The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1873-08-26 00:00:00

To Mr. F. Miter, Town Clerk. Wanbam.

HABITII A I OUN tr EMSION.

Commenting on archdoiocio Donison's letter, the
1)64 News asys—if aaybody is going to do battle le
this °wintry for habitual private toefeesion, we Sr.
sorry for them and for the religious oommunion whose
um* sod interests they thus compromise. Our
eoantrymen kno• enough of the system to hold It to
abousinstion. They reject it u fatal to the unity and
pence of that domestic life 'Aida lithe distiogaishing
lisppinua of ibis land. Wise men In the Roman
Catholic Chureli have often expressed their Deus of the
unspeakable mischief 'bleb the system works In that
acenniunion, where it is guarded by rules founded
upon the espartos°. of ages. and yet this is the
'Meta, which Lc to be naturalised smug ue, If
pcoalble, by ministers of the Natlend Church ! Is
a book purporting to be edited by e committee
of clergy, we ilad II laid down that children should go
to eonfession from the ago of eight years and upwards
We can imagine nothing so wsll lilted to enassulate
thee mind, and lee,* it without strength or stay in the
battle of life, than this habit of looking constantly to
another for direction and guidenoa It Is utterly im-
poseible that husbands and fathers will sit still and see
this system established among as by pelting means sad
pub& authority. Those who desire to make us of
positions in the istehlished Marsh to promote views
which the :wide hos deliberately rejeeted may raise the
cry of persecution if they will, amid the diem of the
Church do their duty. But there is no permentics in
requiring that the advantages end suouress of cabin)
putties& should be employed for porpoise 'doh the
public eon approve.

CONFUSION IN THS CHURCH OF /NOLAND.
To as Editor q/ Oa Daily Nom
thank yea for your kindly tuatara. Sal
you mistake me In 'opposing that I mesa anything else
than what la pmcdsely staled in the sermon I etudes*,
F''4 In Wells Cathedral, Sunday, 10th Inst. In
that sermon I have disposed of the two alleptioes
mode by Bishops and other. In high plaseg-1. That
the Reformed Church discourage." haiku' " private
sosdalott by, and absolution of, het Individual
members. 2. That she teaches btu coogregaUotts that
private eonfeerion and abeoloUee is only to be resorted
tom" ereeptiocal oases." By argument Is based upon
ate Church's own oinneollon between pirate oonfeesioe
ad absolution and Holy Communion; sad it le
wiewesable ; unless, Indeed, the Cburoh be made to
eoutrldiet and stultify herself.
Bevies thus cleared the ground, I propose to last
at future opportunities upon the manifold privilege, use,
sad blessing of private anfession and absolutioe, both
to priest and people. I repeat my thankfulness that
this question in all its batons is now distinctly before
the &OA people. Ido not oonotal from myself that
the °outlet will be severe; but I have no fears for the
ultimate lieu.; haunt I have no doubt that Cod will
card his troth, and preserve it for all who seek It
humbly end faithfully. .

But our experteme, specially ef bite years, has
taught us what we have to meet. And, as might be
6/pouted from the nsiure of the case, the rerdetasse
at the permute point has assumed • shape •hloh will
make • large demand upon petisoat filth! ulcer,
energy. In particular. the Bishop of Gloucester and
&tool, in hie reply of 13th inst. to the Dean of
Glouseter, has declared open war In longue's not to
be mistaken ; end hoe mode himself the leader of the
altra-Protedrust army. Now, the Re-formation pre-
served In the Cbureh of laglead, alone of all oomseu•
sitter affected by it, the Osthollo element This le the
salt of the Church of England of the lost NO years.
Other@ my that its salt rossists in Its eomproteeding
highest Oatholielem and lowest Protestantism. lam
not going to argue this *at Imre. But lea inaneo
to the fed, that what the Bishop of Glouosetar sad
his allies propate is, in sleet, the extermination of the
Oatholle element
Well. U the Bishop of Olousster mad Bristol, or
any other Bishop or Bishops, will have open wax, let it
some. U they his, to " saub" every Catholic, and
pat ea the beck" every alts-Protestaat, let them
follow their loollootiou. If they *Set to stimulate
oe sad pmalee by willing oe " disbooset,"
et&Arz•r7'anplettero,"treitore," so let it be. Li Simi
prefer to administer their &mew inequitably, let
them s, administer ;so some are doing *ow. U they
propose to repeat the polls whisit drove oat Wesley a
caster Lap, het
will i.: try itcte .ellerstthupLad
he good ofthink
soak to re Idiot ma be done towards preemie( perms-
cella( Ante of Parliament, let tutu try tusk lamd,
We ere quits ready- sad we should feu waist If they
amid rumprod. But they will not osooted.—lbithfully
run.
Maas a. Damson.
Mist Brest, *sold 22.