The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

glisallancous 11tt1lic_lt lit
HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

Mn. PeRCHAS INIIIBITED.—The recent harvest
festival services at St. James's Chapel, Brighton,
caused much dissatisfaction to some of the inhabitants
of that town, and a petition was presented to the
Bishop of Chichester hoping that some decided steps
would be taken "to restrain proceedings which are
entirely opposed to the teaching and the spirit of our
reformed and Protestant Church of England." The
Bishop in reply states that he was advised that the
case was not a proper one for the issuing of a com-
mission, but if the matter was to be brought before any
ecclesiastical tribunal it should be before the Court of
Arches in the first instance. He did not recommend
the commencement of such a suit at present, as he was
advised that the report of the Commission on Ritualism
rendered it probable that the questions that would be
raised will soon be settled by legislation. He would,
however, allow the prosecution if asked to do is. His
lordship also wrote —"I: have already, by a writing
addressed to him, inhibited Mr. Purchas from preach-
ing, administering the sacraments, or officiating in
Divine service in my diocese, but he maintains that he
is legally justified in disregarding the inhibition.*
On Sunday last Mr. Purchas did not officiate at St.
James's.
THE NATIONAL EXPENDITURE.—The Daily
News sums up the controversy between Lord Henry
Lennox and Mr. Stansfeld. The facts are that half
a million of money in access of the expenditure of
their predecessors has been wasted by the present
Government on unarmed ships; that the policy of re-
ducing the foreign squadrons, which they have bor-
rowed from the Opposition, has been carried out only
to one-third of the extent proposed by its authors ;
and that their increase of expenditure upon iron-plated
ships, to which it is admitted that naval reconstruction
should be chiefly addressed, falls far within the provi-
sion made by the Liberal Government for that essential
purpose. Where the Government ought to have been
frugal they have been lavish ; where they ought to have
been lavish they have been frugal. These questions
may seem small; but the point at issue, of reckless
and unthrifty, or econopaic and efficient administration
is momentous. The magnanimity which "disdains
the lore of nicely calculated less or more" may be very
imposing, but it is out of place in a Govenuuent de-

paittamit.
CATHEDRALS OF TIIE IRISH CHURCH ESTAB-
LIS7I NI EN C. —The Trish Church Establishment is
possessed Ilf no less than thirty cathedral corpora-
tions for its 693,000 men, women and children, the
nominal Protestant population of the emintry. Four
cathedrals are dedicated to St Patrick—Armagh, Dub-
in, Cashel, and Killida. Timm and Limerick have
St. Mary for patron; Clogher has St. Macartin ;
Achonry, St. Crumnathy ; Kildare St. Bridgid ; Kil-
kenny, St. Canine ; Ferns, St. Edan ; Leighlin, St.
Lazarian ; Emly, St. Alibeus, "alias Elibens ;"
Lismore, St. Carthage; Cork, St. Finbar ; Cloyne, St.
Colman; Kilmaciluagh, St. Colman; Ross, St.
Faughan ; }Mane, St. Flannan ; Kilfenora, St
Fachnan ; Clonfert, St. Brandon; Ardfert, St.
Brendan. Dublin has also Christchurch Cathedral.
The cathedrals of Waterford and 1)own take the
name of Trinity ; Dromore, the Redeemer; Connor,
St. Saviour. We ( The Times)do not observethat the Royal
commissioners mention a patron saint in the instance of
Derry, Raphoe, or Elphin. The list will in many
instances introduce a name and nothing more. Many
of the cathedrals are now used as parish churches. In
only a few is cathedral service celebrated. The emo-
lument: of many of the dignitaries have been trans-
ferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners ; and
there are deans and other dignitaries without either
official income or duty.