HL Deb 16 June 1865 vol 180 cc334-47
THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATH

rose To bring before the House the Information promised in Debate to The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London on Friday the 12th of May respecting Infractions of the authorized Worship of the Church of England, which were particularly mentioned as having been practised in the Church of St. Alban, Holborn, as well as in other Churches; and also the solemn Oath alleged to have been taken by the Rev. J. Going, Incumbent of St. Paul's, Lorrimer Square, and his Curates, in a Pastoral Address issued by him respecting Confession, and called the Seal of Confession. The noble Marquess proceeded to say that it was argued in some quarters that the Protestant religion was so deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of this coun- try that it was impossible to weaken it. He agreed that the Protestant religion was deeply rooted in the hearts of the English people; but, at the same time, he thought there was the utmost danger in those objectionable practices. When this matter was noticed in their Lordships' House on a former occasion the Bishop of London stated that the infractions complained of were not sustained by such evidence as he could act upon.; but, on this occasion, he was prepared to state in the hearing of the right rev. Prelate facts which there was evidence to prove. He had the evidence of some eight or nine respectable witnesses who were present at scenes which their Lordships would have some difficulty in believing could have been enacted in Protestant churches. He himself had attended the church of St. Matthias, at Stoke Newington, on Whit Sunday, and on his return home he made a note of what he had seen and heard there. The church was furnished in a very unusual manner. The part of the Morning Service which he was enabled to hear and the Psalms were intoned very unintelligibly to the Gregorian music. After the Morning Service there was a long pause, during which the bell tolled. A youth came forward with a lighted taper, made a low bow at one extremity of the table, and lit a candle, and then ceremoniously went round to the other end of the table, made an obeisance, and lit the other, candle. The table appeared to be covered with a crimson embroidered table-cloth, upon which stood a large black cross on a black ground, and several vases of flowers were on the table. The two clergymen who read the Lessons and the Morning Prayers had a red strap over their shoulders, with, apparently, a brass cross at the end. The two clergymen and a younger one and the choristers, who were very numerous, had now assembled at one side of the chancel, apparently for the purpose of making a procession down the centre of the church, which they proceeded to do, singing a hymn. In the centre of the procession was a man carrying a large brass cross elevated. The three clergymen had crimson-coloured garments, reaching very low down on their persons, ornamented with gold or gilt lace. This procession differed in nothing that he could perceive from the ceremonial processions usually met with in the streets of Roman Catholic towns on the exhibition of the Host. The three principal performers now separated from the rest and went towards the communion table, and there remained with their backs to the congregation, until a youth brought forward a plated or tin pot, from which he threw clouds of incense. The principal then turned round and pulled up some part of the machine, thereby obscuring the whole chancel from view by the clouds of smoke that arose from it; then, turning round to the table, he incensed every part of it, and everything upon it, as well as the book in the hands of the other individual, who read the Gospel after it had been incensed. They then went on intoning the Ten Commandments: and it was only by hearing occasionally a word in the responses that he knew what part of the service was being performed. Luring the whole of this time the little boy kept swinging about the incense-pot interminably. At the end of this, one of the clerical performers, having put off his red costume, went into the pulpit with the white surplice on, having the red strap over it. A part of his doctrine was that the red costume which his company wore represented the tongues of fire that appeared upon the Apostles, red being, according to him, the colour of fire; but, in his humble opinion, the vestment in question better accorded with the scarlet drapery of the woman in the Book of Revelations. Another eye-witness had given him the following statement of the same service:— Prayers were intoned, and so imperfectly pronounced, as to make it impossible to know whether the language used was English or Latin. Morning Prayers being ended, the church bell rang for about a quarter of an hour, the three priests and the choristers went away. Presently a youth appeared with a long lighted taper. He was dressed in a white gown tied in at the waist. He lit the two candles on the communion table, going well round the corners of the table to perform this ceremony. On the table was a tall cross and several vases of flowers, the church also was ornamented with wreaths, bouquets, and hoops of the everlasting yellow flower. One of the priests entered bearing a plate covered with a crimson cloth on his head and put it upon the table. The bell ceased ringing, and a hymn was sung. At its commencement there issued forth from the vestry door a procession, the chorister boys, two and two, some one bearing a very tall brass cross raised on high, and lastly the three priests, who were dressed in crimson, braided with gold. The