Dec. 28,1 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844. 



faparty, and when it a •tuniblm^-Wock «n« .. 



offence to others." On this rroand the BblM tys-<« I should 



be disposed to ail vise you to continue the pra ce which has 

 so long vailed, of preaching i" your academical habit, even 

 thonrh by so doin- you deviated from the precise direction* of 

 the nib; For the sake of those, however, whoso c uences 

 are tender on this p^int, I have carefully c idercd the ques- 

 tion, and I have satisfied my f, and I hope that I may satisfy 



you that it never b*» been I torn since the Reformation 



for the clergy to preach in their s ;rpiices. The whole argu- 

 ment upon this point turns upon the seimon being; a portion < 

 the communion service. If, therefore, we cap show that the 

 sermon is not a part of that service, there will remain n 

 lonpcr the slightest ground for an innova'ion which, though 

 in ; If indifferent, will he sure to shock the prejudices und 

 excire the suspicion of your congregation. The 5S'h canon, 

 which relates to this matter, is thus headed, * Ministers read- 

 ing Divine service and administering the sacraments to wear 

 surplu- ;* a id it directs that every minister saying the public 



to be p _ - ... 



said that when we are preaching a sermon we are either say- 

 ing public prayers or administering a sacrament? That we 

 are not doing 'he former is self-evident, and I will proceed to 



show th the sermon, though Introduced in the course 

 of the communion service, forms no part of the proper 

 sacramental service of the Lord's Supper. It is worthy 



ot remark that in the first Prayer-book of Edward VI., 



so little were the ten commandments or the sermon cor 

 sidered a part of the sacramental service that, after this 

 portion of the service had been concluded, the following 

 rubric occurred I— -• Then so many as sh ill he partakers of the 

 holy communion shall tarry still in the quire, or in some con- 

 venient place nigh the quire, the men on the one side and the 

 women on the other side. All other (that, mind not to receive 

 the holy communion] shall depart out of the quire, except the 

 ministers and clerks." it is clear, therefore, that at that time, 

 so far fr.om the sermon forming part of the sacramental 

 service, a complete interruption occurred after the sermon, 

 during which those who did not mind to receive the holy com- 

 munion are directed to retire, and then the proper sacramental 

 service commences. This rubric is indeed not repeated in the 

 second Prayer-book ol Edward VI., or in the Prayer-book 

 ■which we now use ; but it is clear that the like interruption of 

 the service was contemplated, for immediately after the Nicene 

 Creed the curate is directed to declare unto the people what 

 holydays or fasting days are to be observed in the week fol- 

 lowing} and all briefs, citations, and excommunications, are 

 directed to be read \ and can these be said to form part of the 

 sacramental service? 'Then,' the rubric proceeds, 'shall fol- 

 low the sermon,' so that you perceive the preaching a sermon 

 Is classed with reading briefs, citations, and excommunications, 

 which, certainly, in the words of the 58th canon, can form no part 

 either of Divine service, or of admistering the sacrament, during 

 which ministers are directed to wear a surplice. The inference 

 which I have attempted to draw from the rubric is further 

 confirmed by the practice adopted at our two universities. 

