The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-06-25 00:00:00

CONVOCATION AND "ESSAYS AND REVIEWS."

On Thursday morning the question of the proper
mode of dealing with "Fcsays and Reviews" was revived
in the Lower House of Convocation, Jerusalem-thamber.
The "Headlines was not as large as might have been
expected from the interest which is generally felt
on the subject. The Berl of Harrowby was among the '
strangers present.
After the transaction of some formal business, the
Prolocutor (Archdeacon Rickersteth) read the mes.
sage from the President directing the house to resume
and give its opinion upon the book.
The Ray. Mr. itudeprd gave notice that if the
motion of Archdeacon Denison should be carried, he
would move an address to the President and the upper
haw, praying that they might praised rather by way
of declaration ef their own belief, than by way of
synodical judgment.
Cason Wordsworth gave sales of the following
amendment to Archdeacon Denison's motion, " That
the ecclesiastical courts of this realm are the proper
tribunals for the trial of heresy. That in the ordinary
swerve/ of its functions, convocation is • deliberative
assembly, and not a judicial tribunal; end that if in
any particular ease sash as that now before this house,
it proposes to enter upon any deliberations with the
view to perform a judicial set and to pronounce a
synodical sentence upon a book, it ought first to
wander whether a license /tea the crown may not
be requisite for that purpose. That e respectful
communisation to this effect be sent to the Upper
House."

Archdeacon Denison then moved the following
resolution :—" That it is the opinion of this house that
there are sufficient grounds for proceeding to a rynodicial
judgment on the book entitled ' Essays and Reviews.'"
Re commenced by saying that there
tWD questions
mixed up with this matter. The bishops had just sent
down to the house for their opinion with respect to one
point, and another point bad been raised in debate u
to whether the book In question was a fit subject for
synodical judgment as an heretical work, dangerous to
the principals of true religion. He hoped those two
questions would 1.4 kept perfectly separate. Thu house
was aware that all synodical action and judgment must
emanate from the bishops. The committee had some
to a very able report, and the object of the amend-
meats on the notice paper, and especially of that of Sir
H. Thompson, was to stultify the whole of their pro.
ceedinp. What was the use of clergymen tuning to
London and deliberating for many hours, and arriving
at • mature cionclusion, if no further action was to be
take. t He tvnetsol that this iunendnicob ..ould got be •
mot rid of by • side wind, which he contended would
be the case if any of the amendments were carried.
Dr. M'Caul, in seconding the amendment, denounced
the book as an attempt to introduce • new Christianity.
and declared it to be his conviction, as the remelt of
many years' study, that the Mosaic statements with
regard to the creation were not opposed to the discove-
ries of modern science. He denied that there was any
panic among the clergy generally, observing that there
was • great difference between terror and horror. Still,
be said the tendency of the book was exceedingly dan-
gerous, especially to the young. The bishops having
sent down to them in a great crisis of the church's
history, a great and solemn question, it became that
house, he maintained, to return an answer. Whatever
might be said agairnt Convocation, he believed its deci•
Won would have great weight with the clergy and the
the country. At the conclusion of the rev, gentleman's
address, the Prolocutor announced that lie had jolt
received • message from his grace the President to the
effect that Le and the other members of the upper
house would attend the lower house at 2 o'clock, to sign
with them the new 28th Canon.

--A
short recess then took place, and at 2 o'clock the
Canon MU formally published.
The knowing is a copy of the Rev. Sir H. Thomp-
son's intended amendment.
"That the Prolocutor be requested to convey to the
Upper House • copy of the report, together with the
fallowing manage ;—'That in obedience to the direction
of his Grace and of the Upper House, • committee of
the Lower BMW was appointed to examine the book,
entitled "Essays and Reviews," and to report thereon
to the Lower Hones in order that the Lower House
Wert isomenunicate to the Upper House its opinion
whether there are safneient ;noun& for proceeding to •
synodical judgment of the book. The Lower House
now send op to the Upper House a copy of the report
at that ameesithes. The Lower House Ire not pressed
te recommend the passing of • synodical judgment on
the book; b they desire to assure the Upper House
that they will give their mese respectful attention to
any communication which may be scut down to them
grounded ass the report,"

Tire Wesirran Conniunicz.—The Wesleyan
Methodist Conference will be held in Neweastie-on-Tyne
this year, beginning OD Thursday, July 25. The various
esnuniteess will, however meet in the previous week.
The pelt preittntoris
tiih C.
rilevto
John to either the Re
Easv.