THE REV. MR FLETCHER AND OTHERS, 
 
 FRAMERS OP A 
 
 Scries of fxescrliitiaus on " lituiil" 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES BOVELL, M.D., 
 
 l^ay .Secretary to the Provincial Synod : and to the Synod of the 
 Diocese of Toronto. 
 
 When Solo7)ion had made an end of prai/iiig idl this prayer and 
 supplication unto the Lord, he arose from be/ore the Altar 
 OF THE LoRDj from kneeling on his knees, ijiith his hands 
 spread up to heaven.'^ — 1 Kings viii. 54. 
 
 TORONTO, e.W. : 
 
 T. HILI^ CAXTON TRESS, COR. KIN<J k NELSON ST. 
 
 1867. 
 
MM. 
 
 LETTERS, ^5 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 
 THE REV, MR. FLETCHER AND OTHERS, 
 
 FRAMERS OF A 
 
 ^tm d ^lesoluttons on '' |lhal/' 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES BOVELL, M.D., 
 
 Lay Secretary to the Provincial Synod ; and Lay Secretary to the 
 Synod of the Diocese of Toronto. 
 
 " When Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and 
 supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the Altar 
 OF THE Lord, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands 
 spread up to heaven." — 1 Kings v?ii. 54. 
 
 TORONTO, C.W. : 
 
 T. HILL, CAXTON PRESS, COR. KINO & NELSON ST. 
 
 1867. 
 
LETTERS, &c. 
 
 *' WHEN HE SEETH THE BLOOD UPON THE LINTEL, AND THE TWO 
 POSTS, THE LORD WILL PASS OVER THE DOOR, AND WILL NOT 
 SUPi'ER THE DESTROYER TO COME INTO YOUR HOUSES TO 
 
 s;iiTE you."— 1^)^. xii. 23. 
 
 Toronto, Canada West, 2nd May, 1867. 
 
 My Dear Mr. Fletcher, 
 
 I venture to address this second communication to you, 
 and through you, to the members of the Church here, as a fuller 
 expression of what seems to be the teaching of the Church, than it 
 would have been seemly to have given in a secular paper. 
 
 J. suppose we all will admit, that forms and ceremonies are insepa- 
 rable from a decent and orderly celebration of divine worship ; and 
 will further acknowledge that it is not wise to institute or use forms 
 and ceremonies whieh do not harmonize with the teachings of the 
 Church. Ritual may therefore be disorderly and indecent, when it 
 either detracts from or adds to, doctrine ; and the only safe course is, 
 to follow that one which keeps clear of two very disastrous extremes. 
 It is with special reference to the Ritual employed in the celebration 
 of the Eucharist-^<A« true Christian sacrifice— th&t the agitation now 
 moving us is directed. The question is a serious one : and unless we 
 discuss our divergences in a right spirit, nothing but trouble and 
 heart-burning will come of it. Believing, as I do most firmly, that 
 the doctrine of the Objective Presence held by so many is true 
 doctrine, it is not right that we should allow you, or any other member 
 of the Church, to confound it with Romish belief, nor to denounce 
 
those who hold this truth, as Romaniscra in the Church. Certainly 
 I know of no Anglican Divine who has anywhere expressed himself as 
 accepting the definition of the Real Presence as declared by the 
 Romish Church. The extremist ritualist — and there are some 
 surely — expressly states, that the doctrine of transuhitantiation is 
 untrue ; and certainly no true Anglican could hold doctrine which 
 implies the reiteration of a bloody sacrifice. It is clear, that our Lord 
 made the oblation of Himself at the Paschal Feast ; then He verily 
 ofiFered Himself as the Lamb, slain in the purposes of God, from the 
 foundation of the world. He had nothing further to do : there wae 
 tuuu a beginning of the end : " It is finished," He s?.id, w'^'^n mm 
 and Satan had killed the Victim. He previously had made provision 
 for a perpetuation — a continuation of the offering of Himself — not 
 the killing — when he instituted the Blessed Sacrament. He is now 
 in Heaven, where St. John saw Him as the Lamb slain ; He is there 
 now, at this moment, with his open wounds, the one continual Sacri- 
 fice which pleads for man ; and we shew to God, by the oblations of 
 bread and wine — held in our own hands — according to his holy insti- 
 tution — Jesus the slain Lamb, the only possible claim we have to 
 mercy and pardon. This, with the presentation of ourselves, is our 
 lively sacrifice. I hope, therefore, we may reasonably approach each 
 other, hoping to help each the other, in the way of truth. To set 
 forth so great an act of worship, we must express ourselves in form 
 and ceremony. I must remind you, that our Father from heaven. 
 Himself established a service, ritualistic and full of meaning. 
 St. John also describes to us a service, rich and wonderfully 
 symbolical, as the inheritance of the Church of the redeemed. Some 
 kind of meaning ritual we must have. We need not receive it from 
 Rome. Our proper course is, to wait with patience and loving 
 confidence the action of the Anglican Bishops ; and more especially 
 the action which no doubt will be consequent on the conference about 
 to be had in London : for although no act of parliament be passed, 
 the wishes and opinions of such a body will be respected. Such a 
 gathering is full of promise to our Zion, and we may now look for a 
 more precise and close definition of the Church's teaching. Mean- 
 time may we implore yourself, and those who think with you, to 
 pause ere you introduce new rules of conduct, or make the attempt to 
 define too rigidly exact ritual observances. Our people at home, in 
 
Convocation, where the strife is hottest, refrain from taking any new 
 steps, leaving the introduction of measures to the Bishops. Above all 
 things remember, that difiFerences of opinion do exist, and that we 
 must deal charitably with one another ; nay further, we must 
 recollect those who are without, and whom we wish to sec with us ; 
 and I believe most sincerely, that a candid discussion, conducted with 
 charity, will tend to show, that doctrines apparently divergent may be 
 reconciled and brought into close agreement. Solely with this object 
 4ew, I ask your attention to the remarks which are hereinafter 
 ddressed to you. 
 I doubt very much whether any Anglican Divine has used freer 
 expressions with reference to the Holy Sacrament than some of those 
 to be found in Non-Conformist writings. Take the expressions of a 
 single writer : Dr. Fletcher, in his well-known and magnificently 
 illustrated edition of the Holy Scriptures, has the following comments 
 on each of the accounts of the Holy Eucharist, found in the Gospels, 
 1st. In that in S. Matthew, he says : — "Do we value the Sacrifice 
 wliich as our Passover he presented for us ?" In Mark it is : — " Have 
 we faith to discern the spiritual meaning and intent of the elements in 
 the Sacrament of the Supper ? Do we see the hody, the blood, the 
 atonemcfity and the death of Christ, held up to our view?" In S. 
 Luke : — " Can we discern the spiritual meaning and end of the 
 Sacramental elements ? if so, in receiving the elements literally, we 
 receive Christ spiritually, really, savingly." In S. John : — " Jesus is 
 alway present at His Gospel Feasts ; let us seek Jesus at his feasts, 
 then shall we find Him, and say, * There is nOne like Christ.' " 
 
 We dare not curtail the force of any truth delivered by our Lord and 
 Saviour ; and therefore we must reject, as a curtailment, the defective 
 belief, which looks on the most blessed Sacrament of our Lord's Body 
 and Blood, as a mere memorial of His death, instead of a perpetual 
 memory of the Sacrifice of His death. After our Lord had used the 
 very strong language which he did to his apostles, he adds : '' The 
 words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life ;" 
 i. e., says Mr. Home, " they are from the Spirit of God, and if 
 received with true faith will lead to eternal life." We see no escape 
 from difficulty if we travel a hair's breadth from scripture. We are 
 taught, that there is but one Sacrifice ; it is still, at this very time, 
 being ofiered ; and it is this one perpetual offering, this inconsumable 
 
sacrifice, ever being offered for the salvation of men, which keeps this 
 earth from being "rolled up as a scroll," till God's elect shall be 
 
 . sealed, and their number accomplished : then shall the Son Himself be 
 subject unto the Father. We certainly must make or represent the 
 selt-same oblation that Christ made on earth, and offer to God the one 
 sacrifice which lies before him locally in heaven, supra-locally here on 
 earth ; for where two or three are gathered together, there is He 
 in the midst. Through representation, done according to Christ's 
 
 , commands, the Lamb which was slain and is alive again, is offered 
 without spot to God, by Himself, the High Priest, when faithfully 
 
 »«r>r>».rtor>r> f n/l in Tv>omr>riol r\\T ne r»T> poi»+n 
 
 Of His own divine will, he comes to us, and in the blessed 
 Sacramental Communion makes himself known to his faithful and 
 sin-forgiven disciples, in the breaking of bread. Now pause and 
 think ! May we not adore Him in His house where he is pleased to 
 set His name, can the children of the bride-chamber fast, can they 
 mourn ever, whilst the Bridegroom is with them ? No ! He is with 
 them, and feeds them with his own most blessed Self; for out of His 
 Presence there flows the fount of living water. Here is the Bread of 
 Heaven come down for man's salvation — here is our great and 
 holy Eucharistic celebration. What a comfort to the soul that 
 through this most blessed Sacrament, there is made known a living 
 merciful, personal Mediator, who desires that we should memorialise 
 a Covenant God, and present our claim to forgiveness through the 
 blood of the Covenant. A Mediator, who for sinners can say 
 ^* Father, forgive them ;" and who for the righteous will say, " These 
 are they who have washed their robes, and made them white in My 
 Blood." Again it is asked, may we not express our joy for this, 
 aod in becoming ceremonial, exhibit our joy ? Under the former dis^ 
 pensation, God's real presence was not taken in a figurative sense ; 
 the people believed Him ; and when they saw the signs of His 
 presence they worshipped Him. So when Aaron was ordered to 
 sacrifice upon the altar two lambs of the year continually, one in the 
 morning and the other in the evening, this was to be a continual 
 burnt offering, at the door of the tabernacle before the Lord ; where, 
 said the Lord, I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. " And there 
 \yill I meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be 
 sanctified by my glory, and I will sanctify the tabernacle of the cou- 
 
gr^ation and the altar ; I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons 
 to minister to me in the priests' office. And I will dwell among the 
 children of Israel, and will be their God." Thus was the Almighty 
 pleased to make His presence known In the celebration of these 
 representative sacrifices, a priest ministered ; and so mtist it be when 
 the Gospel clouds appear in His Church now. Isaiah we find declaring 
 of the Gentile Church, " I will also take them for Priests and for 
 Levitcs ;" and by Jeretniah, " Thus saith the Lord, David shall 
 never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel ; 
 neither shall the priests, the Levites, want a man before me to offer 
 burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice 
 continually. 
 
