The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-04 00:00:00

CONVOCATION.

Both Houses met on Friday. In the Upper House it
was agreed to memorialise the Queen to grant permission
to the Archbishop to dilcct a larger representation of the
clergy in the Lower House, there being no statute to the
contrary. At present the representatives of the capitular
bodies and ex officio members outnumber the elected portion
of the House. In the Lower House committees were
appointed to promote the authorisation of the use of a
harvest service, and to consider the marriage law
in reference to the remarriage of divorced per-
sons. Archdeacon Denison presented a gravamen,
signed by twenty-eight members of the House, complain-
ing of the bill before Parliament for abolishing church
rates, and urging the bishops to resist it. The debate on
the address sent down from the Upper House, praying her
Majesty not to assent to the disestablishment of the Irish
Church, was resumed by Canon Selwyn, who moved to
add to it that the Lower House strongly feels the peculiar
difficulties of the Irish Church, and would gladly witness
the adoption of well-considered measures fur the solution
of those difficulties. This was seconded by Canon
Woodgate, but was opposed by Archdeacon Denison
because of its vagueness. The Dean of Ely,while protesting
'against the disestablishment and disendowment of the
Irish Church, was favourable to such reforms in it
as would make it more 'suitable to the circumstances of the
country. He supported the addition, if only to remove an
impression which might else obtain out of doors, that Con-
vocation would resist any change. After a discussion the
amendment was agreed to. The Dean of Westminster
moved, that in the opinion of the House and many
eminent statesmen the Roman Catholic religion ought
to be endowed and recognised as in other European
countries ; but after giving his reasons in support he
withdrew it. An address to the Queen to autho-
rise a reform in the constitution of the Lower House by
increasing the number of elected members to 104, and
giving the right to vote for them to all beneficed clergy.
men and licensed curates of non-resident incumbents, was
adopted, but with an alteration extending the right of
voting to all licensed priests, which was carried by 28 to
13. Canon Seymour submitted a resolution, thanking the
Upper House for communicating the report of the committee
as adopted by the Upper House on the Natal question,
together with their lordships' judgment, that the Church
as a spiritual body might rightly accept the validity of the
sentence passed on Dr. Colenso, and declaring the concur-
rence in their lordships' judgment. The Rev. J. Bram.
stone seconded it. The Dean of Westminster held that
• as the Church of England only existed as a spiritual body,
in connection with its legal status and organisation, they
were not in a position to declare that the Bishop of Natal
had been rightly deposed while such strong doubts existed
as to the legality of the deposition. The opinions of the
bishops were vague and indefinite, excep't the Bishop of
London, who considered the deposition illegal, and gave
reasons for his opinion. Canon Blakesley moved an
amendment that they should accept the bishops' com-
munication with thanks, but express no opinion upon it.
This the Dean seconded, but after a discussion it was
put and lost, the original motion being carried. The
Rev. J. W. Joyce moved that the House do not agree in
the arguments of the Bishop of L( n, in dissenting
from the conclusion of the other bishops; but at the
suggestion of several members this was not passed. It
however, elicited from Canon Blakesley, Archdeacon
Harvey, Archdeacon Kaye, and some others, an expres•
sion of sympathy in the Bishop of London's views.
Ultimately the thanks of the House were voted to the
Upper House for sending down his lordship's protest
and reasons. The remainder of the busines> was merely
formal, and at six o'clock the House adjourned.