The Forest of Dean Examiner : — 1877-04-13 (Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England)

HEN. HAVELVCI, moved the following resolu. Eon:—  • I. That this Conference tegards the Burial. Bill of the Government se an absolute refusal of the just claim of parishioners; to exercise their righte of burial In the e parochial churchyards in harmony with their religions oonviotions and reelings, without being compelled to t accept the services of the Episcopal Church and its t clergy and that it strongly resents the way in which , that claim has been met by the Government, in offer- , bag to allow Nonconformists to bury in churchyards without any religious service whatever 2. The Conference is of opinion that the great ' majority of country churchyards will, for a lengthened period,contaln ample space for the interment of ell the parishioners, without danger to the health of the ' community ; and that to close them, only to prevent the conduct of burial services therein by others than the established clergy, would indict a great wrong on the parishioners. 3. That the provision of new burial places, where the churchyards are still available, would involve a wasteful expeediture of public money; the opprobrium of which would, however unjustly, attach to Nonconformists. It would also inevitably o elution parochial strife, and multiply, instead of putting an end to, invidions emleaiastical distinctions. 4. That the repugnance with which the measure is regarded by the Conference is in no degree abated by the fact that It consolidatm exhiting laws; inasmuch as some of those laws are objectionable, and onght not to he re-enacted. In particular, the Oenf messes objects to the exclusion from consecrated ground, whether in churchyardn or cemeteries, of all mrvioes, and all ministers, but those of the Church of England. It further objects to the divisioa of ground into con..crated and unconsecrated parte, with con. spicious boundary marks ; as an arrangement involving great practical difficulties, and,in many cases, the maintenance of the grievance already suffered in the churchyards. Tots no less opposed to the compuleory erection of two mortuary chapels; that one may be exclusively uaed by Episcopalians. And it is further strongly averse to the extension, and the perpetuation, in burial grounds provided at the public expense of the exclusive right., and of the claims to exact fees, now exercised, or enforced, by the dory, and the clerks, and the mato., in the existing churchyards. 5. For these reasons, the Conference is of opinion that no efforts should be wanting on the part of the friends of religious liberty, and especially of the members of the Liberal Tarty in both Houses of Farlisamot. to prevent the bill becoming law ; that the question may hereafter be dealt with in a manner more consistent with reason and equity, and more likely to effect a sedge.> tory and lasting settlement. —Sir Henry said Mr. Osborne Morgan's bill was only lost last session by an insignificant majority, and there was ample proof that the country was coming rouhd to their side. The Government bill was founded on false pretences, and economy was forgotten in putting on the ratepayers a charge amounting to .MOOO,llOO. On the matter of consecration he was afraid he was particularly unsound. As a soldier, who had carried his life hi hie hands, not knowing where his body might be laid, be thought that if his bones were picked by Coe ravens on the hillside be should have no worm chance in the future than if they were laid in ground which had been circumnavigated by a bishop in lawn sleeves. (Laugleor and applause. ' Mr. PICI,,N seconded the resolution. Mr. 0,501,01 MohnAN, who was warmly received, ' said he had expremed a wish that the Government should have rope enough, and in bringing in this bill they had got it well round their necks. k•Laughter.) So tar as his bill was ornicereed, this would no more r turn him aside than the course of a three-master would be affected by the puff of a pair of r bellows. (Cheers.) He had had the word "compromise " dinned into his ears over and over again, but if by compromise they meant to saddle ratepayers with a burden of e.;,i00,000, and to treat Dimenters as suicides when they came to be burled ' in churchyards, Heaven preserve him from such a rumpromise (Cheers , Their course was perfectly clear. The common law of England had given them • right to intr their dead In the churchyards. The emlesiestical Inn of England had coupled the right with a condition , which made It a iuockery. He mked them to support him in repealing that condition he asked them In the same of humanity, justice, and religion, and with Cod's amistanee they would get it. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Serjesnt Sin' .o also supported the resolution, ' which was unanimously adopted.  A CENTENARIAIc—Mr. Thos. Nicholson, of Hawkswell, Yorkshire, and former], of Wsafield House, Hertford, has just completed his one hundredth year. In reply to s congratulatory letter Mr. Nicholson writes in a bold and clenr hand, and says he is "as well as one hundred tears will permit or might res. amiably be expected." In All Saints' churchyard, Hertford, there is a tombstone bearing the name of his wife, who died in May, 1812, aged 28 ream