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

THE MAKING OF A CANON:

The proceedings were here interrupted by the entrance
of his Grace the President, accompanied by the bishops and
the legal officers and attendants of the archbishop, the ob-
ject being the formal enactment of a canon of the church,
a ceremony which has not been performed for upwards of
200 years. His Grace the Archbishop, having assumed the
presidential chair, proceeded to read the engrossed record,
the deed being held during the reading by his Grace and the
Prolocutor jointly. The deed merely recited that convoca-
tion, by virtue of the royal license, had reseinded the 29th
canon and substituted in lieu of it that which we have
already published.

His Grace then affixed his signature to the canon, a•nd
was followed by the Bishops of Oxford, St. Asaph, and Lin-
coln, the only other members of the episcopal bench present.
After the bishops the members of the Lower House pro-
ceeded to sign, commencing with the deans, then the arch-
deacons, then doctors of divinity, and afterwards proctors
for chapters and dioceses; after which his Grace the Presi-
dent, the bishops, and their retinue retired.

ESSAYS AND REVIEWS.
The debate was then resumed, when
The Rev. Sir H. TuomrsoN said he was willing that
the resolution which he proposed should be taken into con-
sideration as an addendum.

The PROLOCUTOR said he was most anxious that the issue
H ewwaosEnDost:o:roitussat:d availe himselfssag
e fr omf
the
ee
UpperpPow e r
should to fairly raised. Ile felt he was in a delicate osi-
which was conferred on him. '(Hear.)
Canonposi-
tion.
House inquired whether this house was in favour of syno-
dical action, and they had to consider whether there was
sufficient ground for so proceeding. They were in a posi-
tion whether they were to do a judicial act with the whole
authority of convocation. He confessed in his own private
mind that this was not only an unhappy book, but the
worst book which had been published since the Refor-
mation. He adopted the views of the mover and se-
conder ; but he felt, if it were a dangerous book, it could
not be suppressed by injustice. The greater the evil, the
more important it was that they should carefully consider
the remedy. Dr. M'Caul had said he with ten thousands of
other clergy condemned the book, and had signed with them
the act of condemnation. Was then his rev. friend to be
both advocate and judge in the same cause ? He said that
those who had signed the address had morally disqualified
themselves as judges. (" Hear, hear," and "No, no.") His
rev. friend would allow him to say that, as he reprobated
this book as destructive to Christian morality, yet if they
treated it with injustice they would only arouse the sym-
pathy of the English people in favour of its authors. He
had declined to serve on the committee because he felt that
after the language which had been used he could not grapple
with it fairly and honestly. Ho remembered that in 1786
an illegal act of this kind had suffocated convocation for
more than one hundred years. Convocation was a deliberate
assembly, but they were not competent to proceed to
synodical judgment without the license of the Crown. If
they had been commanded by the Upper House they
would have proceeded to petition - the Crown. In 1689,
Bishop Burnet had said that any bishop could proceed
against the author of dangerous books in
his own diocese,
but Convocation could not proceed judicially to censure
any book without hearing the author. (Hear, hear.)
It was said that what was now proposed to be done,
was what had been done with regard to Whiston's book.
He denied that altogether. At that time the opinion of
the judges was taken, and eight of the judges were of
opinion that Convocation had the power to condemn tenet.
of heresy, but then they must condemn them with the
authors and maintainers of them. He believed that many
of the authors of the seven essays now regretted they had
put their hand to them. The minority of the judges being
four, were of opinion that Convocation could not summon
the author out of his diocese, but then they said there must
be the license of the Crown to proceed to censure. (Achdeacon
DENISON—No, no.) His rev. friends were following neither
precedent. They did not follow the opinion of •proceeding
against the book in the presence of the authors, nor the rule
laid down that they could not summon a clergyman out of
his diocese. He felt if this court were proceeded with, the
case would be brought before the courts of law, and instead
of suppressing heresy they would themselves be suppressed.
He suggested that they should submit to the Upper Heise
that there was no precedent for the action recommended.
(Archdeacon Dzklisorc—l cloy it.) If thoy woro to pre-

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. 11I'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 PROLOCUTOR—By the majority of:the house then
present.

Archdeacon RANDALL,"/IS one of the assessors of the Pro-
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 Prolo •
cutor he must state that he had twice on the occasion
referred to, counted the house, at which 38 members were
present, and 20 had signed the gravamen. (Hear.)
The Archdeacon of SARUM did not mean to infer that
the Prolocutor had done wrong, but at the same time he
felt that but for some misunderstanding he believed these
proceedings would never have taken place. He would pro-
ceed with the subject. It was said they were not going to have
an Index expnrgatorius. 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
case, and he 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 im-
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 DENISON—I beg your pardon; I said they
might be asked to come.

