The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-12-04 00:00:00

THE LATE "TWELVE DAYS' MISSION"
IN LONDON.

The John Bull believes very great good has been
effected by this movement. If, by any means, the
people can be attracted to the churches on week days,
good must ensue; but if (our contemporary continues),
as seems probable, these missions are to take place
from time to time, we are old-fashioned enough to
believe that some security must be taken for their
being carried on with something lute deference to the
law of this Church and realm. In many churches where
the offices of the Church hove all been said, we believe
that the Act of Uniformity has in no way been in.
fringed under the dictum of the learned Bean of
Arches that there is nothing to prevent any service
taken from the Bible and Prayer-Book being used,
when the regular services have all been duly celebrated.
But this cannot be affirmed of churches whore either
extemporaneous prayers have been used, or where such
extraordinary ceremonies were practised as those
alleged to have been adopted at St. Alban's, Holborn.
The following has been published by authority of the
"mission :"
SCOCIESTIONS FOR REVERENT AND DEVOUT CONFF.SSION.
1 Belem Confession —l. T. hare set times. 2. Frequent.
S. Carefully to examine your conscience. 4. Get rid of all
uncharitable thoughts or feelings. b. Make a good act of
ontritlon. _

. .....
11. Faults in Confemion.-1. Excusing yourself. 2. Men..
tioning the faults of others. S Or the names of those who
have wronged or Injured you. 4. Introdncing matters which
do not concern the confession or even speaking of worldly
things. 5. Telling your own good works or pious practice,.
6.
_slaking your confession needlessly long.

iIL After e,nfession.---1. Thank Jesus for his precious
blood, by which y, or soul has been washed and cleansed. 2
Do your penance without delay, and regularly. S. Renew
your purposes of amendment. 4 Do not think again of, or
brood over, the sins you have confessed. 5 Do not mention
to others what you have confessed, or your penance, or the
priest's advice to you, or your own resolutions Von are, in a
measure, as much bound to be silent as the priest ith ut what
has pa.sed in confession. 6. Do not imagine that the priest will
think badly of you because he knows about your sins lie
himself goes to confession, and remembers that his own sins
are known by another.

FORM OF CONFESSION.
The per;on wishing to confess will kneel down by the side
of the prest and say, "Father give me a blessing."
The Priest: The Lord he in thy heart, and on thy lips, that
thou mayest rightly confess all thy sins.
Then let the penitent tell his sins saying, "I confeu to
God Almighty, Father, S in, and holy Ghost, before the
whole company of Heaven, and to you, my father, that I
have sinned very much, in thought, word, and deed, through
my own moat grievous fault. Especially I accuse myself since
my last confession, which was [here mention how long it is
since your last confession] ago, of ihe sins 0f.... (so many)
thnes,"dcc., [here mention the number of time., as nearly as
you can recollect, of falling into each sin]
When you have confessed all the sins you can remember,
answer quietly and fully any question the priest nosy ask you
and Omit say, " For tinso and all my other sins which i can-
not now remember, I am heartily sorry, I firmly purpose to
amend, and I humbly ask pardon of Almighty God, and of
you, my spiritual father, penance, counsel, and absolution;
wherefore I beg you to pray for me to the Lord our Gal.'
Then listen carefully mid nilently to any advice the priest
may give you, and, above all, to the penance he imposes
upon yin, which it Is well, if possible, to write down directly
you go to your place ill the church,
Remain kneelii g humbly and hopefully until the priest
gives you absolution. Aftvr which say a short prayer, such
as " 0 Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and Precious
Blood halt redeem, d us, save and holy me, I humbly beseech
Thee, 0 Lord" end go into the church to make your thanks-
giving. Avid, if possible, talking to anybody on any 'sub-
ject whatever, until you have thanked and idolised God for all
his mercies to you, is washing and cleansing your soul In the
Preci-ms Blood of His dear Son, and for having allowed you
to lay your sins at the foot of the Cross, and for giving you
pardon and grace in absolution.
Note —lf the penance which the priest gives you is one
that you cannot perform, humbly ask him to change it, and
mention the reason why you are unable to fulfil it,

" A Broad Church Clergyman" writes :—" My last
Mission evening way spent— shall I own the soft im-
peachment at the shrine of Mr. Body at All
Saints', Margaret-street. Perhaps no stronger proof
of the fascination exercised by mere fluency of speech
and earnestneso of purpose could be adduced than this
moo's power to bring me thither evening after evening
at the sacrifice of so much valuable time, and amid
ilpfillenCeS not altogether congenial. If I. who could
sit there coldly criticioing even his moYt telling
" bits," felt this fascinati.m, what of the sensitive
feinales, aid moo more impressionable than my -elf,
whom I saw there, with the tears they tried to
, conceal actually bursting through the hands with
which they covered their faces? I certainly never