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

UR. MACKOSOCHIE ON THE JUDGMENT.

At St. Alban's, Holborn, on Sunday, the seven lamps
wung before the altar, and during the Communion the
andles gave no light. Smaller candles, however, were
ighted at the morning services. The parishioners received
tis view of the late judgment of the Privy Council. This
sldress opens with referring to the prohibitions as "a
vrong, a most oppressive wrong." "I am not, however,"
ays Mr. Maelsonochie, "going to say hard things
bout those who Lave clone this wrong. Still,
here it stands. In the face of English justice—the
lmost absurd impartiality of which is, to its honour, a
lye-word over the whole world—a judgment has been
tronounced, which does not oectare law, but overrides, on
he showing of its own arsuments, even statute law, in
rder to make a law against us. No doubt the judgment
vas meant by those who began the suit to be against our
ilessed Lord in that which is dearest to Him—the Sacra-
nent of His Divine Love ; but by the good providence of
ur God upon us, the counsel of Ahitopliel has been
urned to foolishness, and the blow has fallen upon us."
dr. Mackonochie then goes on to say that he intends
o obey the law. The State has in ,de the law.
The law of the Church sanctioned the practices which
Lave been attacked before the suit began ; it sanctions
hem still. The practices forbidden are part, indeed, of
he right of the Church ; but they are not necessary for
he validity of her ordinances. The Church law permits
,nd claims as its right that which a harsh and novel
nterpretation of the State law has now forbidden.
Are are contented to forego for a while our rights
is Churchmen rather than seem to disobey as citizens."
tin Mackonochie the more complains of this interference
vith his rights, as his party had never s eppe in to bisd
?rotestants to do against their consciences what the Prayer
3ook enjoined. And yet, as he shewed, they had broken
is rubrics in a manner most distressing from his point of
dew. " All round London are hosts of churches in which
he Rubric is broken : no daily service ; no saints' day
ervice ; no notice given of Festiva' or fast ; no Litany on
ffednesday or Fri ay ; the Athatiesian I reed smitted ;
he Holy Communion not administered to each
everally ; the marriage service mutilated ; the
sacrament of Holy Baptism sold for 11. 61, by autho-
ity of the Diocesan Registrar ; and, worse than all, the
niserable profanation (most unwitting, I believe, in most
:aces, perhaps in all, but not less truly so) of evening
tommunions. Then bishops—perhaps even the Archbishop
Id York—habitually offending, nut only in regard of these
tr some of these instances, but also by administering the
ite of confirmation to candidates by the dozen. Nearly
ill these, as well as countless less or greater matters, are
•iolations of plain rubrical directions, and are he greatest
tossible abominations to us, but we have never stirred a
finger to interfere, nor do mean to do so. Why, then,
you are all asking, should we be disturbed, when we
lo not wish to diSturb others ? I cannot tell you,
finless I have given the answer already in the fact that the
church triumphs through weakness." Mr. Mackonochie
hen goes on to state how the service will in future he
onducted. As to incense, he has come to the conclusion
•nat the best plan will he that the church should be tensed
to the days when there is to Le a li gh celebration, before
acs of the services beginning at seven, eight, nine,
Ind 10.30, and also before evensong. As regards the pos-
ture of the priest during the celebration, he will stand
hroughout the cow_tecrat ion prayer. This of course does
tot aff, ct the congregation. The candles will not be lighted.
le takes this opportunity of stating that he has
ust had a present made him of seven lamps for the
sanctuary. He has long wished to have them, since he
aw them in some churches where they have been used for
nany years. It is true that they are of Eastern rather
,han 'Western authority ; but they so strikingly remind us
,f the seven lamps of fire in the Revelation, burning
afore the throne, and which are " the Seven Spirits of
3-od," that this objection at once fails to the ground.
Vloreover, they cannot be in any way mistaken for a viola-
ion of the judgment : they will burn continually, night
,nd day. In yielding obedience to a judgment, however
m fair, it is right and nanly to yield entirely. He
vishes, therefore, that they should clearly understand that
,hese lamps are no kind of substitution for the " two
fights on the Communion-tab!e," nor in any way meant
san evasion of the judgment. "I do not want," Mr.
:lackonochie goes on, "grotesque attitudes, or prostra-
ions, but to see you careful never to cross the church when
he blessed sacrament is present without genuflecting, and
Lever to genuflect when it is not there. If you come
ip the nave for communion, to see you very quietly and
•everently genuflect on leaving your seat, on entering the
Chancel, and again on having the altar. To see the sign
If the cross made in like manner, before receiving the
Communion in each kind, and before leaving the
altar, also at the end of the creeds, and Glory be to God
nn high,' at the absolution and blessing, and at the
Glory be to Thee, 0 God,' before the Gospel, on the
'orellead, lips, and breast." " God," Mr. Mackonochie
xclaims, in conclusion, " has called you to take part in
he great work of giving back to the Church of England
hat ' worship in spirit lied in truth' of which more
han two centuries of cold, unlov:ng Protestantism have
obbed her."