 It was the sacrifice of the Passover to the Lord, which all along 
 had most fitly typified man's deliverance from "the curse and bondage 
 of sin, through the sacrifice of Christ. When it was to be accom- 
 plished or fulfilled, by the very deatn and passion of the Lamb of 
 God: He who was both Priest and Victim, took the oblations of 
 Bread and Wine, proper to the Paschal Feast, and with these in His 
 hands, offered Himself to God realli/, trult/, in the place of the 
 typical lamb hitherto ofiered; saying to His Apostles, that from 
 thenceforth they were continually to shew forth His death, and that 
 the bread which was blessed and broken, was the communion of His 
 Body ; and that the wine which was poured out, was the communion 
 of His blood. " Take eat, this is my body." " Drink ye all of this, 
 for this is my blood," &c. Now, if we reflect a moment, and think 
 who our Lord was ; we must admit that. His body, pure, sinless, holy, 
 had a power which sinful and ruined human nature did not and does 
 not possess. The hem of His very garment gave forth virtue ; the 
 spittle from His mouth had healing in it ; His presence raised the 
 dead ; His word cured the afSicted soul, and all matter obeyed His 
 will. He raised Lazarus by His immediate presence j He cured the 
 C^turion's child^ when a great way off. Certainly, without faith the 
 multitude may press upon Him; and we may still ask, " Asketh 
 Thou who touched Thee;" for He will only know the faithful who 
 touch Him, and they only can be healed. So a thousand may see 
 bread broken, and wine poured out, but the faithful only will know. 
 Him. If His Word be truth, then we must believe S. Paul's declara- 
 tion to be very true, when he says, that the Holy Communion is a^ 
 
8 
 
 communion of the body and blood of Christ. As our Lord has been 
 pleased to ascend to the right hand of the Father, there to be the 
 Lamb slain, with the wounds " with which he was wounded in the 
 house of His friends," we must understand that He is yet in offering, 
 still offering Himself; and that there can be no more sacrifice for sin, 
 for we may now enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, having 
 (yes, having still, even now) an High Priest over the House of God. 
 As then from Himself, in that upper room, His human nature flowed 
 out in loving tenderness, to cleanse and purify and strengthen and 
 refresh Holy Apostles, even so in every celebration which has ever 
 been made since, His own dear words testify, that a like out-pouring 
 of His Humanity has come unto all those who with hearty repentance 
 and true faith turn unto Him. They have verily and indeed taken 
 and received the body and blood of Christ. In the words of a recent 
 writer : — 
 
 " I believe that the Holy Eucharist was primarily instituted * for 
 the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ : 
 that when our Lord said, ' Do this in remembrance of Me,' He used 
 the word ' do ' in the same sacrificial sense which it ordinarily bears 
 in the Greek of the Old Testament — offer this sacrifice for a memorial 
 of Me : that this is the ' remembrance ' meant in the Catechism, and 
 in the service for the Holy Communion, by the expressions, ' perpetual 
 memory,' 'sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving' i.e., Eucharistic 
 sacrifice ; and sacrifice which is ' our bounden duty and service.' I 
 believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, ' abiding a priest for ever ' in 
 Heaven, offers there continually His sacrifice of Himself — both priest 
 and victim in His own person — the ' one full, perfect, and suflQcient 
 sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world,' 
 * once offered ' in blood upon the cross, now perpetually presented as 
 our propitiation in heaven. He does now, as in heaven so in earth, 
 (here as there, although under earthly veils. Himself both priest and 
 victim) offer in each Eucharist the same one all-sufficient sacrifice. I 
 believe that our Eucharists are true sacrifices, not as separate and 
 independent, not as repeated sacrifices, but because they are the 
 continual presentation and pleading with the Father here on earth, of 
 the same One Sacrifice, once finished upon the cross and now presented 
 and pleaded continually by Him in His Own Person in heaven — by 
 Him, too, in a mystery, on earth." 
 
The best commentary on our blessed Lord's words are his acts. 
 What did He ? He took an oblation, bread and wine in His hands, 
 and with these, He offered Himself to the Father. He then said to 
 His Apo& A, "this do (make) in rememberance of me." Every 
 Christian since has done the self-same thing in act. As our Lord 
 offered Himself to God, so He requires, that every redeemed child of 
 His should, as their Master did, offer Himself together with the ob- 
 lations of bread and wine to be a lively sacrifice. But what a 
 .difference ! Wc must offer this, our bounden duty and service, and 
 offer simply in obedience, well knowing that, that only can make our 
 sacrifice acceptable which was offered by Jesus Christ. As the Jew 
 was to take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the 
 upper door posts of the houses, that when He saw the blood He might 
 pass over ; so we representing to our merciful God, the holy sacrifice, 
 and being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, holding in our hands the 
 signs of His sprinkling, and in representation pleading with God, the 
 body and blood of His Son, which Jesus has Himself bestowed upon 
 us, God in His justice is satisfied, and pardons us. He passes over us, 
 and hides us from Satan, and from our sins. Another fact is here 
 striking : that whereas our sins nailed Christ to the cross — killed Him 
 — it is Christ who slays — not us — but our sins, by His own body on 
 the cross. The withholding from us the truth, that our blessed 
 Lord had enlarged and deepened the nature of sacrifice, has beea 
 most destructive to full faith in His atonement, and has obscured the 
 perception of our own duty. He never said there was to be no more 
 sacrifice, but no more sacrifice for sin. And truly, no more blood- 
 shedding, " for a body hast thou prepared." Christ, in the offering of 
 Himself, for ever perfected us. But throughout the whole scriptures, 
 the redeemed children of Adam are always and everywhere spoken of 
 as " His body," ** For now are ye the body of Christ, and members 
 in particular,'^ Wherefore, if we are to do that which our Xord 
 commanded, or in any sense carry out St. Paul's exhortation, then 
 although there be no more sacrifice for sin, yet there is a sacrifice for 
 sin in the offering of which we are participators; "I beseech you 
 therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your 
 bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your 
 
 reasonable service." '* For we being many, are one body in 
 
 Christ J and every one members one of another." When therefore the 
 
_--^.^ .^^^^^^^-^-- 
 
 10 
 
 body of Christ on earth, or any member in particular, makes a 
 remembrance of the sacrifice which He made, Christ is, as High 
 Priest, ministering for us, and perfecting us in His own nature. Now 
 granting that the Apostles may not have understood their Lord at the 
 first Eucharistic feast, surely after the second and third celebration 
 they must have been fully enlightened, and have comprehended His 
 meaning. " The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, 
 (and the second Eucharist at which Christ was visibly present) when 
 the doors were shut, when the disciples were assembled for fear of the 
 Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace 
 be unto you. And when he had so said he shewed unto them Hia 
 bands and his side." On the following Sunday, for the Third 
 Eucharist. " His disciples were within, and Thomas was with them : 
 then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and 
 said. Peace be unto you. Then said He to Thomas, reach hither thy 
 band, and thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless but believing 
 And Thomas answered, " My Lord, and my God !" Now we have our 
 Saviour's declaration, " Where two or three are gathered together, 
 there am I in the midst." It is true the natural eye, because of sin, 
 does not behold Him, any more than it can behold natural things at 
 midnight ; but lighten the darkness, and all things are clearly seen. So 
 if it pleased Jesus now, we could behold Him at the Feast ; but Faith 
 is the eye, by which He desires we should behold Him, and welcome 
 Him, " Our Lord and our God." Carnally, we see a man clothed in 
 white, breaking bread and pouring out wine, and blessing them. 
 These he gives to us. Faith is roused by familiar Words of Life, 
 and she takes and receives from Jesus that which he gave lo His 
 Apostles. " And I will come down and talk with thee there ; and 
 I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon 
 them."* This is the promise made to us now. As he gave to them, so 
 to us now. Even so let it be. 
 
 Our Lord's words would seem to receive furtLftr explanation, from 
 the injunctions for the celebration of some of the Jewish oflFerings. 
 Levit. xvii. 10, it is written: — "Whatsoerer man there be of the 
 house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that 
 eateth any manner of blood, I will even set my face against that soul 
 
 Numborg xi. 17. 
 
11 
 
 that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For 
 the life of the flesh is in the hhod ; and I have given it to you, upon 
 the altar to make an atonement for the soul. For it is the life of all 
 flesh : the blood of it is for the life thereof : therefore I said unto the 
 children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh ; for 
 the life of alljlesh is the blood thereof." And in Deuteronomy xii. 23, 
 " Be sure that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is the life : and 
 thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh." Our heavenly Father 
 here speaks specially of a sacramental eating. It is not surprising 
 that the Jews, influenced by the hard and narrow Pharasaical doc- 
 trines of their teachers, should have been offended at an apparently 
 flagrant violation of their law, when our Lord said, " this is my 
 blood." They could not see, that God had under the law set forth 
 before their eyes the shedding of blood as a cleansing from sin, which 
 blood was given to them upon the altar, to make an atonement — an 
 atonement vaHd only for the immediate offerer. Such blood may 
 signal to them the forgiveness of sins, but it could not make them 
 perfect : they must not eat it, for no brute life could even in sacrifice 
 heal them. The blood of an inferior life could not impart anything 
 to a superior life. But when the true Lamb came and offered Him- 
 self as the Atonement for the sins of the whole world, then was 
 unveiled the mystery of the Jewish sacrifice of atonement, and the 
 reason made clear why the blood of bulls and of goats could not take 
 away sin ; and therefore could not be eaten. T heir life, i. e., their 
 nature, could in no way influence superior human life ; and tjod only 
 permitted it, to represent the necessity of bloodshed for sin, for 
 without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin ; and in a 
 sense, remission of sin to the Jew, was less perfect than under the new 
 dispensation — for the atonement then was operative to the Jew who 
 offered in his person, • not yet for the world ; for we need now no 
 further shedding of blood. It surely then should teach ns, that what 
 our Lord really meant was — that as hitherto the Jew had only seen 
 on the altar typical blood, which could impart to him no life-giving 
 property, and would only assure him of forgiveness of sin, — so now, 
 when the true blood of atonement was shed, and the River of Life 
 opened from the side of Christ, they w-ere to come, every one that 
 thirsteth, and buy and eat : " yea come, buy wine and milk without 
 Hioney and without price." The blood is theUfe, for the life of aM 
 
■ 12 
 
 flesh is the blood, i. e., 'he source from whence the flesh Is nourished, 
 the liquid Jlesh. So Christ is the life of His redeemed ; He freely of 
 His own will redeems them, and gives to them His Nature, His 
 Humanity, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His body, 
 and our souls washed in His blood — flesh and blood — i. e. His nature. 
 Verily the life of the flesh is in the blood, and the blood is the life 
 thereof ; so it was absolutely essential, in order that there be no more 
 shedding of blood, that the blood of Christ, and the flesh of Christ, 
 should for ever continue on the altar of atonement, a perpetual 
 sacrifice, inconsumable, and yet partaken of by every reclaimed soul ; 
 for here is the life of the flesh — human flesh taken by Christ, which 
 can impart new life to us. Now it is clear, that the command not to 
 eat the blood, was given, because it was the life of the flesh of inferior 
 creatures : it was therefore contrary to God's will, that the life of 
 beasts should be imparted to or taken in by man. Not so, whan in 
 His most wonderful loving-kindness, ho accepted the sacrifice of the 
 Son-of-Man. Then indeed was the fount of life opened up for us ; 
 then did it become necessary that Christ should sufier in the flesh, 
 that He may be enabled to say, " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son 
 of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you ; for my flesh is 
 meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Nor does this mean 
 a mere contemplation of Christ — it means a very great deal more ; 
 for if our Lord's words have any meaning at all, they mean, that the 
 faithful Christian is a partaker of Christ's nature, whenever in 
 genuine faith he drinketh of that cup and eateth of that bread worthily. 
 For the Jew touched not the blood, and why ? The blood, then 
 standing for the life of the flesh, was to be poured out on the ground, 
 and not touched on pain of death. Christ's blood, i. e., His life, is 
 to be drank in by us. And so it is written : " The first man Adam 
 was made a living soul : the last Adam was ma.de a quickening spirit.^* 
 " For OS in Adam aill die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 
 " And if Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of sin : but the 
 spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that 
 raiseth up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raiseth Christ 
 from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by (because of) 
 His Spirit, that dwelleth in you." And S. Paul reminds true Chris- 
 tians, that " ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit." All which is 
 in perfect agreement with the teaching of an ancient bishop : — " He 
 
18 
 
 ■who keepeth in mind that Christ our Passover hath been sacrificed for 
 us, and that we must feast, eating the flesh of the Word, at all times 
 keepeth the Passover, passing )ver in thought, and ever in word and 
 deed, from the things of this life to God, and hastening to His 
 city." — Origen. ^ 
 
 It seems to be clearly our blessed Lord's meaning, that as the Jews 
 had been forbidden to touch the blood of atonement because it was 
 the life of the animal ; so now in the fulness of time, when the Son of 
 Man, the second Adam, had come in man's nature, so bs He was the 
 true Lamb, the prohibition to drink the blood must be removed, for 
 the blood is the Ufe thereof, and so is '^ our life hidden with Christ in 
 God." In Genesis ix. 5, the language is very decided : it is there 
 shown, that the blood is spoken of as standing in the place of the Life, 
 and in the sense of the real nature : body and soul and spirit. 
 
