The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-04 00:00:00

M'NEILE AND MR. MACKONOCHIE.

We recently stated that the Dean of Ripon had written
to the secretary of the Liverpool Committee for the
Church Congress expressing his objection to the admis-
sion of Mr. Mackonochie to that Congress as a fellow-
labourer in the Church. Our statement is confirmed by
the correspondence just published. It commences with a
request from the Rev. T. E. Espen that Dr. M'Neile will
speak at the Congress on the subject of Cathedrals. In
reply, the Dean, under date August 11, expresses his
regret that there should have been any addition made to
the original programme. "We are all (he says)
sincere advocates of a catholic and charitable
comprehensiveness in the Church ; but there
must be a limit somev% here, or we have no Church
left. If a gentleman who has been condemned by the
highest tribunal in the country is to be publicly received
and recognised, there seems to be no limit and no distinction
made between the observers and the transgressors of our
ecclesiastical law. I speak for myself alone. But without
presuming to judge others, I must be permitted to decide
for myself that, under existing circumstances, I cannot
be a party to the recognition of Mr. Mackonochie
as an acceptable fellow-labourer. You will, there-
fore, oblige me by erasing my name from the programme."
To this letter Mr. Espen rejoins that Mr. Mackonochie's
name was not introduced by party men or on party
grounds. "It is true that he was convicted of breaking
the rubrics of the Church ; but he has obeyed the admoni-
tions of the courts, I believe, and put himself right. 'Ye
must, then, in charity assume that he did not transgress
in bad faith. Nor do I think that we could regard breach
of the Church's ritual in the same light as a grave moral
offence. Mr. Mackonochie's personal character is high, as
you know, and his laboriousness exemplary. In fact, of
his school—a school the peculiarities of which personally
I dislike particularly—he is perhaps the most influential
and eminent. I hope I may have the satisfaction of per-
suading, you that, having to secure a representation of all
schools in tho Church, we could not well refuse this gentle-
man." Dr. M'Neile, claiming a right to act on his own
convictions, still refuses, in a subsequent letter, to have

anything to do with the congress. Then follow some formal
letters, ending by an intimation from Mr. Aspen that the
offertory discussion will be baulked. From what they
tell me, I think it extremely likely that the subject of the
offertory, &c., will be withdrawn altogether. Two or
three events are to come off on one of the afternoons of the
week. The laying of a foundation stone by the arch-
bishop, with some inaugural addresses, &c., one of two
excursions, and some other attractions. To leave room for
these it appears that some subject must be withdrawn from
our already-crowded programme ; and the offertory was
adopted by a smaller number of votes than any other.
The Dean is by no means satisfied with thiswayof settling
the matter. "I am surprised and grieved (he exclaims) to per
ceive that you and any of your colleagues should have so
far misapprehended me as to imagine that the evasion
proposed in your second letter of the 26th could meet
the case. The evil I complained of did not consistin anything
which Mr. Mackonochie might say or read at the con-
gress. It consisted in the selection of that gentleman.
I do not presume to judge the motives which led to the
selection; but I must beg you to excuse me when I call
your present proposal an evasion. I cannot look upon it
in any other light, and I cannot be a party to it.

The Duke and Duchess of Atholl have sustained a
bereavement by the death of their eon, the Marquis of
Tullibardino.

A few minutes after Mr. Hunter was shot last
Sunday night in county Mayo, and within 300 yards of the
same spot, Francis P. Vaughan, son of Col=ol Vaughan,
was fired at and escaped uninjured.

THE WORCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL. The,
musical festival which is held triennially at Worcester,
Hereford, and Gloucester commences at Worcester on
Tuesday next with every prospect of success.

SIGNATURES.—What a silly pedantry that iz
which induces some people to sign their names so that no
one can decipher them. If anything that a man puts upon
paper ought to be hold and unmistakable, it is his signa-
ture.—Gentlenlan's Maga 7: inc.

At a meeting of his constituents at Plymouth
the Attorney• General (Sir It. Collier) was warmly and
deservedly complimented on the success of his Bankruptcy
Bill. It is not generally known that this measure does
not come into operation until the Ist January next.—
Law Times.

STRANGE SCENE AT A . CONFIRMATION.—A day
or two hack, as the Bishop of Bangor was about to deliver
the usual address to the young persons about to be con.
firmed at the parish church of Machynlleth, a man stood
up among the congregation, and loudly addressing the
Bishop, said that if he did not deliver the service in the
Welsh language, he would be held responsible for certain
consequences. Earl Vane, who is one of the church-
wardens, quietly walked out in search of a policeman.
The Bishop proceeded with his address, and the offender
after muttering some sentences, left the church. Th
offend .r is a clergyman who once held a benefice
in the diocese of St. Asaph, and whose avowed mission
is now to bring about the disestablishment of the Welt*
Church. lie well knew that the Bishop of I3angor
familiar with the Welsh tongue, and In the constant
habit of rending, preaching, and delivering publig ad•
dresses in Welsh, Thi serViC@ Alla address to the cate
chumens ivms in tlint tonffil@ on tho omoion roforpd to
tbotigh r@poot@d in Engligh for the salio of gm YOnni
VOT/30/1 who Vf9r9 utiffilPaiPtPti with tits; Yornneniar of tin
onotry, Arrow itn,§ Wylptiet§ fivAnia tilt
gifivitalaughlos of BariNAni;_