The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-25 00:00:00

RITUALISM.

The John Bull reveals the fact that serious dis-
agreement has taken place among the Ritual Com-
missioners. Earl Stanhope made a motion to the
effect that the reading of the Athanasian Creed
should be rendered optional—a remarkable proposal
from so Conservative a nobleman. The resolution
was defeated after a very small majority, and not
until one of the commissioners had threatened to
resign if any'attempt were made to touch the Creeds.
Mr. Venn is about to propose a series of changes
which will tend to explain away those por-
tions of the Prayer-book which the Low Church
party dislike. The new Primate is said to be
unfavourable to any alterations of the Prayer-
book.

The Rcccrd asserts that the statement of the
Church Tines to the effect that the Church Atsocia-
tion had resolved to surrender its right to recover its
costs from Mr. Mackonochie is " preposterous."
The statement that the vestments question will be
tried at once is also incorrect. "We (Record) have
authority to state that nothing is yet settled."
Mr. Mackonochie writes to the Daily Telegraph a
short letter, asserting that he never intended to
refer to Dr. Rowland Williams in his letter to the
daily papers which appeared on the 16th, as Dr.
Williams supposes in his letter to the Daily Telegraph
of the 22nd.

Archdeacon Denison has written a final reply to
Mr. Lowder. -fie points out, in reply to the charge
of inconsistency for not wearing the eucharistic vest-
ments, that Mr. Lowder confounds between the cte-
cree of the judgment, and the reasons of that decree.
The decree rules absolutely, the reasons by implica-
tion only, as is carefully distinguished in the memo-
rial. In all particulars except the two specified in the
decree, a decree is wanting to _make law. The-Arch-
deacon adds that his action has been paralysed by
Mr. Lowder and his friends, and ho deeply grieves
he can no longer act with theta in the matter. Thus
the schism in the Ritualist party is complete.

THE S. P. C. K.

" A Herefordshire Rector " writes to the Times
that the Ritualist party in the S. P. C. K., having
been defeated in their late attempt at granting
2,000 for use in the diocese of Natal independent of
the bishop, are now endeavouring to alter the consti-
tution of the Standing Committee, so as to ensure
that grant being made hereafter. Six members
retire by rotation on February 2, but offer them-
selves for re-election. One is the Rev. M. Mayow,
a Ritualist, and the Rev. R. T. West proposes three
gentlemen of his own way of thinking, two of whom
are seconded by the Rev. C. Gutch, a former colleague
of Mr. West's at All Saints', Margaret-Street.

DISIIOP JACKSON'S FAREWELL.
Bishop Jackson, who has been elected Bishop of
London, took farewell of his old diocese, Lincoln,
on Friday. There was a celebration in the Cathedral,
which was attended by about 400 clergy and laity. The
Bishop preached from Acts xxi., 6. In his sermon he
spoke very highly of his successor, Dr. Wordsworth.
Referring to the two antagonistic schools of thought
—one which doubted the authenticity of some of the
books of the Bible and the historical accuracy of
others, and obj ected to the supernatural and the miracu-
lous as impossibilities ; the other demurring to the
advantages of the Reformation, and desiring a pnn-
Reformation ritual—the Bishop said that both
schools included " able, good, and praying men."
After the service an address was presented to the
Bishop, expressing regret at his departure, and he
made a suitable reply, which is published in the
John Bull.