 *' Surely your blood of your lives will I require." ** At the hand 
 
 of every man's brother will I require the life of man." And so, in 
 Romans v. 10, we find S. Paul declaring of our Lord, that " we shall 
 be saved by. His life." " For the gift of God is eternal life, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord." And in Acts, He is called " The Prince of 
 Life ;" and this explains 1 Cor. xv. 47, where our Lord is declared to 
 be our second Adam, in whom we are re-made ; for " The first man is 
 of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven." 
 " For since 6y man came death, hy man cam^ also the resurrection of 
 the dead ; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made 
 alive." Christ, therefore, must have become to us a source of actual 
 life ; for it h plain that he declared His work to be the rectification of 
 all the ill that Adam had brought upon the race : ill that we to this 
 hour inherit consequent on our descent from him. Very mysterious 
 words were spoken when our Lord was baptized " with water and the 
 Holy Ghost." He who was sinless, undefiled, yet fulfilled all righte- 
 ousness, and having taken our nature for us, was anointed by the 
 Holy Ghost, and openly accepted as the second Adam by the Father — 
 thus self-anointing his manhood. He is our head ; He is the Vine, 
 we are the branches ; and we must be graflfed in, if we be of Abra- 
 ham's seed. The sap of life, i. e. the very life and essence of 
 the Christ, the quickening Spirit — for he is the second Adam — must 
 flow to us by divine impartation, if we be really heirs of God, and 
 joint heirs with Christ. As death hath passed upon us by Adam, so 
 
14 
 
 immortality — endlesg life — by the power of Christ's body : we be not 
 then the " untimely fruit of woman ;" for all that are baptized into His 
 death are buried with Him, and shall rise again : the bad to endless 
 misery ; the good to endless life with Him. 
 
 The result of the blessed communion of our Lord's body to us, is 
 that which S. Paul so fully discourses about ; it was the consolation 
 which all the holy Apostles enjoyed, and the hope they held out to us. 
 The taking part in the first resurrection now in this present life 
 begun in baptism : and no doubt it was the same consolation which 
 holy Job enjoyed so fully : " T know that in my flesh I shall see 
 Grod." So S. Paul hesitates not to say : " It is sowd in corruption ; 
 it is raised in incorruption : it is sown in dishonour ; it is raised in 
 glory : it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power : it is sown a natural 
 body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and 
 there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man was 
 made a living soul ; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit." 
 Now, " The Lord is that Spirit." 
 
 " Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, 
 He also Himself likewise took part of the same ; that through death 
 He might destroy him that had the power of death ; that is, the devil. 
 
 For verily he took not on /Tim the nature of angels, but He 
 
 Jtook on Him the seed of Abraham." " Every spirit that confesseth 
 that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God ; for the life was 
 manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you 
 Ahat eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto 
 us." The plain natural meaning of the whole body of Scripture is, 
 that our blessed Saviour took our human nature into the divine — that 
 that nature may be made a pure, clean, holy fount of regeneration to 
 us. In assuming man's nature, all was taken — the material body and 
 the spiritual soul. By His divine power, then, He bestows on us that 
 nature, which He as Christ has, now at this very time. It cannot 
 possibly be, that he bestows on us that which was material blood, and 
 material flesh, alone or only. Far, far deeper and more glorious 
 mystery than this : for it is the putting away our sinful flesh, i. e. 
 our vile corrupt nature ; and the imparting to us His own nature, 
 directly from Himself. It is His nature, cleansing and healing the 
 leprosy by which our nature has been defiled. " I will come and heal 
 him," He said, and the servant was healed. So now, we are clean 
 
Id 
 
 through 'lis word ; for He hath said, " Whosoever eateth my flesh, 
 and driLi Ah my blood, hath eternal life:" i.e. — to whomsoever I 
 shall give that human nature, which in me is sinless, pure, holy ; 
 without spot — altogether free from taint of sin. 
 
 That our blessed Lord is to men the source of eternal life, is fcgain 
 apparent in the raising of Lazarus. The whole of His conversation 
 with the sorrowing friends, whose hopes and fears hung so anxiously 
 on the very actions and words of Jesus, indicate that He was bringing 
 them to a knowledge of that great truth — that in Him men live and 
 move and have their being. Martha knew who He was, and was 
 willing to believe, that He could, and would, do as He pleased. How 
 her brother was to be restored she could not know, until the Lord had 
 said unto her, " I am the resurrection and the life ; he that believeth 
 in me, thougli he were dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth 
 and believeth shall never die. Believest thou this ? Yea, Lord j 
 I believe that thou art the Christ which should come into the world." 
 To the dead in trespasses and sins, He has declared Himself the 
 Besurrection and the Life j not only the resurrection, but the Life 
 also ; so that the life they live is in and from Him. With the humble 
 Christian, the like simple confidence and belief draws forth the very 
 same answer. When troubled and grieved at heart for sin, we turn to 
 our Lord for strength, and receive for answer, " Whoso eateth my 
 flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life." We answer, " Yea, 
 Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ which should come into the 
 world. For God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His 
 Son." For being reconciled to God by the death of His Son, we 
 shall be saved hy His life. " For the Spirit of God hath made me, and 
 the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." The mysterious and 
 precious gift of His nature to us in the holy Eucharist, is intended to 
 be for the strengthening and refreshing of our souls ; and if so, to 
 keep alive in us an active vigorous life in all Christian faith and 
 works. It is to have the consciousness, even amidst all our short- 
 comings, that we are still standing in the mercies of Jesus ; it is the 
 perpetual desire to have Him with us ; for as St. Jerome says, and 
 truly, " Since the flesh of the Lord is true food, and His blood is true 
 drink, the Scriptural meaning [of Eccl. iii. 13] is, that in this pre- 
 sent life we have only one good to feed on His flesh, and to drink His 
 blood ; not only in the Mystery [the Eucharist], but also in reading 
 
- . ' 16 
 
 of Scriptures : for the true food and drink which is derived from the 
 WoED OF God, is knowledge of the Scripture." Clearly one of the 
 greatest blessings, Christ, the Word of God, bestows upon us, is a 
 spirit of discernment to understand the Scriptures through the Holy 
 Ghost. " He who keepeth in mind that Christ our Passover hath been 
 sacrificed for us, and that we must feast, eating the flesh of the Word, 
 at all times keepeth the Passover ; passing over in thought, and ever 
 in word and deed, from the things of this life to God, and hastening 
 to His city.* 
 
 A great modem divine writes : '* The Sacraments have been from 
 the first, the natural outwork of the doctrine of the Incarnation ; and 
 from recognising a true presence of Christ in these ordinances, in 
 which He communicates Himself, both as God and man, we are 
 carried on to a genuine belief that two natures are really united in 
 His adorable person. For if Godhead and manhood are truly united 
 in Christ, both must co-operate in those offices which He discharges 
 towards mankind. To this truth many are unwilling to listen, 
 because they suppose, that the efficacy of Christ's manhood can mean 
 only the natural efficacy of His material body." And in another 
 place the same writer says: — "We are assured, moreover, by our 
 Lord Himself, that the removal of His bodily substance into heaven, 
 would be a step which should lead to that spiritual presence which He 
 has since vouchsafed. After declaring the fact, that His man's body 
 would be the medium through which He would convey heavenly 
 ^fts — ' for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed ;* 
 and ' this is the bread of life, which cometh down from heaven ;' — He 
 proceeds to represent His spiritual presence as consequent on His 
 ascension into heaven, ' What, and if ye shall see the Son of Man 
 ascend up where He was before. * It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; 
 the flesh profiteth nothing ;' 'for when the Son of Man,' says St. Leo, 
 ' betook Himself to the glory of His Father's Majesty, He began in 
 some ineffable manner to be nearer by His Divine Power, for the very 
 reason that, according to His humanity, He was removed farther off; 
 and therefore it was,' he adds, 'that Mary Magdalene might not 
 touch Him before His ascension : ' I would not have you come to Me 
 in bodily vrise, nor recognize Me by carnal touch ; I put you off to 
 
 Origen. 
 
17 
 
 something higher, I prepare you for something greater : when I am 
 ascended to my Father, then you shall touch me in a more true and 
 perfect manner ; when you shall lay hold of that which you do not 
 touch, and believe that which you do not behold." 
 
 When, therefore, we Bpeak of our Lord's spiritual presence, we 
 mean that He is really, truly present ; not less really because not 
 visibly present, but really present through the power of the Spirit — 
 a power exerted tlirough His Deity, in those places, times and 
 manners to which His presence is pledged in the kingdom of Grace. 
 " The flesh of the Lord," says St. Athanasius, " meaning therehy His 
 Humanity," is a quickening spirit, because it was engendered by the 
 quickening spirit ; for that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." It 
 is therefore from our blessed Lord's glorified body now in heaven j 
 even from the living Christ, the only Mediator, that — through the 
 Holy Ghost — we are partakers of His flesh and blood. 
 
 " Again, when the Real Presence is spoken of, there are two notions 
 which may suggest themselves. Such presence may be supposed to 
 result from the action of the mind, whicli receives an impression ; or 
 {rom the act io7i of the being vf\\o produces it. The first would be a 
 subjective and metaphorical, the second is an objective and real 
 presence. We think a spectacle, and lay hold of it by internal 
 impulse, as though it were present to our sight. But this is only 
 figurative ; the movement comes from within, irrespective of any 
 action in the object thought of. A real presence, on the contrary, is 
 when there is some object, external to ourselves, which produces upon 
 us those effects which result from its propinquity. Such presence 
 may be said to be spiritual, as well as real, when the medium of com- 
 munication by which this external object effects, or is present with us, 
 is not material contact, but Spiritual power. Whether we look, then, 
 to the declarations of Scripture respecting the departure of our Lord's 
 body from earth to heaven, or to what He tells us of the source of 
 that influence which He there exerts, we must conclude that the pre- 
 sence of our Mediator, though not independent of his fleshly nature, is 
 brought about by the intervention of that divine nature which is 
 irrespective of material contact, and of contiguity of place."* 
 
 Penitence and prayer has each its place. The Holy Spirit fills us 
 
 * Wilberforce. 
 
