The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

THE EXETER INNOVATIONS.

The accounts of the past week from Devonshire and
Cornwall show that the concession recently made by the
Bishop of Exeter came not at all too soon. The jour-
nals published in those counties are filled with the pro-
ceedings taken, or about to be taken, by various bodies of
the laity to arrest the threatened innovations. In the
city of Exeter, on Friday last, a requisition was pre-
sented to the Mayor, by a deputation headed by John
Bacon, Esq., from 1852 Protestant laymen of the Estab-
lished Church, requesting him to call a public meeting of
the inhabitants of the city of Exeter, when his worship
at once acceded to their request, and appointed the meet-
ing to be held at the Guildhall, on Thursday next. The
requisition declares the object of the meeting to be " to
address and petition our most Gracious Queen on the
present state and danger of the Protestant Church."
We observe, too, that in their preliminary proceedings
the requi,itionists treat the concession of the surplice as
a trivial matter, and as by no means in itself satisfactory.
Meanwhile, the two parishes in that city, in addition to
those which had previously met—St. Pancras and St.
Peirock—have assembled, and passed their respective re-
solutions as unanimously and with as much determination
as any of their neighbours. Simultaneously, too, in all
the leading towns of the diocese similar steps are being
taken.

At Southrnolton, on Thursday list, a public meeting
was held in the Market House, the churchwarden in the
chair, and Whigs and Conservatives uniting cordially on
this topic, a petition to both houses of parliament was pro-
posed by Earl Fortescue, and an address to the Queen
was moved by Lord Ebrington, both of which were unani-
mously adopted.
At Newton Abbott, the meeting took place on Tuesday
last, and it was resolved, without a dissentient voice, to
petition the throne to take measures " to arrest the spirit
of innovation now so unhappily prevalent."
A similar meeting was held in the parish of Charles,
Plymouth, the churchwarden presiding ; and the resolu-
tions adopted declare " the determination of the parishio-
ners to retire from every church in which the innovations
shall be attempted."
At East Teignmouth, the meeting, " assembled in ves-
try, and afterwards adjourned to the Court House, in
consequence of the very full attendance "—resolved,
" That this meeting protests against the bishop of this
diocese issuing an order to his clergy on a point upon
which there is a question as to its legality; and which his
lordship acknowledges requires complicated inquiry to
ascertain."

" That these resolutions emanate from a congregation
greatly opposed to dissent, and sincerely attached to the
Church of England ; and who deeply feel being com-
pelled to oppose themselves to the orders or wishes of
their diocesan."

At Tiverton, on Thursday, a meeting, held in St.
Peter's Church, the churchwarden in the chair, resolved
to address a humble petition to her Majesty, praying her
gracious interposition.
At Clist Hydon, also on Thursday last, a meeting was
held, with the churchwarden in the chair, resolved
unanimously,
4 I" That as lovers of peace and unity in the Establish-
ment, this meeting most strongly deprecates the injustice
of one diocese being compelled to observe certain forms
and practices sanctioned by the general usage of the
Church."

West Teignmouth was to meet on Saturday last, and
Shaldon on Friday. Torquay, also, and Devonport, met
on Friday, but we have teen no report of the proceedings.
In Cornwall the same spirit is exending itself. Already
we observe one meeting held at Truro, and several others
announced in various parts of the county.
It is quite clear, therefore, that bad not the order for
the surplice been withdrawn, a collision of some fearful
kind must have taken place. Some clergymen would have
resisted the bishop's order; their churches would have
been crowded, and all the others deserted. Then if the
bishop had endeavoured to enforce his order, a law suit
must have followed, in which either be must have been
defeated or if he had succeeded, the irritated people would
have rushed into dissent by hundreds.