IRISH CHURCH.

THE following memorial is said in the newspapers to be prepared under high authority in the archdiocese of Dublin. At all events it is a remarkable document.

[The annexed memorial to the King, and similar petitions (mutatis mutandis) to both Houses of Parliament, will lie at Messrs. Milliken's, Grafton-street, for signature, which may be affixed there by the clergy, or transmitted.]

66 MEMORIAL TO THE KING.

"We, the undersigned clergy of the established church, beg leave to approach your Majesty with every feeling of loyalty and respect, and humbly but earnestly to solicit that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to take into your early consideration the prayer of the petition which we now present. "Hitherto that part of the united church which is in Ireland has not only suffered much inconvenience, but has ever been exposed to much reproach, from not having a power within itself of re-constituting, from time to time, according to circumstances, the districts committed to the charge of the several incumbents, or of apportioning income with any reference to the duties assigned to each. Much insecurity of income has also resulted, and much odium has been incurred, besides minor difficulties and inconveniences, from the incumbents and parishioners being thrown into collision, in consequence of pecuniary payments to each individual clergyman by his immediate neighbours, thus creating a never-ceasing source of mutual dissatisfaction and agitation.

"So clearly, indeed, was this evil discerned by a committee of your Majesty's House of Commons in the year 1832, that they recommended, in their printed report, a provision remedying it, similar in principle to what we now venture to propose. A measure still more fully in accordance with these suggestions was proposed last session in the House of Commons by the Hon. Bingham Baring, moved in the form of clauses to be introduced in the Tithe Bill then before the house, and his amendment met with approbation of its principle, even on the part of many who considered this adoption at that stage of the proceeding unadvisable.

"We therefore humbly pray, that our episcopal rulers be allowed to nominate ecclesiastical commissioners, who shall be constituted into a body corporate-empowered, 1st, to collect the revenues of the incumbents for them; 2nd, under the sanction, and in each case with the approval of the bishops, to alter and correct parish divisions, and also to assign to each clergyman' hereafter (preserving vested interests) such income out of the general fund as may, in their judgment, be proportioned to the amount of duty and the weight of responsibility allotted to each.

"In order to carry this measure into effect, it is evident lay presentations should be entirely abolished, which might be accomplished by your Majesty's graciously consenting to relinquish those few livings in Ireland which are in your Majesty's patronage-arrangements at the same time being made for the purchase of advowsons in lay hands.

"In addition, we humbly solicit your Majesty to take into your gracious consideration whether a further advantage might not be conferred on the nation at large by the following arrangement-namely, that Government should purchase the whole tithes of Ireland, substituting for them a land-tax, whose proceeds might be applied to those several local expenses in Ireland which are now defrayed out of the revenues of the united empire,—such as grants to public institutions, payment of police, &c. We would humbly suggest that Government possess facilities for effecting this purchase on such terms as would produce (even after making provision for the purchase of advowsons) a very considerable surplus to the nation; while on the other hand the purchase money paid over to the above-mentioned ecclesiastical commissioners would, if employed by them in the purchase, from time to VOL. IX.-Feb. 1836.

2 c

time, of land or rent charges, produce a revenue nearly equal to the aggregate amount of the present income of incumbents. Thus, while the church would be improved in its efficiency, and relieved from danger, misrepresentations, and odium, the nation at large would not only effect a considerable pecuniary saving, but would secure the far more important advantage of putting an end to a source of perpetual jealousy, discord, and turbulence.

"We, therefore humbly pray your Majesty graciously to take these circumstances into your early consideration, and to adopt such measures for effecting the proposed objects as in your Majesty's wisdom may seem best. “And your petitioners, &c."

CAUSES FOR REGRET IN THE EVENTS OF THE LAST YEAR. (From the Record.)

"WE think his (the enemy's) work may be traced in the temptation which it appears to us is laid before the truly evangelical preachers of Christ's gospel, to abstain from declaring certain portions of truth which they themselves believe to be clearly revealed, or to be silent when other portions of the truth are misstated or perverted. Peace, or a deference to the opinion of those in high station in the church, are the usual reasons given for failing to declare the whole counsel of God as it has been manifested to the judgment and understanding of the preacher. We think we have seen the progress of this evil more distinctly marked during the past year than at any former period. We consider it one of a most malignant character. Peace, purchased at such a price, is the peace of the devil, not of God.

In intimate connexion with this subject is the measure of currency and popularity which high church principles are obtaining over minds which till recently saw them in their true character of worthlessness and error." This last is melancholy news indeed!

CONGREGATIONAL MAGAZINE.

No notice has been taken of this periodical for some time, because it appeared that all argument with it on the ordinary plan, which supposes something of decency and something of candour, was out of the question, and because it was very little worth taking notice of. On looking into the January number, one cannot find any change for the better, or any reason for increased respect. But it may be well to notice one point, which has a good deal of moment, in our consideration of the temper shewn by the dissenting body. The fact is, that, in all probability, if left to themselves, they would evince a much better spirit; but they are lashed and goaded on to violence and hatred every month by fresh torrents of abuse, and unchristian bitterness, poured forth in their Magazines. The writers know that their craft would be in danger, and the great goddess, Dissent, would be despised, unless, Demetrius like, they can stir up an uproar. They, too, like him, have a very natural love for the silver shrines of chapels and periodicals, which bring no small gain to the craftsmen, and must, therefore, at whatever cost of charity, keep up the spirit which leads men to worship at the shrine of schism.

