"Should the Dean and Chapter find the person named, fit and orthodox, they agree to accept this man of the King's (i. e. of his minister's) choice. But if otherwise, what happens? Why, then, the King (i. e. his ministers) proceeds "to elect" without their consent; and the name of the individual whom they have refused “to nominate,” is again sent down to the Dean and Chapter for confirmation.*

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If, then, the Dean and Chapter choose to 'confirm' the man whom they declared to be unfit for 'nomination,' and so render themselves contemptible in the eyes of the Diocese and of the Church,' well. But should they choose, like honest men, to refuse him whose name the minister sends to them for confirmation, then lo! the Act of præmunire comes forth, and these conscientious Christian priests are carried away to prison, where they are kept, until they choose to agree to the justice of their sentence in confessing to the excellence of the party named as a Bishop, and his fitness for the office, whom they before declared to be unfit: in the meantime their goods and chattels are confiscated.

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Such, Reader, is the operation of a pramunire in this case.-May one venture to ask your common sense what it thinks of this for a conge d'elire?

"But there is another part in the ceremony of the appointment of the Bishop, which,though it has not much to do with the subject of Reduction of Prebendaries, must be explained in this place.

"The Archbishop and Bishop are to consecrate the man whom the King nominates, and whom the Clergy refuse:-him whom the King confirms; and on whose account the Clergy, because they would not confirm his nomination, are cast into prison; and suffered confiscation of goods.

"If the Archbishop and Bishops of the province be pleased to consecrate, well;-but, [should they refuse to desecrate their holy function, by prostituting them in consecrating some heretical priest, they also are cast into prison; and their goods and chattels are confiscated.

"Do you think, Reader, that this is right? Do you think that, in ordinary cases, this extraordinary power, introduced and resorted to, to meet a singular emergency, and at a time when the Church' was in a manner represented in the Houses of Parliament, is to continue to be exercised over the Church' and its spiritual representatives ad infinitum ? And especially now, when the Church' is not represented, either formally or virtually, by the present Houses of Parlia

ment?

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Formerly, not only the ministry, but also each member of the Houses, both of Lords and Commons, was necessarily a Churchman. Then, those bodies, in extraordinary emergencies, could lawfully interfere when they saw the Church,' of which they were members, (and, in some sort, representatives,) about to suffer from the treachery, either of papistical or puritanical partisans in priestly garb. But how stands the case now? The Corporation and Test Acts have been repealed; therefore, any body of any sect may be prime minister, and choose, without restriction, (saving in the case of the Lord Chancellor) his men for office. The Papal Bill of 1829 is now, unhappily, the law of the land; therefore a Papist may be prime minister, and choose, without restriction, (saving the Lord Chancellor) his men for office. Thus the appointment of the rulers of the Church' will be always established in the hands of any infidel or schismatical partisans of the enemies of the Church,' who may contrive, by means of threats, dishonest practices, or open violence, to possess themselves of the council chamber of the King, and be, by this cause, recognised as his Majesty's ministers. And hence, the power of appointment of such Bishops as may traitorously favour their designs, and the power of exercising the dreaded præmunire over the Church' in the persons of its now only representatives, the Bishops and Chapters, is handed over, without any control, to the keeping of this matted knot of the Church's' enemies."

And what is the Church's safeguard, our Church's ONLY safeguard, against this somewhat fearful state of things? The existence of the

* It is to be understood, that in the appointment of a Bishop, there are three principal acts, besides a variety of minor ones, not important to detail here: these three are, Nomination, Election, and Confirmation.

VOL. IV.-M

Prebendaries, and the exercise of their Veto in the appointment of Bishops to the vacant Sees.

Beside this check, we have at this moment absolutely none, to the appointment of heretical Bishops to the vacant Sees. How then shall the Church assent to the acts of the Commissioners, which recommend and proceed by force of Acts of Parliament, to strike out of the Roll of the Church, 360 Dignitaries? How shall it put its fiat upon that their recommendation, which provides for the removal of the only safeguard we have left to the spirituality of our Anglican Church? No, this may never be as long as Englishmen are Christians, and Christians are Englishmen.

But we are told that the VETO of the Prebendaries is obsolete. Is it? Who says so-who can prove it so? We know it to be the contrary; and living Bishops there are who know that it is not obsolete: and ample assurances have we that there are Chapters of the Clergy, in that they have affirmed their intention publicly, which mean to oppose the appointment of any Bishop-clect named by the Ministry, whose profession of faith is such, as not to justify their praying to the Holy Ghost, according to the form, to direct their choice to fall upon him.

