The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-29 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,

PEOPLE who dwell in great cities are grossly
incapable of understanding what we may be allowed
to call the law of storms in local and provincial
atmospheres. Of course even in London there
are many lesser worlds under the outer crust of •
national capital ; such as the municipal world and
the parochial world, with their politics, their public
men, and their personalities, their struggles and
squabbles, their ambitions and intrigues, and their
teapot tempests. But in a capital, beneath the
great stress and turmoil of acting history, local
men and things are mere tributary streamleta
to a mighty river, brawling and petulant in holes
and corners, but unregarded and insignificant.
Not so in numberless county towns, more parti-
cularly among those ultra-insular populations
which are just large enough to be pretentious and
small enough to be fussy. Go down to some
rising watering-plans, and you will find that the
people are thinking neither of Poland nor of
Mexico, nor of the American revolution, but of
some fierce intestine war in their midst, in which
everybody is " cutting" everybody, and the local
broadsheet driving a brisk trade in lampoons and
}RA; all round. We have been reminded of these
indispensable conditions of life in small communities
by a Bluebook we have lately received from
Guernsey, that charming island which will proba-
bly some day or other be proud of having
sheltered the genius in ezile of the greatest
poet and dramatist of France in the 19th
century. Our little Bluebook contains the history
of a very pretty quarrel between the Bono, of the
Island and the Dean, concerning the administration
of &Visiting and Tract Society over which the Dean,
as Rector of St. Peter's Port, most emphatically
presided, and of which the BATLTI7 was Vice-Patron.
It will be seen that in this contest between lay and
clerical authority some larger principles than any
which either of the Guernsey combatants contends
for are involved ; and without pretending to
encroach upon the domain of the directors of
public opinion on the spot, we think our readers
will consider the dispute worth a few minutes'
attention.

We can quite imagine that the high—the very
high—indigenous society for which Guernsey is
famous, has been not a little stirred by the pnblL
cation of this correspondence, and by the circum-
stances it relates. Bat in truth the case deserves
some notice beyond the exclusive--the very ex-
clusive—circles of the Guernsey aristocracy. At
the same time we wish to premise that there le '
nothing in the affair from fint to last that dis-
credits either side to any serious extent ; and we
may congratulate even the reverend gentleman
who appears to least advantage in the discomfit% on
having kept his temper, and combined a very fair
share of shrewdness and fineness with the prudent
suavity that becomes his Order.

It appears that some sixteen years eines a
Visiting and Tract Society was established in
Guernsey, with a working committee and a
lay treasurer, and was well supported by the
public ; but that since the first year of its exis-
tence the character and constitution of the Society
have been gradually changed, and the lay element
altogether excluded from its administration.
Early in the present year a circumstance occurred
which led the Baum of Guernsey, in his capacity
of Vice-Patron of the Society, to inquire into
the manner in which its affairs were carried on.
This circumstance was simply the summarydensimal
of a lady district visitor by the Dean, as President
of the Society, and Rector of the parish, for having
been present at a fancy ball, in a fancy dress.
The Bxturr was anxious to ascertain how so strong
a measure could have been taken so summarily,
and who could have authorised it. And he found,
on inquiry, that the Society was being carved on by
the Rector alone, without a committee and with-
out rules. The Dean, as Rector, had
absorbed both the spiritual and the temporal
powers, and had become to all intents and pur-
poses "the Society." In the course of a correepon-
deuce between the Bantry and the Dean, the latter
with the most perfect frankness intimated his
conviction that a Visiting Society could only be
effectually managed under the exclusive direction
of the minister of the pariah, without the
interposition of patrons and committees ; and
that it was not his intention to call together the
subscribers nor to make any new rules. Under
these circumstances, the Bscurr very naturally
concluded that he could no longer remain
Vice-Patron of the Society; but before with-
drawing his name he sent to the Bishop of
the diocese his own correspondence with the
Dean, and the Dean's with the lady who had
had her district taken from her; and he suggested
to the Bishop, as the three essentials of such a
Society, periodical meetings of the members, rules,
and a committee of management. In there sugges-
tions the Bishop entirely concurred, recommending
that theoommitteeshould consist of a certain number
of lay members with the clergy as ex-oificio mem-
bers, and that the distribution of tracts should be
separated from the distribution of relief. The
Bishop having promised to write to the Dean to
this effect, the BAILIFF waited hopefully for a
change ; but no change came, and he found out
that the Dean in his answer to the Bishop, stating
his reasons for wishing to adhere to " the pre-
" Timis constitution of the Society," had iaai
nuated that " motives were at work of another
" kind" than those alleged in the Baton's letters ;
and thus it was that the Bishop's adios waa

