The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-03 00:00:00

THE WELSH CHURCH.

TO HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF
CANTERBURY.

Mr LORD,—As it has been announced through the
public papers that the consecration of a new Bishop
of Llandaff is to take place shortly, and as it is be-
lieved that the appointment of another Englishman
to a Welsh see has been effected through your
Grace's influence with the Prime Minister against his
own convictions of right, and the representations and
entreaties of all those who were best acquainted with
the overpowering increase of Dissent in the princi-
pality in consequence of the evils resulting from the
never-ending succession of English bishops who have
for near two centuries been appointed to Welsh sees.
I vesture to appeal to your Grace as Primate, to
exert your prerogative, and to ascertain through com-
petent Welsh scholars whether Dr. 011ivant is able to
read, to write, and to speak the language of the
natives of the diocese of Llandaff in such a manner
as will enable him to command their respect and ad-
miration instead of their ridicule and contempt.
Your Grace must be aware that understanding
a language, and being able to make use of it
to make others understand, are two very different
powers, and your Grace will pardon me for assuring
you that although it has been distinctly announced,
privately and publicly, that Dr. 011ivant is master of
the Welsh language, it is not believed by a large majo-
rity in Wales. He first came into the principality
when of mature age, and commenced at St. David's
College about 1827. He became sinecure rector of
Llangeler about 1828. He afterwards learned suffi-
cient Welsh to enable him, in those days of easy
fua lification' to become vicar of Llangeler ; this living
was vacated on obtaining the still more valuable one
of Kerry, in Montgomeryshire, in 1836. He has for
the last six years resided at Cambridge as Regius
Professor of Divinity, and there is a strong impression
that he is no more qualified to perform the duties of
a IVelsh bishop in Welsh, to the edification of his
hearers, than the Archbishop of York would be to
preach French, in Notre Dame, for the benefit of the
Parisians ! I beseech your Grace, in the name of my
countrymen, to have the Welsh qualification of Dr.
011ivant tested by competent Welsh scholars, and also
by men who will not be dependent for preferment on
their diocesans afterwards ; who are neither venal
ecclesiastics or poor starving Welsh curates, who must
say what is pleasing to higher powers or want bread.
There may possibly be three or four good Welsh
If scholars to be found in the principality, who are in
possession of competent preferment, and who can afford
to speak the truth; there are many, also, who re-
member Dr. 011ivant's amount of Welsh acquirement
when he left Wales some years ago, and who may now
be in sufficiently independent circumstances to ven-
ture to pronounce truly upon the amount of improve-
ment which has taken place since his departure from
the principality, and years of residence at Cambridge.
That your Grace may be induced to seek out a jury
of qualified and independent persons to ascertain the
truth, for the benefit of the Welsh public, before you
sanction the consecration of another Bishop of
Llandaff, is the prayer of your Grace's
Obedient and humble servant,
A DEVOTED WELSH CHURCHMAN.

P.S. Your Grace well knows that if you reject
this respectful entreaty, and consecrate a man who,
however excellent and respectable, does not possess
the most essential qualification for a Welsh bishop in
any degree to justify his appointment, that still you
will not be the first Archbishop of Canterbury who
has inflicted on Wales English bishops ; but as it
may be interesting to give a proof of the antiquity of
this grievous injustice, I will add the following
extract from the petitions of the Welsh Princes in
the time of Henry 111., addressed to the rope, in
which are these words :—" And first the Archbishop
of Canterbury, as a matter of course, sends us English
Bishops, ignorant of the manners and language of our
land, who cannot preach the word of God to the people,
nor receive their confessions but through interpreters.
And besides these bishops they send us from Eng-
land, as they neither love us nor our land, but rather
persecute and oppress us—seek nut the welfare of our
souls—their ambition is to rule over us and not to
benefit us And with one voice we

implore you to liberate your children from the
oppression they have endured from the three last
bishops that have been placed at St. David's in con-
sequence of the subjection of that see to Canterbury,
for before the time of the three last bishops, St.
David's was the seat of an Archbishop of all Wales,
who," &c. &c.—Extract from Petition of Welsh
Princes to the Pope, presented by Qiraldus Cam •
brensis in the time of Henry 111.
Nov. 30, 1849.

f_The appeal of Mr. Gorham against the Bishop of
Exeter from the Court of Arches has been summoned
for hearing before the Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council on the 11th inst. The Archbishops of
Canterbury and York, and the Bishop of London,
will attend the hearing as Privy Councillors ; and all
the members of the Judicial Committee are expected
to be present on this occasion.
DEATH OF THE REV. JAMES ROGER OF DENIEO.
Mr. Roger, Minister of the parish of Denino, near St.
Andrews—a man remarkable for peculiar abilities, as
well as for some peculiar manners and qualities—died nt
his manse on the night of the 23d ult., in the eighty-
third year of his age.—Scotsman.
SUDDEN DEATH OF- THE Ray. PHILIP STRONG.—
The very sudden decease of the above reverend gentle.
man took place at Myland Rectory, on Wednesday
night, under the following circumstances :—The de-
ceased had enjoyed his accustomed health during the
day, and, on his return from a visit to the town, par-
took of his dinner as usual ; when the hour of family
prayer arrived the household assembled, and the
reverend gentleman proceeded to perform the custo-
mary devotional duties, but while in the act of utter-
ing the words, " Our Father," suddenly fell back-
wards, and did not breathe more than three or four
times afterwards.
Rogues in rags are kept in countenance by rogues
in ruffles.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

THE LATH DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AND Loss OF LIFE.
—On Saturday evening Mr. H. M. Wakley held an in-
quest at the Brown Bear, Broad-steet, Bloomsbury, on
William Martin, aged 60, who had been a respectable
tradesman and an overseer, but, in consequence of altered
circumstances, was lately compelled to take shelter in
the crowded lodging house, 26, Great Wild-street,
Drury-lane' which was burned down a few days since,
and in which fire the deceased perished. Joseph Gerard,
fireman of the London Fire Brigade, stated that the fire,
the origin of which was unknown, broke out at five on
Wednesday evening, and was extinguished at nine o'clock,
when he found deceased lying dead oa the floor of the
second-floor front room. Ellen Smith, servant of Mr
Sullivan, the proprietor of the house, said that there
were 36 beds in the house, and that between 40 and 50
slept there. When the fire broke out deceased was
confined to bed by rheumatic fever. The fire destroyed
deceased's room. Other witnesses proved that the fire
originated in the rear of the house, end that several of the
poor lodgers sustained great loss by the fire. One of them,
named O'Mara, saved his life by jumping out of the
window. Verdict—" Deceased's death was caused by
the fire, but there was no evidence to prove how the fire
originated."
The situation of Collector of the Customs at Sierra
Leone, recently become vacant by the decease of Mr.
Logan Hook, will be filled up by selection from the list
of redundant officers whose services have been di:,con-
tinned on the abrogation of the imperial duties in the
West Intliau and North American Colonies.