Is this the reason that the Archbishop of Canterbury and his colleagues have given their voice for the immolation of 360 Prebends of the Church? Whatever has influenced this small conclave of Bishops thus to determine, let the fact that this is now the only safeguard left to the Church, against the invasion of the Episcopal chairs by heresy, invite Churchmen to defend that which their chiefs have sacrificed to the ignorant clamours of the day; and the more rigid the determination manifested by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to reduce these important bodies to nonentity, in the desire to curry favour with the enemy, at the expense of principle, and of the Church of our ancestors, and of our children; the more vigorous must be the counter demonstration on the part of the Laity, to maintain, in its integrity, the constitution of the Church, and to support with all their might and with all their prayers, and by every lawful use of human means, the twenty Bishops and the whole Clergy of the Church, against the unconstitutional and infatuated proceedings of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, viz. the Reduction of the Prebendaries of the Church of England.

:

We have quoted largely from a recent pamphlet under this title, from the faithful pen of that one of the many disinterested champions of the Church, whom the painful exigencies of the times have placed in honourable relief as foremost men amongst the defenders of our Holy Church; and fully agreeing with the opinion so powerfully and devotedly stated by the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, in his animadversions on the acts and powers of the Ecclesiastical Commission, that this is not a question which concerns Priests and Prebendaries so much as it does the Church generally: that it, in fact, and in truth, is a question which enters into every cottage in the land; for we are all rich and poor, high and low; we are with one another, equally interested in this question: we will conclude by still using Mr. Glover's words in the concluding section of his important pamphlet.

"IV. When, then, the Church' is called upon to give its voice in the adminis tration of its own affairs-are we unreasonable in expecting to be allowed the

prayer of this modest request and to express an opinion relating, to the Reduct ion of Prebendaries,' we do hope, most cordially, and pray, and praying, trust, that EVERY MEMBER of the Church will consider the grave and heavy duty which these valuable bodies are, by the CONSTITUTION of the Church,' and by recognition of the Head of the State, called upon to perform: and, if we have succeeded in proving, to the conviction of the reader, that the power of VETO in the appointment of Bishops should be vested somewhere and that that power is fitly placed in the hands of a numerous and independent body of well-qualified men and if it be a self-evident proposition, which it surely must be, that this body should be beyond the reach or imputation of corruption; and, therefore, so large as to render such an accusation vain, such an attempt hopeless, on the part of any designing or profligate ministry; then, we doubt not but that the reader will agree with us, that it is obvious, not only that the pramunire must be suspended (as some Archdeaconries have already petitioned the King, and I trust, most sincerely, that their example will be followed by the Church,' in every parish in the land); but also that the Prebendal Body, so far from being reduced to Chapters of four members only, and these members chiefly Archdeacons, and themselves next for promotion, should and must be, for the sake of the Church,' rendered as perfect and efficient as the nature of the office permits, and the character of 'the Church' demands in fact, that they must be, not diminished, but increased."

Fully and entirely according with this opinion-fully recognising in our own case the responsibility which Mr. Glover sets before us, and regretting our inability to transcribe those portions of his serviceable pamphlet, by which he proves all his points, while he shews us our duty at this time; we conclude with these his weighty words, and with a hearty recommendation of his straight-forward determination; and we would fain hope that what is here said, will induce many of our readers to give the subject their prayerful and most abstracted attention; and that it may be given them to weigh and lay to heart the present position of their Church. And as we know no better guide ourselves, so would we request of them to study this painful subject, by the aid of that light which Mr. Glover's useful publication affords to all who apply themselves to its consideration: and that should be all-for it concerns all. It is indeed a question of vast concernment. It should be thoroughly looked to by every member of the community. By the Priests it should be apprehended, and they, as Dr. Wordsworth most justly says, should undertake to exhibit it to their people: of which the consequence would be, petitions from every parish in defence of the Stalls, a general protest against any further weakening of the constitutional defences of our Church, and more than this, a demand for an increase of the numbers of these valuable and most important offices of "the Church."

"It is evident, then, that when 'the Church' is asked to assent to the proposi tion for reducing three hundred and sixty Prebends, which are already by anticipation sacrificed to Cerberus, it ought to be prepared to affirm, that the demand proceeds only from an erroneous view of the case; that a correct view of the present position of the Church' exhibits a necessity for a great increase in the numbers of these valuable bodies; and, that no system of Church emendation will be acceptable to her members, which does not amply provide for this material and most requisite augmentation.

