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Leader (1850-1860), 12th January 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4, THE BISHOP OF EXETER ON TABLES AND TABLE...

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      Public Meeting. L.Ohd Isulln Ok Canada, ...

      the Lord Provost having made a flattering speech Lord Elgin rose to reply . Of course he commenced by administering plenty of food to the national vanity of his hearers . Having pronounced the words " As a Scotchman , " the audience burst forth into vociferous cheering without waiting to learn the deduction which was to be made from those premises . The deduction proved to be that the speaker could not but be sensible of the value of the good opinion which had been expressed by so great a commercial metropolis . He added : —

      " Knowing , as I do , from , long experience , how much Canada and low much all the other colonies owe to the enterprise of Glasgow , I cannot but feel that it is a proud distinction— -the proudest distinction perhaps , to which I could possibly aspire—to find that the efforts of an individual who had laboured for many years ( God knows how assiduously ) to promote the interests , develope the resources , and place in a firm and rational position the system of government in that important dependency of a great empire , had been deemed worthy of recognition here . " { Loud cheers . )

      Referring to matters of personal history , he reminded his auditory that it was on that very day nine years that he parted from his family , under somewlat trying circumstances , to undertake the government of British North America . He had but recently come from Jamaica ; and the contrast between the heat of that island and the intense <> old of Canada gave him " an admirable opportunity of testing what is the effect of extreme degrees of temperature on the human constitution . " But here again an occasion was presented for , administering fresh drams of flattery to the excited Caledonians ; His lordship crossed the Atlantic in

      a Cunard vessel ; and , " for the first time , " he felt the influence of the tutelary genius of Glasgow / ' There was a tremendous gale ; " mountains of ice" were piled in the forepart of the vessel ; and the Earl was credibly informed that one hundred tons of congealed water were carried into Halifax on the prow . But he " had the fortune td be in a Clyde built steamer ; so they arrived at Halifax" safely . " ¦ So smooth and steady was the action , so well founded our vessel in every particular , that I do not believe a single individual ever felt one moment of anxiety or alarm . " Loud cheers followed these words .

      Lord Elgin then referred tothe state of Canada / when he went , and to'i's condition when he left , and indicated the great improvements which had taken place in the meanwhile . Nine years ago , the Canadian Minister was " walking up and down , the streets of London with sixty thousand debentures in his pocket , which he could not get any one to take from him for love or money . " So low was the Canadian credit at that time , so reduced was the colony for want of money , that it was " obliged to issue a quantity of five dollar debentures , which were forced on wretched office-holders , who were -compelled to take them , tliough they could not . get them exchanged without a discount of somewhere from ten to twenty per cent . " But now , " these same discredited Canadian securities are

      commanding a higher premium in the market than any other American security whatever . " These good effects had proceeded from our better system of governing the colonies ; for , " in our relations with them , we have substituted , for a policy of reserve and distrust , a policy of confidence . " Since 1850 , tlic progress of Canada has been allowed—-even by the citizens of the United States—to have equalled , if not surpassed , the progress of the most favoured parts of the Union . " At the meeting of the Education Board . in New York , a paper was read , representing the system of

      education in Canada as equal to that in Massachusetts -or Now York , and the President rcommended tho system adopted at Toronto , Canada West . I do not think it is undesirable that the population of Scotland should know that there in a , country not two woeka ' sailing from Glasgow , possessing a fertile soil and a genial climate—possessing a population very rauoh . resembling what you find in any Scottish county , -sharing ouv views and sentiments ou all questions , moral , social , political , and , above all , religious , with the means of attaining eloraeutary oducation froe of cost , and on . conditions that can do -violence to no

      prinolple , on conditions attainable by every child in tho oommunity , and where every child of talont and industry may go to tho hlglier school , where a Buporior education is given on the same terms , and from the superior school to the university . " , The Earl contrasted this happy state of things with the vexatious party quarrels which have hindered the cause , of education in this country , Referring to our relations with tho United

