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Leader (1850-1860), 18th January 1851, Edition Town of 2, Page 50, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      high quartets , and assumes a very violent form in the conduct of the Customs Board : it has just called upon Mr . W . J . Hall , the eminent bonded warehousekeeper , to pay up £ 16 for duties deficient in certain transactions extending over trtefitoe yeara > from 1828 to 1840 , and demanifea paWSftnt within one week on pain of withdrawing the tending privileges . In his correspondence witk khe Board Mr . Hall shows that , if the deficiencies are not mere figments , they are aateribaHe to Izhose neglij ? encies of the Custom oflfcceHs agamst which , he , one of the parties to 1 > e watdied , has constantly protested , and not totumi / s in Vain . From the Customs he appeals for justice to the Treasury , and surely he will have it , unless the Treasury also has been taken unwell in its moral estate .

      Untitled Article

      THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH UNION MEETING . A meeting of members of the Church of England , called by the Metropolitan Church Union , was held on Tuesday , in the Freemasons' Hall , to consider the propriety of addressing the Throne and the Bishops on the subject of reviving the synodal functions of the Church . The meeting was not very numerously attended . Mr . Henry Hoare , banker , took the chair , and there were also present the Reverend G . Anthony , of East Brent , the Reverend Dr . Biber , the Reverend Mr . Cox , and several other clergymen and laymen of the Church . ** fc -f e .. _ . _ aba A * A jm «• ¦

      The Chairman , in explaining the object for which they liad met , said he sympathized with much of the public feeling which has been expressed against the late ^ crowning act of Papal aggression , but he thought the religious part of the question had not been sufficiently kept in view . He had no feeling but that of loyalty to the Queen , but if they wished to support the Throne they must strengthen the Church , for that was the strongest support which the Throne could have . He denied that they wished a separation of Church and State : all they wanted wa « that the State should be a true and faithful partner . Mr . HugheB , a barrister , moved the first resolution : —

      " That it is the opinion of this meeting that the recent daring aggression of the Pope is to be attributed , in a great measure , to the crippled state of the Church of England , the direct consequence of the" long continued suppression of her synodal functions ; that the Church of England can deal with this aggression only in her corporate capacity , that is to say , in her national synod , which the 139 th canon declares to be ' the true Churcli of England by representation , ' and that , therefore , the present emergency constitutes an additional plea for urging the revival of her synodal functions , upon the basis of the existing provincial convocations of Canterbury and York . "

      lie spoke of the unhealthy state of the Churcli , owing to the want of a Convocation . Twenty years ago that disease had reached a climax . Church principles were then scarcely known even by name . " Bishoprics were suppressed in the sister isle ; the revenues of our cathedrals were confiscated ; threats were held out of a mutilation of the Prayer-book , to make it more consistent with the spirit of the age . " Thon it was that a small band of faithful men began to contend " for Catholic truth , and the faith once delivered to the saints . " He went on to speak of the debt of gratitude they owed to the writers of Tracts for the Times , and wound up by culling on all true believers to labour for the emancipation of the Church , " as dutiful and obedient children , looking neither to the right hand nor to the left , eschewing alike Puritnnism and Popery . *'

      The Reverend Ruttray Sweet , in seconding the motion , faid the cilices of the 'Church of England were in niont parches reduced to a mere mockery , owing to the crippled state in which the Church w / jh kept by the . law . Again , "in ritual tilings the Church was a spectacle to all men ; and in doctrinal ciuoatioiiH he could only say that pulpit was seen uguinst pulpit , charge against charge , and diocese against diocese , by which " Rome ' s work was done jxh Rome herself always desired it should be done . " The resolution was carried by a large majority .

      . Mr . Dudley Percival moved an address to her Majesty , praying that , in the exercise of the power vested in her royal | , e"ison , and agreeably to the solemn pledge p iv < n at her « oronation , her Majesty would be graciously pleased to issue her royal liienec to the Convocations of (/'' . interbury and York , on their next assembling no onling to custom , at the commencement of the Session of Parliament , in order that , upon their advice , nml with her Majesty ' s assent , bucIi steps might be taken ns should be best calculftti'd , not only io vindicate the Church of England lroin the recent aggression of the See of Home , but tit provide for the suppression within iho Church of uriHOund doctrine of every description , by reason of tVhich the Ohinv . h was grievously divided , as well as for the development of her internal resources .

