Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-08-24
A Church Election In England.

A REMARKABLE event occurred recently
in England, which does not seem to have
attracted the attention Of our usually Ar
gus-eycd journalists. In the primitive
colliery town OF Bliston, an election took
place without politicians, and where the
hustings were unadorncd by the tradition
al Wing yellow and Tory blue. 1t ap-
pears that the rectorship of the vii
lage church is Gin the gift of the parish
toner's; and when it happens-as at some
time or other it must-thc rector dies, the
parish is called on en- na0sse to choose his
successor. Now by "the parish" is not
only meant the congregation, or flock OF
the church, as with us, but the term in.
cludes all the inhabitants, of whatever re-
ligious faith, or no faith, residing within
certain geographical limits. 1t is a polt.
ical and geographical, rather than an ccclc.
siastical term The theory Of church al
lied to State is, that it comprises the
whole nation enthusiastically organized so
that AL the inhabitants arc by fiction OF
law, members Of the State church The
election at Bliston, therefore, was worthy
OF note for two reasons: because it was
conducted just as English political cleo,
tons arc conducted; and because, by the
rule of household suffrage, Roman Catho-
lies, Disscnters, and Jews, and, for TINT
matter, people unconscious Of any "pcr-
suasiOn" whatever, were found voting an
incumbent for life into Church of Eng
land "cure of souls" The scenes at the
election had all the INDIGENOUS vivacity
which additionally marks the choice of
the undauntcd Briton of knights and bur
gesscs to Parliament. There were crowds,
unlimited beer, chatting, rioting and brick
bat throwing; cabs were hid behind enor-
nous placards which Dor" the names of
the rival clergyman, and conveyed intirm
but Jealous purtisans to the polling booths
voters were hustled ont Of the cabs and as
saultcd; bands Of amaZons seized on luck
less Wights who bore hostile col0rs, and
proved that, if they could not be voters,
they would at least fitch the right from
Others; reverend candidates were burned
in ctfiyy; groups Of excited partisans,
armed with sticks, paradcl the town, with
Gallery girls and Irish boys at their heels,
and let forth their wrath by smashing win
doWs. An English journal is inclined to
take pride in the fact that matters did not
get so far as the throwing Of dead cats y
this, however, the writer thinks, might
have been owing to the circumstance that
the nomination took placc in "thc sacred
precincts of the vestry." This nomina.
ton at the vestry-which preceded, as in
the parliamentary elections, the polling of
the votcS-lnust have been curious scene.
Tncr" were "chccr,, yrlls, and groans, "
from the excited crowd, re cchoing through
nave and clancrl; the chairman waxed
Wr"th and, irritatcd by tho noisy women,
intimat'd that the ladies' present were
wi lows Wal ing for hu a..de." A speaker
said they w,tntr'! a full grown man '"thc
best brains in the country" thought an
other, " was TIN, object to be sought for"
while, in the midst of the hartngue Of a
third, some Of the "lad;c>" tlourishcd their
bonncts and chartered with malicious in
tent; AID one Of them, to prove that she
was not, rs the chairman charged, a girl,
thrust her wcd''ing-rirg in his face; the
rev rHrd hspiranjs tried tnape'lk, and were
hnn1t'l and the meeting broke up in dis
ORDER. This is only o.'c Of tho multitude
OF anomali"s presented by The state cst,,D.
lisl'mcnt, one OF many proofs how badly
he connection works for the good Of the
Church Itself That Il clergyman Of one
sect should he chosen by a jumblGd up
crowd, composed Of all sects and none, is
rather more democratic" and "levc!ing"
thin even the so much dreaded institutions
OF America itsclt.-dpplcton'x JnrnM.
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TIE av"rag" life of sixteen printers who
are intcrr' Il in The Printers lot at Mount
Hope, Rochester, N. Y, is thirty two
The oldest di' Il ut fifty four, the Youngest
at twenty two, one half between thirty