"I caution you then to beware. I implore you here to make your stand. I call upon you to protest against the right of any, yea of all the Bishops collectively, for peace and quiet's sake, to barter away the Constitution of the Church.' I deny their power as much as I disdain and will oppose the interference of the Lords and Commons, now no longer the Church,' to make laws and provisions to bind us to spiritual subjection. It is here, if anywhere, that the stand must be made; upon this very point of the Reduction of Prebendaries. A Pre

bend is a Church office, established by Churchmen, and maintained for Church purposes. And who shall attempt to make the Church' the subject of revolution without the Church's' consent? If the Bishops proceed to act upon this suggestion, without, in some way convening 'the Church,' most respectfully, yet decidedly, do I inform their Lordships, that they exceed their powers; and their acts, though consented to by Lords and Commons, (I follow the analogy of our political constitution) will not be binding as law upon the Church.' No, the Church' must be assembled; 'the Church's' voice must be taken, before this revolutionary stride be stalked over her: and, upon this point, Churchmen must clamour, according to the practice of the day, in demand of the recognition of her rights. say that, in some way or other, the Church' must be canvassed; otherwise, the new laws, 1 care not who makes them, will be merely waste paper, binding the bodies of citizens I admit, but touching not the spirits of Churchmen."

The Reading Desk.

DAILY PRAYERS.

IN providing in her Ritual an order for daily morning and evening prayer, the Church has not only made ample provision for the spiritual wants of her members, but has intimated very clearly her own views as to the returns of public worship. In the cathedral, and some other churches of England, this benevolent design is fully carried into effect, to the refreshment and comfort, as the last day doubtless will disclose, of many a pious soul. It is devoutly to be wished that in our cities and larger towns there were some one or more churches daily opened for the prayers of the faithful, and if the hour of prayer were early, before the distracting calls of business have begun to arrest the public ear, it is believed that many more would gladly avail themselves of such a privilege. The belief is encouraged by the large and increasing attention on the services which, during Lent, have been held twice in every week, at an hour not generally convenient. A further experiment of the disposition to enter the gates of the Lord's house with thanksgiving and his courts with praise-to seek him in the place where his honour dwelleth, and to think of his goodness in the midst of his temple,-may now be made in the daily services, which, commencing with the next (or Passion) week will continue, (Sundays, Easter Monday and Tuesday, and St. Mark's day being included,) eleven successive days. We earnestly hope that the opportunity thus afforded will be embraced by all who have it in their power, and earnestly pray that it may be found a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The events which the Church then commemorates, the humiliation, passion, death and resurrection of her Saviour, are the most serious, most affecting, most instructive that the mind of man can be called to contemplate. No one can listen attentively and candidly to their relation, as set forth day by day in the narratives of the Evangelists, and not depart a sadder, a wiser, and by God's grace, a better man. We affectionately commend, as the appropriate occupation of at least onc hour a day in this solemn season, a devout participation in the sober, sublime, and spiritual services of the Church. Who would refuse an hour's interview to the solicitation of a friend? Who does not find, even in the busiest day, an hour for social relaxation? Who will begrudge to his worship, and to the commemoration of his friendship who, as at this time

was contented to be betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross," a daily hour?-To such a service we are invited by the holiest example and the highest encouragement. It was so in the first and purest days of Christianity, when they that gladly received his word had been baptized, and remained steadfast in the doctrine and ministry, the communion and worship of the apostles, they continued "daily with one accord in the temple"-and then it was that "the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved."

The Pulpit.

BETHEL, OR THE CHURCH OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

BY THE REV. H. T. DAY, B. D., VICAR OF MENDLESHAM.

"And he called the name of that place Bethel." (Genesis xxviii. 19. Summer and Winter, Spring and Autumn, refreshing showers and fruitful seasons, publish to every realm, and unfold to every eye the paternal providence of heaven. It is written in the skies, it whispers in the gale, and every flower and tree, from the cedar to the lily, and all things in which is the breath of life, the tame and the wild, the bird and the insect; all, all remind us of the mercy, all hymn the praise of Him who formed and bade them exist. But clearly and intelligibly as beneficence is stamped on nature's forehead, in characters more plain, in language more imperishable, the Scriptures record the love of God for the undying soul. To this, from the first dawn of that morning in which the great Creator said, "Let there be light, and there was light," until now, the Spirit and the word lift up their majestic testimony. And from the birth of time to the day of doom, the sabbath multiplies the proof. In the former world, the everlasting foundation of that Church, which is destined to withstand the assaults of evil, persecution, and hatred, till it embraces the earth and fills heaven, was laid. Preserved when the guilty found a grave, it floated secure above the waters, and consecrated the flood-cleansed earth. The patriarchs reposed beneath its shadow, and it solaced the bitterness of their seed's long bondage. It gladdens the wilderness and the desert, and "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." It was the glory of the land of promise. And when the prophet, styled "beloved of the Lord," had finished the edifice which his pious father had designed, and "stood before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands, and prayed, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering, and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house," the temple became the holy place, the audience chamber where God met his servants. It was the depository of his oracles, our title deeds to glory. The festival and fast-the daily sacrifice-and the double offering each seventh-day, proclaimed to a nation distinguished from all others, that the Lord was their God, and his Sabbath a sign revered and kept. Fallen is the templeceased the sacrifices-scattered the tribes-and the Sabbath, where may they keep it holy? Rejecting him "whom the Father sanctified and