The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-18 00:00:00

RITUALISM IN LONDON.

The Times of Monday says The announcement
that the Bishop of London was to preach on 'Sunday
in the Church of St. Vedast, now well-known for
Ritualistic performances, drew tovether an untuurilly
lorge congregation. Mr. T. M: Kirkman, the officer
of the Arches Court, served-the Rev. Thomas Pelham
Dale, the rector, with a copy of the inhibition granted
by Lord Penzanoe- a few-days since, by which he is,
undet the Public Worship Rigulatlon Act, prohibited
from officiating as a clergyman for three mouths.
?rota the fact that Mr. Dale did officiate at the
morning service, it was inferred that he had given in
his submision to the order of the Court. The morning
service of the Church of England was gone through
with choral accompanimento, a little Gregorian music
being introduced here and there. The Rector, the
Rsv. Mr. Armitage, whose sermon on the previous
Sunday created so much sensation, and two other
clergymen, took part in the service. All wore the
well-known dress of Church of England ministers, and
the whole service was conducted in strict conformity
with the established ritual of the Church, the only
exception being the lo w obeisances made by the clergy-
men as they pasEei the ‘gilded cup which stands
in the centre of the altar. In big prayer the
Bishop implored God to "turn the hearts of the
disobedient to the wisdom of the just ;" and then
took his text from Matthew, chap. I, v. xxi. His
Lordship said he had no intention to allude to the
circumstances which unhappily brought him there that
day. The pulpit was far too solemn a place for topics,
however exciting or important, belonging to another
sphere of thought. When the world is receding from
the lone souls; when the spirit looks back upon the
life that is past, how utterly trivial appear the (Inez-
tions of controversy which have weighea upon the
minds of people, divided parishes, and • convulsed
churches. His lordship made no further reference to
the subject of ritualistic practices."

In contection with the above, The Times of Tuesday
published the following letter :

Sir,—Will you allow me to rend you a statement of facts
as to what occurred on Sunday last, as the account which
appears in your journal is not quite accurate? The inhibi-
tion was served just as the Bishop arrived for morning ser-
vice, who at his own desire, not mine, came to exercise his
spiritual authority and take the spiritual charge of my
people. I have not submitted to the new Court, nor do I
Intend to do so, and the living must go into sequestration in
consequence.
My preqmce at St. Vedast on Sunday was an act of per-
sonal übmission to the Bishop and not to the Court, and so
I stated in terms to the Bishop. I considered that I wits
bound to take this clime by my letter to the Bishop, pub—
liehed in the Church Times,and Church Review of the 2ad of
June. The morning and evening services were entirely under
the direction of the Bishop. This Is but the commencement
of a policy f persecution which must fail in the end. lam
put as the soldier at the bridge head—there are plenty more
behind me who will fight the same battle. Acts of Parlia-
ment cannot control men's consciences, and lam persuaded
that that you will find, though a few more deprivations may
follow, that in a short time the Public Worship Regulation
Act will become, like other persecuting Acts, a dead letter
on the Statute Book—l remain, Sir, yours truly,
T. PELHAM DALE.

The Rt.v. T. Pelham Dale also writes to the
papers : _

_ _
"Three courses are open to a clergyman in my position: to
submit, to secede, or t..) suffer. I cannot do the first because
I conscientiously object to the jurisdiction which has con-
demned me. I cannot do the second because I am sure that
the Church of England, notwithstanding the encroachments
of the State upon her liberties, is the true Church in this
land. I take, therefore, the last course, and suffer. The
bishop has canonically or otherwise assumed in person the
charge of my benefice, and on him the responsibility must
eat."