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Leader (1850-1860), 28th June 1851, Edition Town of 2, Page 602

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      sent , from a correspondent whose genius has fascma-• ted many , and whose honesty of purpose and candour have won the admiration and esteem of more . " Did you go to hear Kingsley preach on Sunday last ?" I did ; and he gave us a sermon such as is needed m these days—with the doctrines translated out of the old phraseology which has become unintelligible . He said things adapted to the present daily life , and errors of people living in the world now . There was an earnest solemn sense of responsibility throughout the whole which was noble , and touched one ' s heart . The subject was our Saviour reading in the Synagogue . I thought that Mr . Kingsley saved his orthodoxy , and said nothing

      that was not borne out both by law and Gospel . Well , only fancy the dismay of all the congregation when after the blessing had been given , and we were on the point of departing " the real original clergyman of the church started up and said he had a ' painful duty' to perform , which was to tell us , that the sermon we had just heard was wrong , and dangerous , and false ; and that if the nature of it had been anticipated , the pulpit would not have been lent for the occasion ! A very , very slight murmur , of remonstrance was raised for a second ; but then all the congregation said ' hush' to one another , and dispersed . The comfort is , that the sermon cannot be wn-preached ; and of course now it will be printed , and will be read by those who never read sermons before . "

      There is no need for us to point out in detail the errors of the critic of the Daily News . Our readers ¦ will have perceived by this time that he has not only been cynical when he meant to be humorous , but inexact when he intended to be superlatively accurate . The correspondence between the Bishop of London and Mr . Reeve , the minister of the Proprietary Chapel , Portman-street , respecting the preaching of foreign pastors in Church of England chapels , has been pub lished . The gist of the letters is already known , viz .,

      the prohibition of foreign preaching as illegal . But the public are not so well aware of the fact , that Mr . Reeve only acted upon the recommendations of his Bishop ' s letter of December last . In that letter an exception was made in favour of proprietary chapels , and upon this ground Mr . Reeve acted . The Bishop explains the exception to mean , that clergymen of the Church of England might perform the service of the Church in foreign languages , and not that foreign pastors might preach .

      There was a great row at Stepney Church last Sunday . The ratepayers have exercised , for the last two centuries , the right of appointing an afternoon lecturer . In the exercise of that right they lately appointed the Reverend Samuel Gower Poole to the lectureship . He was opposed by the rector , and for some time Bishop Blomfield refused him a licence to preach in the church ; after the Bishop ' s scruples were satisfied , the rector continued his hostility , declaring that Mr . Poole should never preach in his pulpit with his consent . On Sunday , Mr . Poole read prayers , Mr . Lee , the rector , standing near the pulpit all the time . While Mr . Poole went out

      to change his surplice for a ' gown , Mr . Lee rushed up into the pulpit and began to expound . But cries of " Out , out , " were raised ; hissing and groaning began ; the whole ? congregation got upon their feet , and eagerly engaged in conversation . The rector , unable to quiet the rioters , descended from the pulpit , and . " seated himself on the stairs , " surrounded by a " number " of gentlemen " remonstrating " with him . The scene continued , Mr . Poole not engaging therein , until a funeral procession , about four o ' clock , entered the church . In the presence of the dead , the living hushed their strife , and the congregation dispersed .

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      THE SYNOD OF EXETER . As the time fixed for the meeting of the Exeter Synod approached , the feeling of the town grew stronger , and an additional impetus was given by the publication of a draft " Declaration , " which the Bishop had entrusted to the Deans-Itural , strictly enjoining them not to make it public . The Bishop ' s " confidence was abused , " eay » a morning contemporary , and the draft Declaration found its way into the Western Times . The document consists or . four clauses , and sots forth the Bishop ' s doctrine of Baptism . The Synod assembled on Wednesday , in spite of protests and public meetings . It is now one of the " great facts " of the day—a Diocesan Synod sitting in the Chapterhouse at Exeter .

      The delegate assembled in the Cathedral , and Bat tcethor at the eastern end of the choir , close to the communion rails . Crowds of clergy and laity were present , so tlmt the ancient edifice was full . The Bishop filled his " episcopal throne , " attended bylaw chaplain and the chapter , in full canonicals . Two deaneries out of thirty declined to send representative h . The clergy composing the Synod wore their academical robcH . The service begun . The Reverend T . 11 . Knight " beautifully intoned" the prayers . The lessons wcio read by two other clergymen ; and three more participated in reading the ante-communion service , two of whom arc described us

