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Leader (1850-1860), 13th December 1851, Edition Town of 2, Page 1178, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      and which we cannot consider as capable of being xtenuated by any apology . " It may be some apology for former anomalies , that Churchmen were over willing to trust the bishops and the principal laity of the Church , who under the Sovereign , without the admixture of members of any other region , formed that august assembly ; but changes in its constitution , and still more in its dispositions ., have opened our eyes , and we can no longer submit to what used to be tolerable . " They ask for a new law to enable the Church to

      make laws for itself . They cannot consistently or rightfully appeal to Parliament for the removal of grievances either in the framework of the Church or in exterior matters . And from this stand point they censure Parliamentary legislation for the Church , whether at the hands of the bishops or other eminent persons . The only thing they are prepared to admit is , that the assent of Parliament should be necessary for the validity of synodical decrees . The colonies must not be omitted . But to the decrees of their synods the assent of the local Legislature alone should be suffi cient without reference to the Imperial

      Parliament . Looking to the two sources from whence authority to hold synods may be derived , they decline the royal licence , because its validity has been questioned , and ask for an act of Parliament . " The committee , therefore , consider that the first , and for the present the only step in Church reform , ought to be the introduction of a bill to give the royal licence to the convocations of the provinces of England and Ireland to make canons that shall provide for the reform of those bodies , and the fitting of them to be hereafter the legislature of the Church in each province—a legislature that should have full power to enact canons which should not need ihe . sanction of Parliament seriatim . And further , that the bishops and the governors of the different colonies should have liberty to call together , with the like licence , the bishops , the clergy , and deputies of the laity , in such a manner and within such limits as they may agree on . And that the provincial Parliaments , or the governor , where there is no provincial Parliament , shall have the same power of ratifying the canons made by common consent of the bishops , clergy and laity for their several colonies , and of granting to the legislatures so constituted civil rights , as is possessed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom for these islands , excepting only changes in the Prayer-book . " Whether there shall be a central authority for the whole Church of the empire is discussed and then left on one side as too premature for practical action . " The course proposed by the committee likewise gives Parliament and the different local legislatures in the colonies , including , of course , her Majesty , or her representatives , as the case may be , the full power hereafter of confirming or rejecting what may be proposed , and of granting such powers , and such powers only , as may be thought expedient . It deals as lightly as possible with the great question of who are the laity—a question on which it is not becoming that Parliament , aa at present constituted , should dictate ; but which your committee conceive can only be settled by a Church assembly to mean those in actual lull communion , as regular communicants of some standing . " And further : —

      " 1 his plan , therefore , seems to give every security that caution can demand , for the wholesome and gradual introduction of what cannot fail to be most important and momentous changes . Each step will be under the control of Parliament . If prerogatives of the Crown need to be modified , they must be given up on behalf of the Crown distinctly and cxplictly by the Minister of the day . Each step must be matter of separate treaty . There can be no possible room for what is called Church usurpation ; and it is fitting that anything which tends to alter the relations of Church and JState should be dealt with thus

      cautiously" What the ultimate arrangement a of the future might be it , is plainly impossible to predict . The temper of Parliament , however , and the habits of the age may enable us to lay down two or three landmarks . " There can be . no doubt , your committee think , that the power of appointing courts of appeal on questions of doctrine will be freely conceded to the ; Church legitdaturcu , when constituted in such a way as Parliament , can approve of . That the power exercised over the courtH of the Church by those of the Crown will remain as heretofore , and that the control over property and rights of patronage , whether vented iu the Crown or in others , will be jealously watched . The Crown and the

      Lcgislatim ; . 'ire , in fact , the great , protectors of persons and property , and may not , part with any share iu these duties without the greatest circumspection ; they urc not the judges of doctrine ; and , whatever may be the fears of individuals , a Cujsaropapaey is a iiionsler that will not Htand the close inspection of the nineteenth century . What , we have to fear is an unwillingness to admit , changes , or to see the reasonableness of what we demand ; nnd against , this tendency , which is , in f : u ; t , to maintain u p . nliimii iitary papacy , we can but urge the hardship thut a body comprising all denominations should continue to nilc the Church of Kngland , iiuil we . am but endeavour to place our cause in ti *< - clearest , light , and to free it from misapprehension . "

