The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-03-20
OUR LONDON LETTER.

fact, very considerably agitated 1t
is not this time ruffled by the en-
gaging tid-bits of some palatable
sooundrel, wherein the secret panel
of some fashionable residence is
drawn aside, and the family skele-
ton placed on public exhibit ition, but
real, nice, engaging scandal. AT
Lambeth Palace, before the Arch
bishop OF Canterbury, sitting as
judge iu his archepiscopal court, was
summoned DR.. King, the Bishop of
Lincoln, to appear and make an
swer to certain charges presented TO
the said court, wherein he was
charged-in his capacity as such
Bishop-with the violation of cer-
tain of the church's ritual. Of
course there was excitement, how it
could be else, for such court or
such defendant had not been con-
voned and impleaded for two hun
dred years back. II recalled to
mind the days of Wolsey's churchly
grandeur and assumption, and of
course society must be excited, and
in the same degree of reason should
two parties spring up, and furiously
lash each other, to the extent that
"Laicus" and "Scholasticus" have
done. However the court has con-
vened, and His Grace, surrounded
by their Lordships of London, Ok
ford, Winchester and Salisbury, and
his Vicar-General, Sir James Parker
Deane, Q, c., and Sir John Has
sard, Registrar Of the Province of
Canterbury. His Lordship of Lin
coin, will have to remove from his
ecclesiastical shoulders the weight of
an indictment containing no less
than ten specific charges of acts
done against the ecclesiastical
law"
The sight the court room of
the palace presented, was indeed
rather strange and gorgeous one.
The Archbishop and the attendant
suffrages were arrayed in all the i'm
pressive splendor of their high Of
fees, and the NicarGeneral learned
in the laws, wore the scarlet robes
of the Doctors of Law. Ones mind
involuntarily went back to the ante
reformation days, when Rome play
ed lord paramount over the world.
Considerable attention had been
attracted to this case during the
past year, because of the rather
slow and uncertain action of the
Archbishop, on the petition in which
the charges against the Bishop were
contained. Though the authority of
the Archbishop to sit in Judgment
on the case seemed to be pretty well
established by the case of Bishop
Watson, during the reign OF William
ILL, yet DR.. Benson declined to as
sumo the power, thus causing the
promoters to apply to the Privy
Council, before whom the matter of
jurisdiction was elaborately and
learncdly argued. 1t was then
unanimously decided by that trib-
unal that the Archbishop's jurisdic-
tion to try such case was perfectly
valid, and must be recognized as a
part of the existing laws of the
Church of England. Upon this the
Archbishop decided to hear the
case himself, and in its conduct to
follow the precedent of Bishop Wat.
sons trial of two centuries ago.
DIR. King is charged with certain
irregularity, such as having burning
candles on the Communion table, as
portion of the service thereon; hav-
!, ing mixed the wine and water to be
used in the communion service, anC
of consecrating them when so mix
ed; making the sign of the eros!
7 with his hands over the congrega
tion when bestowing the benedictiol
r and ut the communal conservation
a After the usual formal ceremon'
1 attendant upon the opening of ST
j. Important a court, the appointment
e of proctors, aid the calling of tn
: case, the court adjourned until tn
n 18th of March, in order that th
g counsel for the Bishop might pre-
h pare and properly enter their pro
s test against the constitution of tn
h court. So much for the first siltin
= of most unusual court, for tn
l. adjudication of question, the in
II portance of the decision of whc
: may revolulienize the entire syster
a of the ecclesiastical discipline of tn
e Church of England.
Ie Immediately following upon th
81 footsteps of the tremendous excite
J ment attendant upon Gladstone
~ mastery and historical speech in th
III House of Commons, arising from til
le question asked of Mr.. Home S, cr,
'e tary Matthews, touching the visit {
~ Constable Preston to prisoner i
i the jail on behalf OF Mr.. Soame'
y attorney for the Times" come
"a the additional excitement caused b
10 the granting by the Court of Ea
chequer, in Dublin, of an apple;
le tion by Mr.. Iarnell, for permissio
r ,e to issue suit against the proprie
IL ors of the "rimes" for libel. Pr
~ dent and closed watcher
~ of events cannot help but read in I'll
le present handwriting on the wal
events OF the most stirring natur,