      respectively the " epiHtolcr " and tho " gospeller . " A Hcrmon followed , by the Reverend Prebendary Hole , which amounted ton vindication of the holding of the Synod ; and when it was liiiinhcd , the bishop , the clergy , and others of the congregation took the sacrament ., after which n grind procession w ; in formed to the Chapter-house . This is a line oblong room , of pointed architecture , occupied by » long

      table , at the head of which , with his archdeacons right and left , the Bishop sat him down , and the members of the Synod ranged themselves as in a chapter . The proceedings were opened by prayer ; then the names of the members called over ; and next the Bishop delivered a long address , chiefly intended to show that diocesan synods were ancient and venerable institutions ; and that the present had been summoned and organized with great care . The rest was devoted to remarks on the baptism question . The Bishop then read the Declaration , slightly altered , to which we alluded above ; and it was ordered to be reprinted , and discussed the next day . This Declaration asserts that there is but one baptism

      for the remission of sins ; that by that baptism our sins are remitted , and that it is not " hypothetical " remission , but positive . The Synod then suspended its sitting , in order to attend the afternoon service at the Cathedral , but resumed at four o ' clock . At its reopening , a declaration on the subject of schism , asserting particularly that perversion to Rome involved the abandonment of truth for error , was discussed , and , on the motion of the Reverend C . C . Bartholomew , carried by a large majority , but as many as nine or ten hands were held up against it .

      A third declaration , repudiating the intrusive Romish bishopric into the See of Exeter , by the title of the Bishop of Plymouth , and the Papal aggression generally , was carried without opposition ; and the Synod adjourned at half-past five o'clock until Thursday . The Synod met on Thursday , but the only question of note decided was the following : — " Whereas , the jduty of catechising upon Sundays and

      holidays , after the second lesson at evening prayer , enjoined by the law of this church and realm ; and whereas , in our opinion , the neglect of this duty has allowed ignorance and error on the first principles of our faith to grow and prevail : it seems to us that the practice of catechising is binding upon ' the curate of every parish , ' and should be carried out so far , at least , as each , in his discretion , shall judge to be most edifying to the congregation wherein he ministers . "

      Untitled Article

      THE FUTURE OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE . People have already been speculating upon the destiny of the Palace in the Park . A valuable correspondent , Mr . Thomas Noel , of Boyne Cottage , Maidstone , sends us a letter upon the subject , dated June 15 , 1851 : — " It is not premature to talk of the future fate of the Crystal Palace ; for , unless the public manifest a timely interest in its preservation , it may , after all , be pulled down , and a building , unparalleled of its kind , that ' Rose like an exhalation , '

      may vanish like one ; and what mind that retains a particle of taste , or pride in a triumph of human skill and ingenuity , but must grieve , nuy , be indignant , at the very idea of so sad and unworthy a consummation ? The Athenceum proposes that it should be kept as a vast cosmopolitan depot for objects of art and manufacture , and for a septennial or decennial Exhibition , maintaining that only thus can it be made self-supporting . It is contended that artists and manufacturers , both home and foreign , would be willing to send their productions to it by way of advertising them . The idea of a winter garden is mentioned merely to be scouted .

      " Against this opinion , however , I venture to suggest that a glass building is not the most suitable one for a permanent depository of manufactured goods and articles of delicate and damageable fabric . I question if it can be mudc sufficiently weather-proof for the purpose . The wet , I imagine , will penetrate more or leas through the glazed roof to the injury of the deposited articles in general , while the excessive glare of light ( for it is hardly to be supposed that the ' acres of cunvas' can be maintained for ever ) will be fatal to the colours of curpets , velvets , silks and satins , und ouch-like textures in particular . But even should this not be the case , I cannot help

      thinking that the building , having usurped a portion of the public park , ought to bo devoted as far as possible to somewhat of a similar purpose , and be used as a supplement to the park in the shape of a public conservatory for the resort and refreshment of the people . The Athenamm assumes that it cannot , in this form , be made to pay its expenses , and despairs of Government help . It ought , I think , to be open to the public generally lice of cost ; but might not particular days be set apart for floral fett s and promenades , when a military band

      might play , and aduiission money be taken ? It might oven bo lit up on summer or winter evenings with innumerable coloured lamps , gun-jets , und Chinese lanterns ; and i can hardly conceive anything liner than the effect of the transept under such an illumination , to say nothing of the long lines of light stretching and melting away on cither hand down the vistaH of the magnificent eastern and western naves . Surely such or similar means might bo adopted to render it sclf-Hupporting as a conservatory . To maintain ho vast a building for this purpose would no doubt bo costly , lor , indepondoutly of tho hired

      labour to look aftef the plants , heat must be kenT " in cold weather by means of hot-water pinea otherwise ; but this would be equally necessarvtt the place were made a bazaar of ; and , in the latr case , even more care and cost would be required t keep out the wet than to keep in the warmth , n the whole , I lean to the conservatory , or wint garden , call it which we will , and I hope the pubT will incline to the same side of the , question , Let > lose this opportunity , and it will not soon have such another . " a