      The Reverend J . K Cox , vicar of St . Helen ' s , Bishopsg'ite , moved as an amendment : — " ^ THiftt it is not essential to the fre « action of the Cfltoroti ftf Krrgihm ! that synods or convocations ihould

      be permitted to meet fcerioAfcaily t 6 deliberate and decide , as if the right df continued action were inherent in these ecclesiastical bodies by thfe constitution of the realm : That the "independent action of ecclesiastical synods or convocations , without control of the Crown *« A the legislative authority , is not ( sanctioned by tfce la * 8 of England : ffaat . it is the prerogative Of the Crown to convene bttih Houses of Convocation and to allo # them to < delibe **» e upon stich rtiatters as by . Royal auto * rity mi * be cWttmitted to tiifem ( Where occasion may brise ) ; fcttt that ft fa equally Ifote rigKl of the Crown , fcrte peace of the 'Cfturch , and the privation 5 f the truth of Christ ' s gospel , and the spiritual liberties of tfite whole body of the Church , that convocations should not

      be permitted to become the arena of party discussion , as they have heretofore been , and as they would undoubtedly again become , the great injury of our holy religion , were such assemblies allowed to meet from time to time and deliberate as an ecclesiastical Parliament : 1 hat in the present agitated state of the Church it could not conduce to peace , unity , or concord , were the Houses of Convocation to be permitted to discuss any question of the faith or discipline of the Church of England as already settled by the Articles and Formularies . "

      He denied that the Papal aggression was owing to the crippled state of the Church . In his opinion it was owing to the Oxford movement . The extremes to which that movement had carried some had misled the Bishop of Rome into the notion that England was ready to throw herself at his feet . After a series of explanations and recriminations the amendment was put to the meeting , and , on a show of hands , only thirty-six were held up in favour of it . It was , therefore , declared lost by a large majority . The Address to her Majesty was then carried almost unanimously , amidst loud cheers .

      Untitled Article

      THE SOUTHWARK MEETING . A public meeting of the inhabitants of the borough of Southvvark was held on Tuesday , at noon , at the Town-hall , pursuant to a requisition to the High Bailiff , very numerously and respectably signed by electors and householders of the borough , to take into consideration the propriety of memorializing the Queen , and to petition Parliament against the recent aggression of the Pope of Rdme . The High Bailiff , who was in the chair , charged the Catholics with having used the encreased influence and freedom granted to them " to make an onslaught upon our Queen and our clergy . "

      Mr . Apsley Pellatt proposed the first resolution , which expressed the opinion of the meeting that the bull of the Pope , by which he had parcelled out this kingdom into dioceses , to be governed by a so-called Archbishopof Westminster and other Popish Bishops , was an insolent attack on the civil and religious liberties of the country , and an invasion of the rights of the throne , which ought to be met with the-most unyielding opposition . That the Romanists were endeavouring to introduce the canon law , which was adverse to the spirit of the British constitution and its genius . Endowments to the Romish faith were then deprecated , and the resolution concluded with the recommendation of a measure to repeal the grunt to Maynooth .

      Mr . W . Tickers , in seconding the resolution , said the Queen had not yet been told with sufficient plainness what the people wished her to do . The people of Sonthwark , however , as plain-spoken men of busfnewf , knew what they Wanted , and what the y would not be satisfied without . They desired that the canon law should be prohibited in this country , and that it should be declared high treason in any person to attempt to put it into execution . ( A pplause mid hissiny . ' ) The Chairman read the following letter from Sir William Molesworth , dated Paris , January 12 , addressed to bis friend Dr . Black : —

      I got your letter lust night . I wish I had had earlier information of the intended meeting in . Southward , for 1 would have arranged our departure so an to be iu London in time for it . 1 should much like to hear the opinions of my constiVuents , and io expfesK to them my opinion on the subject of pupal aggression . For the latter purpose 1 write the following whorl Htatcinc . nl of my opinions , which ( if you iccrivc ii . in time ) I witdi you would cuu . se to he read to the meeting . I consider the act . of I'ins IX . in hesto ' vtriiig territorial titles oh Dr . Wiseman to be a foolihh and impudent , proceeding . But . however much 1 may bin rue the act , 1 r : mnot , approve of the contumely and abuse which in consequence of it has been cant upon our Roman Catholic fellow subjects and their religion , nor could I on account of it consent , in any

      way to depart from that . ui . se policy which dm ing t . hc hint five-mid-lweiity yearn has been pursued with regnrd to Ireland . Therefore , iu the next session of Parliament , if there should he proposed any bill of pains and |> enultieH aguinnt ' Itoninn (' ai holies , or any other measure in opposition to the principled of religious liberty and equality , I inunt oppose it ,. I must . ob .-. ei ve 111 h ( it . in in tiilies of difficulty tiitd popular excitement , that great'principled ought to be maintained , iinnertcd , nnd vindicated by those who hi lievo in them . 1 would , therefore , recommend my coiistituehtH thut , in accordance with the principles of religioun liberty ntiti equality ( which were the true principles of the Reformation ) , every man'ought , to be entitled to adopt , the religion * faith which he prefers , and to propagate it to the best , of his abilities—that the late ought to interfere an little as possible in religious

      matters , fend that every Sect ought to be permitted to manage its spiritual concerns in the manner which it considers best . From these principles I cannot consent in any way to depart , however much I may condemn the conduct of the weak and vafciHating prince whose grievous mismanagement of the pafpal states I have lately witnessedhowever much I inaty admit that this attempt to create English titles of honour and dignity is an invasion of the prerogative 6 f *>* r Sovereign an 1 an insult to the iritish nation' -hotfever I may be inclined to avenge that in&tilt . In a short time Parliament will assemble .

