The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-10-31 00:00:00

REJECTED (SYNODICAL) ADDRESSES.

Un the Island of Girth", just discovered by that
celebrated traveller Mr. Lemuel (fakeer, it wrui lately
determin, d by those in authority to have a diocesan
synod. Why or wherefore this synod was to bo held
these wise men slid not condescend to say ; tho Bishop
wil ed it, and what the Bishop willed, the clergy
ti, oared to be most wise and important. But • diffi-
culty- aro-e, for which the chief movers in this matter
were not prepsrel ; every rams that had a grievance, •
plan, • crotchet in his brain, thought this would boa
fine opportunity for eirkg the •.,rn, , end therefore long
before the day appoin:e I for tl.o meeting of the synod
..no tbousliatt tut one pap I'. Were scot in, all to
he read at the synod. As a lust risouree, a committee
woe form, d to examine these p,pors hud to decide which
were to be read, and which w, re not, and the chair-
man appointed was the Rev. Belmont' Multiplex, who
having sixteen pieces of preferment, chiefly sinecures,
was reasonably supposed to have an interest in the
chinch, as by law established, his favourite axiom
being " Whatever is, is right." A lsrgo bundle i f the
rtjected address, s happened to bo picked up and brought
to our office. and we think that a few of them may be
interesting as showing the extraordinary fancies that
get into peoples' heads jam tho year 1871. The first we
abaft give is as follows.

HOW TO NAZI • OHURCLI SYNOD 1.7911FUL. By the
Bev. Navel! ICliox, ALA.

•
Ever, lover of the church, who like myself, has
given murk time and thought to her dangers and her
requirement', must bay* hailed with great satisfastion
the determination to hold • Diocesan Synod, and must
be curious to make that Synod of as practical use as
possible. It is with the humble hope of suggesting
some means to that end, that I venture to submit this
paper to the notice of the synod.
It is clear then that the calling together of a large
number of men, lay and clerical, to meet together from
time to time, would be a mere mockery arid • sham,
unless they had some tlofinito power committed to them:
" the talk of thu lips teacloth to penury " In order,
therefore, for the synod to be practical, it must have
fr.edom of election, freedom of discussion, and freedom
of sction,to c.rry out its resolutions. Of course therefore
the excellent Bishop of Laputa who has summoned
this synod will provide for these necessary powers.
Fur freedom of election it is necessary that as the c'eripy
elect tleir own representatives, so the laity should
elect theirs, scithout the intervention of tAs clergy in
any way, much leas under their preaideney, and the
interference of • clergyman should of itself invalidate
a ley electim ; for freedom of discussion, the synod
should be at perfect liberty to choose what subjects it
pleases, otherwise it may be amused by matters in
which the great body of the church take. no interest,
and therby kept from entering upon subjects that are
uppermost in every man's mind. But all this would
be worse than a mockery if the synod has not power
to enforce its resolutions. And this sin only be by the
Bishop undertaking to be guided by.it.
A parliament under an absolute monarchy is an
absurdity. Threo hundred years ago in our own
(*entry it could only exist under such a
govonment, when supplemented by an abundant appli-
cation of the Tower and Tower Hill. But we have seen
this more lately illustrated in Franoe,where for twenty
years personal government and the French Chambers
trace passed a most uncomfortable time, and it was only
by a skilful manipulation of the elections that the two
co-existed as long as they did. Men of independent
minds felt that they were made fools of—allowed to
talk, to keep the from acting. And such will be the
case with a Dioce,an Synod, where the Bishop is per.
featly independent of it. In our own land we have a
Sovereign, end • Porliament, and if the Sovereign sets
up the prerogative of the throne ag•inst the PerUatuent,
the latter can stop the supplies. It is this power that
gives to Parliament the weight Bliss, and without some
such power a Synod will be powerless for good, but may
do lunch berm: like the th'eumenical Council it may do
what it is bid, and make the Bishop infallible.
Lt us suppose a case—the Bishop refuses to carry
out the law as lately settled in the highest court of
appeal, when called upon to do so—this has already
happened in another Dioceee : the minds of the Laity
aro greatly disturbed by this, and the question Is
dli-
cusmed whether • Bishop who refuses to obey the law of
the church should not retire from his elfin, In any
Synod fairly elected that proposition would be carried
almost unanimously: but what good will remelt if the
Bishop can prevent the dismission, or ignore the resolu-
tion I Again : • large majority of lay members of the
church are much scandalixed at the lavish expense
attending Cathedral establisemente. They think that
the whole system is very inconsistent wigh die teaching
and example of Him "Who had not Yellers to lay His
head," and who said "My Kingdom is not of this
world." Surely such a subject as that ought to be dis-
cussed. Many of us who live in the country are rather
at • loss to know how to answer those unscrupulous
dissenters who point to such things and ask bow we can
justify them: they show us whole districts perishing
(or want of minister.; clergymen in other districts
labouritig with scarcely enough to feed and clothe their
families, while Bishops live in palaces, and sit on
thrones, and have singing men and singing boys to per-
form before thorn every time they go to church; and
while Canons get 11071/ hundreds • year for merely
listening to the masse. Perhaps if mush matters were
discussed, our country parsons might hear some good
and weighty reason for these things, so that we should
return better armed against the enemy-
ii dismission is amiilrl, election manipulated, and ac-
tion prevented, the danger is not avoided. The evils
end abuses which are eating out the life of the church
are too deeply seated to be bailed by concealment. Aad
the attempt to do so will bed to one of two evils.
Either the lay syncelsinen will return home deausted,
when they find how they have been befouled, and will
bc ton tines snore bitter against the Church than they
arc already, or they will grow into a power which no
prerog ,tivo will be able to resist, just as "the extreme
left" in Frauce, although a very small numerical
minority acquired tufficiout power to harry the late
Emperor to the destruction of his throne.