stayed. So the BAILIFF, baffled in his endeavours
to mend the constitution of the Society, had no
alternative but to publish the correspondence, and
to appeal to public opinion, as to whether a Society
for the visitation and relief of the poor should be
ruled and managed by the sole and absolute autho-
rity of the Rector of the parish,without rules, with-
out • committee, without meetings of the sub-
scribers ; and whether a lady visitor should be liable
to have her district summarily taken away, becaure
she had been present at a fancy ball in a fancy
dress. We think we can promise the BAILIFF of
Guernsey that among the general English public,
whether lay or clerical, there will be very little
difference of opinion on either point. Indeed, we
observe that the BAILIFF had secured the highest
authority on his side by consulting the publications
of the Metropolitan Visiting and Relief Associa-
tion, established "at a meeting held at London-
" house on the 16th December, 1843, the Lord
" Bishop of the Diocese presiding." The object
of this Association was declared to be the relief of
destitution and the improvement of the condition
of the poor by combining religious and moral
instruction with the relief of bodily want, and
making the latter as it were a preparation for
the former, and generally by promoting " kindly
" feelings between those classes of society which
" are kept so far asunder by the difference of their
" worldly condition." The rules of this Associa-
tion, its modes of operation, and the conditions on
which its grants are distributed to local visiting
societies, are all framed on the largest and hu-
manest spirit of Christian charity ; with the ten-
derest and most scrupulous respect for the feelings
of the poor, and without distinction of religious
persuasion. The administration of its funds is
entrusted to a committee, to meet once • month,
and consisting of the clergy, the gratuitous visitors,
and such other parishioners, lay or clerical, as may
be prevailed upon to co-operate. There can be no
doubt that the Vice-Patron of the Guernsey Vigi-
-1 tation Society was justified in appealing to the
rules for the administration sad conduct of the
Metropolitan Society, under the immediate cog-
nisance of the Bishop of LONDON and the Bishop of
WINCHIVICE, from the determination of the Rector
of St. Peter's Port to dispense with committee,
rules, meetings, audits, and laymen (except as
subscribers) altogether. As regards the kind and
estimable lady who was the innocent Helen of
this Guernsey Iliad, the Rector appears to have
acted with singular inconsistency. Two ladies
—district visitors—had attended a fancy ball, and
the fact was brought to the Rector's notice ; yet,
as the BAILIFF scripturally expresses it, the one was
taken and the other left. One of these ladies was
allowed to retain her district. But there is no lack
of courtesy in the Rector's letter of remonstrance

to the offending ladies. He says it has grieved him
to see their names among the company at the
late fancy ball, especially in fancy dresses. He
must frankly say that "such amusements do not
" seem to him suitable for those employed as
" spiritual assistants in parochial institutions." " I
"desire," he adds, " to be as comprehensive as pos-
" Bible in my estim►tion of worldly amusements, but
" I really do feel that a fancy ball and a dia-
" trict for spiritual instruction are not concordant
" spheres for action." In addressing the two
ladies, the Rector pays them • most unexpected
compliment "in the words of the Apostle."
" I speak unto wise men," writes the Rector to
Mrs. Ciiessex and Miss Bucaisr. Certainly,
no wise man could have replied with better tact,
feeling, and discretion than Mrs. Camsmox to the
Rector of St. Peter's Port. We wish we had space
to quote a letter which say! all (and says it admi-
rably) that has to be said on the compatibility of
harmless amusements with the daily duty of the
Christian life at home and among the poor.
In the Dean's reply he assures Mrs. CAMERON
that he considers her at perfect liberty to visit the
poor and enter into the gaieties of society, but it is
her commission from him and in connexion with &so-
ciety under his direction that constitutes the offence.
The Dean forgets that Mrs. Csielmoit had no coin-
minion from him to dance, " especially in fancy
" dress"; and that her attendance at • fancy
ball was not in connexion with the Society
under his direction. And Mrs. CAMERON
might well refer the DIAN to the pastoral
letter (of which the BAILLET publishes an
extract) from a London clergyman to individual
members of his congregaVoe, inviting them to be-
come district visitors. This latter, which was written
at the desire of the Bishop of LONDON, verifies
three classes of parishioners who are " likely to
respond to &call of this nature." First, Those who
who have the whole, or the greatest portion, of
their time at their diaposal. Second, Those
who, not having so much time at their disposal,
are nevertheless able to specify the little they
have ; and, Third, Others who, if so minded,
might redeem a few hours in the course of the
week from the unnecessary engagements, and
perhaps follies, of the world, to dedicate them
to " a labour which shell not be in vain in the
" Loan. " " These observations," adds the
clergyman, " app'y equally to male and female
" winters." In the present instance it appears
that the exemplary lady who, in all humility and
sincerity, telieved that " if we can fulfil our daily
" duty in our families and visit the poor, we
" may also enter into such amusements as our
" consciences allow to be harmless," had earned
the highest testimony for her devoted services
in the most arduous field of duty, among the
poorest of the poor.

ACCOUCHEMINT OP THE QUEEN OP
PORTUGAL.

Her Majesty the Queen of Portugal gave birth
to a prism yesterday at 1.36 p.m. By tits last telegram m-
oseyed her Majesty sad Meat were progressimg f•rosrably.
Thoomat was saacemoyd by a salutes of 101 muss from
W astes.

• arm el the happy moat vas traaamitted to the Queers
sad the royal family at Balmoral was sll the iatelßgeoco
rembsd Lsadoa from Lisboa.

THE CROWN PRINCE AND CROWN PRINCESS
OP PRUSSIA.

Their Royal Highneseee the Crown Prince and
°teem Mame of Prank were to leave Potsdam hut algid
on their way to Wand. Oa their arrival la this eenatry
their royal highest's, will prowled direct to Scotland, sa •
visit to bet alaissly at Bahama Their royal higiumeassa
who wall remain in &shad for some time, will be soma-
ponied by their children.

The Prince and Prioress of Wales leave Alm-
salaam Thanday hut. Thar &tartan is imesesd ea se
that the Prima may see liar bream. hag Osorrs, ►stare
his hail departure for 011000.—.Aberdeas /A
The Duke of Bomaraat arrived at his official mi-
dyear at the Admiralty yestraday me.ea, from Maldea
Bradley, Warr.

Thu Marquis of Bristol and the Lediei Hervey
have sertved at lam:ink Puk, mar Bury St. Edison*
trim a tour is Oenay.

The Earl of Lincoln left town yesterday for
Newmarket

A marriage is arranged to take place between
Captain Charles Eerie and Miss Villiers, daughter et the
Hoe. Mrs. Edward Villiers, sad niece of the Rest of
Clareedoe.

His Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon, with a
manures' mite, bee arrived M the Clareedsa Bsss