Take the following specimens of the kind of feeling which the "Congregational Magazine" endeavours to inspire :-It seems that "Fraser's Magazine," and the "Church of England Magazine," which, in a note, is said to have as its first title the Christian Guardian, have taken the great liberty of criticising Dr. Read and Dr. Matthison severely. This is complained of by the "Congregational Magazine" as a terrible offence on part of the Church of England;" and the pious of that church are asked, if they can endure the shameful want of courtesy and kindness always shewn to the poor, mild, per

secuted dissenters. Listen to the mild terms in which the "Congregational Magazine" remonstrates :—

"Because their church has the patronage of power, is she privileged to revel in wickedness; to be rampant when her very position should render her meek and forbearing, and to arrogate to herself the right of tearing and mangling the reputation of others, whose only crime is, that they assert their prerogative to be men and Christians?"

So, then, because "Fraser's Magazine" criticises a dissenter's book, the "Congregational Magazine" is to say, that the church "revels in wickedness," is "rampant," and "arrogates the right of tearing and mangling the reputation of others!" It seems, then, that the works of dissenters, even if written for party objects, and full of falsehoods, must not be criticised by churchmen; for if they are, the church "revels in wickedness." As to Dr. Reed's book, an American, who was spoken of to the writer of these lines as having most extensive information as to American religious statistics, told him that the difficulty was, not to say what was false in the book, but what was true. It will, ere long, be fully exposed by authentic documents from America. It is hardly worth while to say, that the reviewer of Dr. Reed thinks his eloquence first rate. This is very likely an honest opinion; and if one were to hint that the style is at once vulgar and bombastic, of course the church would "revel in wickedness." But take one more specimen of this writer's charity :

"Proud churchmen, of high and low degree, are personages with which the history of our country has made us but too well acquainted; and we doubt not the legitimacy of the present generation. So gigantic is their ambition, that nothing can satisfy it but the despotism of two worlds. Earth has no privilege but for their obsequious votaries; and heaven is interdicted from receiving the objects and the victims of their intolerance. Their palmy days, it is true, are gone. Fortunately their power is not equal to their malice, and therefore Congregational worthies,' instead of suffocating in the foul atmosphere of a pestilential dungeon, or presenting the interesting spectacle of an auto-da-fé at the stake, have only patiently to endure the mendacious scurrility of hireling newspapers, the fabulous inventions of malignant renegadoes, or the cold-hearted and scandalous libels, drawn up in the spirit and almost in the form of an indictment, in such meek and pre-eminently Christian publications as 'The Church of England,' and 'Fraser's' Magazines."

This is the gentleman who complains of want of courtesy towards dissenting writers !

As a specimen of the reasoning by which the writer seeks to mislead his readers the following passage, which follows a calculation tending to shew that there are not above sixty attendants at each of 6308 churches in England, deserves notice :

"Thus it appears that there are 6308 parishes in England alone, that have only an average population of 120 souls each. Now it must be remembered, that about three-tenths of that number are children under ten years of age, and other twotenths are made up of the sick and the aged; it is therefore obvious, that if we assume that all the villagers are disposed to go to church-but, alas! how unlikely an assumption!-there will not be an average of more than sixty persons who can attend public worship in each of these parish churches. We should like to learn the average number of those who do attend them. Now we know that in the rural districts there are scores of places which do not appear in our lists, where the gospel is preached to more than sixty persons weekly; and we leave every impartial inquirer to judge, whether our little chapel congregations may not take their stand beside the little congregation of more than six thousand churches of the establishment? We therefore are disposed to believe, that were all the sections of the nonconformist body in England to return all the places which are used by them exclusively as places of public worship, they would find that the gross number, both of places and attendants, would approximate very near to, if not actually exceed, that of the established church. If this assumption be correct, we come to the conclusion, that the voluntary principle in religion has enabled the nonconformists to provide by their ministers an equal amount of religious instruction with that afforded by a richly-endowed establishment,

while they have, at the same time, been burdened with its legal, yet unrighteous imposts."

That is, we assume what we like (scores of chapels, of which no account is given, for example); and if what we assume is true, then what we wish to prove is proved.

One more specimen of charity, to show that it runs through the whole:"The lay patrons are usually men of the world, and are doubtless influenced by the obsequious attentions of expectant clergymen. They have only to please the patron, and their business is done. Hence it is, that the hunters after preferment are found dancing attendance on the great, and exhibiting traits like those depicted by the bard of Olney. Loose in morals, and in manners vain, &c. &c.' It is not necessary to refer to modern novelists, the faithful delineators of living manners, to confirm this. The sober records of biography supply many instances of the same thing."

Let Christians consider what is to be thought of men who talk of zeal for the gospel, and are yet busy, the year through, in uttering these unchristian thoughts in these bitter words, and labouring for their own ends, to inspire others with the same bitterness.