The Archdeacon of STAPPORD —Then. if they had no
power to summon the authors, they were no fft tribunal to

judge 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 WORDSWORTH—Yes.

The Archdeacon of STAFFORD—Not without the royal
license. (Hear, hear.) He contended they should not
take a single step to promote synodical action, unless they
suspended,lt hc ae tn
st
eh eo f bishops
thei
_up;
ss
oohfeuda
nwhobchti
had the men before them ; and secondly, that they should
i
not proceed to synodical action unless they were assured
pohleerhdi salocadl that every
anddih
ad( ecbHbr:nei
ee
ooef
annttot themselves
hew. membereee)kaeemotei
com-
mitted to the gravamen. (Hear, hear.) He believed the
tstdhoe nibi grchibook,nwwhjagainstaaes ys
beforewdtetu htgdoethmwrhheal7:sevnueoadl hp:
toitoonfshfots:hgarm:3B:: Hhdueshs:leesdt
bnbshheeheddi solosoitui
faeconu
ibilkgteouedaheodiwlei
bkndspteas
the
ordersdou house
hadwl nothgho ut
been
give theeen
a
away. (No, no.) Well, at least, he understood that no second
edition had been published, and for the sake of keeping this
book from the public eye he would advise them to refrain from
procedure. He believed it was quite impossible to separate
the authors from the essays. There was one of them already
on his trial, and were they now to pronounce the solemn
judgment of this court against a man already on his trial ?
[Archdeacon Denison : " Yes."]—lf they did not think the
writings heretical why should they proceed. If they thought
they were, then they were damaging a man already on his
trial, He believed that without the license of the crown
they were not a judicial assembly. When the judicial tri-
bunals were established all judicial authority had departed
from this house, and they became simply a deliberative as-
sembly. Suppose they proceeded to synodical action, and
declared that these men:had:been guilty of heresy, and then
the judicial tribunals decided contrary, would they then
strengthen or weaken the church ? (Hear.) He was so
opposed to the doctrines laid down in this book that if he
felt synodical
action could prevail he would be the first to
recommend it, but feeling it would not be expedient under
the existing circumstances of the church to proceed to
synodical action, he would second the resolution.
The Rev. J. W. JOYCE said that during the debate there
had been a confusion between a court and a synod which he
could hardly have imagined. Until a recent act had been
passed Convocation had the power of summoning witnesses,
and there were grave opinions that the act did not take
away their judicial functions as a court. He abandoned this,
but he asserted that Convocation was now sitting as a deli-
berative assembly upon an opinion. He denied entirely
that they must associate the opinion with its author. If
not, what would be the case where an anonymous book was
published? Here he would be told that the authors ap-
pended their names. (Hear.) He regretted it ; he felt for
them ; but he could also feel for those who might be swayed
by doctrines contrary to our religion. Sitting, then, as a
synod on opinions injurious to the church, he could not
conceive that any man would say that this was a question
on which the church should not interfere; and this would
be the effect if the amendment were carried. (Hear.) He
wished the house to draw a distinction between a judgment
pronounced in an ecclesiastical sense and in a legal sense.
The Dean of ELY thought there was enough to say that
some of the authors of the "Essays and Reviews" had acted
unwisely, but he confessed he could not understand some
of the passages, nor could he understand some of the pas-
sages in the report of the committee. He could not ignore
the fact that legal proceedings were going on at this time,
and supposing Convocation came to synodical judgment,
that these articles were heretical, it was impossible to say
that it would not prejudice the case of the defendant. If
the authors were pronounced to be in heresy, then the thing
was done with, if not, Convocation would be brought into
conflict with one of our judicial tribunals. (Hear.) Tie
wisest thing they could do, in his opinion, was that, as since
the committee had been appointed the Bishop of Salisbury
had taken proceedings against one of the authors, it should
be represented to the Upper House that it would be incon-
venient to this house to pronounce any opinion on the ques-
tion of proceeding to synodical judgment.