      The paragraph relating to the question of the burial of Di . sstinteiH , and all it involves , contains curious matter . " Those who contiibute to the maintenance of tin ; Church have civil rights connected with it . We cannot got rid oi thy civil ri t fhta ol piiriuhioueru without » oiuo

      dissenters , and such as may declare themselves no longer members of the Church , must be abolished , as well as the power of enforcing censures or punishing contumacy with imprisonment ; and means must be found to diminish costs . If any of the existing powers are suffered to remain , as probably they must in questions of matrimony , and because ( even if the jurisdiction over wills is taken away from the Church ) questions of property may still arise in her courts , it must be clearly understood that they Temain for the good of the community generally , and not for the honour or advantage of the Church . Such powers as are particularly null for all purposes of discipline , we should gladly see abandoned ; they were granted -wilder widely different circumstances , and we must look to facts , and not to antiquarianism . "

      modification of their liabilities ; and such civil rights are so connected with the ordinances of our relig ion as to be an outrage on us . When the laity are enabled to assent as a body to the decisions of the Church , we cannot doubt that they will prove themselves reasonably disposed to establish discipline , since there will then be no pretence for jealousy of the clergy . The Legislature of the state and that of the Church will hereafter have to arrange together the , powers of a secular kind which the State will have to concede to the Church for her independent self-government , and the corresponding concessions the Church will have to make . It is not difficult to see that a modification of the law of church-rate will have to be made , and that the powers and operation of the Church courts will have to be reconsidered . All compulsory power over

      The education question they desire may be postponed , as the difficulties- of adjusting sectarian interests are inexplicable . Other matters of minor , though great , importance are treated in detail . This report is one of those documents vVhich mark an epoch in the life of a movement .

      Untitled Article

      ARCHDEACON DENISON AND THE NATIONAL SOCIETY . The Archdeacon of Taunton has forwarded to us the following correspondence : — East Brent , December 6 , 1851 . Fellow Churchmen ' , —The resolutions which j purpose , God willing , to move at the annual meeting of the National Society for promoting the Education of the Poor in the principles of the Established Church throughout England and "Wales , 1852 , are now before you .

      I appeal to you—as you value the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England—as you would not have the teaching and the training of her schools frittered away piecemeal , till both fall " facili descensu" into the lowest latitudinarianism—as you would not have the great Educational Society of the Church reduced into a branch agency of a state department—I appeal to you to insure the carrying of these resolutions by a great majority .

      The thing will be done , and well done , if each one of us will make it his personal concern to see that it is done , and not trust to others to do it . A little of that spirit so wonderfully expressed by the great historian will go far towards redeeming the present unhappy position of the Church of England : — fV TOUiy T € K £ KUAVCrOxi €$ 0 K € l € K < X < TTa ) TCC % pXy [ AOt . TCt ,

      co ( ay ) T < £ < xvto ; Trxpecricti . It will be necessary that the division be taken , not as on previous occasions , by a show of hands , but by telling of votes . 1 am , your faithful servant in Christ , GkokueA . . Disnison , Archdeacon of Taunton .

      Untitled Article

      London , December 4 . 1851 . My 1 ) i : vk Sir , —AVill you have the goodness to acknowledge the receipt of the inclosed copy of resolutions , which I am about to publish , and to lny them before the CJonimitt . ec of the National Society ? Very faithfully your . s , Gkougk A . 1 ) unison , Archdeacon of Taunton . Reverend the Secretary of the National Society .

      Untitled Article

      " KliSOl . UTIONS TO 111 ' . MOVHI ) AT TIIK ANNUAL MKKTINO OF TIIK . NATIONAL HOCIIiTV , 18 <) 2 . " I . Whereas the following sentence—referring to the alleged practice of malingers of schools in union with the National ( Society in abst . uiniiiu ; from touching , ami giving instruction in , the Catechism of the Church of England to all scholars admitted into such schools—is found in the report of Joseph Fletcher , Esq ., her Majesty ' s Inspector of Schools : — "' II 1 am rightly informed , the practice of at least half of the national schools into respect the feelings of Dissenters in this particular , ho strongly does the moral sense protest , against the fundamental rule of their union which rcfimes to do ho ; and as the real interests of the Church are on the side of the more liberal course , 1 would fain persuade myself thut u majority of her clergy will avow , as well as practise it , : ind thus enter upon anew era in our history , t hut of the established nchool . '

