The sun., 1899-08-14

monies OF carrying lights about have difIer-
ent character. And in this case. as In
that OF incense. we are obliged to re-
quest the clergy to discontinue what the
law OF the Church Of England does not
permit-the carrying OF lights In procession.
And in this decision we have the support OF
the late Archbichop Benson in his judgment
In the case OF the Bishop Of Lincoln. We be-
words at all times OF thair ministrations and
gan by pointing out that the rubrlc limit
ed the ornaments Of which 1t speaks by
two phrases-namely. the the words as
were In use by authority OF Parliament
in the second year OF the reign Of King
Edward vi. We have examined tho frat OF
these limitations and have concluded that 1t
forbids the use OF incense and Of lights carried
In procession in public worship. 1t Ia obvious
that this conclusion makes 1t unnecessary to
examine at any length the second limitation"
The decision concludes with an earnest ap-
peal to all the clergy to submit to the episcopal
authority in all such matters. All Alive"
they say. nave consented to the Book OF Com
mon Prayer: and the Book OF Common Prayer
requires all persons not only II they doubt
but IL they find that others disagree with them
concerning the meaning Of the directions con-
tanned in the book. to resort to the Bishop OF
the diocese. who may. II he thinks At. send the
question to tho Archbishop for his decision.
In order to give the fullest opportunity to any
who dversely take any question OF this
kind to give reasons for their opinion. we have
suspended our decision until we had heard the
matter fully and learnedly argued before us :
and we have now given our decision
as the Prayer-book requires us to do"
In considering what will be the effect OF this
decision it must be clearly borne In mind that
It is not a judgment in the legal sense. but
merely the expression OF opinion or Of fatherly
admonition. Tho Archbiahops themselves care
fully pointed out that they did not form a court.
and had no coorcive jurisdiction. But this
should not stand in the way OF tho obedience Of
the Rituslists They have often declared their
desire for and their willingness to obey a spirit
ual court. while they will not or cannot obey
civil or ecclesiastical courts; and this decision
has been pronounced by the highest spiritual
authorities OF the church. 1t was the Ritualists
who appealed to the Archbishops. they had
wide latitude in their pleadings, and will gain
scant sympathy il they refuse to obey judg-
ment so free. public. deliberate and impartial.
| Even tho EXTREMIST Ritualist. as represented
| by e Father" Doling. acknowledges the spir-
itual danger to the priests OF refusing to obey"
| Still he breads obedience as being likely to
| make it impossible for our successors even
| to disobey no matter to what extent the Bish-
shops may be squeezed by Parliamentary in
| fuence."
| The important fact however Is that the gene
al sense ia one OF approval. the general feeling
| is that the Archbishops have honestly decided
| the two questions on their strict legal merits.
| and that their decision must be obeyed.
| The last report OF the Lunacy Commissioners
for Great Britain shows the largest annual
| increase in the number Of registered lunatics
they have ever had to record. There is an
| increase OF no fewer than 3114 on last year.
! 1t Is well known that this increase Of the
| officially known insane population OF Great
| Britain has been uninterrupted for years. In
| 1859 there was ono " Official" lunatlc to every
| 53G persons. Ten years later the proportion
| was one to 4lS. In 1889 there was one
official lunatic" to every 337 persons. In
| 1893 the ratio had risen to one in 3OS At the
| beginning of this year ii was one in 302. For
the last ten years there has been an annual
| increase OF over 1000.
Undoubtedly this increase is to q certain ex.
tent more apparent than real The Commits
| sioners nowadays take cognizance OF varieties
| OF insane who were once allowed to be at lib
| erty. The mprovement In the management oil
asylums has caused people to be more willing
to send their mentally afflicted friends and re-
| lations where they will receive the best treat
| ment Then again there Is the accumulation
Of chronic cases. having the effect Of an annua
addition OF patients without a corresponding
number OF discharges.
But after making such allowances as thes,
sevaraI investigator, are neyertheless OF In,
oninion that there is Il real increase in tn,
insane nonulatlon. The ratio OF pauper lupatic
to ali lnnatics has of late Increased whereas /
wight ha aeYnected to remain stationarv II tber
vare no gensr,l increa.e
Anthoritie. who have in yestlgated the oues
tion point to a variety OF circumstances whic
| ,ndirootIv on 70 nrovo a raal ;ncraasa NJ 4,
ihuilec'iy ko W pIH'o 100 'neio ~ ~ ~
sanity FOR example the increase IN ueatn
by nervous diseases and other maladies wei
Ano"n " Do '',e 'a. " ~, AI.'' o"u
In particular. the evidence OF the increase o
| suicides which are often. II not always, a
.oronara, inries f,nd due TO ipcipient or actua
coroherS 'uiiee INV" uue W I, VI uo.un I'
pointed out. there is evidence all over the civil