The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 21, 1861.

!CONVOCATION OF THE PROVINCE 01
CANTEBBURY.

Yesterday morning both Houses of Convocation
assembled at Westminster.
In the Upper House a report was presented on the sub-
ject of missionary bishops, and the 29th Canon as amended,
was finally agreed to, and ordered to be signed by both
houses.

us by the Upper House. It would not be right or wise, nor
indeed is it morally possible, for us to shrink from giving that
answer. The report of the committee is one means of enab-
ling us to give that answer. If we had been asked whe-

ther, in our opinion,- it is advisable to proceed to a synodical
judgment in the case, it would have been our duty to answer
that question also. But the tipper House has not asked us
that question, and it is clearly not of the province of this
house to originate it. Itrestswith the bishops of the synod,
after receiving the opinion of the house that there are suffi-
cient grounds for proceeding, to decide whether or no it is
ultimately advisable to proceed, and what the form of pro-
cedure shall be; That they will proceed there appears to be
no room to doubt, but if they do not proceed they will tell us
why. If they do they will ask our concurrence in that pro-
cedure as shaped bytheir hands. That would be the time, if
anyone had doubts as to the advisability of the proceed-
ings, to ask this house to concur with him in a representa-
tion to the bishops to that effect ; at present any such course
is not pertinent to the matter, in hand, and would be, as I
regard it, an, undue and unseemly interference with the
functions of the house of bishops. lam not without a hope
that what Ihave now said may serve to show that there is
really no room for either of the amendments to the resolu-
tion of which notice has been given, and thcre is no room
for anything but a direct negative; that the issue raised is
a simple issue, that no one is committed to the report
except. the committee, ant that to affirm the resolution
reserves to every member the option of discussion upon
the general question when the time shall come. I will
not further dotain the louse, except to express my
earnest hoPe=a hope which has been the subject of many
prayer4—that nothing which I have done or said in this
matter may have provoked anger or caused needless pain.
Dr. M'CauL seconded the rcotion. He contended that this
book, " Essays and Reviews,'l involved the reconstruction
of Christianity; and if they pr4ed with the old Christianity
Ow -must also part, with Jhaixae4o., .s.-e;.;, ....:9. IrLurgye
The trista,:.: ,rEnglandand the United States had welcomed
the book with delight, and held it as a proof that the Church
of England had taken a large dep.& advance. That was the
opinion of the enemies of that Church ;' but the friends of
the Chureh'looked upon the book as fraught with danger,
and it had against it the unanimous verdict of the entire
episecipat bench and upwards of 10,000 of the clergy. He
denied the position of the book, that Christianity must be
reconstructed according to the discoveries of modern science,
and brought into harmony with modern criticism, but
pointed out that there was really nothing in the discoveries
of science antagonistic with the Mosaic theory, quoting va-
' rious authorities, showing that where any supposed diffe-
rence existed it arose from a misunderstanding of particular
terms in different languages. Despite the preface he held
that the book was one of united action, and that although
the writer might have written independently of each other
there was yet a united object, and each knew-what the
others intended to do, and in one instance "a compact" be-
tween them was expressly spoken of. It was necessary that
the Church should interfere and condemn the book. It was
essential that they should come to some authoritative de-
claration concerning the heresy and unsoundness of the
book, in order that unsuspecting persons might, be put on
their guard, and that others might be deterred from advanc-
ing in the same line of scepticism and Deism to their own
ruin. He did not consider that anything that had been
brought under the notice of Convocation, even in the time
of the Reformation, was so important as this, involving as
it did the question whether the Bible was the word of God
or not—(no, no, and hear hear)—whether our common faith
was established in truth or in error, (No, no, and hear.)
Sir 11. TileArrsoN having been called upon by the Prolo-
cutor to submit his amendment, which stood first in order
on the motion paper, remarked that there were several
amendments to be proposed, and amongst them one by Dr.
Wordsworth, referring to a matter of law, and if the rev.
doctor was right upon the legal point it appeared to him
(Sir H. Thompson) that they would be incurring the penal-
ties of a prmunire by proceeding at all in this business.
He would submit, therefore, that Dr. 'Wordsworth should
open this legal question, the decision upon which might
render all further proceeding not only unnecessary but im.
possible.
The PROLOCUTOR said it would be more convenient if Sir
H. Thompson would proceed with his amendment.

Sir H. Tnomrsow read his amendment as follows:

serve their own rights they must respect the rights of the
crown ; and if they were to repress the dangerous doctrines
enunciated in this way, they must proceed in a religious,
judicial, and legal way. He thought he had shown grounds
to establish his amendment that they should not proceed to
synodical action.

The Archdeacon of SARUM then moved the following
amendment :—" That in the opinion of this house there are
sufficient grounds for proceeding to synodical judgment on
the volume entitled Essays and Reviews,' but at the same
time it was not expedient to revive the power of synodical
action under the existing circumstances of the Church."
He said that the motion originally brought forward by
Dr. Jelf and Dr. *Caul was similar to this ; but Dr.
Wordsworth's amendment brought it to an end, and happy
would it have been if the matter had ended there.
But when the house met again, certain members of this
house signed a gravamen, which was, taken by the Prolo-
cutor to the Upper House, who inquired if it had been
signed by the majority of the house, and he replied in the
affirmative.

The PuoLocuTou—By the majority of:the house then
present.

