MORE TROUBLE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 9, 11 January 1929, Page 6

MORE TROUBLE

THE LONDON CLERGY, ' RESERVATION OF ELEMENTS (From "The Post's" Representative.) ... LONDON, 13th November. Further controversy appears to have been' aroused by a letter which the Bishop of London (Dr. Ingram) has sent to 160 incumbents in his diocese permitting them; in specified circumstances, to continue reservation of the Sacrament. The letter; was as follows:—' ■ ■'.-:■■- , "Dear Brother.—Now that the Synod ia over you will be expecting my explicit directions about certain matters. The most urgent of these is the method of reserving the Consecrated Elements and of their treatment when reserved. My directions are as follow:—They are sent to you as one of those who have for some time received my'permission to reserve the/Blessed Sacrament continuously. ' "First, let me say that all existing permissions to reserve the Sacrament will hold ggod until further notice. If I think fit, however, to grant any further, permissions, they would be only provisional. "Secondly, reservation is for Communion of the sick only. If any special circumstance places any individual in the painful position in which the sick find themselves, the case must be formally referred to me; "Thirdly, the Consecrated Elements musfc , be reserved in the future in an aumbry ia the north or south wall of the sanctuary of your church or of any chapel, or in some other place approved by me, provided-that it shall not be immediately behind or above the altar. No order is, at present; given for the removal of any other safe where the Consecrated Elements are at; present reserved, i . , , ■

"Fourthly, the Consecreated Elements must be reserved in both kinds; instinction being.allowed. : ■ "Fifthly, on and after Advent Sunday; services directly connected with the reserved Sacrament, such as Benediction,Exposition, and the service known. as 'Devotions' must: not be held. The: distinction between a service directly connected with the Sacrament and one not so connected I outlined carefully in my; charge at the Synod. ■ ■ • "I shall be glad to know as soon as possible that„you undertake to obey thesa directions, and I feel certain that I can rely_ upon thit loyalty to which. I naval testified in public for so many years." The attitude of the Anglo-Catholics, is perhaps reflected by a: statement -made by; the Rev. Maurice Child; \ He says:— "The details in the letter are of com-' paratively little . importance at the-mo*: merit, because they are based upon;.ai claim to grant or withhold permission tqi reserve the Sacrament in a parish church. This claim the Anglo-Catholics have always repudiated, and, so far as I know, it has never been made by any Bishop . ia; Christendom other than the Bishop; 'of Rome." ■■■•■■■'.■ ' ■'■ ■■'

The question is asked: "Will the incumi bent obey the Bishop?" ' .■'"■,'