procession moved slowly and with practised steps down the middle of the church, and back again up the chancel, where each chorister took his place, the three priests walked towards the communion table, and stood there with their backs to the assembled people. Two boys stood within the rails, one with the incense holder, which he heaved to and fro. The principal priest then turned round, took the incense, caused it to emit volumes of smoke, and, turning towards the table, he threw the incense smoke about in every direction. One of the priests then read the Epistle; after which another priest, taking an illuminated book off a desk, or stand, on the table, gave out the Gospel, then, turning towards the principal priest, he held the book wide open, while clouds of incense arose over it. After intoning and chanting (unintelligibly) the Communion Service, one of the priests went off, and, divesting himself of the outer crimson overall, ascended the pulpit and preached a sermon, telling us that those red dresses symbolized the tongues of fire that fell upon the Apostles, the colour of fire being red. The church bell rung for a quarter of an hour, and the three priests, with a number of choristers, proceeded to the communion table. One of the priests entered with a cloth, which he placed upon the table, and then the three priests, with some of the choristers, proceeded to the vestry, whence they returned dressed in crimson robes blazing with gold. Incense was profusely cast about, and, after some further ceremonies, one of the priests divested himself of his robe and entered the pulpit to preach the sermon. He had many communications upon the subject, but most of the writers, while they expressed their willingness to come forward if a properly constituted court for dealing with such matters should be formed, said they did not desire their names to be made public at present. He had also to refer to another church—St. Mary's—in the same parish of Stoke Newington. He had been informed by a respectable gentleman resident in that parish, and who had been for some time churchwarden, that being apprehensive that the rector was about to introduce a number of novelties into the service he appealed to him to abstain from doing so. A large sum of money being then necessary for the repairs of the church, the gentleman, upon the faith of the rector's promise that no innovations should be introduced, assisted in collecting the amount required. Immediately the money was raised, however, the rector changed his mind, and introduced the modern system. He believed that the right rev. Prelate had tried to bring about a better state of things, and had offered to arbitrate. An attempt was made to ascertain the feelings of the parishioners, and it appeared that the singing party numbered 800, while the reading party were 4,000. The noble Marquess then read an account of his visit to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, where similar ceremonies took place, and before commencing the sermon the priest made the Popish sign of the Cross on his forehead. The noble Marquess also read a description of the services at St. Alban's, Holborn, and Christ Church, Clapham, which were marked by the same characteristics, floral decorations, banners, frequent genuflections, and the like. The noble Marquess then proceeded to say that there were one or two other matters to which he desired to call the attention of the right rev. Prelate (the Bishop of London). As his Lordship was pleased to say that if any Tractarian Prayer Book were used in the churches—which his Lordship very much doubted—proceedings against the offending clergymen should be at once taken, he wished to call his attention to the book he held in his hand, which had been in use in St. Alban's Church, Holborn, where the book itself was purchased. The right rev. Prelate stated that a complaint had been formerly made, which, when investigated, proved to have reference only to the use of an ancient hymn which had been also used by the Church of Rome. But this book contained not only hymns, but prayers and litanies not found in the Book of Common prayer—hymns and prayers in several instances containing doctrines wholly at variance with those of the Church of England, and which were specially protested against by that Church. There could be little doubt that a very large proportion of the hymnals now in use in many of the churches of the country, including Hymns, Ancient and Modern, which he understood had a circulation of a million copies, and were said to be in use in several cathedrals and a large number of parish churches, contained doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church insiduously introduced into them—a circumstance which it was the duty of the Prelates to deal with at once. There were many errors of the Roman Catholic Church introduced into this book, while Roman missals, breviaries, and other works of devotion among Roman Catholics had been placed under contribution to supply poisonous food for the people's souls. It did not require much theological learning to see that Mariolatry, the Invocation of Saints and Angels, Tran-substantiation, the Real Presence, and Prayers for the Dead, had all a place in this book. The organs of the Tractarian party mentioned the churches where these services were used; and as the matter seemed to call for investigation he should present the papers to the Lord Bishop of London. The question was one which concerned millions of members of the Established Church, as well as all those who sympathized with her Protestant Articles and Formularies, and any attention given to the subject would not be misspent.