 It is well known that in no places is a regard for strict ritual 

 observance more observed than in our universities; and yet 

 so little is the sermon considered a part of the sacramental 

 service that it is preached in a different place and at a different 

 time from the college chapels, where the sacraments are ad- 

 ministered j and here I cannot but observe that if the surplice 

 had ever been worn, as the proper habit of a preacher, it would 

 have been adopted in our University pulpits ; but here we know 

 that at the present time the gown is always worn, and I believe 

 I may venture to say, that no record exists of the surplice hav- 

 ing ever been used on such occasions, and the gown substituted 

 for it; but such a change could not have been effected in a 

 place where old customs are so strictly adhered to as in our 

 universitics,.without authority, and if effected by authority, 

 some record of it would unquestionably exist at the present 

 day. Again, so far was the sermon from being considered as 

 included in the reading of public prayers or ministrring the 

 sacraments, that we know itjwas frequently preached by some 

 of our most eminent reformers at St. Paul's-crcss, and it can 

 hardly be supposed that the surplice was worn on such occa- 

 sions. The true state of the case I take to be, that you are 

 directed to use the surplice only when reading divine service 

 or administering the sacraments; you then appear in your pro- 

 per character of priest or deacon, appointed to minister in holy 

 things ; but when you preach you assume the character of a 

 teacher, and as such your proper habit (if, iudeed, proper or 

 improper be fit words for a matter so utterly insignificant), is 

 your academical gown, with a hood, denoting your degree at 

 the University. I have thus attempted to prove that it is a 

 mistaken notion to suppose that the surplice is the proper dress 

 for you to wear in the pulpit." 



The Bishop says, on another disputed point — 



'• Another change which has, of late years, been attempted in 

 our Church service is the reading of the prayer for the Church 

 militant, which, if originally intended to form part of the Church 

 service, had been almost universally discontinued in our paro- 

 chial churches, and even in many of our cathedrals. Upon this 

 point the rubrics are certainly inconsistent. In that which 

 immediately precedes that prayer the following words occur:— 

 •And when there is a communion the priest shall place upon 

 the table so much bread and wine as he shall think sufficient, 

 after which is done the priest shall say, Let us pray for the 

 whole state of Christ's church militant here on earth.' Did 

 this rubric stand alone, there c uld be no doubt that the prayer 

 for tbs church militant was to be read only when the sacrament 

 was about to be administered; but another rubric occurs incon- 

 sistent with the above, at the conclusion of the communion 

 service, where we read 'that upon Sundays and holydays, if 

 there be no communion, shall be said ait that is appointed at 

 the communion until the end of the general prayer for the 

 whole state of Christ's Church militant here on earth.' It 

 is difficult to account for these two contrary rubrics, which 

 appear to have been inserted at the same time, that is, at 

 the second revision of the Prayer Book in the reign of 

 Edward VI. ; tut as they do exist it is not extraordinary 

 that the clergy should have felt themselves at liberty to observe 

 which they pleased, and partly on account of the length of the 

 service, so distressing to those who are in advanced years, 

 partly on account of the awkwardness of being obliged again 

 to exchange the gown for the surplice, this prayer became gra- 

 dually discontinued. And here I cannot but observe, that the 

 disuse of this prayer is of itself a proof that the surplice was not 

 usually worn in the pulpit. Had it been so there would have 

 been no difficulty in the minister returning from the pulpit to 

 the communion-table, and reading the prayer as direct, d by tho 

 second rubric to which I have referred. It was because he wore 

 a gown, and not a surplice, that this practice was found incon- 

 venient, and therefore was discontinued." 



In reference to the weekly offertory the Bishop observet: 



" There is no doubt that originally thi* collection was intended 

 as S substitute for the alms which used to be given at the doors 

 of convenls, and as it is still continued in Scotland and the 

 Isle of Man, where no poor-rates exist, we may reasonably 

 conclude that it would never have been discontinued in this 

 country, if the poor had not been otherwbe provided for by a 

 rate levied on all the parishioners. The custom then became 

 almost universal that it should only be used at the administra- 

 tion of the Lord's Supper. Attempts, however, have of late years 

 been maria by some of the clergy to renew the practice of read- 

 ing the off«rtory and making collections every Sunday for the 

 purpose of procuring contributions towards the support of our 

 Church Societies; and where this can be done without offence 



•to the congregation, it oseible i object to a i»ra,ctic* 



w h, w it enc uirages the charitable reelings of the con- 

 gr :on, might, if extensively adopted, materially aid those 

 most valuable institutions. The consent however o! the congre- 

 gation is a material element in the propriety of adopting such 

 a pi ; for we have > . force -ipon a congregation, 



wit their consent, what is not strictly legal, and I have 



always bten intimately convinced that no c ction can be 

 legally made in a church, during the reading of the offertory, 

 except tor the b no fit of the poor residing in the parish, 

 and where the church is situated, or under the authority 

 of a Queen's letter. The phrase of the ' poor-man's box,' 