--
ln ord.r, therefore, ti make this Synod a blessing and
a credit to the church, it must have fixed and definite
work to do, and fa and free power to do it, other wise
it must inevitably load to disappointment in those who
designed it, exasperation in those who have been inclined
to t..ko part in It, and division and confusion to the
church at I.rge.
Endorsed)—" Rejected. The writer Is evidently some
Puritan Radical ; the Synod is not called to get rid of,
but to maintain and protect what the writer calls
ablut. , but which are the bulwark and foundation of
the church as by law established.—B. Muctzpux,
Chairman of Committee of Synod.

The hearing of the Tiohborne case will be resumed on
Tuoaday, the 7th of next month.
The Council of the German lielehstag has rejected a
Bill providing for the payment of members.
Tbo delicate health of the Marquis of Bath will
neoesatate his parsing the ensuing winter and spring
In a milder climate.
It is stated that the Mordaunt divorce case will be
triod over again, and that tie former witnesses have been
aubpreosed.
Aoisounts have been received from the German
Expedition to the North Pole, reporting the existence
of open sea at the rule, swarming with whales.
The continued indisposition of her Majesty will
probably delay the Royal departure from Balmoral for
Windsor until about the 17th November.

...........
Mr. F. Id. Hay wood, solicitor, of Derby has
"mysteriously disappeared." Pecuniary embarrassments
are iiihted at.

The Tiohborne trial will re.oommeno3 on Tuesday,
November ith. The first witness, it is ssid. will be
'Art!mr Orton."

The iseamington &WIWI) Works, erected at a toot of
£17,000, have been opened. The sewage will be used to
grow rye grass.
The Queen's health has 'greatly Improved, but her
Msjesty is still unable to join the family circle at mode
or to take walking i.e.
Letters received in Birmingham from Mr. Bright give
an encouraging account of the state of the right hon.
gentleman's health.
Loins Kossuth has addressed to the Magyar and
Wallachians a manifesto, haring for object the organi•
nation of the Datitthian provinces as free Confederation.
The Emperor of China is, nays the Ontrrier Diplo-
ntalviuc, about to be married. As on such an mission
certain spacial taloa are levied, considerable discontent
is felt by the people.
A decision has been given in the Abingdon }tarlatan
Court, according to which a married woman living
apart from her husband Is entitled to vote at municipal
dections.
_ . -

ti. stated that the Rev. J. S. Watson, who is now
in Id.rseruonger-lane Gaol, charged with the murder of
his wife, is in • state of nervous exhaustion, and that
his life is in some danger.
Mary Lewis, alias "Slater Louise," • Sister of Morey,
bee been fined 201. and oost, for beatialt • boy at •
charity school where she was teacher, because he could
not say "Twice two are four."
Ssahh-rOx tie WoLveitessevON.—Small-pox is rife
In Wolverhampton. There are about 200 MAW In the
borough, and the number Is Increasing. Of 00IIrsa the
town is found in 'a shocking sanitary Donation."
A man named Dudley, sentenced at the Leicester
quarter sessions to seven yeus' penal servitude for
i
being concerned n • watch robbery at the rues, bulged
binned shortly after his removal to the borough gaol.
The landowners and inhabitants of Malessabare are I
taking steps to connect that town with the Great
Western Railway by • branch from Danntiey, The
company offer to amidst to the extent of hal the Oast.
A woman named Skinner was brought up at klidelseen
sessions to be dealt with as an incorrigible vagabond-
She has been • beggar for 36 years, and has been cons
elated 7d times. She was sentenced to six months'
imprisontuent.
A "MODEST' GiGLD.—A Guild of Ladies is proposed
to be formed to promote modesty of drew, to do away
with extravagahce, and substitute the neatness and
sobriety sultabh to Christian women. Miss 13arrison,
of Seamier', is looting as organiser of the guild.
n in
Be I,,pri,o.slionn
Lto.ok neuhp onTtetuwrdasily
°tin &mcotton mill
oining
budding fell upon the pipes connected with the boiler of
the mill engine. There was an immediate explosion, and
two men were killed. The fire communicated with a
shoddy mill in the neighbourhood, which was burned to
the groond.
A WHOLESALE lIICIRDIMIII.—AIb.rt George, •
coloured man now in gaol in Houston. Texas. is Did to
have committed no less than 17 murders during the last
five years. lie has certainly improved his opportunities,
being only 33 years oil, lie ascribes all the crimes to
habit, of ustemperanco.— New Fork Tribune.
.hit..:ESll IN. • MENAGERIII.—At EMI), OD Friday,
hittington s travelling menagerie NU exhibiting'
rho son of • local publican put his hand through the
bars of • cage containing the bear., It was seized by one
and nearly torn off. • The mob then attuked the
menagerie, one beat waa shot dead another eseaped and
the proprietor received a very gad beating. Seven
. rioters were arrested.

,
Tlll U 111.12 %MN OF SIWAGF.—The Portsmouth
Load i Board have resolved to utilise their sewage ; and
an offer by Messrs. Russ and Minns, of London, has
vitually been accepted. The following are the prinolpal
terms :—A lease of 25 years, the rent to sommenoe on
the 21b of September nest. Far the first five years
the h ewes are to pay 1:500 per annum ; amend lire.
MO; third five. £700; forth five 0100 ; and the es-
miming period, kl,Oho. The system thus proposed to
be adopted in for irrigation, and large tracts of land
a kg miles from Portamonth frill be pet seder the
bellig"now isig
nelaiamda.) lakittitathistbe 1116111M114 "IN"
11411411"111