The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-07-17 00:00:00

A SHORT WAY WITH THE RITUALITA.

'The Pan .Voll Go:elle of Thursday, in an article
upon "The Priest in Absolution,' revives a wig-
gestion which in the present state of public opinion is
singularly opportune. "The' plain course," it say!,
"is to strike out of the Prayer Book all paesages in
which there is an appearance of priestly absolution,
and above all to strike at the root of the priestly
superstition by omitting the laying on of hands in the
Ordination Service." It is worth while to consider
practically what would be the effects of such a
meson e, and what are the reasonable proepects of its
accomplishment.
As to the first matter, the appearances of priestly
absolution in the Prayer Book, it would appear to be
very simple. Absolution in the sacerdotal sense
would be sufficiently excluded if the form in the
Service for the Visitation of the Sick were replaced by
that in the Order of Morning and Evening Prayer.
As to the second point, we think our contemporary
is a little too inveeping. We do not wish to discuss
the abstract desiranility of omitting or retaining the
imposition of hands in the ordination of the inferior
clergy. But it seems to us that th-t abolition of this
costom Is outside the range of peictical polities; it is
not a thin. likely to be accomplialted in this generation.
Such a change would carry the Church of England
away, not only from the priestly communions of Rome
and the East, but from the vast majority of
Protestants of our own and kindred races,
with whom English Churchmen must always
stand in close relations of sympathy. The cere-
mony has been preserved in their case without
leading to sacertlotalism ; did not the old Scotch
minister, unable to reach the candidate's head with his
hand, stretch over to him the end of his stick, saying,
" tiinmer to timmer "? The ordination service is one
which the laity may not unfrequently see; it has
naturally great interest for the friends, and we might
expect considerable opposition even from sound Pro-
testants to any serious mutilation of it.
But the case is different with the order of conse-
cration of Bishops It is neither' used, and few people
have an opport 'ty of observing it; very few are
personally interested in the ceremony. If Bishops
from this day forwards were appointed like Deans,
without any special consecration ceremony, the whole
legitimate business of the Church would go on as
before. and no sober-minded Protestant need perceive
any difference but this—that he was no longer troubled
by sticertiotalisiu within the Church.
For there is no doubt whatever that the abolition of
the consecration of Bishops would be followed by the
complete secession of the Ritualist and extra High
Church party. With them it is an article of faith
that the Apostolical Succession can only be transmitted
through Bishops consecrated by Bishops; WO that
unless the clergy are ordained by Bishops having an
uninterrupted succession from the Apostles, no
sacrements administered by them have any validity.
Accordingly they recognise the churches of Rome and
the East as true churches, but the Protestant com-
munities they do not recognise as churches at all. In
restricting the office of ordination to the Episcopal
Order, the Church of England re,embles idolatrous
and priestly-ridden bodies, but differs front Protestant
,lIIMIIOi.IIII.

That pthe does so is dne, not to the will of the
English people, but the personal preferences of
Elizabeth and Charles 11. At the beginning of each
of those reigns an attempt was made to sever the link
between the English Church and an essentially nn-
English religion ; and in both cases it was overridden
by the personal inlbtence of the Sovereign.
The present time is peculiarly appropriate for a
renewal of the attempt. Our old enemy, the Church
of Home, has declared in the most shameless manner
. . . _ _

that war against the fundamental principles of social
morality which she has all along been half-i.ecretly
waging. It is a fitting opportunity to cut all
connexion with the declared enemy of society
and civilisation. Our episcopal enceeenion 1,1
derived from Rome ; and it always leaves
epen a door for the introduction of the idolatory and
wickedness ;;f the Romish Church. Until the sum
resin is cut off, the door will not be closed. But
when Bishops are appginted like Deans or Archdeacons
without ally special ceremony, or at any rate without
the laying on of hands of other Bishops, it will be
impossible for the clergy to imitate the sacerdotal pre.
tensions of Roman priests. / We shall he allied with
the civili.ed and progressive Protestant communities, ,
and shall have finally ln with that fatal organisa-
tion which cornipted tie Chrintain religion and
niamacred our father&
Now thin thing can ne done. We do not believe
there is a single cinntjfliency in the United Kingdom
Which, if properly biitructe,l upon the bearings; of this
question, would ot give its vote in favour of the
reform. It . kes no perceptible alteration to
the Protee ts ; the Bishops will still wear
lawn Klee , and have large incomes, and sit
in the Buae of Lords, and rule their dioceses.
It alai6lutaly clears away sacerlotalism and the
danger of it. All that is wanted is that the con-
stituencies shorld be properly instructed ; and this
work must be undertaken by the Evangelical Alliance
and other Protestant societies, backed by all men of
moderation and mssl sense. I rpon them devolves the
task of perfecting the work of the Reformation, and
giving a truly Protestant character to the English
Church.
We do not disguise from ourselves that this measure
is a Conservative one. If carried, it will probably
rstpone (Reestablishment for fifty years, or even
indefinitely. But we do not think true Liberals need
oppose it on that account. In the meantime, the
Church will be more truly national, and will better
reflect the character of the English peo-de • and when
;Reestablishment does come, the Chime% will be
Protestant and not Catholic. The enormous influence
which must in any Case remain to her, will be exerted
on the side of truthfulness and progress ;not in support
of the ;lark and tortuous and fil:l4 ways of priestly
superstition.—Examiner.