Dr. JELF said, at present they had not nearly arrived at
the stage of proceeding indicated by the Dean of Ely. It
appeared to him that this house was acting now as a grand
jury, which had to decide whether there was sufficient evi-
dence to send the case for trial. He should most sincerely
delight if any one of the authors of the "Essays and Re-
views" would repudiate his opinion, but he saw no indicter
tion of it. As one of the committee, he might say that they
had examined the book with the greatest care, and where
any doubt existed as to certain passages they had given full
benefit to the aecused. Having sifted them with the greatest
care, he felt that all the grounds of the indictment had been
made out, but even if they had not all been made out, there
would be sufficient grounds for proceeding to synodical ac
tion, and he was prepared, Coto animo, to do away with the
amendment, thinking there were full grounds for proceed-
ing to synodical action.
Canon SELWYN was not prepared to accept either amend-
ment or resolution, but he concurred with the Dean of
Ely that no man should be brought before two tribunals
for the same'offence. This house had already expressed an
opinion, and he should have thought it had been far better
if the bishops had sent down to this house for its accept-
ance a petition to the Crown to proceed to synodical action.
He felt strongly against these essays, and especially that
which had come under the notice of the Bishop of Salis-
bury ; but with all that he would say there was more good
in this book of Essays than Dr. McCaul was willing to
allow, and that this house should not n... o Cm-
dcwhation on a work which, with all its errors, contained
some elements of truth.

The Rev. Sir H. THOMPSON considered the mode of pro-
ceeding by synodical judgment was analogous to a mode of
procedure in Parliament which had long become obsolete—
he alluded to attainder. With regard to this book, there
was a particular difficulty in passing judgment upon it, for
it was written by seven persons. His friend, Mr. Joyce,
alluded to the case of an anonymous book, but then they
would be trying a ghost. He had read the book, and he
longed to get home and burn it—(laughter)—but he con-
fessed it was impossible, in his opinion, to frame a judgment
in condemnation of the book generally. There was another
difficulty. This convocation only formed one-fourth of the
Church. Who coald say that the book would not come
under the review of the convocations of York or Armagh?
It was said they were only asked to say whether, in the
Opinion of this house, there were nations fur pruceedipg

The Rev. Sir li. THOMPSON said he was quite ready to
give way so far as to concur that the "Essays" contained
heretical opinions, provided there were coupledwith 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 NAP Y.

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
iron.

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
cruise, as a spirit of dissatisfaction began to be
-evinced in consequence of the ship remaining IR o
long at Spithead, and so little leave granted.
The Megwra, iron screw steam troop ship, Com-
mander Henderson, will be taken out of No. 8 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 corn.
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 cre w 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. Ingrain, arrived at Spithead yester-
day evening from the Mediterranean.
The War Department transport Marlborough
arrived at the Ordnance-wharf, Chatham, from the
Nore 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 one 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.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Commander W. H. Whyte to
the Surprise; Commander M. C. Seymour to the
Wanderer; Commander George Tryon to the Fis-
gard, for service in the Warrior; Lieut. Chas. H.
Murphy to the Wanderer; Lieut. Henry T. Price
to the Surprise. Mr. George John Armytage has
been promoted to the rank of lieutenant ; Mr.
Armine Leaver has been nominated to a
naval cadetship ; George G. Brodie, sub-lieu-
tenant, to the Marlborough; Wm. Barrington, sub-
lieutenant, to the Dragon ; Francis B. Renshaw,
sub-lieut., to the Immortalite ; Cosmo F. M. Gor-
don, midshipman, to the Hannibal ; Edward L. B.
Will!ams, master, to the Surprise ; George Patter-
son, master, to the Wanderer; Edwin G. Ashworth,
Ist class assist.-engineer, to the Cumberland, for
service in the Fearless ; William Melville, Ist class
assist.-engineer, to the Cumberland, for service in
the Cochin ; Thomas S. Gissing, Ist class assist.-
engineer, to the Asia, as supernumerary; John 0.
Shepherd, promoted to the rank of acting Ist class
assist.-engineer in the Forward ; William Bates,
acting Ist class assist.-engineer, for temporary ser-
vice, to the Megmra; William F. Greet, master's-
assist., to the Wanderer ; John L. Hoskyn, master's-
assist., to the Surprise ; Edward B. Walker, pay-
master, to the Surprise ; Alexander Allen, pay-
master, to the Wanderer; Michael L. Gedge,
assist.-clerk, to the Britannia; Montagu W. Potts,
assist.-clerk, to the Illustrious; James E. Bone,
assist.-clerk, to the Eagle ; John Hynes, William
Anderson, W. D. Hietzel, Montagu Stocker, Wm.
D. Pearce, and Frederick U. Howe, assist-dells,
additional, to the Marlborough.