18 
 
 with good desires — we, willing and submissive to His most holy 
 motions, He brings them to good effect. Praj er then brings us on 
 our knees to Christ. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of 
 heaven ; nay, but we are spiritual, we have been baptized into His 
 Name, *he ransom has been oflfered, we have been bought with a price ; 
 so Jesus, the God-Man, having life in Himself, bestows His human 
 nature, through his divine power, on His faithful people, to whom He 
 is the great and sole object of life, love, and mercy. No man can go 
 to the Father except Christ draws him. It is not what we imagine ; 
 it is what Christ does, that saves us. In the celebration of the divine 
 Mysteries, then our blessed Saviour is, in the plenitude of His power, 
 diffusing into our natures — into penitent and faithful human beings — 
 that very nature which He took for them, to the end that the vile 
 children of Adam, who have tasted of the fruit of the tree of know- 
 ledge of good and evil, may now put forth their hands and eat of the 
 Tree of Life, and live for ever. " It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, 
 the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst, of 
 the fountain of the water of life freely." Yea, we give Thee thanks, 
 Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come ; 
 because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and dost reign. 
 Amen, Amen." 
 
 That S. Athanasius truly speaks according to Scripture, would 
 seem to be clear, from the reference made by holy Apostles to our 
 being partakers of the life of Christ ; for, says St, Paul, " if any man 
 have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His; and if Christ be in 
 you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of 
 righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from 
 the dead dwell in you, He that raiseth up Christ from the dead shall 
 also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit, (or because of His 
 spirit) that diveUeth in you." S. John i. 4 : "In Him was life; and 
 the life was the light of men." John xiv. 6 : "Jesus saith, I am the 
 way, the truth, and the life." Repeatedly, in the Older Scriptures, 
 innocent blood is spoken of; and of the many passages, one or two 
 will suffice here. In Jonah i. 14 : " Lay not upon us innocent blood ; 
 for thou, Lord, hast done as it pleased thee." In Jeremiah : 
 " If ye put me to death, je shall surely bring innocent blood upon 
 yourselves." Hence the fierce remorse and impenitence of Judas — 
 " I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." And 
 
19 
 
 when the Apostles were forbidden to use t!ie Holy Nanre, the high 
 priest said unto them, " Behold, yc have filled Jerusalem with your 
 doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." That which 
 endures in our nature is the Life ; flesh and blood return to the dust, 
 but the man dies not — God ji;iveth it a body as it hath pleased Him. 
 Christ's body, as a part of His nature, saw not corruption, but was 
 raised again, glorified, and entered into heaven for us, thence ever to 
 be the source of life for His ransomed people. 
 
 Ancient Christians spoke plainly, without being misunderstood , 
 and it is only now, in consequence of llomish corruptions, that men 
 speak with faltering lips. But among early Christians, Transubstan- 
 tiation was unknown. Thus: — " In thy visible vesture, there dwel- 
 leth an hidden power : a little spittle from thy mouth became a great 
 miracle of light in the midst of the clay. In thy bread is hidden the 
 Spirit that cannot be eaten ; in thy wine there dwellcth the fire that 
 cannot be drunk." — S. Ephrem. 
 
 " The skirt of the Lord's garment, and the slightest touch, sanc- 
 tifieth none but him that hath eaten the flesh of the Lamb, and drunk 
 His blood." — S. Jerome. 
 
 " Two-fold is the blood of the Lord. The one is His natural blood, 
 by which we have been redeemed from destruction ; the other the 
 Spiritual, that is, wherewith we are anointed — and this is to drink 
 the blood of Jesus, to partake of the immortality of our Lord." — 
 &t. Clement of Alexandria. 
 
 They who spake thus, did but follow the Apostles. S. Paul, to the 
 Corinthians, writes : — " For I have received of the Lord that which 
 also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus, the same night in 
 which He was betrayed took bread ; and when He had given thanks, 
 He brake it, and said. Take eat, this is my body which is hroken for 
 you : this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also He 
 took the Cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New 
 Testament of My blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remem- 
 brance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, 
 YE DO SHEW the Lord's death till He come." Shew to whom ? 
 
 The Eacrifices under the law, were not a whit more so than the 
 Christian Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. " The blood of bullg 
 and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, could 
 Jiot take away sin." It was only as they represented " the One All' 
 
20 
 
 f-ufficicnt Sacritice," that they were of any oflScacy. Christ has 
 desired that wc should represent here on earth, before men, Hi» 
 sacrifice ; and that we should shew to God that wjiich He presented, 
 the oblation of that Hacritice, together with ourselves, our souU and 
 bodies, ')\i»t as lie did Himself; to the end that witli these pleading 
 memorials in our hands, and with repentant hearts. He may com- 
 municate to us His life-giving body and blood, given and shed for us. 
 And no matter what the dress may be, we must meet Him, and 
 bow down to Him. He is at and in His Holy Eucharistic Feast, 
 although with carnal eyes we see Him not. fie is the Object of our 
 adoring love. We have more than an intimation, that the Apostles 
 did really understand our Lord's words, as they are interpreted by the 
 Anglican Church ; for it is said, that when He had spoken, many 
 said it was a hard — i. e. a revolting — saying, and went back. His 
 Apostles remained stedfiist. Now they had seen His wonderful power 
 over nature : they had seen Him cure the sick, recover sight to the 
 blind, bring back the spirit and soul into the dead. They certainly 
 do not appear to have understood Him to mean, that they were 
 carnally to eat His body and drink His blood. As the Jews drank 
 of that Ptock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ j so in a 
 more clearly understood and real sense, Christians partake of that 
 Rock on which they are built. The Apostles must have believed* 
 that our Lord havi.:g come, as a siiiit,. man, to transmake fallen 
 human nature, intended to finish that sublime work of mercy, by 
 rooting out Adam's nature, and imparting to man His own perfect 
 manhood. Adam ate death into our nature: if we would live, we 
 must eat Christ's perfect humanity into that nature, that we may live* 
 The Holy Jesus comes to us in that hour of deep and adoring 
 worship, in which we present ourselves before God, pleading and 
 repr^enting the Holy Sacrifice, as our only claim to His forgiveness. 
 He is known to us in the breaking of bread ; and our hearts burn 
 within us as He talks to us by the way. Faith sees in the midst of 
 the throne " a Lamb as it had been slain;" and hears the new song, 
 " Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals thereof: 
 for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Uoodj out 
 of every kindred and tongue and people and nation ^ and hast made 
 UB, unto our God, kings said priests; and we shall reigD on the 
 earth." 
 
21 
 
 It is because we think it impossible to solve the mystery of — the 
 how — of our blessed Lord's presence, that we, in common with so 
 many, regret the alteration in Mr. Kcble's beautiful hymn. Our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was present, as we have shewn, at 
 the three first Eucharistic celebrations ; and we may not be wrong in 
 believing, that in every and all subscijuent ones, He is as effectually 
 present— our carnal eyes being holdea — that the eye of the spirit, 
 through faith, may see, adore, and worship our Lord and our God. 
 Yet we know not how He is present. Who, at the moment of Holy 
 Communion, thinks of earthly priests, or of bread and wine ? Do we 
 not hear the voice of the Son of God saying to us, " Take eat, this 
 is my body ; drink, this is my blood." Surely, ihe material repre- 
 sentation is to reveal to us a real participation. Thus believing, we 
 are satisfied to see this highest act of duty and reverent devotion, 
 celebrated by a representative Priesthood, ministering in our Lord's 
 stead, clothed in the emblamatic garb of pure white linen, i. e. the 
 surplice and stole ; and all the more, if that stole was crimson* or 
 purplef in place of black, the emblem of woe. But if we can agree 
 to use no other dress than the English surplice and stole, in the service 
 of the Church, be it so ; it will not defeat doctrinal truth, which will 
 be all the more perseveringly taught and proclaimed For myself, it 
 would be more edifying and impressive, to see so simple a change in 
 the dres A the sanctuary, as a purple stole, or the wearing of some 
 ct ir, to bring before us the King of kings, and Lord of lords, as 
 well as '^e crificed Son of God. 
 
 That ou. vhole Eucharistic service on earth, is representative, 
 although rei._ for us, is evidently taught by S. Paul, who says, " Now 
 of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum : we have such 
 an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the 
 Majesty in the heavens ; a minister of the sanctuary, and of th^truc 
 tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. For every High 
 Priest is ordained to off&r gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it is 
 OF NECESSITY that this Man have somewhat to offer." And again, 
 " Now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much 
 also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established 
 
 * And He was clothed In a vesture dipped in blood ; and Ills name is called tbo 
 Word of God.— Rev. xix. 
 
 t And they put on Him a purple robe.— 6. John xix. 2. 
 
9') 
 
 upon better promises." " For Christ is not entered into the holy 
 placas made with hands, which are the figures of the true ; but into 
 heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Tiiere- 
 fore it comes, that we must believe that Jesus is our sole Mediator, a 
 real personal Mediator: for "this Man, because He continueth ever, 
 hath an unchangeable priesthood." And consqucntly it is, as if the 
 Holy of Holies was open unto us. In the power of His Spirit, He is 
 with us; and, as one of our recent authors says, " We believe Him to 
 be locally present only in hea^^en, which He has localised by His 
 ascension in the flesh ; but supra)ocally (as has been said by most 
 thoughtful theologians) He is pres( nt, both in His Godhead and in 
 His manhood — which He has taken into His Godhead, though with- 
 out making it, like that Godhead, ubi(j[uitous — according to His own 
 will, wherever and whenever the sacramental conditions which He 
 has laid down are fulfilled;" to our vi.sible sight, in representation; 
 to faith, truly so. And as wickedness shuts us out from God's 
 presence, so we are sure that the wicked cannot discern Him, and can 
 have no part in God's service. '' They shall not offer wine offerings 
 to the Lord, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him : their sacrifice 
 shall be unto them as the bread of mourners: all that eat thereof 
 shall be polluted; for their hreadfor their souls shall not come into 
 the house of the Lord." — Hosea ix. 4. 
 
 If then it be true, as we believe, that our Lord sees us, and is our 
 High Priest touched by our infirmities, and that we are plainly before 
 Him, surely it is but fitting, that we worship and adore Him, as we 
 ought to do at all times, but more markedly and openly, when 
 receiving from Him, His special and peculiar gifts as we kneel before 
 the representation on earth of the heavenly altar, from which Jesus is 
 pleased to give us of the sacrifice. In very spirit and soul, we must 
 ador* and worship Him. "For Thou, God, seest me." If the 
 blessed elements are a sign to us, that at that most holy time Jesus is 
 with us, in the very midst ; then let faith be active and warm : seeing 
 neither man nor material substance, and knowing only that Christ hath 
 come in the flesh ; let us praise and tliank God for His great mercy, 
 lauding and magnifying His holy name, saying. Holy, holy, holy. 
 Lord God of Hosts ; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Glory 
 be to thee, Lord most High. — Amen. 
 
