The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-23 00:00:00

would not long ago have pressed for the trial and
conviction of the criminated clergyman, instead
of skulking, as they do, behind vague gene-
ralities whenever they are challenged to the proof
of their assertions. The truth is that these
broad and coarse statements are made, without
the least regard to the obligations of the Ninth
Commandment, for the simple—we must add, the
malignant—purpose of inflaming the passions of
• the multitude, and getting up riot and rebellion
in the Church.
That this is the real aim of the prime movers
in this and other like tumultuous meetings, and
the cry about auricular confession merely a
means to produce a factitious excitement, for
which the clerical eccentricities of Mr. ALFRED
POOLE and Mr. RICHARD WEST have furnished
an excellent pretext, is tolerably evident both
from the composition of that meeting and from its
avowed object. The latter does not, indeed,
appear plainly on the face of the resolutions
adopted at St. James's-hall ; but we can hardly
go wrong if we accept the interpretation put
upon them by the mover of the first, the lion.
Colonel VEREKER. That Honourable and Gallant
Gentleman, who amo ig the assembled vestrymen
of the metropolitan parishes is, we doubt not,
"a burning and a shining light," stated in so
many words that the only remedy for the evils
complained of was " a reform of our Prayer-book."
What is in contemplation, is an attack on the
great standard of our Church's faith, the expo-
nent of her interpretation of Holy Scripture, the
documentary evidence of her distinctive doctrines,
by which she guards herself alike against the
errors of Rome on the one hand, and against
those of numberless Protestant sects on the other ;
and with a view to render that attack successful,
the virtuous indignation of the multitude is to be
aroused by this cry about the alleged " abomina-
tions, impurities, bestialities " of auricular con-
fession.

And under whose auspices is that " Reform of
the Prayer-book" to be accomplished? The
Honourable Colonel VEREKER, gallant cham-
pion of the faith, is good enough to inform
us. Depend upon it," he said, " whatever
"was effected, it would have to be done by
"the middle classes and by the people." As for
authorities in Church or State, the Gallant
Colonel holds them in sovereign contempt. The
highest judicial tribunal in questions of eccle-
siastical law and order, the Judicial Committee of
Privy Council, he denounces—on the ground of
their having, in their recent judgment in the
liiiightsbridge ornament cases, ventured upon a
recommendation to mutual forbearance and
charity somewhat after the manner of St. PAUL—
as having given utterance from the judgment
seat to "such unconstitutional, such disloyal, such
ungodly sentiments" as he hoped none in that
meeting would be " base enough to echo." From
the lips of the Gallant Officer who indulged in
this indecorous attack upon constituted authori -
ties, we learn who are to be the judges of
what is required in the way of liturgical reform.
They are " the vestrymen of London, the elected
" municipal representatives of this vast metro-
"polis." These are the men whom he admo-
nishes "not to be content with any claptrap,
" catchpenny measures of liturgical reform
" such as might be tried to be palmed off (,n
" them, but to insist on a thorough, honest,
" and complete expurgation of every word that
" savours of Romanism." And to give weight to
the judgment which they shall pronounce on
that noble composition of the athers of the
English Reformation, that heirloom, as it is in
many of its parts, of primitive Christianity, the
said vestrymen are to call meetings in their
respective districts, and, by the repetition of
such veracious statements and such fustian argu-
ments as were put forth by the Honourable
(, olonel and his brother orators in St. James's-
to " stir up their friends and neighbours to
"Join in a real and righteous indignation." The
Synod that is to reform and purify the Church of
I.ngland is to be composed of the " representa-
tive men of the metropolis," convened according
to " the Municipal Directory."
We are not insensible to the supremely ridi-
culous character of these schemes of Church
Reform. We have felt the temptation—a very
strong
one—to exhibit the whole affair in its
ludicrous aspect. But there is a serious side to
If; the subject itself is too grave for banter.
A steady well-sustained effort has been made