The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-20 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 20, 1851.

MR. GORHAM AND THE EXETER SYNOD.

The following letter has been addressed by the
Vicar of Brampford 6pcke to the Bishop of Exeter.
(The italics are those of the paper from which we
quote, and it may be presumed those of the writer):

The Vicarage, Braropforil Spoke, June 18, 1861.
My Lord Bishop„—Although I have already stated several
rossose ke of jetting to the synod which you propose to hold
ea the Milk last., in a letter to which my signature is an-
sexed la amodation with those of many other clergymen of
this disposes, yet I moot refrain from requesting your
lordship's serious attention to some other considerations,
which 03014 SOS be smimedied in that letter without my
brethren being piskpd to whin documentary facts, which
few (if say) of them had pasonally investigated, and for
the meow of which I ems shaft rupsosible. This must
be my apology for troubling ywe losildp with a separate
essumusdasitoa,_ supplemsstiry to that letter, which
(heartily es I adopt ft as for as it gams only partially set
ray objectivus to the synod to whisk you have invited
your deny to send siesta mprementativea. In truth, the
iw reasons (hersineftim Mated) whisk have the greatest
ht in compelling mg asprest against that Assembly,
gesild not have bees eaaveatly adduced in so concise a
letter as that to whisk oar waited signatures are appended.
I will now, however, endeavour to state them as briefly as
may be consistent with perspicuity; and I humbly solicit
your lordship to give them deliberate consideration.
I feel bound tw protest against this projected measure—
I. Because 1 have a very strong impression of the ilk-
'slily of a diocesan synod assembled without permission of
the OVICII.
It may appear presumptuous for an individual clergyman
to avow such a scruple, after your lordship's assurance in
your pastoral letter, on the lith of April, that you have
sought to obtain the very highest legal authority on this
point i"—and more especially after the declaration of the
prime minister in the House of Commons, on the Ist of
May, based on the opinion of the law officers of the crown,
that diocesan synods are " not unlawful," provided it be
sot attempted by them to enact canons to bind the Gerry.
Nevertheless, I venture to think that such an opinion
(formed apparently in haste for the immediate use of the
minister) was adopted from a too implicit reliance on the
authorities of Bishop Gibson's "Codes, ' sad probably with-
out the knowledge of at least one material fact, which I
shall presently state. Who your lordship's " highest legal
authorities" are, or how the ease was put to them, we are
not informed. _ _

1. It cannot, I believe, be doubted, that, in ancient pe-
riods, up to the year 1433, both provincial and diocesan sy-
nods were summoned by the same or by similar authority,
and proceeded to discharge their functions "part paean s'
namely, by the king's writ, when the affairs to be discussed
concerned the state; and by the independent authority* of
the archbishop, when the business related to the church at
large, or of the bishop, when the matters touched the in-
terests and discipline of a particular diocese. Examples of
diocesan synods, summoned for state purposes by the king s
writ (though inadvertently ignored by Lord John Russell,
en the authority, I presume, of the law officers of the
mews), are not rare. We have instances, in 1279, in the
ammo of Worcester; in 1340, in the dioceses of Winches-
ter and Worcester ; and in 1464, in the diocese of York ; in
&et, there can scarcely be a doubt that a royal brief wu
transmitted in each of these cases, (as it is expressly said to
have been in 1340) to ail the bishops of both provinces,
commanding them to summon diocesan synods. Those
which I have cited may be seen in " Wilkins's Conches,"
vol. ii., pp. 40, 024, 659; vol. iii., p. 599.
2. From this long-established parallelism of the authori-
ties by which both the geueral and the limited convocations
of the clergy were summoned, it appears to be a fairly ana-
logical inference that the Act of Submission (25 Hen.
cap. 19), which in terms forbids the promeial synod here-
after to congregate, even for purely ecclesiastical business,
without the sauction of the crown, does, in its spirit, and
virtually, prohibit the revival of diocesan synods for con-
cluding any questions of faith, or adopting any orders of
discipline. The major prohibition seems to me naturally
to include the minor; for it is surely a highly imaginative
supposition that the two archbishops were absolutely re-
strained from exercising a privilege which their suffragans
might nevertheless continue to assert without hindrance.
