The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-14 00:00:00

their return to London from India. This advantage,
and the unquestionable credit of the paper, often enable
the holder to dispose of them at a good premium in the
India market in certain states of the exchanges, and thus
they become, as it were, an article of commerce.
Notwithstanding the obvious advantages of this paper,
it is not so commonly used as might be imagined. This
is attributed to the competition of some of the Scotch
banks,, who offer an inducement for the circulation of
their own paper. The Bank of England pay no interest,
treating the 60 days bill just as they would treat an
ordinary note, and have the use of the mone7 paid during
all the titiub that" the bill is performing its voyage to
India; is finding a customer in the Indian market—a slow
process in some stlites of the exchanges—and its return-
ing home. The Scotch firms, on the contrary, allow
interest during this time, or a portion of it, and thys
the capital of the holder does not lie completely idle.
Hence a preference is in many instances given to the
Scotch firms.

THE CHURCH.
(From the Times of Saturday.)
It will have been seen in our columns of yesterday
that there is a probability of the Archbishop of Canter-
bury assembling the rest of the Prelates to take their
sense of the best method for allaying the unhappy dif-
ferences by which the Church of England is at present
distracted. This is a remedy that has long and ear-
nestly been recommended by the lovers of peace, and
many sincere friends of the Church no doubt look upon
it as a pancea. They depend upon the credit and moral
weight of episcopal character and authority to close the
wounds of the bleeding Church, to restrain the zeal
for uniformity which does but engender strife, and to
restore peace, if not unanimity, both amongst the clergy
and laity. Those who reason in this way conceive that
a body of such distinction and powers in ecclesiastical
concerns will meet with every token of reverence and
submission from their clergy, and that their decision
will be held sufficiently binding to obtain the full assent
of the people at large. They do not imagine such a
contingency as disagreement in their councils or opposi-
tion in their persons ; and they wish to realise in their
mind's eye the picture of a venerable synod of spiri-
tual overseers met together of one accord, all of one
mind and sentiment, caring and seeking for nothing
but the grand object of advancing the true interests
of religion, and the unity and welfare of the Church,
And this they think the last hope and resource of
our Church under her present trouble and affliction ;
this they think will avail to bring back her scattered
congregations, and re-unite the pastor with his grieved
and offended parishioners. We take leave to differ
from those who have embraced such an opinion. We do
not see how the Bench of Bishops, constituted and com-
posed as it is, can by any train of argument be brought
to view the disunion of the Church with similar eyes or
under the same aspect. It does not rest with, all the
Bishops now to deliver their sentiments concerning these
points of rubrical controversy. There are some who
have already decided, and who cannot gracefully or con-
sistently retract what they have published and enjoined.
There are some who may be wavering as to what is best
to be done, and who have not yet committed themselves
in any way, who will probably hesitate in sanctioning
any further question into the manner of explaing or en-
forcing the rubric. The difficulties of such a meeting of
the Bishops are very great upon the face of them ; these
difficulties will certainly multiply themselves fifty-fold
as the deliberation proceeds ; nor can we really expect
from their discussions any benefits commensurate with
the anticipations of those who advocate and call for it.
Will it not, then, be far more injurious to the cause of
religion and the Church if from this assemblage no una-
nimous vote can be obtained, no certain rule established,
no positive injunction framed, no permanent arrange-
ment effected, to satisfy both clergy and laity ? It will
be, we apprehend, infinitely distressing to those high
dignitaries, and mark their proceedings with something
very like ridicule, if, after ostentatiously weighing these
disputes in the balance of their united, or, at any rate,
assembled, wisdom, they come to no conclusion, and
separate without a decision on either side. No one can
doubt that there is a risk—a danger of such an event.
To us there is no doubt at all. We believe it to be out
of all bounds of probability, and almost impossible, that
they should agree together touching these diversities
of ritual and discipline. We feel sincerely persuaded
that they would differ widely on the main founda-
tion of the whole question, and that instead of dis-
covering a remedy, they would depart without having
any specific proposal introduced. Under these convic-
tions, we must deprecate such a meeting. We cannot
hope to find peace amid such conflicting elements. We
do not quite apprehend, moreover, that it will be put to
the trial; and, if it be, we are sure that the Archbishop
has been driven to the expedient by the urgent clamours
of those who see in it, with a capacity of prescience
quite supernatural, some satisfactory issue to our quarrels
and dissensions. We trust his Grace will not despise
our advice, and that he will ponder well on the probable
results of the undertaking before he sets his band to any
such experiment. Again and again, fresh with every
day's post, the signs of the coming tempest thicken upon
us. The laity seem at length resolved to act indepen-
dently, and require of their pastors what they feel they
have some right to assert for themselves. A largely-
printed handbill calls upon the people of Plymouth, with
strong and vehement phrases, to " assemble immedi-
ately" to resist what they have not scrupled to call this
" tyranny over. God's heritage," by appealing, if neces-
sary, to the Parliament and the Queen. Another set of
most unequivocal resolutions have been passed unani-
mously in the precinct of Bedford, in Exeter. Private
letters press the topic upon us with ineessant perti.
nacity. But, after all, what need to go so far to ascer-
tain the tendency of this tumultuous disposition, now so
widely and so freely exhibited in all parts ? Already in
the metropolis itself we have evidence of the working of
similar fermentation, and in a manner most deplorable to
every true friend of our Church. At the Common
Council, held oa Thursday last, the grant of 2001.
towards the erection of a church in that quarter where,
of all others, one would suppose it was most wanted, was
absolutely refused by an overwhelming majority of those
present. And thiS was done, be it remembered, from no
parsimonious or illiberal feeling to the Church generally
—not because the rector of the parish was considered to
belong to the innovating party in the Church—it was
not assumed that he did—no one accused him of it—
but because, according to the aspect of things, there is
no security that can be given, no precaution that can
prevent the church about to be built falling into such
hands. Thus, in the very heart of the City, and in the
Common Council, this vote for a church in the parish
of St. Giles was virtually negatived from the fear en-
tertained of the spread of those principles against
which the laity are so resolutely combining ; and this
even when a Dissenter pleaded for it ! Upon such a
startling fact as the refusal of this grant by such an
assembly, and in such a place, we anxiously entreat all
degrees of our clergy, to reflect seriously and solemnly..
Is our Church, we would ask them, still to flourish, the
pride and strength of our land ; or are her congrega-
tions to be dispersed, her temples to become dilapidated,
her services to be deserted, her friends to be alienated
and disgusted, from the perverse and wanton intrusion of
ceremonies and observances which, displeasing as they
are to the people, answer no one corresponding end, and
are carrying division and destruction into the very bosom
of our Church ? Let those of the clergy who would
answer this question to their conscience, dismissing
party spirit and factious strife, seeking peace indeed, and
studying the good of their people, consider how they
may best guide themselves in such trying and calami-
tous times. Let them remember that, whatever mischief
may ensue from the introduction of these novelties, they
who have given the provocation must be answerable for
its consequences ; and let them not, in the vain attempt
to bend the wills of their congregations to a yoke which
their forefathers refused, incur the odium of disturbing
the harmony of families, violating the peace of parishes,
and throwing the whole Church into confusion.