The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-02 00:00:00

THE IRISH CHURCH.

The Dublin Diocesan Synod met on Tuesday, the Arch-
lishop (Dr. Trench) in the chair. There was a large
attendance of delegates (our correspondent writes), but
although much lively discussion took place the pro-
ceedings were harmonious. Clergy and laity sat and
debated together. Various points of order and detailed
regulations were determined, to facilitate the election of
representatives to the general convention. The most inte
resting feature in the day's proceedings was the question
whether the clerical Fellows of Trinity College should vote
along with their brethren as clergymen of the diocese of
Dublin, or elect delegates of their own separately. The
Provincial Synod which recently assembled in St. Patrick's
Cathedral had decided that they should elect delegates apart.
The Provost (Dr. Lloyd), the Rev. Mr. Galbraith, and others
spoke, and the matter was not arranged at a late hour. At
the conclusion of the formal business, Lord James Butler
moved an adjournment till the following day, in order that
important matters, connected with the rosition of the laity
iu the Church, might be fully discussed. The Archbishop
refused to put the motion, and a scene of confusion
occurred, which lasted a considerable time. The Arch-
bishop at length yielded, and the motion for adjournment
was lest. A second motion for adjournment was proposed;
and the Archbishop consented, but said he would not
attend the meeting, and recommended the clergy not to
attend either.

A pamphlet has appeared in Dublin, written by Master
Brooke, Master in Chancery, containing an earnest argu-
ment against the resolution adopted by the Irish bishops
to "sit in a separate chamber." He says: "Let the
bishops sit in our assemblies in a place of honour,as in the
April conference, that best example of a true Church
council. Let the vote of each, if it be so desired, count
as two in a division. Let every mark of reverence which
can fairly be suggested belong to them, but let us not be
deprived of their presence among us."

MB. MUNDELLA, M.P., ON EDUCATION.

On Tuesday, at a crowded meeting of the supporters of
the National Education League, held in the Temperance-hall,
Leicester, under the presidency of the Mayor, Mr. A. J. Man-
dolin, M.P. for Sheffield, spoke at some length in favour of
the scheme of the National Education League. Ho con-
trasted the unfavourable condition of the working classes in
England as regards education with the state of the opera-
tives in Saxony and Prussia, where the compulsory system
is in operation. Tho poor of Saxony, Switzerland, and
Prussia were prosperous, and if England did not look to it
she would soon lose her position. Tho middle and higher
clasee.e looked after the education of their children, and the
working man, if he wished to succeed, must look after that of
his children. Ho denied that unscctarian education would do
away with religion. On the contrary, it would strengthen
and promote it. The Sunday school teachers could then
employ the time in imparting religious knowledge, which
they had now to use in teaching the drudgery of the
alphabet. Mr. Mundella instanced the canton of Zurich,
which contained an equal population with that of the
county of Leicester. That canton supported many
schools and a university, while in Loughborough, the centre
of the district which Lord John Manners represented,
40 per cent. of the people never raw the inside of a school.
And yet the noble lord, when Mr. Samuelson of Ban-
bury, in the House of Commons last year, spoke of the
perfect system of education in Zurich, told him that
in Leicestershire the people were as well educated as
in that canton. The fact wac, Lord John did not then
know what he was talking about, and, in fact, very few
people in this country did know much about the perfect
system of education which prevailed on the Continent. He
concluded by expressing a hope that the question would
soon ho settled on the basis of the scheme put forth by the
National League. Resolutions approving of the League
were carried.

THE BISHOP OF LINCOLN. AND THE
BISHOP-ELECT OF EXETER.

