The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-21 00:00:00

CONVOCATION OF THE PROVINCE OP

CANTERBURY.

(Cootioned from yesterday's Express.)

The Archdeacon of SARUM then moved the following
amendment :—" That in the opinion of this house there are
sufficient grounds for proceeding to synodical judgment on
the volume entitled 'Essays and Reviews,' but at the same
time it wee not expedient to revive the power of synodical
action under the existing circumstances of the church." He
said that the motion originally brought forward by Dr.
Jell and Dr. M'Caul was similar to this ; but Dr. Words-
worth's amendment brought it to an end, and happy
would it have been if the matter had ended there.
But when the house met again, certain members of this
house signed a gravamen, which was taken by the Prole.
entor to the Upper House, who inquired if it had been
signed by the majority of the house, and he replied in the
atlirmative.
' The PROLOCUTOR—By the majority of the house then
present.
Archdeacon RAND ALL, as one of the assessors of the pro-
culotors, stated that the Prolocutor had distinctly stated to
the Upper House that a gravamen had been signed by the
Itisjwity of the Lower House then pre,ent.
The PROLOCUTOR mid a question had been put to him,
and he had answered it to the bast of his ability ; but the
gravamen and petition bad nothing to do with the message
meat down by the Upper House.
The Archaism of &LWOW seconded the amendment.
The Dean of ELT thought there was enough to say that
sorts of the authors of the " &says and Reviews" bad acted
unwisely, bat he cordoned he email not anderstand morn°
of the passages, nor could he understand some of the pas-
sers in the report of the committee. He could not ignore
the fact that legal proceedings were going on at this time,
and supposing. Convocation came to synodical judgment,
*at these salmis. wars basatiail, it ma lamer able le .way
Mist It would not prejudice the case of the defendant. If
the authors were pronounced to be in heresy, then the
thing was done with, if not, Convocation would be brought
into conflict with one of our judicial tribunals.
(Hear, hear.) The wisest thing they could do, in his
opinion was that, as since the committee had been appointed
the Bishop of Balistiary had taken proceedings against ono
of the authors, it should be represented to the Upper
House that it would be inconvenient to this house to pro-
nounce any opinion on the question of proceeding to synodi-
cal judgment.
Dr. Jazz said that at present they had not nearly arrived at
the stage of proceeding indicated by the Dean of Ely. It
aopeared to him that this house was acting now as a grand
jury, which had to decide whether there was sufficient evi-
deuce to send the case for trial. He should most sin-
oerely delight if any one of the authors of the
" &says and Reviews" would repudiate his opinion, but he
saw no indication of it. As one of the committee, he might
say that they had examined the book with the greatest care,
and where any doubt existed as to certain they had
given fall benefit to the amused. Having sif them with
the greatest oars, be felt that all the grounds of the indict-
ment had been made out, but even if they had not all
been made out, there would be sufficient grounds for pro-
ceeding to synodical action, and he was prepared, into
aaimo, to do away with the amendment, thinking there were
full grounds for proceeding to synodical action.
At 6 o'clock, the house adjourned until 11 o'clock this
day.