 " We cannot but think, that the spirit and intent of our services is 
 
23 
 
 much obscured by the too great infrequency of the -celebration of the 
 Holy Communion. If we truly believe, that the visible part of a 
 sacrament is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual 
 grace, given unto us ; that the outward sign is tiie means whereby we 
 receive the same, and also a pledge to assure us thereof; then we 
 should, by more careful living and more earnest seeking, demand that 
 we be not denied the children's bread. We certainly have no more 
 effectual door open to the Throne of Mercy ; and although we may not 
 crucify the Lamb of God afresh, yet we may in every act of Com- 
 munion pray most fervently to God, and plead before Him the 
 sacrifice of the Lamb of God, as our only possible claim to mercy 
 and grace. " For ye are not come unto the mount that might be 
 touched, and that burned with fire unto blackness and darkness and 
 
 tempest but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the City 
 
 of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem and to Jesus, the 
 
 I^Iediator of the New Covenant ; and to the blood of sprinkling, that 
 speaketh better things than that of Abel." B// Uim, therefore, let 
 us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually : that is, the fruit of 
 our lips giving thanks to Ilis name; or, as Hosea says, *' Say unto 
 Him, Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously." For S. Paul 
 says, "To do good, and to communicato, forget not ; for with such 
 sacrifices God is well pleased." • 
 
 " When it is remembered, that the Holy Eucharist is the very 
 highest act of praise and thanksgiving that men may engage in, it 
 surely is incorrect to confine our view of it, to that side of doctrine 
 which shews us the sacrifice of Christ as saving us. Deeply sensible 
 of this, we yet must, with the voice of praise and thanksgiving, chiefly 
 shew forth the glorious incarnation and resurrection, and magnify 
 before angels, men, and all created things, the glory of God; for 
 such love had He to us-ward, that He gave His only-begotten Sdh for 
 us. The love of God towards us, the glory of God and of His Christ, 
 in the great work of redemption, are parts of that service and 
 bounden duty which we ought to shew forth in the holy celebration. 
 The Kingdom of Heaven is thrown open to all believers; and no 
 longer are the privileges and promises to a single people, but from the 
 least even to the greatest, all may come to the Holy Mountain. 
 For this, and for that, God in Christ is reconciling us to Himself, 
 and freeing us from the slavery of sin ; we gladly join in the chorus 
 
24 
 
 of praise which sings, " Glory to God in the Ixighest. We praise 
 Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee for Thy great glory, 
 Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty." 
 
 At Easter and Christmas tide, we must surely so think of the 
 Great Christian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving. 
 
 It is because we should not contemplate only the death of Christ ; 
 that strong objection must be taken to your proposed limitation of the 
 draping of the Altar-Table, to a covering which enfolds it in the 
 emblems of death. The white cloth on the Holy Table was employed 
 as the symbol of our Lord's burial, it is true : for S. Isodore has 
 written, " The fine linen that is spread out underneath the ministry 
 of the divine gifts, is the ministration of Joseph of Arimathea. For 
 as he, having wrapped the body of the Lord in fine linen, committed 
 to the tomb that body through which our whole race has gained the 
 fruit of the resurrection — so we, consecrating the shew-bread on fine 
 linen, find undoubtedly the body of Christ gushing forth for us with 
 that incorruptibility which He, whom Joseph attended to the tomb, 
 the Saviour Jesus, risinu; from the dead, bestowed." 
 
 Now, in the use of the fair linen cloth, we conceive it should simply 
 be spread beneath the elements, leaving the coloured covering of the 
 :iltar-table still visible ; for He is not dead now, but was slain and is 
 alive again, although still the Sacrifice for sin. Now, in old customs, 
 there have been useful lessons set forth ; and therefore there must be 
 some principle to be observed in adornment. As we all believe in 
 the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the Resurrection, let us in the 
 employment of symbolic adornment take care, that we do not set forth 
 unnecessarily one part of divine truth, when we may, without oifence, 
 set forth the whole truth. For instance : a symbolic cross may not be 
 an offence, — a crucifix is ; because He is not dead. He is risen. No 
 lon^r Christ dead ! So, in the same way, it is not correct to set 
 forth our Lord iVo dead ; but it is still right to set before men the 
 fact of the sacrifice of His death, which the use of the fair linen 
 cloth certainly does. We see, as it were, only the linen which was 
 wrapped about His body, while at the same time we look for the signs 
 of His glorious resurrection. I believe, the more perfectly we 
 recognise our ])lessed Lord's Mysterious Presence, the less shall we 
 desire to obscure that presence by objects which do not appeal to our 
 senses plainly and at once. To my mind, the Holy Bible, in the 
 
25 
 
 midst of the Altar, is a fitter emblem of Jesus, the Incarnate Word, 
 than any other that could be employed. 
 
 Our own part in the service brings us to our knees in adoring love 
 to our Saviour for His great condescension in making us participators 
 of His suffering, His death, and resurrection. 
 
 At page 9, it has been shown, our Lord did not intend "Sacrifice" 
 should cease. On the contrary, He has most clearly enlarged and 
 intensified the meaning of it. No longer can an inferior animal 
 represent Christ slain for us ; no longer may we pour out the blood of 
 a brute, as representing our deserts for sin ; but we human creatures 
 are, each in his own person, to go up before the Lord, and in the place 
 of the bull and goat and heifer, do exactly that which Christ did, and 
 desired that we should do — present ourselves, our souls and bodies, to 
 be a LIVING SACRIFICE. But inasmuch as we are as unworthy as was 
 goat or bullock, so He, the Lord, having taken our nature, and hidden 
 it ; put away and concealed all its defects in His own most divine 
 nature ; and having been made the Head of our race, through 
 sufiering; now bids us come, i. e. bring ourselves to Him, holding in 
 our hands the signs of the " blood of sprinkling," and in our bodies 
 " the marks of the Lord Jesus :" so that dying daily to sin, we may 
 receive from Him "the gift of eternal life;" that we may live to 
 righteousness : for we are members of His body, of His bones, and 
 of His flesh — true members, very members incorporate. Here, then, 
 is a sacrifice, more fearfully real, more wonderful — oh ! how much 
 more loving and inviting, than any that Jew ever offered. How 
 awfully solemn ! what love, and what deep mysterious mercy does it 
 exhibit ! " Hath He smitten Him as he smote those that smote 
 Him ? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain 
 by Him ?" — Isaiah xxvii. 7. 
 
 We can scarcely believe, that God is so condescending as to permit 
 vile, sinful, disobedient men to kned even in Hi? presence, and offer 
 themselves to Him, " lively sacrifices." We can offer Him nothing 
 of ourselves ; therefore He bids us come, but with the marks of the 
 dying Lord about us; and then, cut and wounded for our sins, and 
 admitting that we are guilty of death — He says, mercifully, 
 graciously, kindly, "your life is hidden with Christ in G^d ;" take 
 eat, from henceforth the life that you shall live in the flesh, shall bo 
 in Christ Thy sins be forgiven thee. How can any Christian 
 
 B 
 
26 
 
 man say, that the Holy Eucharist is no sacrifice! Far from it. 
 It is a sacrifice, and one we had better try fully to understand. Let 
 no man presume to eat of that bread and drink of that cup •' unwor- 
 thily ;" let him not go up to oflFer himself a sacrifice — sacrifice him- 
 self — " with a lie in Ids right hand ;" let him not offer a body full of 
 uncleanness, a soul full of wickedness ;* let him be as the prodigal, 
 " I will go to my Father, and will say unto Him, Father, I have 
 sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be 
 called thy son." 
 
 " If thy oblation be a meat-offering, haken in a frying-pan, it shall 
 be made of fine flour with oil : and thou shall bring the meat-offering 
 that is made of these things unto the Lord ; and when it is presented 
 unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the Altar ; and the priest shall 
 take from the meat-offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon 
 the Altar . it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the 
 
 Lord it is a thing most holt/ of the offerings of the Lord made 
 
 by fire." — Levit. ii. 8 «& 9. Thus we learn, that besides the bloody 
 sacrifices, there were other and more numerous un-hloody sacrifices ; 
 but in the above we have symbolized the work of the Holy Spirit, and 
 the mysterious work of Christ. " Neither shalt thou suffer the salt 
 of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering : with 
 all thine offerings shalt thou offer salt. Here again, in the salt, is 
 represented the in-dwelling Christ and His people, who were thus 
 typically represented as burned up for their sins by the consuming fire. 
 St. Ephrem, therefore, could properly say, " in Thy bread is hidden 
 the Spirit that cannot be eaten ; in Thy wine there dwelleth the fire 
 that cannot be drunk;" and St. Chrysostom, "0 Thou Coal of 
 double nature, which touching the lips of the Prophet, didst purify 
 him from sin, touch my lips, who am a sinner, and set me free from 
 every stain, and from the power of sin." Again, Fire came down 
 upon sinners and consumed them. The Fire of the merciful in 
 bread cometh down and abideth. Fire ate up the oblations, and we, 
 Lord, have eaten Thy fire in thine oblation." "Instead of that 
 fire which devoured men, ye eat a fire in bread, and are quickened," 
 In the New Testament, we are spoken of as " the Salt of the earth ;" 
 and THE Spirit, under the Symbol of Fire. Every Sacrifice, there- 
 
 * Mai. i. 7 ; Prov. iv. 17 ; lloeea ix. i. 
 
27 
 
 fore, must still be salted with salt, and the hidden virtue of every 
 sacrifice must be " the bread which cometh down from heaven." For 
 " in the flesh and blood of Christ, the human soul rcceiveth nothing 
 hloody, but a life-giving saving substance in the bread and wine." 
 — Theophylact. We must eat of the fire that consumes our 
 sins. 
 
 Under this aspect of the Eucharist, we see how well the exclama- 
 tions of the royal Psalmist fit in. *' Give me a clean heart, God^ 
 and renew a right spirit within me." " I will wash my hands in 
 innocency, and so will I go to thine Altar." " The sacrifices of God> 
 are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, God, Thou shalt 
 
 not despise give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good ; for 
 
 His mercy endureth forever Let the redeemed of the Lord 
 
 say sOy whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy 
 
 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His 
 works with rejoicing." In our Lord, all sacrifice centres ; so 
 Reformers did not hesitate to call the Holy Communion, " The 
 Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving"* which we oflFor. By our Book 
 of Common Prayer, and from all that we know of the mind of the 
 Church, the Eucharist is the key-stone of all our services. We have 
 obscured its pristine beauty by making it an occasional service. Its 
 true nature is hidden from us. May God, of His goodness, restore it 
 to us, at least as our sabbath food. 
 
 By a natural instinct, many keep away from the Holy Communion, 
 because they are conscious of sin, and feel distrustful of their ability 
 to lead better lives — they shrink from the presence of God. This 
 interior conviction, that in some sort they are connected with, or have 
 a part in the service, is almost involuntary ; they get it even from a 
 superficial study of Scripture ; and it is not right to narrow or lessen 
 this conviction. A direct personal interest and responsibility, means 
 also, a personal and direct interest in the blessings. When, then, we 
 feel, that we, in our very persons, as members of Christ, are to the 
 Christian Sacrifice what the animal was to those of the Jewish ; that 
 Christ hae demanded that we, as very members of His body, shall 
 
 • Standing in the place of the .Tewiali Sacrifices of Thanksgiving, and hence may 
 nave arisen our rubric. "And the flesh of the Sacrifice of his peace-offerings for 
 thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is otfered ; he shall not leave any of 
 it until the morning."— Levit vii. 15. 
 
28 
 
 make a personal sacrifice of ourselves to Him, as He did to the Father 
 for us ; and that in doing so, He ever offers Himself, mediating for 
 us, we shall rise to higher conceptions of our duty, and feel a keen 
 and intense personal interest in the atonement. We learn more clearly 
 that we, i. e. each man, is sinful, vile, corrupt : we feel that, as 
 individuals, we need each man ''anew heart, and a right spirit;" 
 and h?ve so deep an interest in the Great Sacrifice of the Cross, that 
 we do, with holy S. Paul, exclaim, " God forbid that I should glory, 
 save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by wbooi the world is 
 crucified unto me, and I unto the world. From henceforth let no 
 man trouble me j for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord 
 Jesus." 
 