He had now to call attention to a statement he made on a former occasion relative to the public letter addressed to the parishioners of St. Paul's, Lorrimore-Square, Walworth, by the Rev. J. Going, incumbent, and his curates, the Rev. F. W. Helder and the Rev. W. G. Abbott, in which, after urging the parishioners to come to them for the purposes of confession, they say, "Remember that your clergy are bound by a most solemn oath never to betray your confidence." The right rev. Prelate (the Bishop of London) very properly denied that he ever administered such an oath, and also declared that the administration of such an oath would be a misdemeanor; but the question remained why such a document should be put into circulation, containing inducements to criminals to take clergymen into their confidence on the allegation that they had taken a solemn oath—clearly an illegal one—not to betray the confidence thus reposed in them? There were guilds, confraternities, and sisterhoods in which, he understood, that vows of questionable legality were taken. Mr. Lyne, who called himself "Father Ignatius," for instance, in a report of a lecture delivered by him at Manchester, and revised by himself, said— We have established a branch of our Third Order in Newcastle and its members are sworn to bring about a daily celebration of the Eucharist in the town, if possible. As a practical commentary on this system of administering and taking illegal oaths, they had read of the excommunication fulminated by Brother Ignatius against two members of his "Third Order," residing in Bristol, who, in that document, were charged with the crime of perjury—of having broken some oath of obedience to himself, and they had been in consequence cursed with the utmost possible vehemence by this mountebank. And now he would ask the right rev. Bench what they intended to do? It was at one time his intention to use his privilege as a Peer and represent these matters in an audience to Her Majesty; but he had rejected this course on reflecting that, in taking that step, he should be bound to use the privilege by craving leave to go into the Royal presence through the medium of the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whom it had been his painful duty to unmask in reference to the case of the unfortunate Mary Ryan. He felt bound to notice the illegal conduct of the right hon. Gentletleman the Secretary of State for the Home Department in refusing, on the most flimsy pretexts, to prosecute those who must be regarded by every reasonable man as having infringed the law. When he found that he must proceed through the agency of Sir George Grey, he was reminded of the exclamation of Cromwell, "The Lord deliver me from Sir Harry Vane!" and he exclaimed, "The Lord deliver me from Sir George Grey!" He would ask, whether it was the intention of the right rev. Bench to leave matters in their present condition, or whether it was proposed by them or by the Government to legislate upon this subject with a view to putting an end to these constantly recurring scandals. He could only hope that the appeal which he had made to the Members of the right rev. Bench would not have been made in vain.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON

