§ LORD EBURY, in rising, according to notice,
To inquire what steps have been taken in order to remove the Grievance which exists in the present indiscriminate Use of the Burial Service, and to obtain a Revision of the Lectionary of the Established Church; also, if any measures are in contemplation to remedy certain Practices in the Performance of Divine Service of which Complaint is made,said, their Lordships would probably remember that two years ago he proposed a Motion for an Address for a Royal Commission in order to consider the best method of obviating evils arising from the almost indiscriminate use of the Burial Service by law established. On that occasion the gravity of the case was admitted by all who took part in the debate which ensued, and specially by the most rev. the Primate, and three or four other right rev. Prelates who spoke on the subject. He did not, however, press the Motion, because he was glad to leave the matter in the hands of the most rev. Primate, who undertook to consult the clergy and see whether he could not bring forward some measure to remedy the evil. Last year he inquired whether it was his Grace's intention to propose anything to remove the grievance? and his Grace's reply was that he had taken means of consulting the clergy, and finding that an overwhelming majority of them objected to any change whatever, he had nothing to propose. Upon this he (Lord Ebury) gave notice of his intention again to bring the Service before the House, and was about to do so when he received an intimation that the most rev. Prelate thought he saw a way of dealing with the question without altering the Service. He was sure his most rev. Friend would bear him witness that he never concurred in his opinion that this proposed mode of dealing with the subject was practicable; but, so anxious was he to leave the matter in his hands that he at once withdrew his Motion. They were now approaching the termination, not 708 only of another Session, but of a Parliament; nothing, that he was aware of, had been done in this direction, and he was sure he would not think it impertinent if he asked his most rev. Friend the question in relation to the Burial Service of which he had given notice? He wished also to include in his question the Lectionary of the Church, the Table of Lessons, which his most rev. Friend also undertook to deal with; and after what passed in this House on Friday last with reference to the statements made by a noble Marquess opposite (the Marquess of Westmeath) which not only were not denied, but admitted and deplored, he wished to ask further whether his most rev. Friend was able to say if any measures were in contemplation having reference to these matters?
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, in reply to the three Questions put by his noble Friend, would state, that last year he had intimated his entire willingness, in concurrence with his right rev. Brethren, to acquiesce in the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the question of the revision of the Lectionary; but, at the commencement of this year the Government proposed to introduce a Bill for altering the terms of subscription, and the Home Secretary, with whom these matters generally rested, intimated that one subject of this kind was enough at a time, and at his desire the subject was postponed for another year. With regard to the Question touching the Ritual, he had to answer, that neither he nor his right rev. Brethren had yet in contemplation any measure which would put an end to the practices complained of. And with regard to the Burial Service, he had before intimated his entire disinclination to any alteration in the Service itself; but, if any mode of removing what he admitted to be a grievance, without touching the Service, could be suggested, he should he glad to consider it. He honestly confessed, however, that he did not yet see any mode of doing so.
§ THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYasked the most rev. Primate, whether he would be prepared to include among the subjects of inquiry by the Royal Commission, the appointment of which he had recommended, the propriety of altering the following rubric which appeared under the "Order for Morning and Evening Prayer?"—
And here it is to be noted that all such ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers 709 thereof, at all times of their ministration, shall be retained and be in use, as were in this Church of England, by the authority of Parliament, in the second year of the reign of Edward the Sixth.
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURYsaid, that he should not like to give a de-finite answer to this question without consulting his right rev. Brethren.