New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-12

the part Of the Prime Minister or Government
OF the day while as for the Congo dElireN &C
corded to the Chapter OF the Diocese. 1t Is al
together nominal since the Chapter Is Obliged
TO elect the candidate chosen by the sovereign
being actually liable to pains and penalties IN
the case OF disobedlence TO the behest OF the
monarch in this matter. This prorogatlve has
been exercised with considerable sagacity and
5udiciousnoss by Queen Victoria, and the result
is that the Bench Of Bishops Of the Church OF
England to-day Is on the whole, Droad-mind-
ed and tolerant body OF men. who are out OF
sympathy with the Exeter Hall element and
who are strongly opposed TO any harsh meas
ures against the so-caled Ritualists In fact
they do not hesitate to acknowledge that the
reason why they have so frequently made use
Of their prcrogative OF veto and have stood in
the way OF legal proceedings on the part Of lay
men against clergymen guilty OF ritualistc
practices was that they could not lend them
selves. either directly or indirectly, TO any pro
ceedings the ultimate result OF which might be
the Imprisonment Of one OF their parish priests.
who was perhaps doing immense amount Of
good among the poor from a spiritual as well
as from a material point OF view, and whose
only offence was that Of imagining that he could
worship his Creator with more devotion and
reverence by using incense, vestments and sun
dry other forms Of ritual not approved of by
the Church Of England.
The Bishops declare that they are ready
enough to be more sparing In the exercise OF
their right Of veto in the event Of the extreme
penalty Of Imprisonment and OF fine for purely
ecclesiastical offences being abolished. and some
Of them. at any rate. are prepared to agree that
a clergyman who will not conform himself to
the rules and regulations Of the Church OF Eng
land should be debarrcd from holding any
bene1ce OF the latter. which is perfectly log
ical way Of looking at things.
But here again the Bishops confronted
with the danger Of schism. There is no doubt
that to-day the so-callcd High Church is almost
If not quite strong in numbers as the Low
Church. More than this some Of the Bishops
themselves indulge In rituastc practices. The
learned broad minded and courtly Bishop Of
London wears chasuble cope and mitre, rs does
also the Bishop Of Lincoln. DR.. Temple. the
Archbishop OF Canterbury. is exceedingly
broad minded and tolerant man, and in his
archiepscOpal charges to the Bishop and clergy
Of the Province Of Canterbury last autumn dis
tinctly gave ali present to understand that there
was no crime from his point OF view in many
OF the practices denounced by the evangelical
/ element as Illegal
THE PARLIAMENTARY SITUATION.
The situation, therefore is this: That the Low
Church element, stirred to action by Mr.. Kensit
and Sir William Vernon Harcourt will cndeavor
during the forthcoming Parliamentary session
/ TO secure the passage Of a bill through both
houses OF the Legislature abolishing the Bish
| ops right OF veto but otherwise maintaining
| the pains and penalties now provided by law for
| ecclesiastical offences: while the Bishops are
preparing to seek legislation with view to
abolishing such extreme penalties OF fine and
/ imprisonment promising that II this Is done
they will be more sparing In their use OF the
power Of veto. Naturally they will strongly
oppose any deprivation of that prerogative,
since they point out that It's repeal would be
equivalent to a declaration by Parliament that
they were not fit TO be trusted with the admin
istration Of their respective dioceses.
1t will be asked why It Is that the Bishops
| themselves do not take legal action TO main
tain ritual and ecclesiastical discipline In their
dioceses. 1t has been pointed out that some Of
these spiritual peers addicted to the prac-
tices Of what Is known the extreme High
Church. But there is another reason. and a far
more potent one which prevents them from re
sorting TO any legal methods Of discipllning the
I clergy subject to their orders. The Bishop in
/ ours enormous expense whenever he appeals TO
the law for assistance In maintaining discipline
among his clergy. and Bishop in his en-
deavor to remove from office the rector OF a
popular parish in consequence OF his VIGOROUSLY
pronigate character and drunken habits was
obliged TO pay out Of his own pocket more than
his entire years stipend in legal expenses. and
then had the modification Of seeing the man
win the case against him on final appeal
Thus as the law Is at present bishop IL
he can find any one willing TO defray all the
legal expenses. can by sanctioning legal pro-
ceedngs on the part OF layman against one
OF his clergy. have the latter actually committed