 which occurs in the rubric, can have reference only to 

 that box which used to be placed in all our churches to 

 receive the alms of the charitable for the benefit of the poor 

 of that particular pari-h. A very curious decision of Sir 

 Lyttleton powys, in the reign of George I., has been lately 

 jhed, which sets this matter at rest, for it is therein dis- 

 tinctly stated as the law at that time (audit does not appear 

 that any adverse decision has been since made to reverse it), 

 that no collections can be legally made in churches during the 

 reading of the offertory, except for the poor of the pa> ish, but 

 by the leave and permission of the Crown. If, therefore, you 

 think fit to restore the use of the offertory in any ot the 

 churches where you maybe appointed to serve, you will bear in 

 mind that all the money so collected can only be legally applied 

 to the relief of the poor of the parish. There can be no objec- 

 >□ to collections being made for other purposes, in cases 

 wh ere the congregation themselves are consenting parties to 

 them; but, wherever such collections are resisted it will not 

 be safe for you to persist, while the law upon this subject 

 remains, at least, so doubtful." 



Iiailways.~The following are the returns for the 

 past week : — Birmingham and Gloucester, 2067/. ; Bris- 

 tol and Gloucester, 980/. ; Eastern Counties, 4021/. ; 

 Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1835/. ; Great Western, 

 14,845/.; Grand Junction, 7350/.; Glasgow, Paisley, 

 and Ayr, 1360/. ; Great North of England, 1526/. ; Lon- 

 don and Birmingham, 15,108/.; South Western, 4579/. ; 

 Blackball, 606/. ; Greenwich, 722/. ; Brighton, 3542/. ; 

 Croydon, 338/. ; Liverpool and Manchester, 4490/. ; 

 Manchester, Leeds, and Hull, 5672/. ; Midland, 

 8319/. ; Manchester and Birmingham, 2814/. ; New- 

 castle and Carlisle, 1524/. ; Newcastle and Dar- 

 lington, 1002/. ; Preston and Wyre, 303/. ; South-East- 

 ern and Dover, 4145/. ; Sheffield and Manchester, 579/. ; 

 York and North Midland, with Leeds and Selby, 2045/.; 

 Yarmouth and Norwich, 251/.— The North British 

 Railway Company have been authorised by the share- 

 holders to make an application in the ensuing session of 

 Parliament for powers to form a line from the southern 

 terminus of the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway to the 

 town of Harwich, and to raise an additional capital of 

 400,000/., by the creation of 32,000 shares of 12/. 10s. 

 each. The shareholders have also permitted the sub- 

 scription of 25,000/. for part of the stock of the pro- 

 jected Edinburgh and Dundee Railway. Although the 

 meeting was not quite unanimous, the majority was 

 sufficiently large to carry the resolutions on these sub- 

 jects. — The Taff Vale Company have resolved to enter 

 into a contract for working the line for a period of seven 

 years, upon the principle of a per centage on the weekly 

 receipts. — The Guildford Junction Company have sanc- 

 tioned the agreement made by the directors with the 

 London and South Western Board, for the sale of the 

 Guildford Junction line, granted in the last session of 

 Parliament. The directors' report detailed the negotia- 

 tions on this subject. The company, by the agreement, 

 were to give over the railway to the South Western Com- 

 pany, completed with a single line of raili, receiving in 

 return the sum of 75,000/. From this the Guildford 

 Junction were recommended to pay a sum of 20,000/. 