said, he had to express his thanks to the noble Marques for bringing these facts under the attention of their Lordships. The matter was, of course, a very serious one; and he believed he was giving expression to the sentiments of his right rev. Brethren when he said that they regarded it in a very serious light. But he feared the facts brought forward by the noble Marquess were so intimately connected with fresh legislation, that it was doubtful whether he had touched upon any real remedy. In more than one instance he (the Bishop of London) had had occasion to consult the highest legal authorities upon the course to be pursued in these cases, and his conviction was that the impediments which at present existed rendered action in these matters extremely difficult. One great difficulty was the existence of a rubric which provided that the ornaments of the Church and its ministers shall be retained, and be in use as they were in the second year of the reign of King Edward VI. That rubric was, he hoped, capable of such an interpretation as he himself put upon it; but it was clear that its existence introduced great uncertainty into the law. He was perfectly ready for his own part, and he believed he might express a similar readiness on the part of his right rev. Brethren, to promise his support to any well-considered measure introducing an alteration which would tend to remove this difficulty. A point, too, in which the law required alteration, and an alteration which he should also be prepared to support, was another rubric which provided that whore doubt was entertained upon any subject of this kind reference should be made to the bishop of the diocese, and in case of his decision not being deemed satisfactory to the archbishop of the province, whose decision was to be final. At first sight this remedy appeared to be an extremely easy one; but in many oases in which he had endeavoured to apply this mode of settling the matter, he had been met with an objection which he believed to be insuperable. The rubric said, "If they have any doubt" but in these cases the clergyman invariably said that he entertained no doubt at all upon the subject, and therefore declined all reference to himself, the archbishop, or any one else. All that they could say, therefore, was that the law was in a very unsatisfactory state. It was said that these evils could not be put down until a new court was established to deal with them, but it was an alteration in the law, and not a new Court that was required. While deeply deploring such follies as those to which the noble Marquess had referred, he felt convinced that he should have the sympathy of his right rev. Brethren when he regretted, as on a former occasion, the difficulties which obstructed them in attempting to deal with these matters. Bishops were invested in ecclesiastical matters with a twofold authority. The first was the authority their advice always carried with it, and to which he was glad to say by far the majority of the clergy, not only in his own diocese but throughout the kingdom, were 'always ready to accommodate themselves; but in case any persons were not willing to listen to the first kind of authority, the bishops could only fall back upon their legal authority, which was of course circumscribed by the written law, the uncertain nature of which rendered it difficult for the bishop to do more than protest against these evils, and use his personal influence to procure their abatement. There were, however, two other parties who might do much to discourage these things, the patrons and the parishioners. A good deal of power was lodged in the hands of the patrons. If they appointed improper persons they had themselves to thank. And the parishioners also could use much lawful and proper influence in the election of churchwardens, for in their choice of persons to fill this office they had once every year an opportunity afforded them of expressing the view in which they regarded these matters, and, if they thought fit, of assisting to put an end to them. In the churches to which the noble Marquess had alluded what had taken place might be supposed to be the will of the parishioners, as expressed by the election of the churchwardens. He trusted that in the district churches—for it was principally in those churches that these matters were complained of—the parishioners would bear in mind the solemn duty which devolved upon them in their choice of their churchwardens. Of course, the noble Marquess would not expect him to enter into all the subjects to which he had alluded, and especially he could not in that place say much as to revelations or concessions made by individuals to clergymen in whom they confided. The particular instance to which the noble Marquess had referred appeared to show nothing more than that the clergyman referred to was accustomed to listen to such matters as his parishioners chose to divulge to him. If the noble Marquess would refer to his (the Bishop of London's) primary charge he would find the subject to which he alluded treated at very considerable length. He believed also that the sentiments of others of his right rev. Brethren had been as publicly expressed on the same subject. He might without offence allude to his Grace the Archbishop of this Province, who in another diocese, now a long time ago, had occasion to inquire into a complaint relative to the practice of confessing to clergymen, and all that took place at that time at Leeds had been published, the sentiments of his most rev. Brother being as clearly expressed as his own sentiments in the charge to which he had alluded. It would be the greatest mistake to suppose that the bishops were not quite aware of the very great evils which the noble Marquess had pointed out, and he should be most anxious in any way that he could by the use of his legitimate influence to dissuade the clergy from the practices complained of. But he was bound in justice also to say that one distressing part of the case was this— that many of those who were making themselves conspicuous in this way were men of very deep piety, and were sacrificing their health to their most self-denying efforts in the poorest parts of his diocese.