It is still more romantic to entertain the notion that, while
the general synod of the clergy can no longer meet, by
the summons of the archbishop, without license from
the crown, to conclude the smallest matters of interest to
the church, a diocesan synod may yet lawfully assemble by
the mere fiat (or rather the coureuial) of the bishop, to
utter, by the assumption of a corporate voice, a electors-
don interpretative of doctrine, and calculated (if not in-
tended) to cast disrepute on the authority of ajudgment,
framed by the most learned expounders of the law, approved
by the archbishops of both provinces, and adopted by the
Sovereign in her privy council. The Church of England
might, indeed, with reason tremble for her catholicity,
while she watches anxiously these proceedings, were the
clergy of this single western diocese calmly to acquiesce in
Ithis anomalous (if not illegal) act of its bishop ; and were
they silently to permit a synodto ba convened, chiefly for
ONE GREAT QL ESTION, (as your lordship terms it la
your circular to your archdeacons,) or "mainly for the pur-
pose" of making "A DECLARATION" (as you deaominate
tt in your pastoral letter,) of adherence to au article of the
Niceuc creed, which you extravagantly "consider to have I
been virtually denied when her Majesty decided as she did"
by affixing her sign manual to the late judgment. It is,
however, a hopeful fact, that more than one hundred voices
of the clergy have been lifted up in solemn disavowal of
participation in this proceeding ; and I do not doubt that
(should it be necessary) their protest will be echoed by mul-
titudes of both clergymen and laymen, in token of their
loyalty to their Queen, of respectful confidence in the
archbishops, and of their earnest desire to conserve the
peace and unity of the Church of England.
While I thus state my views, I do not forget that your
lordship disclaims the ideas of committing your convention '
to any authoritative act—(Pastoral Letter, p. 112); and. in-
I deed, it is manifest that no assembly of the clergy, pos.
sewed of common prudence, would " presume to attempt,
*sleet,
e romulge, or execute any canons," since, by such
'nu, it would clearly be liable to the severe penalties
tithe statute of submission. But, even the agitation of the
"one great questioa " which has already been decided by
supreme ecclesiastical authority, and on which, therefore,
no subordinately-authoritative conclusion could be attained,
would, from that very circumstance, be replete with the
mischiceous influence of a theological controversy without
the possibility of an effective issue. If your lordship's an•
ticipated pseudo-synodal proceeding be not positively illegal
it is discriminated from illegality by a very thin covering :
Pedalos". plenum opus Were
poets*, et ineedis per Iguei
Itappeoltas eked doloso.

The treacherous crust may break in suddenly under your feet,
and the dames may burst out before your lordship or your
assembled delegates dream of danger. I hesitate to follow,
even my bishop, in such a perilous track; and I must be
content still to pursue the ordinary path which the laws of
my country, and the usages of my church, have distinctly
marked out for me, though it be a beaten, and, therefore, in
the apprehension of some minds, an inglorious way.
I forbear to occupy many moments on the single, and
very obscure, post-reformation precedent quoted by your
lordship ; namely, that of tho synod of the diocese of
Kilmore' convened by Bishop Bedell in 1638. It may,
suffice to say, that it affords no evidence of Ida legality of
that synod ; but rather the contrary, for it does not appear
that he ever ventured to summon it again agreeably to his
original intention. It occasioned much discussion; but it
wu connived at by the state, for reasons which may be
assigned with great probability. Chiefly on account of the
universal veneration with which this simple-minded and
pious prelate was regarded. The primate usher, whose
influence was not small threw his shield over the amiable
bishop. Archbishop Land would be slow to check a pro-
ceeding in which the church had asserted an ancient pri-
vilege independently of temporal authority. Moreover,
these synodal decrees were of an innocent, and most
of them of a very trivial character—for instance, the
forbidding clergymen to wear long hair, (" amain ne
nutria's!' )—tho prohibition of intra-mural burials—the
exclusion of women from seats in the chancel—injunctions
to wardens to prevent children from running about the
church—and to vergers, to turn dogs out of the house of
God. In fact, there was no " ONE GREAT QI:F.STION,"
which might have thrown the church into dangerous agita-
tion. Connivance, therefore, might be a wise, because a
safe wane. As a legal precedent, however, the synod of
Minnie is utterly without value. Bat there is one lesson
to be derived from it, not inapplicable, perhaps, to present
times, and not the less gravely important, though it be con-
nected with a homely and somewhat ludicrous incident. It
is recorded in the still existing autograph MSS. notes of a
friend of Bishop Bedell, who was present at that diocesan
convocation (though the occurrence is not noticed in Bur-
net's printed account of the synod), that one clergyman,
"D. Faythful Teats," subscribed the Kilmore decrees with
the reservation of his dissent from that relating to the ex-
clusion of women from sittings in the chancel; " and the
reason was this, because he had erected a new seat for his
wyfe in the chancel) but a litle before, and was loathe to
remove it ! " Alas ! my lord, it is humiliating to find that
personal motices, and considerations far removed from a
staple desire to promote the good of the church, can easily
creep even into diocesan synods-yes, even when the mat-
ters to be discussed are of the most simple character. What,
Wen, ma not take pies, when "One Great Question,"
with a imemeeetrosersy,—a question
/rag bee preluded by the Whop who b to predde,
thereby, to be brought before his representative assembly
with an undue infinasse,—a question which admits of no
strsynodal moieties exempt with hie commerrenee—is to
ie at ways b ward ?"
