CHURCH REFORM MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1216, 3 September 1869, Page 4

CHURCH REFORM MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND.

From a recent copy of the {Piffles we make the following extract: —

A public meeting was held at Willis's Rooms, for the purpose of organising a movement for a reform of the Church of England, Lord Ebury presided, and was supported by Mr. C. Buxton, M.P., Mr. Allen, M.P., Mr. Briscoe, M.P., Mr. T. Chambers, Q.C., M.P., and others. _ Lord Ebury, in opening the proceedings, said that I one of the great objects of a movement which they were about to commence that day, in connection with a " Church Eeform Society" it was proposed to establish, would be a modification of the Acts of Uniformity, another the reform of the Ecclesiastical Courts, another the reform of abuses connected with patronage, and another the amendment of the Prayer-book. He felt quite sure that unless they could obtain a revision of the Prayer-book all attempts to improve public worship would be vain. The Bey. Carr J. Grlyn, M.A., the rector of Witchampton, moved the first resolution, which stated that the objects of the society would be as follows:—" 1. The amendment of the Book of Common Prayer, under proper authority, by omissions and alterations, especially in the rubrics and occasional services. 2. The reform of the Ecclesiastical Courts, so as to procure a less expensive and more expeditious mode of remedying abuses. The lay element to be maintained in the constitution of such courts. 3. The reform of abuses connected with patronage, due regard being had to vested interests. 4. The modification of the Acts of Uniformity and the complete revision of the Book of Canons, together with the correction of such evils as hinder the extension, and mar the usefulness, of the Church of England." He said he had been engaged for seventeen years in attempting to remove some of those grievances which were pulling down the Church of England. The Church was dropping ashore, and if they were not careful they would find that the anchor was not sufficiently strong to hold the ship. There were several passages in the Prayer-book, especially in the occasional services, which it was desirable should be struck out. For example—l. The clause in the Ordination Service,—" Whose sins thcu dost forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins thou dost retain, they, are retained." 2. The passage in the Visitation of the Sick,—" And by His (Christ's) authority committed to me, I absolve thee," &c. 3. In the Baptismal Service, —" Seeing now that this child is regenerate," &c. 4. The Catechism,—"Wherein (baptism) I mas made a member of Christ, the child of Grod, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven," &c. Also, the parallel passage in the Order for Confirmation. 5. The damnatory clauses in the Athanasian Creed, the bitterness of the Commination Service, and the unscriptural application of certain passages in the Communion Service, such as " we eat and drink our own damnation," and "lest after taking that Holy Sacrameut the Devil enter into you as he entered into Judas." He did not believe fehey would accomplish any good result until they got these matters thoroughly ventilated in the House of Commons as a national question. Mr. T. Chambers, Q.C., M.P., in seconding the resolution, contended that the Church of England had no charter, except in so far as it was the bulwark of Protestanism, and when it lost sight of that fact it would have no claim upon the nation. The heads of the Church, to whom they might naturally have looked for aid in difficulty, were exactly the persons who regarded the innovations which had been introduced during the last few years encouragingly, or ah all events with a tacit consent, and now it was impossible to get the Bishops to admit that state of things which to everybody else was plain and palpable. Mr. C. Buxton, M.P., in supporting the resolution, said that what was wanted was that the Established Church of England should be provided with a real Parliament of its own. The resolution having been adopted, the meeting was adressed by the Hon. and Eev. E. V. Bligh, Mr E. Dryland, Mr. Broomfield, and others, all of whom spoke in strong terni3 of disapproval of the Act of Uniformity, and of the existing canons of the Church. Lord Ebury was elected president of the new society, and among the vice-presidents nominated Baron Pigott, Mr. Allen, M.P., Mr. Buxton, M.P., and several other gentlemen. A vote of thanks to Lord Ebury for his presidency closed the proceedings.