LORD EBURY

said, he desired to make a few observations on the subject which had been brought forward by the noble Marquess, to whom in the outset he must offer his best thanks for the courage and perseverance he had displayed. He said courage, because whoever ventured to do what the noble Marquess had done was certain to be severely criticized and pointed at as an intolerant bigot. It could not, however, be any longer denied that the great increase in those practices to which the noble Marquess (the Marquess of Westmeath) referred was causing a deep feeling of disquietude among the Protestant portion of our fellow-countrymen, and that the public discussion of the subject could no longer be adjourned—with all his heart he wished it could—no matter could possibly be less inviting. It was apt unduly to excite the minds of men, and in treating of it, however much a man might desire, it was very difficult to avoid giving offence. What was it that they complained of? They saw a Church, whose confessors and martyrs suffered and bled to establish it in the utmost purity of doctrine and simplicity of ritual, gradually approaching in its doctrine and ritual to the Church of Rome. They had transubstantiation, in all but the name; auricular confession, penance, priestly absolution, prayers for the dead, ornamental vestments, emblematic banners, and processions, crucifixes, incense, candles lighted in broad daylight, with an exaggerated amount of music in the service. They were told, indeed, that these things were contrary to law, and that the law was sufficient to repress them; but the obvious rejoinder to this kind of reply was, that the law was the same as it had been for the last twenty-five years; and that so far from these practices having been put an end to, they had during that time gone on steadily increasing. The right rev. Prelate had himself acknowledged that the law was powerless. Scarcely a week passed without hearing of something new in these matters. The Bishop of Exeter—no mean judge in these matters—had recently refused to consecrate a church in Torquay because of its Romish ornamentation and the manifest tendency of the practices of the clergy of the church to lead men over to Home. Only a fortnight ago the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Derby), in presenting a petition, told them that the church of a very populous parish—St. Martin's, in Liverpool—had a very small congregation because of the eccentricities practised by its incumbent. What those practises were they were informed by another noble Earl later in the debate—the use of incense and auricular confession. The right rev. Prelate (the Bishop of London) told them that the right rev. Bench would not shrink from the prosecution of such cases; but he added that the law was not clear, that it was difficult to obtain information, and that he did not move unless he was sure the law was on his side. In truth, from some reason or other, the law was of but little use in stemming the evil. The case was put by one of the newspapers known for its High Church leanings (The Morning Post) with so much truth and fairness that he could not help quoting two sentences from it— There can be no doubt that the use of incense in Divine service, the interpolation of unauthorized prayers, and certain processions are wholly without excuse; they are additions to the prescribed ritual, and are a moral, though perhaps not a technical, violation of the Act of Uniformity and the oath of canonical obedience. The difficulty is, how to bring the case of delinquency home to any offending clergyman. People often feel scandalized who shrink from being mixed up with a prosecution. The evil, therefore, went on unchecked, until the Protestant world were startled by some such scandal as that of Mr. Wagner and Miss Constance Kent, which revealed to them how their Church was being undermined and destroyed. He might, perhaps, be asked, if things were in such a state, what was the remedy he had to propose? He confessed that in a House where Her Majesty's Government was so largely and ably represented, and where almost the entire Bench of Bishops had seats, it was hardly fair to put upon a private Member the responsibility of finding a remedy for the dilemma in which the Church now found herself. However, in this instance he stood perfectly clear. Five years ago he made a Motion urging their Lordships to address Her Majesty for a Royal Commission to revise the rubrics, formularies, and canons of the Church; and upon that occasion he met with an opposition so overwhelming as almost to cast an air of ridicule upon his Motion, and he was compelled to allow it to be negatived without a division. The canons, rubrics, and formularies of the Church remained unrevised; in many respects absurd, obsolete, and contradictory regulations perplexed the administration of the law, and he appealed to the right rev. Bench to confirm what he was about to say—that the language of some of the rubrics and occasional services went far to palliate, if they did not absolutely justify, some of those practices which were so bitterly complained of. But he addressed himself to those distinguished persons who occupied the right rev. Bench, and he ventured to suggest to them one means of combating this evil, which would not need the putting the law into operation, or the expenditure of a single shilling. Partly from their