The sheriffs have named the VIM inst. as the day for the
execution of Frances Stallard. aced IS at Winchester, for
murdering her child. No hopes are entertained of
reprieve.

ENGLAND TER9us FRANCE. For generations
Chocolate has been imported in large quantities into
this country from France. We are glad to find the
tables turned at last, and that Cadburys the Makers of
the well.known (locos, Essence have opened elegant
premise. at 90, Fabourg. St. !Tonere, Paris. Their
Cocoa Essence being perfectly genuine is a beverage
far better suited to warm climates than the thick
heavy compounds of Cocoa with sugar and starch
generally Sold.
THE IRON CLYDE-BUILT SHIP "RnAnußpilsiiißT.."
tons, Captain Christie, sailed from the Tail of the Bank,
Greenock, on July sth, bound for Brisbane, Queensland,
, with the following number of emigrants on board :-114
single men, 57 single women, 111 married people, 43
children between the ages of 12 and 1, and 1 infants,
making a total of 282 souls, equal to 2364 adults. The
simile women are under the care of Mn. Ware. Dr. I.
Raphael Joseph acting as Surgeon-Superintendent.

An exhibition of the powers of the "Telephone " was
held on Thursday afternoon at the Queen's Theatre,
London, in the presence of a large company of musical
men, scientists, itc. The invention is claimed by Mr.
Varley, who Patented it in 1870. Wires were laid
between the Queen's theatre and Canterbury Hall, a
distance of three miles. The full orchestra of the
theatre several times played a few ban, and then,
suddenly stopping, the melody was repeated in tones loud
enough to reach diatinctly every part of the building.
The chief consitahleship of the county of Lmenater—a
well-paid appointment for which a large number of dis-
tinguished officers entered themielves as candidates and
strove eagerly to obtain—has been offered to and accepted
by Captain H. M. Mnoraom, of the Rifle Brigade.
Cantain Mosirsom has been in the army since 1855 and
merved with the Rifle Brigade at the capture of Lucknow.''
A (to a HEAD TOWN.—Kingsliritlge, Devon, the birth-
place of "Peter Pindar." is built ma 38 acres of ground,
and has a population of 1,500. Besides the parish church,
which possesees a fine peal of eight bells, it haa several
Nonconformist chapels and a Quaker burying ground.
There are also a well-endowed grammar school. reading-
room, rte. Three coaches run daily to the station. shout
15 miles distant, four times a week. Plymouth, distant
2(1 miles, is similarly communicated with, steamers also
running to the same place But that which renders it
most remarkable is the circumstance that besides moths-
inz the two Plymouth daily papers it supports three
weekly journals of its own.
FITS. EPILIPTIC FITS 0111 FALLING SICKPRIVI. A
certain method of core has been discovered for this dia.
tresaing complaint by a physician, who is desirous that
all sufferers may benefit from this providential discovery
it is never known to fail, and will cure the most hopeless
case after all other means have been tried. Full particulars
will be sent bypost to any person free of charge—Address--
Mr. WlLLianalo, Oxford Terrace, Hyde Park, Landon.
lincairr s rams BLUE—The marked superiority of
this Laundry Blue over all others, and the quirk apprecia
ttion of its merits by the public Mel been attended by
he usual results, viz., • f1..11 of imitation, the
merit of the latter mainly consists in the ingenuity
exerted, not simply in imitating the square shape but
making the general apt earance of the wrappers resemble
that of the genuine article. The Manufacturers beg there-
fore to caution all buyers to sue" Reckitt's Paris Blue" on
each pa firet.
T.) INcitEans Yong Laeong.— Any one may
materially effect this by undertaking an Agency for '
THE DRAPER'S PCBS TEA ('OMPANY. The Tea 1/1 pure
and delicious, ready for immediate distribution in l-lb., ;
and I-lb. sealed Packeta. No Liciatca in
Amami). Once used, always used For Terms apply
to London Offices, 8, Red Lion Court, Cannon-atreet,
E.C. Agent in STURMINSTEIit NEWTON I'. HAWKINS • '
in GILLINGHAM, J. J)Av ; and Drapers in moei !
Tows and Villages.
HOLLOWAY'S PitLs.—liilloun Headache and Depression
of Spirila.—Whenever there is any excess of bile, or when
that secretion does not naturally pass from the liver, it
enter@ the circulation, vitiates the blood, and gives rise to
headache. Meknes., wearinew, and depression of spirits.
This evil is readily corrected by a few doses of these Pißs
which work a speedy cure without creating nausea, or
or weakening the stoinach—consequences too frequently
entailed by the administration of purgatives. Holloway
Pill. simultaneonely purity and strengthen. They improve
the appetite. COMM the palate, and invigroate the
stomach. These Pills act m the most successful alterna-
tives, effecting a silent but certain change for the better in
every organ which has become disordered either through
luxurious living or other Mee&