The Guardian publishes a correspondence between the
Bishop of Lincoln and Dr. Temple, which arose out of the
new Bishop of Exeter asking the Bishop of Lincoln to let
him have the services of one of his examining chaplains
on the 13th of November. Dr. Wordsworth sent a reply,
stating that he saw no objection to the proposal; at the
same time the sight rev. prelate calls upon the Bishop
elect to break silence on the subject of his orthodoxy.
He said :—" It appears to me that an occasion is now pre-
sented to you of doing an act which would entitle you to
the gratitude of the Church, and to tho respect of all who
love her. As long as your election was doubtful, you
might have had reasons for silence; lest, by breaking it,
you might have seemed to desire to sway the suffrages of
the electors. But now the election is over, such an impu-
tation can have no place. It cannot be doubted that
otbnee has been taken by many on account of
your connection with a certain publication which I will not
further characterise. I will not inquire whether any
scandal has been given by you; I will even assume that it
has been taken without sufficient grounds. Be it so. But let
me earnestly entreat you to consider what, even on such a sup-
position, would have been done by the greatest and holiest
bishops of old under like circumstances You
have now a glorious opportunity of restoring peace to the
Church of England. In her name I plead with you. Ido
not ask you to condemn the volume to which I have re-
ferred. But I do entreat you to disclaim all responsibility
for it, except so far as your own"part of it is concerned.
This, you may say, was done by anticipation in the Preface.
But tho subsequent publication of numerous editions
has neutralised that disavowal. Whether rightly
or wrongly, the essays are regarded by many
as forming ono connected whole; and the minds
of many are now distressed and distracted by your coming
to the Episcopal office with that book in your hand. They
who are thus disturbed may be in error. But will you not
feel compassion for them? Will you not show your
sympathy with them by uttering some words which will
cost you little to speak, and which they will rejoice

to hear How would St. Paul have

acted in your circumstances ? he who said,
Who is weak and and I am not weak, who is
offended and I burn not ?' How would Christ Himself have
acted, who condescended to the weakness of His disciples,
and would not cast a stumbling-block in the way even of
His bitterest enemies ? lle `who had compassion on the
ignorant and out of the way, for that He Himself also was
compassed with infirmities,' You may now imitate them.
Will you not do it?—Believe me to be your faithful
brother in Christ, " C. LINCOLN.

" To the Lord Bishop of Exeter (Elect)."
As Dr. Temple did not send an immediate answer, the
Bishop of Lincoln wrote again, on November 24, to which
the following reply was sent :

" Rugby, November 26, 186 g.

"My Lord,—l did not answer your letter at once
because the extraordinary kindness, and even tenderness,
which inspires it throughout, made me desire to reconsider
once snore what I had often considered already,
and to bring myself, if I could, to a different
conclusion about my duty from that which I had previ-
ously formed. But all consideration only brings me back
to this, that the one safe rule for me to follow is the law
of the Church of England. While I am neither refusing
to say or do what the law does not require I am on safe
ground ; and the responsibility lies with the law, and
not with me. The moment I step beyond these limits,
I take the responsibility on myself, and I cannot
shift it; and whatever ill consequences may fol-
low, the blame is mine. It is true, my lord, that what you
propose is studiously, generously moderate. But to con-
cede it is to concede the whole principle. And while lam
quite sure that very few indeed would be satisfied with
what you propose, who are not in their hearts tolerably
well satisfied already, I am sure, too, that were I to agree,
I should only lay myself open to fresh demands
to which I could no longer return the one
sufficient answer, that I was keeping strictly within the
limits of the law of the Church of England. The
examples that your lordship sets before me have been
present to my mind ever since I received your letter. If
this were a question of sacrificing my own feelings to the
good or comfort of others, such examples would be over-
whelming. But the question is not one of feeling, but of
duty; and if these examples are to aid in deciding
what that duty is, I cannot forget that the
.same St. Paul
who made himself, as you remind me, all things to all
men,' yet on another occasion,.and that, too, when his
conduct must have given the deepest pain to many de-
vout Christians, and probably kept not a few religious
Jews out of the Church altogether, notwithstanding, tells
us that he gave place by subjection, no not for an hour.' It
would be simply presumptuous in me to say what au Apostle
would do, if he stood where I stand now. I should not,
indeed, venture to quote the example of the Apostles at
all, if you had not first quoted it to me. But I am quite
sure that no Apostle would do what he believed to
be plainly wrong.
My lord, I have a real reve-
rence for your character; I cannot adequately express
my sense of the kindness of your letter, but in this
matter I am doing my duty in God's sight to the best of
my ability, and when I say that, I am sure that you will
not press me further ; but rather pray that if I am wrong,
I may have clearer light and firmer strength.—Yours
gratefully, " F. ExoN (Elect).
" The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Lincoln."

The writ for the election of a member for Chester
having been received, the Sheriff, who is the returning_
officer, has fixed Saturday next for the nomination. Tho
N, cir4IYQUI iti ARIA° oillislaaislaig_in the field.