On this page

• Text (4)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Habch 28,1857.] THE LEADEB.

  • 

    THE CHURCH OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE AND THE LUTH...

  • 

    TORY CASUALTIES. !FoiiiiOWiisrG the exam...

  • 

    The Lipeboat Institution.—The annual gen...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Liberal-Conservatives. "What Is A Libera...

    Species of mongrel , half dog , half fox , but where the dog begins or the fox ends , it is impossible to pronounce . Is this the Liberal-Conservative ? In one respect , indeed , the Liberal-Conservative resembles the lurcher : for his business is to poach upon the programme of both parties , to neither of which he belongs . He is either too ignorant and too indolent to have formed any principles and opinions at all , or he has principles which he has not "the conrage to avow , and opinions he is ashamed to confess . You "will generally find the Liberal-Conservative to be a Tory who has his price , and the Conservative-Liberal a Whig for sale . But there is one effectual test for such nondescripts on the hustings . Let the constituency insist on knowing how the candidate will vote on the extension of the Suffrage or the Ballot . Yes or No is sufficient . As to the broader questions of national honour and national safety , we have all , let us liope , Tories and Radicals alike , the hearts of Englishmen . In this old country of beef and pudding and common sense , the extreinest [ Radical has no fancy for a leap into the twentieth century in search of a " democratic and social republic , " the most bigoted of" Tories acquiesces in the glorious Revolution of 1688 .

    Habch 28,1857.] The Leadeb.

    Habch 28 , 1857 . ] THE LEADEB .

    803

    The Church Of Knightsbridge And The Luth...

    THE CHURCH OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE AND THE LUTHER OF B 110 MPT 0 N . "We have a new judgment , higher than any yet obtained , in fact , the highest , in the matter of the furniture and millinery of the Established Clnircb . The cases of " Liddelx versus Westet & ton , " and " Lidbell versus IBeaiiI , " have been decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council , on appeal , first from Sir JohkDodson , Dean of Arches , then from Dr . Lttshingtof , his superior . 33 oth those learned men were so ultra-Protestant in their feelings , that the very emblems of Christianity itself excite revulsion and anger in their minds , because those emblems have been used by the Catholic Church . Sir John Dodson pronounced the cross to be " a monument" of—what ? The whole Christian world , from time immemorial , has considered it to be a monument of one great sacrifice . Tom Paine and some others have pronounced ib to be , what Sir John Dodson calls ifc—" a monument oi idolatry and superstition . " And Dr . ! Lush-INGTON , alluding to the ' cross amongst other decorations of the Knightsbridge churches , ' launches out against " meretricious" ornaments . Of course Dr . Ijushington knows the meaning of that word " meretrix , " bui how does he associate it in any way with t cross reverently used ? lie might associate ii with a box of ointment , but even then re > verence would make him hold his tongue These two judges wholly and totally eon ' demned the decorations of Knightsbridge They go along with "We s teuton , and woul ( reduce the churcli to nothing better than i washhouso . Against their successive judg ments Mr . Ltb » ell now appealed to tin Judicial Committee of the Privy Council where the case was completely reviewed Mr . Pemberton T / jsiqu delivering judgment and , in consideration of the doubtful state o the question before , dividing tho costs be tween the two parties litigant . It is impos sible , therefore , to have a more solemn deci sion , and now let us see what tho effect ia . The Judicial Committee pronounces tha crosses , aa ornaments of ciliurches , arc permit Bible , and in fact strictly legal . Tho law an immemorial usage have sanctioned tho crot as the emblem ot * tho Christian faith . Til cross on the chancel screen of St . Barnabu ia admissible as a more architectural ornamen Crosses used in divine service , or in procot

    sion , as instruments for the celebration of religious rites , partake of adoration , and are illegal . The altar or communion-table must be of wood ; it must be a table , suitable for the purposes of those communicants who used in old times to sit around it , and partake of the holy "bread . ~ No doubt the authorities of the Church have since pronounced that that was an improper mode of administering the sacrament ; and the altar , taken back from the

