The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-13 00:00:00

In the Borst OF LORD, June S. Prince Arthur, Introduced
by the Prove of Wall, and the Duke of Edinburgh, took his
sent 00 n Veer of the Itealrn, under the title of the Luke of
Connaught.

PUBLIC WORSHIP REGULATION BILL.
The consideration of the Public Worship Regulation Bill in
Committee was resumed at Clause 9 providing that the
Archdeacon, the Rural Dean of a district, a Churchwarden,
or three parithioners, may transmit to the Bishop a com-
plaint objecting to the illZ 'T in which the public worship
Is conducted in a church within their district, or objecting
the employment of an unlawful ornament.
After the discussion of several amendments proposed to
this Clause by Lords Bath, Limerick, and Nelson without
being pressed to a Division,
Lord Oranniore rose to propose an amendment directed
against the use of the Confettional, but consented not to
proceed with it in conseqnence of its beinu represented that
the introduction of the topic was irrelevant to the subject
matter of the bill.

The Lord Chancenor proposed to add to the Clause words
providing that no proceeding should be taken in respect to
any alteration of the fabric of the Church completed live
years before the passing of the bill.
This amendment was agreed to, and the proviso was added
to the Clause.

On the question that the Clause as amended be adopted,

. - -
Lord Sellairne moved that the Clause be omitted with the
slew of aubstituting another Clause providing that the
Bishop may issue a monition to secure observance of the law
in Divine Service. Ile explained that the object of the
amendments of which he had given notice WM to get rid of
judicial proceedings before the Bilhop, and of unnecessary
litigation and costs, lie could not anise with the proposal
to exclude ail discretion on the part of the Bishop. The
Bill proposed that in every parish proceedings should
commence with a formal litigious complaint, which
would be the very worst course of proceeding for the
peace of any parish if the desired object could be attained by
any other means. Moreover it was not necessary to adopt
that process, because, upon the Issue of a monition by the
Bishop that certain practices should not be continued in the
future, there would be no OCCASioII for any investigation into
previous facts, and the expenses would be so far diminished.
In order that the incumbent might not be without the power
of defending himself, he proposed that on the pure question
of law there should be a simple, summary, and inexpensive
mode of resort to the Court of the Archbishop or to the Final
Court of Appeal,
The Lord Chancellor objected to the amendment because
the monition of the Bishop, under whatever name it might
be called, was to all intents and purposes a judgment, and it
could not be right to enact that a judgment should issue
without reference to the facts on which the monition pro-
ceeded lithe clergyman disputed the monition on grounds
of law, he was to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal,
but it would certainly be a singular proceeding to direct a
Court of Appeal to take cognizance of that which was no
appeal at all, because there was no previous hearing of the
case.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said that nothing could be
more desirable than to diminish the expenses of litigation,
bm, he doubted whether Lord Selborne's amendments would
have the effect of producing that result.
Lord Grey thought it would be desirable to give some
power of arbitration, in respect to these matters of dispute,
to the Bishop.
Lord Salisbury suggested that places of worship not having
the cure of souls attached to them should be left outside the
bill, so that observances in such places which were palatable
to the congregations might not be interfered with.
After some further discussion, the sth Clause was agreed
to without a Division.

Lord Shaftesbury then proposed to leave out Clause 9. an •
insert some new Clauses. He had before proposed to tak
away the Bishop's discretion : but as there had been a
strong expression on the part of the House that some I
discretion should be given to the Bishop, he was
ready to withdraw his objection to the exercise of
a discretion by the Bishop, provided he stated his
reason, to the person complaining, in writinu, why he
did not proceed with the hearing of the case lie now pro-
posed that the Bishop should, within 21 days after receiving
the complaint, transmit it to the person complained of, and
should require such person, and also the Iperson making the
complaint, to state in writing within ten days whether they
were willing to submit to the directions of the Bishop touch-
ing the matter of the complaint without appeal.
A long discussion ensued on this Clause, in the course of
winch several amendments to it were suggested, but
tfie Archbishop of Canterbury. having declared that
the great majority of eases would be settled by the
friendly arbitration of the Bishop, expressed his strong
objection to the withdrawal of all discretion front
the Bishop. Upon a Division the Clause was carried
by 93 to 49, and a proviso was added declaring
that no decision come to by the Bishop should be con-
sidered as deciding any question of law so that it might not
be raised again. Ou the next Clause proposed by Lord
Shaftesbury, an amendment, moved by Lend Nelson, provid-
ing that security CPcosts to the amount of £lOO should be
given by the person or persons making the complaint before
the appeal of the Judge should be allowed, was carried by
71. to 50 Some Clauses in the original bill were then omitted
as a consequence of the adoption of Lord Shaftesbtuys
amendments.
Lord Bath having moved "that the House do resume,"
the motion was supported by Lonl K inset erley for the reason
that all amendment requiring security for the cost had
been carried, and no one seemed to he aware what the
effect of that amendment would he; but the Lord Chan-
cellor ventured to predict that the effect would be that no
proceeding whatever would be taken under the bill and the
Archbishop of Canterbury remarked that, If that prophecy
were fulfilled, and the clergy were content with the arbitra-
tion of the Bishop, lie did not see that any great evil would
be done.

The House then resumed, and immediately afterwards ad.
journed at ten minutes past twelve o'clock.