 As to the Vestments suitable for a Representative Priesthood, the 
 practice of the Jewish Church teaches us, that the dress of the 
 High Priest was rich and very magnificent indeed. But our High 
 Priest is in the Holy of Holies ; and we see onli/, what the Jews 
 saw, the ministrations of the Priests, whose vestments were far 
 less gorgeous. What the ministers for Christ, represent here. He 
 does actually in heaven ; supralocally Himself giving to us the 
 offering made .in heaven — that atoning flesh and blood, by which 
 alone is our old man crucified in us. Therefore, believing Him 
 to have an active ministry for us in Heaven, where, as High Priest, 
 He ever maketh intercession for us, touched as He is by our 
 infirmities, we cannot but think that the proper vestments for^the 
 celebration of divine worship should be much more like those worn by 
 the Priests — rather than the High Priest — and used by them in the 
 celebrations before the people. What we do really want to see in our 
 Churches is, the evidence of more holy living ; and a more courage- 
 ous, because real, belief in the presence of God ; which would bring 
 Christian worshippers to their knees, and force them to pray to, and 
 praise God and His Christ, with cheerful voices. But when we see 
 His very Ministers (often, very often, inadvertently,) careless in their 
 behaviour, even treating His Holy Altar-Table as -they woulJ not treat 
 their own ; placing upon it their caps, and approaching His earthly 
 throne by no outward act shewing devout reverence to the place where 
 He has put His name, and as if not in His presence : Why ! we can- 
 not wonder if men learn to think of God as a great way off, and not very 
 nigh unto them. Under a better dispensation, we do not, as the Jew, 
 
29 
 
 • 
 
 believe Him to be a very present God. We never fail to bow the 
 head in passing the throne of an earthly sovereign : how much more 
 should we, with becoming reverence, acknowledge the Majesty of 
 God, wherever He has been pleased to set His name. 
 
 The Bishop of Vermont seems to think, that the vestments in use 
 by divine sanction in the Jewish Church, may still be used in the 
 Christian. But there would seem to be some doubt on this point J 
 for the office of High Priest, was clearly only temporary, typical, and 
 was to be done away on earth when the true High Priest should 
 come : while the Priesthood was to continue, as was declared by the 
 Prophets. Christ, who is our High Priest, is in the Holy of Holies, 
 and jet over His Church on earth Apostles first, by His own personal 
 will^ and then, as the Holy Ghost was pleased to guide them, the 
 order of the Church was perfected. We know, that when Alexander 
 entered Jerusalem, he was met by the High Priest, clothed in his 
 resplendent robes, with the breast-plate ; but the Priests and Levites 
 wore their own robes of white. Therefore I think, that while we 
 should, as a matter of duty, contend for a proper dress for the 
 Priesthood — symbolic of the office they hold and of the truth taught — 
 we should at the same time avoid personal adornment. Why wear 
 hoods, of mere secular institution ? We do not want to know, or see, 
 Dr. This, or Mr. That. And if we must have coloured articles of 
 dress, let us have the stole coloured ; but out with the many-coloured 
 hoods of human device — badges, no longer exact tests even, of mental 
 culture 
 
 A belief in God's special presence in the place where He has set 
 His name, that His congregation may come and worship Him, is not 
 incompatible with the clearest belief that God is pleased* to dwell in 
 Heaven. The sublime and wonderful litany used by Solomon in the 
 dedication of the Temple, illustrates the propriety of testifying, by 
 our outward acts, to the reality of our inward belief. In the present 
 day, Solomon would run the risk of being called an idolater, because 
 He stood before the Altar of God, in the presence of all the 
 congregation, and spread forth his hands towards heaven : and yet, 
 with the most perfect faith that the Almighty was truly with him, he 
 could say, " Will God dwell on the earth ? Behold the heaven, and 
 heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee ; how much less the house that 
 I have builded. And it was so, when Solomon had made an end of 
 
30 
 
 praying, Le arose from before the Altar of the Lord, from kneeling on 
 his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven ; and he stood and 
 blessed all the congregation." If we really believe, that all Scripture 
 is given by inspiration, and is for our learning, then even are the 
 accounts of very acts of devotion useful to us, especially when those 
 acts refer to the public ministrations of the sanctuary. Solomon must 
 have had a deep conviction, that God's Altar was the fitting earthly 
 representation of the Throne of Mercy, before which, in humility of 
 body and soul, to seek for mercy. The cold and spiritless formality 
 which has been and is still generally characteristic of our public 
 services, the perfectly emotionless and perfunctory manner in which 
 the praises and prayers of the sanctuary are offered up, finds no 
 parallel in Holy Scripture. The too common belief, that God is in 
 Heaven and we on earth — that He is no longer pleased to be in the 
 congregation — has resulted in the open disrespect which is paid to 
 His worship, and to the scarcely concealed frivolity which is con- 
 stantly displayed by the members of the Church, of both sexes, 
 during the very celebration of divine worship itself. Human nature 
 is bad enough, but if men had kept hold of the belief, which would, 
 have enabled them to say with the Psalmist, " we come before His 
 presence with thanksgiving," they would not mock and laugh, but 
 credit fully the promise of our blessed Lord which He has made, to 
 be nigh unto all those who call upon Him faithfully, and to be in the 
 very midst when they are congregated together to praise and seek Him. 
 It cannot be right to repress outward acts of devotion, so long as they 
 express a correct belief. We may not, and dare not, worship any 
 material substance ; but we should lowly, sincerely, intensely worship 
 our most merciful and gi cious Saviour, when we behold the signs of 
 His presence with us ; for as God of old sanctified the T abernacle of 
 the congregation and the Altar, and did also sanctify Aaron and his 
 sons to minister to Him in the priests' office, in order that He might 
 dwell among them — so now, our gift is sanctified by the Altar ; the 
 Priest is sanctified by partaking first of the gift ; and the congregation 
 are holy through Jesus Christ. " Whether is greater, the gift, or the 
 Altar, that sanctifieth the gift ?" It is our offering to God which is 
 placed on His earthly Altar, in memory of a great deliverance. The 
 Word sanctifies on the Altar, and makes this the gift of God to us ; 
 for " we have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve 
 
31 
 
 the tabernacle."-'^ For we, being many, are one Bread and one body ; 
 for we are all partakers of that one Bread. Behold Israel after the 
 flesh : are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the Altar ? 
 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the 
 blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the com- 
 munion of the body of Christ ? Thus is God's glory now made 
 manifest to us — such are the signs of His Presence vouchsafed to us. 
 " Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool; for He 
 is holy." 
 
 If we approach, in a brotherly spirit, the consideration of the 
 question — What Ritual shall we observe in the celebration of the 
 Holy Communion ? — all parties may come to agree in the matter, if 
 we explain each to the other, what it is we desire to set forth. We 
 shall gain nothing by denouncing those who have been even extreme 
 in their practices. We admit, that the doctrine of the Romish 
 Church, which sets forth a mere corporeal, carnal presence, is out of 
 court. What, then, remains to be guarded against ? The idea of 
 the reiteration of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and a Priest- 
 hood with absolute authority. Well then, even an extremist will say, 
 that the Christian Priesthood is representative, ministering in Christ's 
 stead ; representing on earth, that which He does actually in heaven. 
 The Saviour is Himself our High Priest, and is on the right hand of 
 God; and on His thigh is His name written. King of Kings and 
 Lord of Lords. As His Father sent Him, so did He send His 
 Apostles. He is pleased to employ human agency to represent Him 
 visibly on earth. They are to go baptize all nations, and declare the 
 forgiveness of sins, and make a continual representation of the 
 Sacrifice of His death. This is the work of the Ministry op 
 Reconciliation. So believing, may God give us grace to love Him, 
 and bless Him for all the means of 'grace given unto us. 
 
 If there is one word here which seems to be unbrotherly, I pray 
 you consider it unwritten, and believe me, 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 JAMES BOVELL. 
 
 * The Christian Altar is Tiik Wood on which Christ was offered ; so our Altar is 
 representative of the Cross. 
 
33 
 
 AMENDMENT TO CANON, 
 
 TO BE PROPOSED BY 
 
 THE REV. H. C. COOPER, B.A., 
 At the Synod > Tthe Diocese of Toronto, 11th Jnne, 1867. 
 
 Dr. Bovell will move as follows : — 
 
 1. That the Synod of the United Church of England and Ireland, 
 in Canada, in the Diocese of Toronto, in Synod assembled, desires id 
 record its acknowledgeraen ts to the Upper House of the Convocation 
 of Canterbury, for their uranimous disapproval of those extreme 
 ritualistic practices which hiwe been recently introduced into the 
 Church in England. 
 
 2. That, believing those fo^ms and practices to be contrary 
 to the law of the Church of England, and as declared by the Judicial 
 Committee of the Privy Council, to be entirely contrary to the Act 
 passed in the second year of Edward VI., legalizing the first Book of 
 the said king, we further declare, that we believe our branch of the 
 Church in Canada, is not bound by any law with reference to orna- 
 ments, &c., which may have been in force prior to that contained in 
 the said first Prayer Book of Edward VI., and shall under the 
 guidance of the authorities of the Church, aid our Bishop in resisting 
 the use of any other forms and practices than those declared to be 
 legal by the said first Book ; fully persuaded, that the decision 
 promulgated by the Judicial Committee is correct, and that the only 
 Book of Prayer in use was the first Prayer-Book of Edward VI , and 
 that no other was legal by the authority of Convocation and Parlia- 
 ment. 
 
 3. That, with the view to remove the more efiectually, every doubt, 
 
 and to secure the permanent settlement of the sort of ritual to be 
 E 
 
34 
 
 allnwcd ; (a question important in itself, and full of difficulty to the 
 Church, if allowed to remain a disputed point) : we hereby request 
 our Venerable Bishop to appoint a Committee of learned and discreet 
 men, to draft a memorial to the Provincial Synod embodying the 
 convictions of this representatirc body, and praying the Synod, either 
 directly by petition or through the Metropolitan, to make known to 
 the Convocations of Kngland, our desire for a settlement of the law of 
 ritual, in accordance with the intention of the Reformers, as carried 
 out by them in the first Praycr-Book of Edward VI. ; and to 
 express our wish to await the result of their labours, in order that 
 the Colonial Church may be kept in perfect accord with the Mother 
 Church. 
 
 4. We further desire, that the Provincial Synod of the Church in 
 Canada be requested to enact a temporary Canon, declaring that the 
 sentence of the Judicial Committee, with reference to the ornaments 
 of the Ministers, and of the Church, be accepted ; as determining the 
 question for us; until such time as the Church in England shall have 
 declared her mind, as to what forms and practices shall prevail. 
 
 5. That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to every Clergy- 
 man having cure of souls, with the view to their understanding and 
 knowing the wishes of this Diocesan Synod, pending the settlement of 
 a question interesting to the whole Church : calling their attention to 
 the interpretation put upon the law by the Judicial Committee, that 
 "the same dress and the same utensils, or articles which were used 
 under the first Prayer Book of Edward VI., may still be used," and 
 that "the Judicial Committee hold that the word 'ornaments' applies, 
 and in this rubric is confined to those articles the use of which in the 
 services and ministrations of the Church is prescribed by the first 
 Prayer Book of Edward VI. Furthermore by this order the curates 
 shall need none other Books for their public service but the Book of 
 Common Prayer, and the Holy Bible." 
 