    middle of the church , where it served the purpose of a table as much as the table at a tea-party , was restored to the east-end of the church , and surrounded by a rail in order that the communicants might not indecently come too near it , or use it for the tabular purpose aforesaid . Yet , such is the conservative character of English law , that the highest court of judgment now pronounces that the altar , although never moved , must be movable ; because , although only used for the purposes of an altar , it must be called and deemed available for the purposes of a table . Casuists may comprehend the sense of this judgment , but we venture to say that ninety-nine out of a hundred persons in church will only be amused at the concatenation of incompatible aspects in which that piece of furniture at the east-end of a church should be reverentially regarded—as a movable table which must not be moved , and must not be in the middle of the church , and yet must be considered as the thing which would be in the middle of the church . The credence-tables are allowed , Dodson and I / usHrNGTOir notwithstanding . These are side-tables , on which the bread and wine are placed toefore consecration . Protestantism , it appears , objected to the side-tables but the Judicial Committee , which is rathei broad church in its tendency at present , admits them . "Westerton , indeed , appears to have laboured under the idea thatLiDDELi induced his congregation to adore the side-tables But it is obvious that Protestantism , sensitive as it is , cannot be endangered by the presence of dumb-waiters . The altar must be of wood ; it must be capable of being covered with a cloth ; anc therefore a cross fixed upon the altar mus 1 be removed , because it prevents laying the ¦ cloth . The French laugh at us for the super stition with which we English stick to dinne ] parties , and there is something singular ii this distinctive fidelity to the table an ( , tablecloth and the smoothness thereof . By the Judicial Committee , it appears 3 Protestantism tolerates more than one cover -j ing on the table—a decision still borne ou i by the national analogy ; therefore Protes b tantism tolerates " altar cloths . " But thcr - is one thing ifc will not tolerate . The clotl . of " fair linen " used at the communion mus - not have lace or embroidery . The lace ii . dangerous to Protestantism ; embroider ; 1 excites the feelings oven to tho extent o i turbulent protestation in church . "We ma ; - question the solemnity of a creed which con 3 siders lace essential to its completeness ; bu , where is the strength of that creed which i ; troubled by lace ? Imagine a poorlacc-malcc ; , constituting either an auxiliary or an advei f sary to the faith ! Thus it happens when the best and mos i- earnest men erect trivialities into a matter e .- importance . The truly pious clergyman , wh rests his authority upon the shapo of a table t cloth , or upon tho uho of lace , subjects him so ' s- to the rudo handling of any materialist d churchwarden . The judgment , however , ; s really useful . While ' distinctly pronouncin c that some few modes of ornamentation ai ih not permitted by the canons of the Protestai t . Churcli , it leaves many other minor matte i- or trivialities to bo adopted or not , accordii

    to the taste of the persons managing the church . It appears to us that this judgment is correct , both ia common sense and in the spirit of religious liberty . The proper furniture , whether of a private dwelling , a place of public business , or a church , depends in a great degree upon the taste of the persona who use the place . If one man finds red cloths , golden crosses , and a " dim religious light , " fed . by the pale ray of a tall candle , conducive to feelings of

    reflect ion , or even gratifying to his senso of material fitness for things spiritual , he is the happier , and the better , for having those circumstances which he desiderates . If , on the other hand , a Protestant— -physically stout , perhaps , but morally feeble— -finds his contemplation of eternity interrupted by the flutter of a piece of lace , his combativeuess excited in the presence of eternity by obsolete contests between Martin Ltjtheb and the Pontiff , he is better without the suggestive circumstances . But what do these facts —and they are nothing but obvious factswhat do the y dictate , save this , that IjIddelIi should be permitted to go into one churcli furnished to his mind , and Westerton into another , the congenial " unfurnished apartments . ? " Why "Westeeton should rush into Liddell ' s spiritual lodgings in order to * tear down the decorations agreeable to the Liddell family , but repugnant to the Westebton taste , we cannot understand ; it is ceitainly not conformable to the spirit of religious liberty , or the tenets of the " broad Church . '

    Tory Casualties. !Foiiiiowiisrg The Exam...

    TORY CASUALTIES . ! FoiiiiOWiisrG the example of the metropolis ? the counties and boroughs are ejecting tlie Derbyites by scores . They are likely to gain a few seats from the Liberals , on account of family changes in various parts of the country ; but , upon the whole , their losses are severe . In many places their nominees have declined the engagement . In fact , it is pretty well known that the Carlton Club , on account of circumstances over which it has had no control , is disposed to be somewhat stingy . Toryism , to say the truth , is not in a particularly solvent condition . Fifteen county seats surrendered in one day represent a terrible falling off since the palmy days of " Conservative corruption . "

    The Lipeboat Institution.—The Annual Gen...

    The Lipeboat Institution . —The annual general meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was held at tho London Tavern on Thursday -week , Rear-Admiral tho Duke of Northumberland , K . G ., President of tho Society , in the chair . Tho meeting wa 8 numerously attended . From the report , it appeared tliat the lifeboats belonging to , and in connexion with , tho institution had , sinco the last report , aavcd the cre ~ ws consisting of 12 C persons , of sixteen wrecks , and had proceeded to the assistance ) of many other vessels in ¦ reply to signals of distress . Tho Board of Trade return of tho wrecks that occurred on the coasts of tho United Kingdom during the past year states that tho total number of wrecks in that period was 1153 . Tho loss of lives from shipwreck in tho aamo period was 521 . It was , however , gratifying to find that the number of lives saved from shipwreck had been unprccedently large , 2243 shipwrecked persons having been rescued , by lifeboats , shore-boats , and other means . Tho report of the institution was unanimously adopted . A Nkw 1 ' apeu pok Ladikb . —Under the title of " Tho Knglinhwoman ' s Review , and Drawing-Room Journal of Social Progress , Literature , and Art , " we have received tho first number of a now fortnightly periodical devoted to the consideration of all questions affecting ; tho position of women . It is edited by a lady—Mies Eleanor Duckworth ; it in published by ono of tho gentle sex ; and female employment , aaya tho proapectuH , will bo encourugeel " in every department of tho journal compatible w ith woman ' s work and capabilities . " Tho number before us ia a pleasant collection of Cflsny . s , Hk <; tchen , poetry , and miscellanea , with a sprinkling ot " auch news as ladies love ; all being coloured with a courageous yet perfectly feminine spirit . Miss Duckworth , indeed , disclaims being " strong-minded , " disavows any . special mission ; and herein will Ho a grenfc part of her influence .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 28, 1857, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28031857/page/15/