The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-20 00:00:00

PASTORAL LETTER OF THE BISHOP OF

GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL.

Bishop Ellicott is about to issue a pastoral letter under
the title "Address to the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese
of Gloucester and Bristol for the Year 1868, with Remarks
on Present Church Questions." His lordship, feeling that the
delivery of an annual charge taxes the physical powers of
some of the older clergy, and that in these days a bishop
ought to have more frequent communication with the
whole body of his clergy than is secured by a triennial
visitation, intends to issue a pastoral letter annually,
except after the years wherein the annual visitation occurs.
After speaking " with much thankfulness" of the pro-
gress of Church work in his diocese, he briefly dwells
on " the fair and temperate report on the trial
of Bishop Colenso," believing that the good pro-
duced by it at the time and ever since has
hardly yet been sufficiently realised. Respect-
ing the Ritual question, he remarks that " little
more need be said than this, that now that the law
has been finally declared in the matters called ira
question, it is the solemn duty of every faithful
member of the Church of England cheerfully to obey it."
With regard to the Irish Church, he thinks that it is
useless to deny that the country generally has expressed
definitely at least this opinion, that the Church in Ireland
cannot continue in its present state. He believes that
the duty of, Churchmen is to wait patiently for the
proposals to be laid before them, and then not fruitlessly
to oppose everything, but to narrow their opposition to
every change that would presumably weaken the Re-
formed Church and add power to the Church of Rome.
Speaking of the future his lordship makes the following
remarks:—" It does not seem unpardonable to express the
opinion that the present session cannot pass without some
measure which shall simplify the proceedings in our eccle-
siastical courts, and restore to the rulers of the Church
that authority which of late has been practically lost to them.
Such a measure must, of course, to some extent, bring into
consideration the constitution of the final court of appeal
in ecclesiastical matters. The present state, if it were only
from the recent fact that in an important case only one
ecclesiastical member of the court took part in the proceed-
ings, can hardly be deemed satisfactory. It seems also clear
that some steps must be taken in reference to our cathedrals.
Lastly, our recent troubles in connection with the Church
in South Africa, and the apparently discordant decisions
that have been given in reference to the whole question of
the relation of the Colonial Church to the Church at
home, render it perfectly certain that, either by commission
or otherwise, measures must be taken for the final settle-
ment of this most grave and complicated question. We
seem justified in hoping that the session will not pass with-
out some effort having been made to place the Colonial
Church on a solid and a durable basis."

THE WINDSOR ELECTION PETITION.

-

The Lonoon correspondent of the Limpol Atom, writ-
ing apropos to tho Windsor election petition, expresses his
approval of the new system of hearing allegatons of bribery:
Put he is rather doubtful as to saving expenses. The
fees to counsel—always high in such cases -will now be
higher still, because the learned gentlemen will be
brought down from London, and will have each day to
confine themselves to the one case. Under the old system
some Parliamentary counsel were in as many as a dozen
cases on the same day—election petitions and private bills
included—all of which cases were going on at the same time.
It was the habit of these fortunate barristers to make a tour
of the corridor, looking into this room now, and into that
in a few minutes after. Indeed, ono distinguished Queen's
counsel of the Parliamentary bar would not undertake
to do anything more in a case, so far as actual work
in the committee-room, than make a speech ; but to secure
this and to prevent "the other aide" from having him, you
must "refresh" him and give him a "consultation" fee each
day while the case was at hearing, even if the hearing lasted
a month. It is only fair to him to say that when his
similar engagements in respect of speech-making in
other cases permitted, he would walk in and "take
a witness" or two ; but, not being like Sir Boyle
Roche's bird, ho could not be in two places at once.
Mr. O'Malley, Q C., the leading counsel for Col. Richardson-
Gardner at Windsor, would have had a "retainer" of fifty
guineas and a "refresher" of ten guineas a day, with a
five-guinea " consultation," if the cause had been heard in
the old form at Westminster Palace. At Windsor ho had
a "retainer" of 120 guineas and a "refresher" of fifty
guineas a day. But there was not the expense of bringing
all the witnesses to London, keeping them in clover here,
and employing other people to watch them; nor were
there the very heavy house fees which have to be
paid by parties having business before Committees
of the Commons. Colonel Richardson-Gardner will
have to pay all the costs; but he is a very rich
man, or, at least, the son-in-law of a very rich one. The
gallant gentleman was never in the army nor the militia.
He is honorary colonel of a corps of volunteers. His own
name was Richardson, but ho assumed the additional sur-
name of Gardner on kis marriage with the daughter and
only child of Mr. Gardner, a gentleman with an income of
about £35,000 a year.

Some of the New York papers propose that
the centenary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott, which
falls on the 15th August, 1871, should be celebrated
throughout the English-speaking world. It seems pro-
bable that in America, at least, the proposal will be favour-
ably entertained.

Lord Stanley was to have addressed a meeting
in the mayor's parlour, Town Hall, Manchester, on Monday,
of the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, but on the
assembling of the meeting at twelve o'clock, a telegram
was received from his lordship, stating that he had missed
the train, and could not come in time for the meeting.

A very large meeting assembled at the Lambeth
Baths on Monday evening, to take into consideration the
propriety of presenting an address to Air. John Abel
Smith, in reference to his labours on b La f of the
Sunday closing of public-houses. Resolutions in accord.
ance with the objects of the meeting were unanimously
adopted.

COMPARISONS.—The Boston (U.S.) Advertiser
says :—" A noted democratic politician of this vicinity
was once asserting his entire indifference to the opinions of
his opponents, and to their personal abuse. ' why,' said
he, ' a man likened me the other day to Judas Iscariot,
but I don't care." Yes, said a bystander, ' but how does
Judas feel about it ?'"

The clergy of the rural deanery of Kilmaerenan, in
the county of Donegal, have passed a resolution approving
of the principles of reconstruction of the Irish Church when
disestablished which have been propounded in Archdeacon
Stopferd's y' mpl let, and ca:;ing on the Bishop of Derry
"to take early neron Nvith a viowto cony n ing a synod ie•
preentative of the clergy and laity of the diocese" on those
inciples.

A t the
Cham-
ber ,\griaenolutiuirtiel,
onti
nleseatritig of
rd:ly, the Staffo7dshire
the question of local rating
was discussed ; and a resclution was adopted expressing an
opinion that the arc a for the collection of such rates ought
to be extended as far as practicable, and that the general
income and prop -rty of the country should contribnte to
the support of those institutions which are necessary to the
well-being of the entire community. The Earl of Harrowby
was of opinion that it would not be possible to go further
than to expect a contribution to local rates, in some such
way as is now done in the case of Government contribution
to county rates; but be thought that it would be mis-
chievous to hand over the entire mass of the poor to pationa)
SUDDOrt.

THEATRE-ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
Role Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, at 7. MY WIFE S OUT. Followed by the
Grand Pantomime, PUSS IN BOOTS. Commence at 7.