35 
 
 LETTER, 
 
 TO THE REV. MR. FLETCHER, ON THE RITUAL 
 OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Toronto, April 11th, 1867. 
 My Dear Sir, 
 
 You have published, in the columns of the Glohe, % 
 Series of Resolutions, passed at a meeting of Clergymen, which it is 
 intended to propose at the next meeting of the Diocesan Synod ; and 
 the object of which is to " prevent the introduction of innovations in 
 the performance of Divine Worship in the Church of this Diocese." 
 These resolutions profess to be " the thoughtful, deliberate conclu- 
 fiions " of their framers. Seeing then, that the Resolutions are now 
 the property of the public, and that criticism upon them has been 
 invited, will you permit me, as a lay member of the Synod, to offer 
 some remarks on the resolutions themselves ; and further, to submit 
 the draft of a series of resolutions which it is my purpose to move at 
 the approaching Synod, as amendments to those which have been 
 \ published. It is not surprising, that they who fee! and think deeply 
 Dn religion, should be moved exceedingly at the introduction into our 
 branch of the Church, of forms and practices peculiarly belonging to a 
 time immediately anterior to the Reformation, and to a body of 
 religionists, from whose doctrine and peculiar ceremonial, for very 
 essential reasons, we have protested against. There cannot be a doubt, 
 fcttt that a very large number of those who differ from yourself 
 
36 
 
 and your friends, in their estimate of some very important points of 
 religious truth, are inclined to <i;o with you, so far as to restrain 
 those who bring in objectionable practices and forms, clearly and 
 beyond doubt legislated against by the authority of the First Prayer- 
 Book of Edward VI. Under the law of this Book, there is no plea 
 whatever for the introduction of altar-lights, incense, nor the crucifix : 
 for. as I shall show elsewhere, the Judicial Committee have emphati- 
 calhj declared the perfect certainty of the First Book of Edward, 
 alone being legal, and no other legal, in the second year of the king. 
 They say, that the Rubric in the present Book of Common Prayer, 
 has reference to the First Book of Edward, and does not in any way 
 refer to the Latin Missal and other Romish service books, which that 
 Book supplanted. The Bishops at home are now evidently acting on 
 this judgment, and are at latst drying the issue with those who are 
 supposed to have violated the law. As yet, not a single case has been 
 brought before the courts, to test the strength of the law ; although the 
 decision of the Judicial Committee, in Westerton vs. Liddell does 
 expressly declare the Act of Edward VI. to have been law in his 
 second year. 
 
 .\s yet. there \m*\ not been a single instance in the whole Province 
 of Can »d I, of the intro luction of the objectionable practices com- 
 plained -igainst in England. VVe are tiioiefore, in this respect, in a 
 fortunate position ; and can, without the probability of acrimonious 
 feeUng, discuss the whole question in good temper, and in a proper 
 Christian spirit I cannot but express my deep regret, that the 
 resolutions to be proposed by Mr. Fletcher and his friends at our 
 next Synod, for adoption, should have been drawn up at all : and par- 
 ticularly, in a matter of such grave importance, that only one section 
 of the Church should have been consulted. It seems to me, tliat a 
 Diocesan Synod scarcely possesses power to enter upon the task 
 proposed. I would submit, therefore, that the safe and proper course 
 to pursue, is to agree on a Memorial, to be presented to the Provincial 
 Synod, urging that body t<; place itself in communication with the 
 Convocation of Canterbury ; and that in the meantime, the Provincial 
 Synod be requested to piss a temporary canon, sustaining the practice 
 and form under the First Prayer- tiook of Edward VI., as interpreted 
 and piomulgited by the Judicial Committee. We are farther 
 encouraged in this course by the present aspect of the question in 
 
37 
 
 England. Bishops are bringing the subject before competent tribu- 
 nals; and there cannot be a doubt but that the whole question will 
 be also thoroughly discussed by the whole body of Bishops, soon to 
 assemble in London. 
 
 With a view to strengthen the position I assume, and at the same 
 time to prove that the Church is not so utterly helpless as she is 
 supposed to be, I have been at some pains to collect the opinions of 
 the Judicial Committee, and the comments on their judgment by 
 able minds, I beg not to be misunderstood : I am not one of those 
 who decry the proper use of forms and practices. I am, on the 
 contrary, in favour of an instructive ritual, suited to the doctrines of 
 the Church and expressing them. I am just as much opposed as you 
 are to the introduction of practices and forms peculiar to the Church 
 of Rome, against whose doctrine, in important points, and from whose 
 practices, we have for now a very long time protested and departed. 
 But we must have Anglican Ritual. 
 
 I would ask your attention to the following lengthy extract from 
 the pen of one of the ablest Canonists in the United States of 
 America : — 
 
 " Let us examine what ornaments of Church and Minister, are 
 sanctioned by authority of Parliament. The inquiry is as to books, 
 vestments and ornaments of the Church — of Articles used in minis- 
 trations of divine servifie. The Statute of 2nd Edward itself has only 
 one provision upon any part of the matter. That relates to the 
 Prayer Book being supplied in every Church at the expense of the 
 Parish. But the Prayer Book specifies as to be used in the course of 
 ministrations, and therefore sanctions, the following : The Prayer 
 Book,* the Great English Bible, f a Poor Man's Box,| a Paten ,§ a 
 Chalice,]] a Cup or Cups,^ a Corporas or cover for the elements,** 
 a Fontjfy and it seems a Credence Table,J| a Chair for the 
 
 • By the Statute above cited. 
 
 t Table and Calenders, the Two Liturgies. Parker Society, Cambridge, 1844. p. 21, 
 and numerous other passages. 
 
 t While the Clerks are singing the offertory, so many as were disposed are to offer to 
 the Poor Box according to his ability. 
 
 S Communion Office. 
 
 II Ibid. ^ 
 
 IT Ibid. 
 
 *• The white napkin placed upon the Paten, on which the bread is laid. A oorporaa 
 is the white linen cloth used after all have communed. (Scotch Liturgy, 1637. Rubric 
 ia Book of 1662). 
 
 ft The Baptismal Office, Public and also Private. 
 
 U The judgment in Liddell tt. Westerton, Bastains a credence Table, upon a principle 
 
38 
 
 Bishop,* Under the Second Book and Canons we find authorized 
 the fair white linen cloth on the table standing in the body of the 
 Church or Chancel, and the direction thatf a carpet of silk or 
 other decent stuflF cover it at other times ;| the Pulpit,§ the Reading 
 Desk,|| the Bell,^ an Alms Bason.** From this enumeration we 
 we find, that all which our Church deems needful for the seemly 
 
 very reasonable, but not to be carried too far. The Rubric, after directing the minister 
 to take 80 much Bread and Wine as shall suffice for the persons to receive the commu- 
 nion, is as follows : " And setting both the bread and wine upon the Altar, shall say. — " 
 The elements were not to be placed there until this point in the Service. They should be 
 kept somewhere, decently and conveniently, to be transferred to the Table. A small 
 Table near the Altar was convenient, consistent with the Rubric, and unobjectionable. 
 
 So in the Rubric of our Church, after the Alms are collected, and reverently brought 
 to the Priest, and humbly placed by him upon the Table, the Priest shall then place 
 upon the Table so much Bread and Wine as he shall think sufficient. 
 
 The Biihop of London, in the Knightsbridge case, 1854, (Apud Pmnock's Laws and 
 Usages, p. 784), says : " I think a credence Table, or something equivalent to it, is in 
 itself an unobjectionable piece of Church furniture. The elements should be somewhere 
 at hand. To place them on the table before the commencement of divine Service is 
 contrary to the Rubric. At the same time, as it is not mentioned in Rubric or Canon, 
 it might be removed by the Ecclesiastical Court." [Now settled that cannot be]. "I 
 myself prefer a projecting shelf in the wall of the chancel, or a recess, as is the case in 
 some Churches." Wheatly proves its use in the Ancient Church, p. 271, and so does 
 Dr. Nicholls, as to the Greek Church, (Book of Comm. Prayer). The criticisms and 
 objections of the Quarterly Review (May, 1843) are singularly weak and flippant. 
 
 • Ordering of Deacons, Rubric, 1652. 
 
 t Communion Office in the Second Prayer Book. 
 
 \ Canon 82 of 1603, copied from the advertisements of 1564. The Scotch Liturgy of 
 1637 implied that the carpet remained on the Table during the communion, and the 
 white linen cloth was placed over it. And such seems to have been the custom at a very 
 early period. (Pugin Apud Pinnock's Laws and Usages, p. 585). 
 
 S Liturgy of 1549 and 1552, " which ended " (the Liturgy) " the Priest shall go into 
 the pulpit and say," kc. 
 
 " The Church Wardens and Questmen, at the common charge of Parishoners in every 
 Church, shall provide a comely and decent Pulpit, to be set in a convenient place within 
 the same, (by the direction of the Ordinary of the place if any question arise.) and to be 
 there seemly kept for the ministration of God's Word." (Canon 82 of 1803). This ia 
 nearly a literal copy of an injunction of Edward, of 1547. 
 
 II " We appoint that a convenient seat be made for the minister to read the service in, 
 to be done at the charge of the Parish." (Canon 82 of 1603). 
 
 ■" After Morning Prayers, the Litany ended according to the accustomed manner, the 
 Priest shall, in the Reading pew, or pulpit, say," <fec. (Rubric in Commination Service, 
 1662). 
 
 The Amho Tribunal EcclenitB of early ages was also called Pulpitutn. 
 
 It was an elevated desk from which the Scriptures recited in divine Service were 
 read. A lighter piece of furnit tre called the Lectern was introduced into Cathedrals, 
 and occasionally into Parish Churches. But the Reading desk genernlly prevailed. 
 [Bingham, ILL 5-13]. The earliest use of the Lectern was about the thirteenth century. 
 It was superseded by the modern Reading desk, which appears to have been frequently 
 erected with the Pulpit under the Canons of 1603. 
 
 The Rubric of 1662 directed the reader of the Lessons standing " and turning himself 
 as he may be best heard of all present." 
 
 The remarks of Archdeacon Sanforth appear to be very judicious. 
 
 " The Reading Desk ought not to face the people ; for he [the minister] is not ad- 
 dressing them, but speaking for and with them. It ought to be raised only slightly 
 above them, for he is not. while engaged in prayer, speaking with authority as an 
 instructor, but as one of themselves, making known their joint requests to God. Its 
 best position seems to be at the junction of the Nave and Chancel, facing either north 
 or south, and on the contrary side to the Pulpit. It was thought best to make it appear 
 enly as a continuation of the atljoining Stall. When the Lessons arc read from the 
 Reading Desk, there ought to be a Book-board for the Bible, facing the congregation, 
 but a Leotern seems more appropriate for this purpose." [Parochalia, p. 28, Apud 
 Pinnock's Laws, (to., p. 133]. 
 
 IT By the second Book, the Curate was directed to have the Bell tolled a conveaieDt 
 time before he begin. 
 