 to the proprietors of Prosser's Wooden Railway Com- 

 pany, as a compensation for their abandonment of the 

 agreement to lay down Prosser's wooden rails on the 

 line. The report concluded with an assurance on the 

 part of the directors that, after all the requisite expendi- 

 ture, sufficient would remain to reimburse the share- 

 holders, with good interest on their outlay. After some 

 discussion the report was unanimously adopted, and the 

 directors were authorised to take the necessary steps to 

 complete the agreement. Jn the course of the discussion, 

 the chairman explained that the directors, owing to the 

 opposition which threatened them on all sides, were not 

 altogether to be considered as free agents. They were, 

 therefore, compelled to agree to the best terms they 

 could, for had they refused the offer of the South Western, 

 and the projected opposition lines had progressed, the 

 property of the Guildford Junction would have been 

 rendered valueless. — The alteration made in the fares 

 and accommodation of the Eastern Counties Railway 

 has been attended with the greatest success. Already 

 two large omnibuses and a coach have started in con- 

 junction with the Company, running from Ipswich to 

 Colchester, and scarcely a day passes without every one 

 of them being filled with passengers. In addition to 

 these, a number of fast coaches run from Norwich and 



He exposes, with great force, the inconsistencies of the 

 majority of the hierarchy, who, it appears, about three 

 years since drew up a memorial to Government, whic* 1 , 

 with one exception — that of Dr. M'Hale — bore the signa- 

 tures of the whole body, praying, as an act of especial 

 justice, '!nt "one" Roman Catholic ecclesiastic might 

 be appointed to the Board of Bequests. The matter 

 being thus officially brought under the notice of the 

 Executive subsequently led to the passing of the new Act, 

 and the formation of a board at which, not one, but five 



various other towns in the district, and it is anticipated 

 that a few weeks more will see others on the road. The 

 inhabitants of Ipswich look upon this as a surprising 

 change, as only two coaches passed through the town 

 some few years back. As the spring approaches, three 

 or four more conveyances will be started; and as the 

 experience of the last six weeks justifies the belief that 

 the passenger traffic will, before that time, have been 

 nearly doubled, there can be little doubt that the penny- 

 a-niile system will be completely successful. 



IRELAND. 



Dublin. — Archbishop Murray, the Roman Catholic 

 Archbishop of Dublin, has issued a Pastoral Address to 

 the clergy and laity of Dublin, the object of which is to 

 defend his acceptance of the commissionership under 

 the Charitable Bequests Act. In this important docu- 



Roman Catholics are to take their seats along with four 

 members of the Established Church and one of the 

 Presbyterian. After detailing all these events, Arch- 

 bishop Murray says that conscience told him it * would 

 be in him a gross derilection of pastoral duty to fling 

 away, through any human respect, the opportunity 

 which this Act, imperfect as it is, places within his 

 reach of guarding in safety the treasury of the poor, and of 

 securing for the services of the Church whatever property 

 benevolent individuals may choose, in the new board, to 

 be permanently dedicated to that purpose." He then 

 proceeds to review the Act, its merits and demerits ; 

 and, after going through this branch of the case, says — 

 "Thus have you obtained, by this abused Act, impor- 

 tant benefits, compared with which its defects are of but 

 little moment. And yet, surprising as it must appear, 

 denunciations of the most awful nature have been poured 

 out unsparingly against those who, without any hope of 

 earthly remuneration, but the consciousness of doing 

 good, undertake the meritorious task of carrying into 

 effect the beneficent objects which it contemplates. Let 

 us hope that more attentive reflection on the nature of 

 their office will gradually dissipate the prejudices which 

 exist most undeservedly against it." — The acceptance of 

 the Commissionership by three of the Roman Catholic 

 Prelates, notwithstanding the clamour raised against the 

 Bill, has caused some surprise among its opponents. At 

 a meeting in Dublin on the day after the announcement, 

 Mr. O'Connell addressed the meeting on the subject. 



He commenced by adverting to the Extraordinary Gazette of 

 the previous night. When he last spoke in opposition to the 

 board, he did not know how it was constituted. Now he had 

 the names of its members officially announced, and any re- 

 marks which he had to make in reference to the Catholic 

 prelates who had consented to act upon it, should be with tho 

 greatest respect and veneration. It was a triumph of one portion 

 of the Catholic community over another, and he was one of the 

 defeated party. This was regarded as a triumph by the govern- 

 ment, who could not wait to announce it in the ordinary course, 

 but adopted the mode used in time of wax— they announced 

 their victory in an Extraordinary Gazette. He regretted not 

 being able to agree in opinion with these venerated prelates; 

 but, after all, they were like himself only fallible men, and, with 

 great respect, he expressed his opinion that they were in error. 