      iker Majfcfcty ^ s Ministers will state the course which they wish to "pursue in this taatter , and then I shall be able to determine whether I can , consistently with the principles which I have laid down , give them my support . In conclusion , let me earnestly deprecate all expressions of religious bigotry , intolerance , and animosity ; and let me impress upon the minds of my constituents , that however blameable may have been the conduct of Pius IX . no blame can on that account be justly cast upon our Roman Catholic fellow subjects . —Believe me , &c , ever yours truly , " William : Molesworth . " ( Cheers for Sir William Molesworth . )

      Mr . Thwaites proposed an amendment , condemning the Papal Bull , pronouncing it alike impolitic and unsafe that the state should continue to cherish by endowments the Roman Catholic or any other faith , and calling upon Lord John Russell to abolish all endowments of religion out of the public

      purse . " A very irregular discussion followed , in the course of which Mr . Alderman Humphery , M . P ., spoke against the amendment . The chairman ultimately put the amendment , which was lost . He then put the resolution , which was carried amidst cheers and hisses , as was also another resolution against Puseyism . Before the meeting terminated " God save the Queen" was struck up by some person , and the great body of the meeting responded to the appeal by singing the anthem in chorus .

      Untitled Article

      PROTESTANTISM AND POPERY . The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol has addressed a letter of advice to the clergy of his diocese , in reference to the recent Papal movement . He does not seem to think that the " universal burst of indignation " will be sufficient to withstand the encroachments of Popery : — " The prbbable result will be that the Papists will alter their plan of operations , but not abandon their pretensions . The anticipated measures of the Legislature , though they may reflect the sentiments of the country , cannot be expected to do much more than protect our Sovereign from similar affronts , and teach the enemies of trur Chuich greater caution and a less presumptuous tone . But the emissarieB of Rome will redouble their diligence in two directions ; first , they will work on the imaginations of the young and enthusiastic ; and , secondly , will enlist in their ranks the ignorant , multitudes of our population , whom the circumstances of the age , by congregating in dense masses , have 1 < - ¦ ft destitute of adequate tpiritual instruction from our present parochial system . " All our protestations , therefore , against Papal aggression will have been made in vain , unless we defend those who are exposed to the machinations of the enemy

      by the practicable method — an extension of the influence of our Church , and the diffusion of Scriptural knowledge among the benighted parts of the population . The present temper of the country seems to hold out a peculiarly favourable opportunity for effecting a gie ;» t encrease of Church extension ; indeed , we should neglect the means which Providence has placed within our reach , were we not to endeavour to turn the feeling which has shown itself with such unexampled unanimity into thut direction .

      " Actuated by similar sentiinents , a committee of influential churchmen has been established in London for the . purpose of collecting and employing a Reformation Memorial Fund , to be employed in obtaining encreased means of spiritual instruction where it is needed throughout the land , nnd I now request you and all my clergy to preach a sei inon on such Sunday us may appear to y « most expedient , and cause a collection to ue , made for this object . "

      The liishop of "Durham him addressed a letter to the Archdeacon of Jiiiidisfohie , in which he cnlln upon the clergy to instruct tin ; people upon the discriminating doctrines and relative merit . * of Popery and Prot . Htantisni . Among the ; leading enorH of Popery he places — mariolatry , the doctrine of purgatory , the grant of indulgences , the enforcing of < ( ' 1 < - bacy , and , lastly , tlie confessional , wlii > h he oon " hidci-H the most dangerous of all . He ih of op inion that

      " It may be necessary to provide sOme restrictions upon the introduction and circulation of Papal B'i " '" this island ; nnd »|; o prohibit the MRKurn | itlon of ep iscopal titles conferred by Rome ., and deriving the iinnrie from any . place hi this country . It , limy uIho be desirable to forbid the existence of monastic institutions , wtriclly HO called ; nor can the residence of any Jesuits jipi "" ' othertiine than injurious union . ' Scotch and Knglisl " l ' roteMlantM . Thai order is well known to huVe shown it ho If no dringerouti thut it wiih Huppresned by Clement . XIV . in 177 . J , wiih the approbation of all wise and good men .

      Ihe secession from the Church of Eng land of Mr . Frauds It . Ward , son of Mr . Alderman Ward , of Bristol . and a member of the eminent , legal firm of Onl > ornes , Wards , nnd Co ., of that , city , who with bis lady , were last week received into the Roman Catholic Church , »»« been followed try thut of the Reverend J . H-. W-aoclward ,

      Untitled Article

      50 «!> * &t ** tV . . [ Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 18, 1851, page 50, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1866/page/2/