I farther pro this proposed assembly of the
clergy:
11. Because, even if it were admitted that a diocesan
synod may be lawbUyeenvened, without the sanction of the
share ale wet czar, estate I can discover, any
on
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abbe esesierehip.
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to decide a (Deputed privilege of a certain parish church in
his cathedral city, " ALL the wisest incumbents of the three
counties of Worcester, 01o:toaster, and Warwick " (which
then constituted that diocese), were " assembled by invita-
tion," for the discussion of even a matter of merely local
interest. (" Wilkins, Cone.," vol. i, p. 369). But, when mat-
lON Oiteeerning the whole diocese were to be debated, the
=was universal. Thus, in 1312, among the consti.
Richard de Bolivar, Bishop of Durham, for annual
thence; synods, to be held at Easter and Michaelmas, it
Mee deskred that " ail abbots, prior, archdeacons, pro-
WO* P.B6•_n, vicars, parochial chaplains, arid others,"
were last to wear, by custom or by righl," in those
assns .b (Wilkie, Cone., vol. ii., p. 417). On the verge
of the lliehrmatfan, the Bishop of Hereford, when convok-
ing a dime= synod, in 1619, disclaimed the idea of fram-
ing Nessmalltution by a scheme of his own, for the limits-
tion aisslstillsrs, and addreesed his archdeacons by a circular,
in which NNW these remarkable words :—" We, not acting
by OUTSIANNI alone, in a headstroag way, nor relying on our
predawn, have determined to proceed by the counsel of
prising mak and by the assistance of oar smoteclergy ; we,
therein% have cited all clergymen of every degree, state,
and dignity, to our synod, in our cathedral church;"
namely, " all and singular archdeacons, rectors, portion-
aries, recurs, cliontry mints, stipendiaries [cureass),l and
ministers of every sort." (Wilkins, Cone., vol. iii., p. 681.)
How different is this language, my lord, from that of
peer pastoral letter, and of your circular to your arehdea-
aie in which you assume " the necessity of the synod
=it eeraposed mainly of reps ssentatiees"—(the objee-
wed is emphasised by yourself)—" elected by the
clergy aten &Item" deaneries." You add, " that if there
is to be a miseldm dm numerous a body of clergy—com-
prising ass*BBB ingine—it must be effected by represen-
tation, is maalfest :"—het the inference is contradicted by
facts extending through six, possibly many more centuries.
You proceed to confer, by a few strokes of your pen, ex-of-
ficio synodal seats on certain specified clergymen ; and you
name the number and mode of election of delegates from the
rest of our body,--indulging the delusion that all the 'presby-
ters and deacons of this diocese will be thus represented with
ear " full oonlidence!" ... I confeesmy bewildermcntat the
beldam of conception which has sketched out the plan of
MA • wad, with the faintest expectation that it could
moot with the concurrence of the clergy, at a period, and in
a diocese, in which opinions on ecclesiastical matters are so
'neatly and so unhappily divided. I cannot wonder that
the Brat minister of the crown, when expressing his opinion
in this softer in parliament, declared (at least he is so re-
gained's the Times of the 2nd of Hay) that "The assembly
adrepetentative clergy, formed in the particular manner as
by the Bishop of Exeter, seems to be entirely un-
tlte laws of the church, and completely • device
of ail own." For my own part, I can not hesitate to de.
clued decidedly, hut respectfully, that I consider the calling
into existence such an Ecclesiastical Convention, affecting
to represent this diocese, to be an arbitrary, act, evetiive of
the supremacy of the crown, contrary to the usages of the
church, and destructive of the privileges of the clergy.