      " And whereas the Lord Ihsbop of Munr . heHt . cr , in a speech delivered at a meeting of the promoters of the MunclifsW r and Sal ford education scheme , held at Mmichenler , December 2 , IoT > l , has used the following language :- ¦ - "' My grief for years has been both openly and privately expressed thut the charter of the National Society has been imposing on the great , body of the clergy , of the community , of the kingdom , conditions the most degrading , and a situation the most humiliating . It huts made itu ill at term of . union uud condition , that tliv

      children in the schools shall learn the CatZTtZ Z " Church of England . Now , I biliSS , malntan ? d ' f | the Catechism ; but I will ask my wv £ S , rfL' e , f around me , and in the diocese not only of Manoh V * but in the whole of England , in hov £ many oAl schools has not that article of union been taken olfi ? and in how many of these schools is it not at th ' sent moment , deliberately and system atically Violated ? So far from contravening the charter of the N » - i Society , I have ever regretted , and I still regret W charter so ill advised in wording was ever issued hv tl » Crown ; and I have sought , and seek to call on Ztn night , to aid with us in carrying the measure from V . " higher authority , the three estates of the Legislature ^ this kingdom , which shall override and overturn th conditions of that charter , and release the clenrv t England at large from this most improper and unworthv thraldom . ' uv " And whereas the practice herein publicly imputed tr > managers of schools in union with the National Societv is a departure from the principles of the charter and violation of the terms of union : ' " This meeting hereby respectfully requests the com mittee—in whom the government of the society i » vested by charter—to make public declaration that it is not with the sanction and approval of the committee that such practice is pursued in any case by managers of a school in union with the National Society . " II . That this meeting deeply regrets the continued refusal of her Majesty ' s Government to make a buildin" - grant to founders of a school who require it to be inserted in the trust deed that the management of the school be solely in the clergyman of the parish , with appeal to the bishop of the diocese . " III . That this meeting deeply regrets the continued refusal of her Majesty's Government to make a building grant to founders of a school who require it to be inserted in the trust deed that the master and mistress of the school be ' Communicants . ' " ( Signed ) Geokge A . Denison , " Archdeacon of Taunton . "

      Untitled Article

      VOLUNTARY EDUCATION . A Conference was held at Crosby-hall , on Tuesday , by the members of the Voluntary Education Society . Of course , they are equally opposed to the Manchester scheme of secular instruction , and to the system adopted by the Congregational Union , of giving instruction through their own denomination alone . There were not more than 100 persons , the half of whom were ladies , present on the occasion . Mr . G . W . Alexander took the chair ; and on the platform there were also Mr . Sturge , of Birmingham ; Mr . Charles Gilpin , of London , and others ; Dr . Cox , the Keverend Howard Hinton , and the Reverend Mr . Brock , Baptist ministers , of London ; the Reverend John Jiurnet , Independent ; and Mr . Edward Miall . Papers were read on education , and the following resolutions agreed to . " That in the judgment of this Conference it is not only important , but indispensable , that the education supplied by public schools should be religious , not merely by comprehending ; periodical scriptural instruction , but as impregnated habitually with a religious spirit on account of the momentous relation of religious culture to the present and future welfare of the . scholars ot tnc inestimable value of the opportunities afforded by tne years spent under scholastic training , and oi the obligations arising out of the occupation by the schoolmaster , during the period , of a parental position towards the children committed to his care . And it is further mi

      judgment of this Conference , that no arrangement lor religious instruction collateral to a system of secular education can effectually supply the religious culture require !! , That , in the opinion of this conference , any attempt u > bring the children of the poorer classes under school instruction by means of compelling rate * levied for tnc supply and inuiiiUMiiuicfc of educational institutions , would be an application of the powers of law to puipoM . s beyond the proper sphere of its aul . honly ; and , unit . " * followed up by measures equally impolitic and nnprni . n cable , for compelling school attendance , would Ian >' adding to those already under instruction anything h - prouchii . K to the number commonly anticipated , . u obviously required t <> justify ho serious a change in m -

      . course hithbrto pursued in this country , to extend e-na - tional advantage * to such as cannot out «> f their own means command them ; and That , iu the judgment oi this conference , where different denominations of U ri » tianscau cooperate in promoting education without » V -acilicc of truth , or surrender of principle , . t is brtur that they should combine in one o . » n . / . ; U . o . » thu » that cadi should act . in itH denymmutumal ™ 1 >™ W > ' , _ union would give strength « n « l d , n . y ; to the , -

      ^ est sr ^^ M . S z& Z S&zX ^ -tF «— ' ¦• * ftcooiunliuhnient of » common good .

      Untitled Article

      1178 Gft * & « aim ^ tSjmnuur ,

      Untitled Article

      National Societj ' s Office , Sanctuary , Westminster , December 4 , 1851 . Dear , Sik , —I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day ' s date , together with a copy of certain resolutions to be moved at the annual meeting of this society in 1852 . I will submit these documents to the committee of the society at the first opportunity . I am , dear Sir , yours very faithfully , John G . Lonsdale , Secretary . The Venerable Archdeacon Denison .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 13, 1851, page 1178, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1913/page/6/