 He feared that the bill would have the effect of seriously check- 

 ing Catholic bequests. Men would not like to have their affairs 

 ransacked by aboard the majority of which were hostile to their 

 religious belief. Mr. O'Connell stated that he had seen a letter 

 from Rome, and from a quarter entitled to the most implicit 

 credence, stating that a Mr. William Petre, an English agent, 

 was in that city negotiating a concordat with England, in con- 

 nection with the Austrian envoy. 



Mr. O'Connell afterwards left his residence in Merrion- 

 square for Derrynane Abbey, in order to pass the 

 Christmas with the members of his family there as- 

 sembled. Mr. O'Connell intends to leave the Abbey 

 on the 6th January, on his return to Dublin. — The 

 weekly meeting of the Repeal Association was held on 

 Monday in Conciliation Hall, Mr. Hobart, in the chair. 



Mr. Smith O'Brien, who was loudly cheered, commenced 

 the business of the day by reading a communication from 

 Alderman Delahunty, of Waterford, inclosing the sum of 20/. 

 The letter stated that the people of Waterford were determined 

 to return two Repealers at the next election. Mr. O'Brien 

 said that, after an absence of three months, he had no doubt 

 but the Association would require to know whether his opinions 

 were still unchanged as to their probability of success. He 

 would tell them that at no former period was his determination 

 more fixed, or did he consider their prospects more brilliant. 

 Through good report or evil report, whether in prison or out of 

 prison, he was determined to co-operate with his fellow coun- 

 trymen in their exertions to achieve the legislative independ- 

 ence of their country. Their success depended upon them- 

 selves. If the people of Ireland wavered in their present pur- 

 pose, if they swerved in the least, they would be handed down 

 in history as a weak and vacillating people, but if they perse- 

 vered, he would tell them his solemn conviction was that sac- 

 cess should crown their efforts. He then proceeded to take a 

 review of the prospects of the Repeal cause, and in doing so 

 combated the assertions of the English press, that Repeal 

 meant separation, and denounced such assertions as gross 

 calumnies. What they required was an Irish Parliament, 

 with an Irish ministry responsible to that Parliament. 

 They did not intend to seek that change by a rebellion. 

 Ireland had suffered enough already by an unsuccessful rebel- 

 lion, but lie would assert that there was a time when resist- 

 ance would become justifiable. Into that question he would 

 not then enter— he would merely express his confidence W 

 Almighty God that he would not permit the good, the noble, 

 the generous people of Ireland to continue in a state of misery* 

 It was his intention to propose that every board of guardian* 

 in the country should, in the ensuing year, pass a resolution i& 

 favour of a Repeal of the Union, as he considered that the con- 

 dition of the poor would be materially improved by the passing 

 of that measure. He considered the power to crush the peop) e 

 resided, not in the bayonets or fortifications of England, but in 

 the Irish minority that was opposed to them, and to win tba* 

 party over should be their paramount object. There was, how- 

 ever, a class of men who were opposed to them, but they were 

 the most despicable of all noxious animals— he meant the anu- 

 Irish Iri>hmen ; and any endeavours to conciliate them wouW» 

 he considered, be fruitless. The hon. gentleman then dwelt 

 upon the importance of cultivating a moral, intellectual, ami 

 political education of the people, and recommended the prepa- 

 ration for a crisis, which, he statrd, the appearance of the pou* 

 tical world warranted him in saying was not far distant." 



The meeting was subsequently addressed by ™f' 

 Grattan, M.P., and other gentlemen, and at the termi- 

 nation of the proceedings Mr. O'Brien announced the 

 rent for the week to be 178/. lis. 2d. 



Tipperary.—The Evening Post contains the follow- 

 ing : — " A letter, we understand, has been received i" 

 town, announcing the lamentable intelligence that another 

 murder has been committed in the northern division o 



lent the Archbishop gives a full exposition of his views 



upon the subject which has of late excited so much dis- 

 union in the bosom of the Roman Catholic Church. I Tipperary. The victim of agrarian crime, in this instance, 