I remain,—" in all things lawful end honest,"
Your lordship's obedient servant,
GEORGE CORNELIUS OORIIA3I.
To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Exeter.
- Western

SIR CHARLES NAPIER ON SAILORS AND
THEIR "HOMES."
The following letter hlui been made public :

TO TIIE EDITOR OF TEE TIMES.
SlR,—There is established at Portsmouth, by voluntary
subscription, a Sailors' Home, on the plan of the one in
Wellelose.square, London. Captain Hall, late of the
Dragon, deserves great credit for setting it a going; he has
been supported by Sir Francis Austen, Sir Edward Parry, '
Captain Gambier, and other influential naval officers and
inhabitants of Portsmouth, and it bids fair to meet with
marked success. It was opened on the 23rd of April ; the
Asia has been the first ship paid off since ; and notwithstand-
ing the opposition it has met with from the sharks in the shape
of human beings who arc always reedy to pounce on the poor
sailor, many of the ship's company have found the benefit of
it. It is, for want of sufficient funds, established on a small 1
scale, but it possesses all the comforts and security so neees- '
sary for the miler. Her Majesty, with her usual liberality,
has given a donation of 100 guineas; Sir Francis Daring,
10 guineas, and an annual subscription of 1/. Not much
more could be expected from him as member for the bo-
rough, for, were he to give it the support the First Lord of '
the Admiralty ought to do, his seat would be in jeopardy.
Two other lords have given IL apiece, and they have pro-
mised a library.
I think this institution, as well as one in each naval port,
should be assisted at first by a small grant from parliament.
I once brought it before the house, and the then hoard pro-
raised to entertain it ; but since they went out of office no
more has been heard of it. The present Admiralty, lam
disposed to think, arc not very anxious about it, conceiving
as they do that the Bag-ships at the different ports are the
natural sailors' homes.
I think their lordships aro mistaken. Sailors, like their
officers, after having been several years in harness, wish a
very different relaxation from what they sit on a guard-
ship, and it is on first coming on shore with their pockets
full of money that they require protection : it is well known
they are perfectly incapable of protecting themselves. After
being paid they land with their bedding and their bag.
Should they have families in the port where they are paid
off they have some chance of safety, but what prospect has
the pour fellow who has neither friends nor relations of
escaping ? The moment he gets out of the dockyard gates
he is surrounded by rogues of every description, who hurry
him to a lodging house. The probability is be gets drunk
before he is there an hour, and is robbed of his money,
which he i. obliged to secure about his person the best way
he can.
Now, sir, the Sailor's Home will give him peace, comfort,
and safety; he will be furnished with a cabin, where ho e
lock up his clothes and money, or he may give it in clump
to the governor of the establishment. Should he wish •
spree, which all sailors do, he can take out with him what
he wants, and leave the rest in safety ; and should he wish
to scud it to his home, or, if he has none, and is bound to
London. Liverpool, or any other port where there is a
Hume, he will find it there on his arrival.
A good deal has been lately done for the sailor when
serving., but nothing for his protection when on shore. In-
deed, it is often remarked that the sooner he gets rid of his
money the sooner he will rejoin the service. That may be
true, but is it just to leave him at the mercy of the harpies
who prey upon him?
Wo have had a long peace, sir; much money has been
spent on the navy ; it has been rebuilt two or three times
over, but it has never entered into the heads of our rulers
how it is to be manned.
Impressment is now out of the question ; but show the
sailor that the country cares for him, and there will be no
difficulty in manning the navy, nor will there be any occa-
sion to continue that barbarous system of paying the sailor
with the topsail-sheet in his hands ' • there will be no occa.
sion to keep six months' pay in hand, lest he should desert.
Why should he not be treated with confidence and receive
his money when he has earned it, like men in any other
profession ?
