The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-26 00:00:00

THE BISHOP OF LONDON AND THE CASE

OF MR. GORHA/d.

London-bows, March 25
The Bishop of London has received the following
address from tour of the bishops of the church in
Scotland (who desire that it ebou'A not be considered
as merely a private document), and hes sent the
annexed answer thereto :

(Adiriss.)

TO THZ WORT HON. AND RIONT RSV. THE LORD BISHOP

ON LONDON.
Right Rev. Lord Bishop,--We, the undersigned bishops
of the church in Scotland, deeply imprrrsed with the con-
moquettes to the church of England, and also (though lies
directly to the church of Scotland, of whatever is, de facto,
an authoritative decision SO to the statements which may
be held to be consistent with those venerable formu-
laries which this church receives in common with the
church of England and Ireland, beg leave very respectfully
to tender to your lordship our deep and heartfelt thanks tor
jour fii.hful refusal to concur in the rectal decision of the
udicial committee of the privy erwinril appointed to dent!.
lon the appeal ef the Rev. Mr. Gorham against the judgment
of the Court of Arches—that is so say, we thank your lord-
ship for refusing to concur in • deci.ton whereby it is pro-
pounded that the regeneration of infants in holy baptism is
not the clear and unquestioneble doctrine of the Church of
England ; sad that • minister of that church may reasonably
deny that infants ere regenerated by holy baptism.
With gratitude for the testimony which your lorealip boa
thus borne to what we believe to be the truth, and with
prayer for the divine blessing and guidance in behalf of the
Church of England, and of all who are sallied to take part is
this gresponsibility,
W. are,
Your Lordship's faithful and affectionate brothers
in Christ,
W. Stamina, Bishop of Aberdeen and Primus.
Passict Tonic. D D., Bishop of St. Andrew's,
Dunkeld, end Damblane.
A. P. Fontana, D.C.L., Bishop of &whin.
W. J. Tzownz, D.D., Bishop of Glasgow and
Galloway.
8, Moray-place, Edialurgli, March 19.
(Answer.)
London, March 23, 1850.
Right Rev. and dear Brethren,—Be pleased to soap% my
cordial and respectful acknowledgments of the kindness
which has prompted you to thank me for my refuel to coz-
ens in the recent decision of the Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council in the case of " Gorham v. the Bishop of
Bleier."

Holding it to be unqurstionably the doctrine of the Church
of England that infants receive remission of original sin in
baptism, through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, applied to them by that sacrament, and finding in
Mr. Gorham's answers to the Bishop of Easters question's
distinct denial of that doctrine, I could not bring myself to
concur in the reasons assigned by the Jadicial Committee
kr recommending her Majesty to reverse the judgment of
the Court of Arches.
Mr. Gorham holds that the remission of original sin
adoption into the family of God, and regeneration, must all
take place, in the case of infants, not in baptism, nor
by means of baption, but before baptism—an opinion which
appears to me to be in direct opposition to the plain teaching
of the church, and utterly to destroy the sacramental charac-
ter of baptism.
I cannot admit that this opinion is toles reconciled by any
, latitude of interpretation which can reasonably be claimed
with the church's articles and formularies ; nor do I believe
that it is an opinion which is held by more than a very small
number indeed of our clergy.
Donating your prayers, and the prayers of all who desire
to hold the truth in love, that it may plea,* Almighty God
to guide us by his holy spirit to a right judgment in the
things which concern the peace of his church.
I remain, right rev. and dear brethren.
Your faithful and affectionate brother in Christ.
To the right rev. the bishops of the church in Scotland
presiding over the diocese' of Aberdeen, St. Andrew's,
with Dukeld and Dumblane, Brecbin, and Glasgow.

ASSAULT ON TUS EDTIOR OF A PROVINCIAL NEWS-
A. considerable sensation has been excited in Corn-
wall by an assault committed by the late high sheriff of the
county on the editor of the West Briton, an influential
newspaper in the west of England. An exaggerated mound
of the occurrence has .appeared in some of the local print'.
but the following ,has bean samrtained from careful inquiry
to be • sorreet statement of the facts. It appears that at the
county meeting•of the 12th of February, called in favour of
agricultural peotectios, there was lure of the county
ni met-en present, T. .1. Roberta,. . The other three
members were attending the:Andes in parliament, and
sent let. re expressing their sentiments cn the subject.
Two of these letters (from Sir C. Lemon and W. H.
P. Carew, Ecq.), were read in full; the other, front E.
W. W. Yardarms, Esq., the oldest of the county represen-
tatives, and • gentleman held in high esteem by all parties,
was only partially read to the meetiegohe put suppressed
being that in which he exposed the falsity of someatatements
made in the requisites-calling thejneeting. Mr. Pendarves
complained in a letteriethe county papers of theliscourtesy
of the sheriff, shown tolimaelf and hie constituents, by the
suppression of a part of his letter at the county meetteg. Sir
8. T. Spry, the high sheriff, replied to this in extra( Misery
terms; „the letter was published in one of the stouaty papers,
and the other (the West Braces) commented • on it In severe
language. The Weal Briton appeared on • Thursday
evening. and an the next morning Sir Samuel Spry
called at the ogles with • solicitor. The editor was not
there, sad Sir Samuel and the solicitor went to hi residence.
Some convereaties took plies on the subject of the eon-
meats is the paper; Sir 8. Spry was mach excited, and on
the editor missies to withdraw the comments he had made,
Sir Stantel raised • short riding whip which he had brought
with Lim, and struck at the editor. The latter caught hie
arm and wrenehed the whip from him, sad a read of
muffling fight lamed between the partite, until the solid
recovering from his eatosislimest, went forward sad parted
them. There was ao gnat pommel damage done, though
tee editor's face was somewhat watched by Sir Samuel's
nails. The proprieties of the paper osmosis, it n
that the editor should he protested in the discharge of
duties; and la emaiegassee • bill of indictment Oar the
assault hae bees preferred spirt the lase sheriff at the
resent Lent Anises for the county.— Wort Briton.
IMPORTATION OF FORRION CATTLL—The LATE
ihruniss.—The steamship Apollo, which has arrived freak
one or the Dutch pats, experienced such severe weather on
her passers that it was deemed to be requisite, la 0001111,
Queue* of the fastenings of the agile having become loos-
ened and the animals entire and troublesome, to met • tem
siderable number of the live stock late the sea, sad to slay
others on hoed.