Archdeacon RANDALL:as one of the assessors of the Pio-
locutors, stated that the Prolocutor had distinctly stated to
the Upper House that a gravamen had been signed by the
majority of the Lower House then present.
The PROLOCUTOR said a question had been put to him,
and he had answered it to the best of his ability; but the
gravamen and petition had nothing to do with the message
sent down by the Upper House. •
Archdeacon DENISON said that in justice to the Prob•
tutor he must state that he had tibia on the; ocerion
referred to, counted thb house, at Which 38 member* Were
present, and 201 ad signed the gravamen. (Hear.) •
The ArChdeacon of SARUM did not mean to infer that
'the Prolocutor had,done wrong, but at the same time be
Ten thfte-but-for-Bumirmlett4aratanding he believed these
proceedings would never have taken place. He would pro-
ceed withthe subject. It was said they were not going to have
tn Index expurgatorius. • How did they know that ? There
Were hundreds of books which contained greater heresies
than these Essays. It was said that this was an extreme
ease, and h 6 granted it. It was a sad and sorrowful case,
but where was the guarantee that if they thus proceeded,
books might not be brought forward for condemnation ?
He recollected the time when there was a great excitement
amongst the bishops and the clergy, not how the Gospel
should be preached, but whether it should be preached in
a black gown or a white surplice, and that excitement ex-
ceeded this on the seven essays. It was impossible to con-
demn a book without condemning the authors—it was inr;
possible to separate them. He did not think that the authors
would care much what was'done, and judging from the con-
troversial spirit of one, he would probably be much disap-
pointed if they did not condemn him. (Hear, hear.)
The Archdeacon of STAFFORD seconded the amendment.
He was exceeding averse to synodical action with refer-
ence to this book, although he should be glad if they could
do so on lawful grounds. It would be exceedingly unjust to
judge the book unless they called the authors before them.
Archdeacon DEZ,TISON—I beg your pardon ; I said they
might be asked to come.

The Archdeacon of STAYFORD —Then if they had no
power to summon the authors, they were no lit tribunal to
jidge of their works. If they condemned this book they
must condemn the actions of those who wrote it. Could
they pass a greater stigma on the authors of this book than
this, that they had put forth a book directly opposed to the
doctrines which they had subscribed ? So he said they
would be doing a great injustice to the authors unless the
men were to be called before them to be judged ; and as they
had no power to do so—
Canon WORDS WORTH—Yes.

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, 51),

synodical judgment; but suppose the bishops refused to
proceed, where would this house be ? (Archdeacon Denison
—Where we are.) But suppose the bishops were to frame a
synodical judgment, he much doubted whether this house
would be prepared to go that length, end if they refused,
then the bishops would have a fair ground of complaint.
He thought all the amendments might be so settled as to
meet the views of the Archdeacon of Taunton.
Archdeacon DENISON—I am much obliged to you.

The Rev. Sir 11. TnomPsoN said he was quite ready to
give way so far as to concur that the "Essays" contained
heretical opinions, provided thete were coupled with that the
viows of the house that it was not desirable to proceed to
synodical action.

At this stage of the discussion, it being 6 o'clock, the
house adjourned until 11 o'clock this day.

THE NA PX.

The Lords of the Admiralty have forwarded
directions to Chatham dockyard for the Defence,
24, iron mail-clad steamer, to be furnished with
Cunningham's patent self-reefing yards, each 70
feet in length. The masts, yards, and other gear
are being prepared at the dockyard, and will be
.ready for the Defence by the ensuing month. The
length of each of the fore and main topmasts is 55
feet, and that of the mizenmast 57 feet. The cap
topsailyard will be 75 feet in length, or rather
longer than that of the Warrior, 40, which is
rigged somewhat different from the Defence. The
lower masts and bowsprits of the Defence are of
iror;. -

The Diadem, 32, screw steam frigate, Capt. J. H.
Cockburn, left Spithead this day under steam.
Capt. Cockburn applied to be allowed to go for a
spirit of clicoatibfaction began to be
evinced in consequence of the ship remaining so
long at Spithead, and so little leave granted.
The Megmra, iron screw steam troop ship, Com-
mander Henderson, will be taken out of No. S dock
to-morrow, when she will get up steam and proceed
to test her machinery and try her speed at the mea-
sured mile in Stokes Bay.
The ships in the sailing ordinary and those in
the steam ordinary at Plymouth are to be, what is
termed, " Consolidated," and placed under the com-
mand of one captain.
The screw steamship Sanspareil, 70, Capt. Arthur
P. E. Wilmot, C. 8., flag of Rear-Admiral Charles
Talbot, at Queenstown, is under orders for Ply-
mouth, where her crew will be paid up, and she
will be prepared for re-commission. Her lower
deck guns will be sent ashore. None of the inter-
nal fittings will be disturbed.
The Argus, 6, paddlewheel steamsloop, Comman-
der H. F. W. Ingram, arrived at Spithead yester-
day evening from the Mediterranean.
The War Department transport Mar borough
arrived at the Ordnance-wharf, Chatham, from the
Ncre yesterday, having on board the guns, howit-
zers, and solid and hollow shot taken out of the
Meeanee, 80, 400-horse power ; the Phaeton, 51,
400-horse power; and the Griffin, 5, 80-horse
power, belonging to the steam reserve in the Med-
way, their places being ordered to be supplied
with the Armstrong guns. The Meeanee is to be
furnished with two 100-pounder pivot Armstrong
guns, and two 40-pounders; the Phaeton will in
the first instance ship cite of the 100-pounder Arm-
strongs and two of the 40-pounders ; the Griffin is
ordered to be furnished with two of the 12-pounder
small Armstrong guns. In addition to the above,
each steamer will be furnished with brass guns and
howitzers for the pinnaces and launches.