The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-11 00:00:00

e -fling V-iitalA

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1544.

We quote the following significant communica-
tion from Exeter, which appears in the columns of
a morning Contemporary :—" Considerable sensa-
tion was created in this city on Sunday last by cer-
tain rubrical adoptions in the performance of Divine
worship at all the parish churches, according to the
instructions issued by the Bishop of EXETER. The
first was at St. Sid well's Church, where the ceremony
sff christening was performed in the middle of the
:service. In every one of the parish churches the
;sermon was preached in a surplice instead of a gown,
:and several of the congregations were so offended by
this innovation, that they quitted the church the mo-
anent they saw the minister, so attired, enter the pul-
pit. It is said that the churching of women will in
tliture be performed in the middle of the Sunday
morning service, and a very strong feeling exists as
to the indelicacy and impropriety of such a practice."
Such are among the first-fruits of' the Bishop of
K-IXETER'S late Pastoral Letter to the clergy of his
diocese. Though a minister of the gospel of peace,
be has contrived to scatter the seeds of discord far
%sad wide throughout his sec, and to put its clergy
a nd its laity in a position of direct antagonism to-
la Yards each other, the extent of whose evil conse-
quence no one can at present foresee. Already have
the parishes of St. Lawrence, St. John, and St.
George, Exeter, sounded the tocsin of alarm, and
a warmly remonstrated against the alterations in Di-
v ine service proposed by their diocesan, adding,
ti gat these alterations are the revival of practices
hich having universally fallen into desuetude by the
eA ammon consent of the Bishops and the laity at large,
h ave been pressed upon the latter by only a small
,inority in the Church ; and they deem it not merely
is !expedient but unjust, that the majority of the clergy
and laity should be compelled to bend to the example
of this crotchety minority. The flame of discontent
once lighted in Exeter will not be confined to that
apiscopal city, but will be sure to spread like wild-
fire, and in a short time we may expect to see the
vs,hole diocese a prey to dissensions, heart-burnings,
stad jealousies of the most harassing and unchristian
entracter. And will not other sees, too, catch the in-
fi ction ? Assuredly they will, and not a zealous
Tractarian minister in England, but will be encou-
raged by the sanction of the Bishop of EXETER, to
persist in the revival of absurd, obsolete usages. This
rush, officious Prelate is, we suspect, little aware of
!lie nature of the opposition he is raising up against
himself. Not only will he have the common sense of
the male portion of his flock arrayed in vigorous hos-
tility to his decrees, but if it be really true that, among
other ridiculous, exploded
publicly
ealeusages, he has sanctioned
the churching of w
in the middle
of the Sunday morning
service,llrilalegahaianvset ill the females also of his diocesehe
in at
aim; and justly so, for we cannot imagine n
thing more offensive to their sense of propriety
their being exposed during the ceremony of