      States—to the frequent dissensions we have had with them—and to the desirability of continuing on friendly terms with the great western Republic , —his Lordship gave some details of his reception by the corporation anil citizens of Portland in the State of Maine : — " We had dinner after the meeting , and at that dinner a practice was adopted which I hope will this evening be honoured in the breach rather than in the observance . We had nothing to driuk our toasts to but water . Among those sentiments—f » r they are too wishy-washy to be called toasts—we had ' Success to the Allied Armies ! ' " With respect to the war , Lord Elgin was in favour of its energetic prosecution , and thought that , " next to the successes of our arms , what we have had most reason to be thankful for is the failure

      of our diplomatists , " who would only have deprived us of the real objects of the struggle . Returning to the question of colonial government , Lord Elgin observed : — " Though I think we Lave solved one important question in colonial policy—viz . how to reconcile complete liberty of local government with the exercise of tlie Imperial prerogative—I do not know that that is our last difficulty . It ia very possible that great colonies , assuming tlie whole charge of their own defence , and even coming forward to aid us in war , may not ultimately be satisfied unless t ~ hey have a voice in the Impei-ial Government . I do not thiuk

      it advisable to treat of such matters as abstract questions ; but I believe when it arrives we shall be able to deal with it as satisfactorily as we have dealt with former questions , if we still meet the colonies in the same frank , open manner . "What is wanted is thisit is necessary ihat the people of this country should look on the colonies as part and parcel of themselves , sympathise in their wishes , and rejoice in their progress . We know that many of the colonies form an admirable investment for our capital , a-ud I am sure , if you make an investment of your affection upon the colonies , you will find an ample return in their gratitude and goodwill . " ( Cheers . )

      28 The Leader. [No. 303, Saturday ^

      28 THE LEADER . [ No . 303 , Saturday ^

      The Bishop Of Exeter On Tables And Table...

      THE BISHOP OF EXETER ON TABLES AND TABLE CLOTHS , & c . The Bishop of Exeter lias addressed a letter to the Right Hon . Dr . Lushington in reference to his recent judgment in the cause of Mr . Westerton , the churchwarden of St . Paul's , Knightsbridge , and Mr . Deal , an inhabitant of the district of St . Barnabas , Pimlico , against the Hon . aiu * Rev . Robert Liddell , the incumbent of those districts . With respect to the matter of the tables , the Bishop observes : —

      " Perhaps you will be surprised at my saying that it is your decision that credence tables are illegal which appears to me pregnant with serious consequences . It happened to myself a few years ago to have a complaint brought to me against a clergyman for putting a credence table within the chancel . My judgment in that case -was , — ' Change the name of the table , but let the table itself remain . ' This , I really think , was substantially the fittest decision I could make . It gave a triumph to neither party ; that was certainly well ; it was disagreeable to both parties—that too , probably , was not ill . If I hud been applied to before such a table was set up , to solve a doubt between thia clergyman and some of

      his parishioners , how he was ' to do and execute' the direction of the rubric introduced for tho first time in 1662 , —' and when there is a communion the priest shall then ( after the offertory sentences ) place upon tho table so much bread and wine as lie shall thiuk requisite /—it is very likely that I should nave said , ' Put tho bread and wine upon some table within easy reach that yoii may be aT > le , with least inconvenience or unseemliness , to place them on the Lord ' s table at the time commanded by tho rubric' If any person had been so ignorant aa to object to the second table as Popish , I should have endeavoured to convince ) him . of the contrary . " Now for the table-cloths : —

      " To u variety of covers for tho holy table , carried to a fantastic or great extent , I am , speaking of myaolf personally , opposed in taste and judgment . But I know not when or where the oxcoss can be said to be culpable . You out the knot by Baying there shall be only one . Now , thin condemns a black cloth in Lent no . loss than ever-varying . exhibitions of covering . I frankly Bay that I do not . assent to the entire propriety of suoh . a decision . If anything of

      thia sort is carried to such , an extent as tho Coneiatori & l Court of tho bishop shall deem inconsistent with due solemnity , that court will very properly restrain the usage . But tho absolute prohibition of all variety on all occasion seems to mo of very quostionablo fitness . A mourning cover , for instance , would aeom very appropriate to a season of mourning ox * humiliation . " Thoro remain to via apooimona of tho masnivQ , costly , highly wrought , richly-embroidered tapotea of

      those days ( the days of James I ) . Not long ago , but long before these matters were questioned in courts of law , one of my ooimtry clergy showed to me an ancient specimen belonging to his church of thiok sitk stuff , highly wrought with gold flowers . In truth , the meaning of the words of the canon would not bo quite satisfied with a ' mere covering of bilk . ' I certainLy should not think it necessary to censure snch a covering—unless , a-j is very possible and , 1 am afraid not very improbable—in the reaction of which your judgment may very preversely be made the cause—T