high offices, partly from their own characters, partly from the patronage which they had at their command, they had, or they might have, a paramount influence in their respective dioceses. Now, if they would cause it to be understood that they entirely set their faces against these practices and those who dabbled in them—if they would check them wherever they saw them springing up, and make it unmistakable that they gave neither support nor countenance to them—though it might not put an end to them altogether, it would, at all events, go far towards it; and it would tend very much to restore confidence to the public. But could they say with truth that such had been the conduct of the right rev. Bench? Let their Lordships look at the recent charges. Did they see any attempt made to grapple with that evil? Why, they had been startled by one of the latest of those charges, which seemed to point to the desirableness of making advances to the Church of Borne. These expressions had since been explained; but he must say, considering the circumstances in which the Church now found itself, a more dangerous utterance could hardly be imagined; and he was afraid, therefore, that they must say that while, generally speaking, the Bench was indifferent, there were some right rev. Prelates who gave a tacit, and some an open, countenance to many of the practices—thus bringing the Church into troubles and dangers, both religious and political, of which it was impossible to foresee the issue. That subject was very far from being exhausted, but it was not his intention to trouble their Lordships further than with a few words upon one point—he meant the exaggerated amount of music in the services inflicted by relentless clergymen upon reluctant congregations in rural districts and parish churches. The choral service was undoubtedly legal in cathedrals; it was doubtful whether it was so in ordinary parish churches and chapels. Many people were very fond of it, and it was a great pity that any one should be deprived of what he liked. Unfortunately, however, it was found that it was almost invariably the thin end of the wedge—the premonitory symptom of the coming of those objectionable Romish practices of which it was complained; and he protested as strongly as he could against the youth of this country being educated in a school which had a tendency towards that Church, of the members of which he desired to speak with perfect respect, but against which our own Church was intended to be a standing protest. The right rev. Prelate had told them that many of the persons who introduced these practices were very pious and self-denying men. He believed it, and he respected them for it; but he asked whether Roman Catholic priests did not display equal self-denial, and whether they did not refuse to marry in order that they might devote their lives to the relief of suffering and distress? Therefore, that argument was entirely beside the question. The right rev. Prelate had also spoken of the power of the churchwardens; but the churchwardens had in many instances done their best without being able to get rid of the evil. The public were, then, in this matter in an evil case. They saw how little the law had done for them, and his noble Friend the noble Earl below him (Earl Granville) had informed them the other night that while he was by no means prepared to deny, and was certainly prepared to regret, the existence of those things which the noble Marquess opposite had set forth, yet that the Government had no remedy to propose. Well he knew, and had always been forward to admit, that these things could not be remedied all at once, in a moment; but he earnestly trusted that their Lordships did not intend to sit with folded hands, rejecting all proposals for a remedy, until this matter became the property of a popular agitation, and passed out of the domain of calm and deliberate settlement.

LORD HOUGHTON

said, he could by no means agree with the noble Lord who had just sat down as to the desirability of discussing—

LORD REDESDALE

rose to order. They were carrying on a discussion without there being any Question regularly before the House.

LORD HOUGHTON

said, he hoped he would be permitted at least to make one remark, and that was that he sincerely trusted the Members of the right rev. Bench would not allow themselves to be induced, in consequence of the speech of the noble Lord below him, to adopt any tyrannical action towards any portion of the Church. It was much to be regretted that the noble Lord had come forward in that House to speak in harsh terms of highly honourable and pious men, whose lives were devoted to the cause of charity and benevolence, simply because they differed from him in certain of their religious opinions. ["Question!"]

THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY,

who was also met with cries of "Question," said, he had intended to offer a few observations on the subject brought forward by the noble Marquess; but he could assure their Lordships that, however strong might be his own feelings on the subject which had just been brought under their notice, yet if the continuance of the discussion was at all irregular he would not then say a single word upon it.

THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATH

wished to say only a few words in reply; but there being a general cry of "Order" the noble Marquess sat down.