was no
incensing, but the musical portion of the service was
more than usually effective.
The officiating priest was the Rev. "Father Howe,"
assisted by the Rev. "Father Willington "and the
11-v. "Father Russell." The Rev. Father Walker
acted as preceptor to the choir. In the course of the
service several contralto solos were sung, and duets by
the contraltos and altos; the singers on these occasions
stepping from the stalls to sing in front of the Corn.
mntion table, the Rev. Father Walker beating time
with a haton.
.

--
During the service Mr. Nfackonochie sat in his
usual stall, the one nearest to the congregation on
the right hand side of the choir, and dressed in his
aloud robes. . .

The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Stanton.
He took no text, but commenced by stating that the
duty of preaching to them now devolved upon him,
owing to a prohibition having just before the service
been served upon their dear and faithful pastor, Mr.
Mackonochie. He then proceeded to read extracts
from the prohibition printed above, and then proceeded
to say that—
The dear people of St. Alban's knew that Mr. Mackonochle
had been wrongly condemned They knew that he had
abstalred from elevating the wafer above his head, as pre-
viously commanded, and also that he had abstained from
prostration before It. They all knew this for a certainty—
knew It as an everlasting truth, as true as God II imtelf.
Their course had been a most difficult one, for they did not
know «hat they might by law be allowed to do, and what
they might not. They had endeavoured to obey the law, and
hence the present prohibition was not only an extreme sur-
prise to their priest, hut also to them their clergy. The
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council had condemned
him because, as stated by them, he had not abstained from
kneeling or prostrating himself before the sacred elements.
In the charge, bending of the knee, had been called kneeling
yet how could any act of service be performed without
kneeling, and were they not, he would ask, when sitting at
the table, with their knees bent 111 that, then, was the
lion of kneeling, could they or their clergy be surprised at the
treatment they had received? Then, again, they were em-
denined for prostration. Ile would ask whether bending
before the altar for a moment or tw, could be truly called
prostration, and he would, therefore, appeal to the good
pe of St. Alban's, and ask what they had dope to deserve
such a condemnation. They thentielvoe would understand
how very Mill .ult it mu when they were offering the sacrifice
which the Church directs—when the Church Meseta them to
give their whole attention to the Immaculate Conception,
which is there :pointing to the altar •.--to perform that wig-
flee without bending the knee, or falling into some error by
eehich they might he condemned. They, te.wever, must face
the fact of the judgment which had been delivered, and also
criticised by • very able lawyer, who had given his opinion
as follows Is seems to me that It is drawn up so as to
catch you whatever you do." To him, the preacher, the
present judgment seemed more obscure than the one before,
...I he would honestly tell them that they had laid •
trap for them, and they, the honest people of St. Alban'.,
had fallen into it. They would all read the paper, to-
morrow, but the good people of St. Alban's must face the
judgment. It would he asked by many —llow came the
Privy Ceuncll to treat them an 7 lie would admit that they
were gentlemen, that they were 'cute men, that they were
reasonable men, but still would come the question, " How
came it possible that them men had treated them In the
manner they had r Ile wield ask all to sppeal to their own
hearte, and they would be able to make an allowance for the
many sympathlee and conviction, there are. A man'. mind
is made up of so many delicate feelings, and by the many
sympathetic shade, the heart of man is influenced. The dear
people of it Alban's knew that there was what is called the
odium thoologicton—theologlesl hatred—hatred of religion In
the hearts of many. It would seem that in the put judg.
meet as though it was th• ught that Ritualism must be
stamped out at any cost. They, the people of St Alban's,
knew that there are men who detest what they do there, that
they hate the doctrine which they at St. Alban's love the
• most, and that they would try and banish from the church
• that for which they would die. Their priest, however, bed
I made a mutate; but let them not be discouraged.
I Their priest and the clergy of the church were not cast
down, for they considered the suspension the greatest
honour that could have happened, and it would yet be naked
how they came to be treated so hardly. Why in title year
IS7O they all knew that Biahops have communicated with men
I who deny that Jesus Christ IA God, and they have passed off
scot free, while their own priest is Impended in this very
year for adoring Christ In • form which at the very worst was
but an error of judgment. The priest had but one life to
live, but that was a noble one—to live and suffer for the
glory of the Lord and Master. They was; remember that •
priest le a sacrificing man, and therefore his tile mast be one
of sacrifice. It was true they would not hear his Voice any
more for three months, but as he satin his stall his silence
would be more e tractive than any human votce could be. He
would remind them of the word, of the Psalmist, "I became
dumb, and opened not my mouth, for it wae thy doing, °Lord
God of Hosts." The preacher then proceeded to exhort
them to unity and to still greater love among themeelves,
and, above all, to forgivenese and charity towards those by
whom they had been condemned. What would he the iseue
of all this he did not know. They could not look forward to
much. The idea seemed to be that they were tote crushed
out without any consideration for their feelings am Chriatians
or as gentlemen. A great calamity had fallen upon them,
but they would etill worship the Name God in the same sacra-
ments at the altar. They would continue to love all that is
noble, true, and great, and pure, but at the same time be
would .ay, let tide truth ethic into their hearts, and let them
ask themselves &hie question. If the fruit sof the tree be such
Injustice and intolerance as thie, what must that tree be
The time would yet come when these thing. will be read, and
'it would be said of them, Theee men hone the brunt of the
battle. Let them, then, remember charity. He would any
to all, do not be bitter, but let them think of those who had
done them this great injury with kindness, with gentleneu,
and peace.
. _ . . • .•

At the service which followed,in the communion the
officiating priests elevated the paten, and bent and
bowed as maul.
After the service, many friends repaired to the
clergyhouse to tender their expressions of sympathy to
Mr. Mackonochie.