      should not say , I say , censure a mere covering of silk unless in a wealthy parish , there was an ostentatious display of scantiness or homelineaa in the silk covering itself . I should , otherwise , be inclined to leave the matter to tli 9 sense of fitness in tho parties themselves . But still less should I think myself at liberty to blame a parish or parishioner for placing e \ en a sumptuous carpet of silk or velvet , or other rich stuif for the very richest material would appe . tr to mo ' congnia et decora' in ornamenting the house of God , especially His own holy table . "

      Of crosses in ' ehurehes , tlie Bishop says that he cannot convince himself of their illegality , since he finds that they were used in and after the second year of the reign of Edward VI . Quitting a topic which the writer confesses is * ' tempting " to him , the Bishop winds up by a glance at the ultra-Protestantism of the present day : — " While I write this , painful it is to reflect on tlie many , very many instances which are presented to us of ( I will not say wilful , I may not say ignorant , but I must at least say ) heedless , culpably heedless inattention to a very plain law of tho church , made for the very . purpose of ¦ securing the due performance of

      the service . If we go through the churches of tlie metropolis—aye , or U we go through the cathedrals of the laud—it is painful to see how few there are ( nay own cathedral at Exeter I rejoice to say is one of tiio few ) iu "which the church ' s law is observed , that the bread and wine be not placed on the holy table till thfi priest makes , and in , order that he may make , tlie oblation of them . To those , who direct the worship iu those uoble temples—to our deans and dignitaries •—shall I be forgiven if , without making special reference to any , I venture to address a word of Terniniscence to all ? Cathredrnla are not merely places of ornate , elaborate , sumptuous worship . They were designed to be—they ought to be exemplary to

      the diocese at large . Now , carelessness in those . wlui undertake the duty of setting an example of dutiful obedience to the orders of the church is something worse tlian carelessness—it is positive neglect of one of the not many or very onerous duties which specially belong to their offices , and for the discharge of which those who hold them are not cohimonly ill-rcmuneraled . These offices are , in these days , exposed sometimes to invidious criticism and to inquiries into the reasons for which they are retained . la the defence of them made more easy to those who wish to defend them by this too frequent disregard of a very manifest duty , to which I th , ua venture to solicit attention ?"

      We are told that " rampant Protestantism rejoices in fixing ugly names on those who hold " opinions contrary to its own , " and in hounding on the ignorant multitude to . give even more substantial marks " of their displeasure . " The writer concludes by reminding us that it is not the Church ' s business to be popular , and that popularity is nor the best test of its usefulness .

      The Fate Of Franklin. Intelligence, Plac...

      THE FATE OF FRANKLIN . Intelligence , placing beyond a doubt the death from starvation of Sir John Franklin and his crew , has reached England during the present week . In the early part of lnst year , the Hudson ' s Bay Company sent out a party to ascertain with certainty , if possible , the fate of our countrymen . The expedition was placed under the guidance of Mr . J . D . Stewart and Mr . Anderson , and consistent of fourteen men , exclusive of the commanders . Ttuiv had several narrow escapes of being " nipped " between moving mountains of ice ; but—to quok from the account given by the St . Paul Times

      " Tho expedition reached what is culled MonUon ! Island , where they fell in with some Esquimaux , who informed thorn whore the crew of tho Terror ( one of Franklin ' s ships ) mot thoir \ mtiraely fato . They gathered up the remains of a boat having the namo of Sir Jolm Franklin on it , a hammer , kottloa , part of a blue flag , and other articles belonging to tho unfortunate v « bbo 1 . Wo aro informed by the Esquimaux that they reached tho spot just in time to soo the la « t niftn die of hunger , who was leaning against somo object when < lifecovorod . Ho was too far gone to be wiwed . The wolves were very thiok there , and no trncoa of tho bones of tho tnon ooul < l bo soon , Hujtposod to Imvo boon eaten by tho -wolves . Tho Esquimaux Htato that it i » four yearn ago since tho orow perished . It wan on the coast opposite Montreal Island . Thoir Ik nun Ho buried in tho flcuul within an © xtont of twolvo

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 12, 1856, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12011856/page/4/