It is the custom when ships are commissioned and fitting
out to allow the greater part of the mon to go on shore in
the evening ; they have no home, and are received in the
very lowest Tot-houses; a score is run up against them
for double what they receive, and which it requires the
greater part of their advance to pay. All this will be cured
by the establishment of Sailor's Homes.
I remain, your obedient servant,
Merchistoux, June 16. CHARLES RAPIER.

THE REPRESENTATION OP I/ATM—Since our last
notice of the steps taken by the conservative and liberal '
part= for supplying the vacancy crested in the representa- I
Lion of Bath, the canvass for both candidates has been
vigorously carried on. The liberal candidate, Capt. &obeli,
has addressed the electors of several of the wards, and on
Wednesday tossing held a public meeting in the open air,
h Wag erected in frost of his central committee
room, Weassms-buildings. Nearly 3,000 persons were pre-
sent, and the =air was taken by F. T. Allen, Esq. (town
councillor). Cape. emboli arida • long speech declaring
his determined= te umillachinly maintain free trade and
honestly to 'tippet heisehaid suffrage, vote by ballot,
Miasmal/ padmassfe, redaction la the national expenditure,
ois improved for the mien* and law reform.
He also urged open rehasers to be united.
They =resew in SIM diddi for if they won
this they =elf the grand elestios dm The speech
of. tlai geld= was much applemded, and at its close
• —"" him to he afa awl proper person to
relirTeentlie eity„ was carried nesimimens4 ammbt loud
cheers. Tuned", (Thrwei Mr. ihattails Weed *tether
address to Use siestees, is dela be hems hie slam to the
staves of the sionms wird& wen his 10.111 knowle
sod mopped ef the simiirMe institutions et the city, wMch
he also oddness as • grenatee that be will be • supporter
in putlement, if elected, of ', that sew end important de-
partment of peliffal alike which sempeisse what are called
social qnsellme.'
OW& liiiol6l MEETING IN WORCESTER.—Thip
meeting eau's teil W the Worcester branch of the Noticed
Pullman,' mai Financial Reform Amchitka teak
place as llseigevening, in the Guildhall, the am of
which *hi hit the popeee by tbe Mayer (W. B.
P.lllaghee, .) The grimed Neer of Me spesiees odlike
was crowded Gem end to mil: Thu gellerles, the adielm-
ing court, and aemevailable eget whisk Worded • chum
of hearing the were also fully oseepled, and there
could mot have lees rhea from 1,600 to 2,000 persons
present. H. T. Adder= mei S. D. Shiflett, Esqrs., at-
tended as a degstaties from the Executive Council,
and the meeting wee Shemin midmosed by Sir
Francis Know," Isla., also a member of the conned.
upon the pleas= woe W. Lob" pm., of Abberwya
Hall, President of the Were ter MN= Assodation ; R.
Hard t', Fat ; J. KM, legy, Teem Clerk ; Alderman H.
Pedant*, F. Hal, end W. Owen; Osonsillors James
Wall Mee-presided of thelmemb),W. Fel" H. Pasch,
J. Deriedtlledger, G. Mottathed, W. Werldro, H. Cce-
dle,J. sad J. Hood I Nev. W. Crowe; M
I.
Means. I.
Arreweeith, • ayes, O. lowland, R. Josabmd, H. Stoop,
T. Hardy, F. WMwerd J. S. Hussy 6. Drake, N.
' Miles, J. 0. IMer, W. arise, es. lbotises et Ur
teak Ole de* at Bova • owl
prof at seedimalis beg* in "Vag
the Lhom Ameaohnises, seed rims eater-
Be wee onemedel bg Mr. M. T. Addison, Mr.
end Sir Peen= Enewles A
=lol=l.l=llleas was eintled,, end the pro-
emial,. tentaineted Ida theen.eleme lie 11r. Cobden.—
Al=enturttbe Warmascalawareisfala
.-- The illarcoice allisial circular
was lamed yesterday fres IN. Niedis IS att :—.. To all
Postrnarten.--General ToM.olllm, June, 1011.—The Post-
master-General has been pleased to appoint Ifeeimis Hill,
Esq., to be Amistant-Seezetary to the PerginNfat,General.
—RocrLaan Mrs.",