ON ATTENTION TO THE RUBRIC IN THE COMMUNION SERVICE. I FEAR that many of the members of the church have fallen in the error so commonly held amongst separatists, that the Lord's supper is little more than a sign, and is to be received only in remembrance of Christ's death, and as a token of church communion. I would most respectfully suggest to my clerical brethren, whether a stricter attention to the directions of the Rubric in the Communion Service might not, under God's blessing, tend to the correction of the error. At all events, it must be admitted, that a laxity in this respect has crept in upon us which cannot be justified, if we duly consider the strictness and solemnity of our ordination vows. I will notice one or two of the more common deviations from the Rubric which appear to me important in this point of view.

"

The Rubric, after the offertory, directs, that if there be a communion, the priest is THEN also to place upon the table so much bread and wine as he shall think sufficient. Which Rubric being added to our own Liturgy, at the same time with the word oblations in the prayer following, (i. e. at the last review,) it is clearly evident, as Bishop Patrick has observed, that by that word are to be understood the elements of bread and wine, which the priest is to offer solemnly to God, as an acknowledgment of his sovereignty over his creatures, and that from thenceforth they might become properly and peculiarly His .. Our blessed Saviour, when he instituted the new sacrifice of his own body and blood, first gave thanks and blessed the elements,-i. e. offered them up to God as Lord of the creatures, as the most ancient fathers expound that passage; who, for that reason, whenever they celebrated the holy eucharist, always offered the bread and wine for the communion to God upon the altar, by this, or some such short ejaculation, own out of what Thou hast bountifully given us.'† them from him again, in order to convert them into

...

Lord, we offer Thee Thine After which they received the sacred banquet of the

"The Bishop. Will you give your faithful diligence always so to minister the doctrine and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the same. . . . . . Answer. I will do so by the help of the Lord."-Form of the ordering of Priests.

Every clergymen also engages, on being admitted to any living, or cure, that he will use the form of the said [Common-Prayer]. Book in public prayer, and administration of the sacraments, and none other."-Canon xxxvi,

+ See St. Chrysostom's, and other Liturgies.

body and blood of His dear Son. In the ancient church they had generally a side table near the altar, upon which the elements were laid till the first part of the communion service was over, at which the catechumens were allowed to be present; but when they were gone, the elements were removed and placed upon the holy altar itself, with a solemn prayer Mr. Mede, having observed our own liturgy to be defective in this particular, was probably the occasion that, in the review of it after the Restoration, this primitive practice was restored, and the bread and wine ordered by the rubric to be set solemnly on the table by the priest himself. From whence it appears, that the placing the elements upon the Lord's table, before the beginning of the morning prayer, by the hands of a clerk or sexton (as is now the general practice) is a profane and shameful breach of the aforesaid rubric; and consequently, that it is the duty of every minister to prevent it for the future, and reverently to place the bread and wine himself upon the table immediately after he has placed on the alms."*

Some, perhaps, will consider this a trivial matter. Even if it be so, why should we not comply with the direction for the sake of order, and, I may add, for conscience' sake? To me, however, it appears not unimportant, as contributing to the solemnity of the office, and conveying the impression of the sacred ordinance being more than a sign.

Another rubric which is very often neglected is that which enjoins, that "if any remain of that which was consecrated, it shall not be carried out of the church, but the priest, and such other of the communicants as he shall then call unto him, shall, immediately after the blessing, reverently eat and drink the same.' One object of this rubric unquestionably was to prevent the superstitious use of the reserved elements. Yet we cannot doubt that another reason of it was, that the bread and wine which had been consecrated and set apart for this holy use should not afterwards be turned to any common and ordinary use.

There is another practice, which is partly connected with this subject, which almost universally obtains amongst us. I mean the alteration of the form of administration when the priest himself receives the holy mysteries. It is usual for him to say, “The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for me, preserve my body. I take," and so forth. This is a change altogether unauthorized, and rather tends to remove the impression of Christ's real presence, who does himself, as it were, through his ministers, give to us his own body and blood. The proper method, as I conceive, is, either for the priest audibly to address himself in the same words which he uses to others, viz. the body . . . . . which was given for thee," &c.; or else, which I suspect was the intention of the compilers of the office, to receive himself in silence, realizing the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true minister of the sanctuary. However this may be, any one who carefully reads the rubric will perceive that it furnishes no authority for the practice which commonly obtains amongst us. I am, &c.t

D.

APPEAL FOR A NEW CHURCH IN THE CAPITAL OF

NEWFOUNDLAND.

DEFECTIONS from the church have taken place to a very large extent in the island of Newfoundland, and particularly in St. John's, the capital of the island, from the want of accommodation in the existing protestant places of worship for the protestant portion of the population. Above three thousand protestants are without means of accommodation in any protestant place of worship in that town, and are exposed to the arts of the Romish priesthood,

Wheatly on the Common-Prayer, chap. vi. sect. 10.

+ From a very pleasing and instructive volume on the Communion, by the Rev. W. Dodsworth.