The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-14 00:00:00

CLERICAL AND LAY CONFERENCE IN
SUFFOLK.

A conference of the clergy and laity of the diocese of
Ely was held at Bury St. Edmunds on Tuesday, under
the presidency of the bishop. Among the influential
laymen present were the Duke of Rutland, the Duke
of Grafton, Mr. E. Greene, M.P., Lord A. Hervey,
M.P., Major Parker, M.P., Lord G. Manners, M.P., &c.
The Bishop of Ely, having traced the course of diocesan
synods, expressed a fear that we were now coming
upon a very formidable state of things ; the law was such
that it threatened to paralyse the life of the Church.
There seemed to be an introduction of unlimited license in
various directions. A clergyman or even a bishop might
teach heresy without there being any power to hinder
him. The pastor of a parish might, against the consent
of his people and in defiance of his bishop, introduce
almost any ceremonials he liked. Ecclesiastical
jurisdiction seemed almost powerless to restrain
the action of individual clergymen. He believed
that if the power of a bishop had been as great
as it had been in times past, diocesan synods, by expressing
the public opinion of the Church, and so giving weight to
the bishop's judgment, would have prevented extrava-
gance and excess. As matters now stood a bishop was to
a great extent alone and isolated ; and, standing alone, he
was to a great extent powerless. We were in the face of
very great dangers. He was not alluding in saying this
to the disestablishment of the Church ; that danger, of
course, existed, but he believed that the Church was per-
fectly able to rise to the occasion. He alluded to the vast
strides which infidelity, scepticism, and atheism were
making, while, on the other hand, the Church of Rome
was trying to re-absorb into herself all national Churches,
and Churchmen needed to march with a united front
against the common enemy, and to have united counsels
among themselves for the great work which God had
given them to do. Let Churchmen remember that mutual
forbearance was one of the great principles of unity ;
absolute uniformity might be impossible, but with mutual
forbearance they might have in all essentials a spirit of
unity. Churchmen would never, however, attract others
to them by shewing that they were ashamed of their
principles. While fully recognising the necessity for a
highly educated ministry he admitted the desirableness of
employing lay readers. We might supplement a highly
educated clergy by a body of clergy drawn from a some-
what lower class. Let them be employed first as deacons,
and then advanced to higher positions where they
shewed suitable qualifications.—The Duke of Rutland
appealed to members of the Church to lay aside
all differences upon minor points now that the enemy
was at the door, and all religion was in danger. It was
not the Roman Catholic nor the Nonconformists with
whom Churchmen had to contend, so much as the atheist
and the infidel. Let Churchmen, then, look kindly and
in a Christian spirit on one another—then he should have
hope that the Church of England would long exist in con-
nection with the State of this country. —S everal clergymen
and gentlemen took part in the discussion. Later in the
day the Conference held another sitting.