      These remarks are extremely apropos ; and how wide-spread the feeling in favour of doing souiethin permanent with the Palace is , may be judged from the variety of the sources whence come suggestions As it is clear that the Commissioners will have a surplus , people begin to canvass the question as to what shall be done with it . A pamphlet has iu St been published by Mr . Murray , signed " Denarius '' in which it is proposed to turn the Palace into ' a winter garden and summer promenade . He says : —

      " There is hardly any promenade or rendezvous j n London like that afforded by the Prado at Madrid or the public walks in Vienna and Dresden , because the climate forbids them . But the Crystal Palace will make us in . dependent of climate , and English people may have a source of enjoyment from it that has not been hitherto revealed to them . Merely as a covering to a grassplat giving a public rendezvous , which would afford a solace to the old and sick , and a useful purpose-like gratification to the young , the Crystal Palace has claims to be pre . served . But we may go further and find a wider use for the space . Let us imagine the glass-house made a gar .

      den , and warmed with a summer temperature all the winter . " We may conceive the building propeily supplied with fountains and sculpture , arranged between groves of orange trees and pathways laid between plantations more or less characteristic of the vegetation of all nations , being , in fact , a most enjoyable and instructive promenade . With the cooperation of the Agricultural , Horticultural , and Botanical Societies , various popular schools , lectures , and exhibitions connected with the objects of these societies , would arise naturally out of such an arrangement , and might be made to have a most important bearing both on the productive resources of the country and on our decorative manufactures . "

      He urges that it might be used as a sculpture gallery , with annual exhibitions of statuary ; and he contends that if the place were recognised as a receptacle for plants and shrubs , it might be expected that in a short time it would be well furnished with public donations . He deprecates the idea of making anyfuture reduced edition of the present Exposition ; but it might be a convenient place for subsidiary occasional exhibitions . The institution must be selfsupporting , and not paid for out of the taxes under any consideration . As to the ways and means , he says : —

      " Let those pay for the use of the glass roof who use it ; but fix the payment as low as possible during the greater portion of the year , adopting a somewhat higher charge at other times to obtain revenue . Thus the garden and sculpture portion of the buil ; ling mig ht be open to the public for the first four days of every week on payment only of Id . each person ; on tlie Fridays the payment might be 6 d ., and on Saturdays Gd . Perhaps horsemen might be admitted at a higher charge , say Is . It may be estimated that for all other purposes of revenue , as well as of additional public convenience , it would suffice to reserve about twenty days in the year , when a higher payment would be made . On these occasions the garden might be turned to a more extended use by holding agricultural , floral , horticultural , and perhaps others letea in it . "

      The revenue thus obtained would amount to about £ 14 , 000 a year , a sum amply sufficient to cover tho necessary expenses . The last sentence contains good advice : — "It rests wholly with the public ^ to decide all these questions . If they resolve to enjoy the finest winter garden and sculpture gallery in Uie world , they n »" constitutionally instruct their representatives to say ' Ay ' when Mr . Speaker puts the question in the House of Commons ; and that , as we have warned them , tl » cy must do forthwith . "

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      BURIED ALIVE !—THE B 15 D MINSTE R COLLIERY ACCIDENT . About the middle of the populous village of * j ' minster there ia a coal-pit , belonging to Messrs . « ° . ' stone , Seamen , and Company . The shult by whicn you descend into the pit leuds ilrst to tho " top vei ' \ n depth of 90 fathoms , thence downwards to what i . culled the "big vein , " by 40 fathoms more . l < or ' certain distuuee irom tho top tho shaft was wui with brick , which finished where tho nhuft V ^ through u rock ; und from tho lower portion o * rock down to the big vein , the shaft wan " umber for iilty fathoms . " A omull shaft , 4 fcet ? 1 t , ^ called a " tip , " ulso connected the "top" with i " big vein . " Tho mine is ventilated by two wooa ^ air-trunks , nnd worked by un engine oi thirtyhorse power . . j About forty men and boys wont down into tnc I on Friday morning , the 20 th of Juno ; and tho u » u work of tho duy proceeded smoothly until about ^ o ' clock , when tho iron cart containing the ? ° ' being druwn up the shaft , Btruck or hitched in «<> portion of the " timbering , " touring it from its n » i i

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      602 &t ) £ % t aft t % * [ Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 28, 1851, page 602, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1889/page/6/