The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-05-28 00:00:00

Literature.
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THE Posmos OF THE RIONT ANL 131,11111 L
WILBINFORCII, D. D., IN sizsasscs To
Rrrimusst. London : Hatobard sad Co..
Pioesdilly.

-
It is very interesting oolkurionally to watt& • sail,
log vemelbeatinglowindward: although itapparently
changes its mime, yet in reality it is always
tusking for miepoint—iJthougb now it is running
towards the south,andthen, suddenly putting about,
it makes towards the north, yet the practised sys
now disoerna that it is taatinually though gradually
working due east. Such hes been the apparently
erratic *nurse of the subject of tbe pamphlet at the
bead of this notice. Called to the ipiacopat. at an
unusually early age, bringing with him lbs weight
of • name honoured through the civilised world, be
won displayed that energy and activity which
brought him to the point in every sedeeiesticial
controversy. But at the suns time his °conducts has
been such an enigma, that few men have bees able
to onderstand or appreciate it. The senior
resident member of the University of Orford'
deserves the warmest thanks of the whole Church.
for producing • most dear historical summary of his
Lordship's %dumpsite, which we commend to the
attention of all our readers, if they wish to learn
what ever has been the one object of his lordship
through all his apparent inooosisteneie• We will
Ore one or two ortraota as • wasinow. In 1859
seswering an address from his three archdeacons,
his lordship used these remarkable wards:

"For myself, I rejoice in the opportunity which
your address gives of declaring thus publicly that, with
YOU, I utterly disapprove all attempts to introduoe any
such unusual ritualistic developments. I deem it
unpardonable that we, who are charged with the all-
importoot work of see kkeg to win souls for which
Christ died, should weeks our own energise, and
estrange the hearts of our people, giving our.
selves up to each childish frivo ties. You know that I
hold it to be my duty to maintain firmly, and without
oomprothise (though with the utmost charity in judg-
ment, word, and conduct to those who differ from us),
the distinctive doctrines of our own Reformed Church,
and the solemn and expressive Ritual which is so
closely connected with them. You know that to the
utmost of my 'power I discourage all cruninution, and
all exams of her sober rule. You well know that I
have ajealons dread of every Nomanbing tendency, and
that I have not the slighest sympathy_ with those who
wish to restore among us such a Ritual as Mr. Punkas
describes, for that, in my opinion, such attempts both
breed on the one ade, in some weak minds, • longing
first for the gorgeous Ritual, and then foe the corrupt
doctrines ofßowe; and on the other, tend far more
widely to alienate our people from round Church of
England principles, and give occasion to such calumnies
as those which you have condemned."
So far from emisfying the diocese, this address
called forth a remonstrance signed by 100 clergy.
men and 4,000 laymen, many of them of the highest
influence. Now compare with that language the
following foots :

"The -Sanctioning the introduction of e stone altar
and credits into Slosh= Church.
"It will be borne in mind, that stone altars have
been pronounoed Wei* by the judicial committee of
the Privy Council, whose decisions, the Bishop main-
tains, are 'binding upon our eonecienote U cl,by our
oaths sad promalase at ordination, licensing, thstath•

▪ spite of' this, at the re-opening of Bloshem
Chunk in November 18116, it app_esred that inthe Un-
combo Chapdry of that church the old slier hod boon
restend, a now slab of Warwick Stone, the gift of the
having been erected here on the old site.' It
Is stated in the record of the diocese, in the
Oxford Diocesan Calendar, that 'this chspelry
heanforth to be used for the daily matins and even-
song, ae also for early odebratione, (i.e., of the Seer
meet of the Lord's Sooner,) and on holy days.'
There ere now, therelce., two alter. (as the Ritualists
term them) in this Ohara. Some years ago the Bishop
justified the use of the noes in Churches, 'as distinct
from the Ronda superstitions of the crucifix: But he
makes no objection now onkof to none altar or
eniciax. Over the WO altar on the reredos is 'a
a 0i the aTutt&ttott in whits ekbeetwr,' the osot
of wbkb bee WS dmeribed by s 4 :
' Whet struck efleatke. Vis di•
1,211 aamative at the rendes, twill Imam
Mkt os tko ors% vlik th• Yinia ea