Some one has noticed Madame Rachel's
waggery in putting up at her old shop in Bond-street a
" Closed for alterations." The other night a boy,
esolved not to let Madame R. have all the wit to herself,
balked up outside her door, " Beware of the paint 1"
Professor Owen, of the British Museum, has left
T,ngland for the purpose of accompanying the Prince of
Wales in his tour in Egypt, to add,
if possible, some
cientific interest to that most interesting of journeys. It
s to he hoped that a bronchial attack, to which the Pro-
essor has been subject, will give way to the Eastern
amosphere.

The Dowlais Iron Company, by a timely eonces-
;ion, has averted a strike among the colliers in their employ.
the colliers demand that they should be allowed to have
,wo men of ►heir own to see the weighing properly carried
nut, the two men to be paid by them. The company at first
•efuse(l the application, but after a few days conceded the
Joint, and this decision is expected so affect every colliery
n Glamorgaushire.
- - -

--
Professor Rogers on Friday delivered the last of
I series of lectures in the I,rg room of the Co-operative
Store, Toad-lane, Rochdale, to a lame audience. In ac-
Enowledging a vote of thanks, Mr. Rogers said he
.could t, ll them a story. Mr. Paiglo, had told him
hat when he was introduced into that honourable posi-
tion which he occupied now, and when ho was brougnt into
.!ompany with our sovereign and her family, ho spoke to one
A the royal princesses in ',lotion to her eldeA sister in this
ashion—expressing a hope that although sh- 1:0‘v lived it,
t foreign land, sho bad not 10.-3 t her 13.11 p: thy with the
nkrest in the country of h r bir . The I ply- was: "No,
',deed; there is ono iustitutieu she takes ! rol,und ,ut, rest
and that institution is iu your Doti, , I relieve—
die Rochdale Equi able Pioneets' Socie.y."
The Rev. Dr. Molcsworth, '.car of Rochdale, in
what may be called a pastoral letter to flock, advises that
be decision of tho Ptivy Council in the Mackonochie case
ihould " cL^i i-ulty obeyed," with protest. To secure the
-ihurch her "rights" for the future, he suggests—"lst. A
:ommission of bishops, presbyters, and lay communi-
!ants should be app,,iuted to collect facts and opinions,
Ind to report on the same to Convocation. 2d. Con-
v,,cation should b liberated from undue control,
Ind invested with additional, and clearly defined, powers.
II The two Convocations, Cituterl ury and York, should
be united. 4th. Regulations effecting doctrine or discipline
;hould be initiated in Convocation, but should not become
aw till confirmed by Parliament. sth. Parliament should
.ake re other part in such regulations than confirming, or
"ejecting, or r, quiring amendwents as pAdicipp of &LAO-
pir rach