 ** Rubric in Prayer dook. 
 
39 
 
 ministrations of her holy rites, have their sanction in the reign of 
 Edward, with a few additions in 1603. And thus we trust it is 
 established, that the late developments of Ritualism, particularly of 
 Lights upon the Altar, are violations of the positive Law of the 
 English and of this Church. If we are asked how in our country 
 these infractions are to be redressed, the writer is clear in his opinion 
 that there is an open way. But if there is none, or if it is dubious 
 and difficult, the impotency of a system of Discipline can never 
 absolve a Minister of the Church from his duty to obey its Law. The 
 conscience is as much under subjection where there is no penalty and 
 no coercive power, as if the sentence of the Law had the wh^U 
 sovereign force of a kingdom to execute them. The vow of the 
 Minister binds him to obey his Church in all her Godly precepts, in 
 all her rules for his ministrations. Before this tribunal, the goodly 
 company of true believers and faithful followers of her Discipline as 
 well as her Worship, must he stand. The Bishops of the Church, 
 here and in England, exhibit much reluctance to proceed through the 
 process of Law to punish for offences. It may be wise, as it is 
 charitable; although the habits of thought of a Judge make him 
 unwillingly accede to it. But the last vindication of any deviation 
 from rule should be the security of escaping condemnation. A higher 
 and better spirit, we are persuaded, influences those, who, in the case 
 of those observances, and in the sad breaches of our Law in calling 
 Ministers of other Denominations to teach the people from the pulpit, 
 have awakened deep solicitude for the cause of the Church. It may 
 be permitted to one, in the close of a life, much of which has been given 
 to this cause, earnestly and most respectfully to press upon their 
 thoughts, that lawlessness of every kind reta^Ij the progress of the 
 Church, and so inevitably obstructs the advance of Christ's Religion. 
 The practices to which we have now referred, might be of little 
 moment, if they were not the offspring and the symbols of Superstitions 
 and Dpctrines imperiling Faith and Truth." 
 
 •" To a reverential Churchman's mind, the most important of all 
 these questions is that which regards the apparel of the Altar at the 
 Admistration of the Lord's Supper. But no just opinion of what is 
 fitting here can be formed, unless we have some opinion of what that 
 Sacrament means. In our most humble judgement, no man of ordi- 
 nary reasoning powers, who believes in the Divinity of Christ, and 
 
40 
 
 that what He and His ApoBtles taught is in substance truly narrated, 
 can accede to the tenet of mere Symbolism. To suppose that the 
 ordination of this Rite was like a wish of Socrates, that his friends 
 would meet and commemorate the day of his death with a solemn 
 feast, is wholly incompatible with what is thus divinely declared. The 
 doctrine of Zuinglius is but a shade beyond this. There is here a 
 mystery to be believed in, if we allow that anything may be credited 
 which cannot be explained. But if we take the Articles of Religion 
 as the exponent of the Catholic truth, we find " that the Bread 
 which we (faithfully) break is a partaking of the Body of Christ, and 
 likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ." 
 (Article XXVII.) Even upon this presentment of the Faith, there 
 is mystery. And it will be no deeper if we admit, as it seems to the 
 writer must be admitted, that we are warranted by Scripture, Ancient 
 Fathers, and modern Reformers, in recognizing a Spiritual Sacrifice, 
 and an Altar, in a sense truly Catholic, and yet wholly variant from 
 Romish doctrine." 
 
 "Thus instructed and believing, we look to what was sanctioned by 
 our English fathers at the Reformation, for the celet ration of the 
 Communion. There is the fair white linen cloth upon the Table, THE 
 Bible open upon it, the Book of Common Prayer at either end, the 
 Elements set upon it at the appointed time, the Paten, the Chalice, 
 the Cup, and the Alms-basin for the poor, termed the devotions of the 
 People. All these, so fitting, so sacred in association, so august in 
 their simplicity, furnishing the true graniture of the Holy Table for 
 the most holy Rite of the Church. Everything else lessens, or is 
 inharmonious. The presence of the Elements should exclude them 
 all. Even the flowers of Easter Morn should bloom and diffuse their 
 fragrance elsewhere in the Church. Purity, solemnity, true faith, holy 
 hope, hover over the Altar thus prepared ; and there is not, to the 
 calm religious eye, a sight on earth, more impressive and heavenward, 
 than the Communion Table of a Parish Church, thus plainly, thus 
 sublimely ornamented." 
 
 In support of the opinion of a Spiritual Sacrifice, and an Altar, 
 Mr. Maurice says : — 
 
 " When we say that our feast, like that of the Passover, is sacrificial, 
 we do not mean, that it does not commemorate a blessing which has 
 been fully obtained and realized ; if we did, we should violate the 
 
41 
 
 analogy in the very moment of applying it; for the Passover did 
 commemorate a complete deliverance, and the establishment of a 
 national state, in consequence of that deliverance. But as that 
 deliverance was accompanied with a sacrificial act, and by a sacrificial 
 act accomplished, — and yet, in this Passover, the act was perpetually 
 renewed, becaase in this way the nation understood, that by sacrifice 
 it subsisted and consisted, — and because by such a renewal its mem- 
 bers realized the permanent and loving character of the good that had 
 been bestowed upon them, — -so is it here.^ The Sacrifice of Christ 
 is that with which alone God can be satisfied, and in the sight of 
 which alone He can contemplate our race ; it is therefore the only 
 meeting point of Communion with Him ; but this Communion being 
 established, it must be in presenting the finished Sacrifice before Gody 
 that wo both bear witness what our position is, and realize the glory 
 of it ; otherwise we have a name without the reality ; and with the 
 words "finished and complete," are robbing ourselves of the very 
 thing which makes it so important that we should prize them and 
 preserve them." — Maurice's Kingdom of Christ. 
 
 Perhaps there never was a' better illustration of the sin of disobedi- 
 ence, than is afforded by the introduction of the excessive rituaUsm 
 complained against. 
 
 It has led, among other serious evils, to one most palpable one, 
 i. e. the assertion, by those who desire to bring about confusion, that 
 the doctrine of the Church of England on the Eucharist is assimilable 
 to that of the Roman Communion. No Anglican, (and we cannot 
 state this too often) could for one moment hold the Koman error of 
 transubstantiation, and abide contentedly within the pure fold of 
 our branch of the Church : and it is only right, that those amongst us 
 who honestly prefer a devout, impressive, and soul-elevating celebra- 
 tion of the most sublime of all our our services, should be explicit in 
 the statement of doctrine. 
 
 It may, I think, be at once admitted, that the diflference in the two 
 great schools in the Church of England lies in this, that the one 
 party believe, that our blessed and only Redeemer is only present 
 subjectively in the mind of the faithful receiver. The other holds, 
 that He is objectively present, and is taken and received subjectively 
 
 * We ask a careful reading of p. 323 to 329 of Maurioe's Kingdom of Christ, Amer. Ed. 
 
 V 
 
42 
 
 by the faithful receiver. Now we, who are of this latter school, may 
 safely express our belief, in the very fitting language of Dr. Monsell : 
 " Believing, as we do most firmly, in the Keal Presence of the Body 
 and Blood of Christ in the Holy Communion, we still feel, that in so 
 great A MYSTEHY, it is taking too much upon us to assign any place 
 to that Presence, of which we only know, that The Sacrament being 
 rightly celebrated, it is there, where all rightly receiving may verily 
 and indeed partake of it. But where that there is, save that its 
 ultimate rest is in the faithful heart, we dare not say^ 
 
 Again, Mr. Liddon, in an argument, observes, " Mr. Hubbard ia 
 perfectly right in assuming that Transubstantiation is denied on both 
 sides of the controversy. Mr. Keble's language on the subject is 
 sufl&ciently explicit. He describes the doctrine, as " an error, a one- 
 sided formula, a half-truth ;" and urges " that it must be an exceeding 
 calamity for any portion of the Church to have committed itself to 
 it;" and he maintains that, " looking to the average sort of believers, 
 it must be judged on the whole to have bore very evil fruit, both 
 where it is received, and where it is iwt." It may then be affirmed, 
 that in argument between ourselves, in the Church of England, the 
 erroneous dogma " Transubstantiation," is excluded, as being foreign 
 to the belief of any section of our Church. Well, then, the possible 
 error that ice would guard against is, the belief that the celebration of 
 the Eucharist is a mere memorial service. We never, in our present 
 state, can explain a mystery. The fact of our using the Scriptural 
 term Mystery, implies something to be taken on Faith ; and the 
 language of our Service enables us in Faith to declare, that we " eat 
 the flesh of Christ and driuk His blood," and to teach in the 
 Catechism, that, " the Body and Blood of Christ, are verily and 
 indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper." 
 We must believe, that when we are taking and receiving the outward 
 sign, that, in a mystery, our blessed Lord is communicating to us 
 supra-lncally and snpra-naturally Himself; and, to use a recent 
 writer's language, " it matters not to Faith, whether the Natural 
 Presence be close at hand with the Sacramental, as in the Upper 
 Room, or be as far from it as Heaven from Earth, as in all subsequent 
 Eucharists. The impossibility of conceiving the manner of this, is no 
 objection, any more than it would be to any other, the most undenia- 
 ble aspect or result of the mystery of the Holy Incarnation." 
 
43 
 
 The Church of England must adapt her ritual to the doctrine she 
 holds. A representative, in place of a vicarial Priesthood. Repre- 
 sentative Sacrifice, instead of propitiatory Sacrifice. 
 
 The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, in answer to an address presented 
 to him, remarked : — 
 
 " Whatever changes may be fairly considered to be symbolical of 
 erroneous doctrine, and to favour that which was deliberaielij rejected 
 by the Church of England ; whatever I have reason to believe is 
 offensive to the great bulk of a congregation, and calculated to estrange 
 them from the Church of their forefathers, all this I shall resolutely 
 discountenance ; but I must not be understood to promise any inter- 
 ferance with that legitimate latitude WHICH IS permitted in the 
 ordering of the services of the Church, for instance, the alternatives 
 which allow certain portions of them to be either said or sung, or to 
 control variations in things indifferent where there is no appeal to me 
 from the congregation. I could not say with truth that those clergy 
 who have been following irregular customs to which they have been 
 habituated from their youth, are equally deserving of censure with 
 those who introduce innovations with a special object foreign to the 
 spirit. and letter of our formularies. But while I admonish all who 
 have broken in upon the uniformity of our" ritual observances on the 
 side of EXCESS, I would remind those who, either hy intentional 
 omission, or hy neglect and laxity, have offended in the other direction 
 how much they thereby weaken the side of order and embarrass the 
 administration of even-handed justice by their own short-comings. You 
 are all doubtless acquainted with the deliberate judgments in these 
 matters of ritaal passed by the two Houses of Convocation of the 
 province of Canterbury — a judgment which I hope soon to see ratified 
 by the Convocation of the province of York. I will not do the advo- 
 cates of extreme ritual, to whom this judgment refers, the injustice 
 of supposing that they will persevere in their present course in the face 
 of such authority. I would rather anticipate their promptly yielding 
 to it. They will thus aid in the restoration of that harmony which 
 has been so grievously disturbed by the recent proceedings, and will 
 help to avert those imminent dangers which have threatened the Church 
 from their rash and wilful innovations. May the God of peace so dispose 
 and turn the hearts of his servants that our Church may joyfully serve 
 Him in all godly quietness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.'*' 
 
44 
 
 In like manner the Bishop of Chester has recorded his opinion, in 
 the following unmistakeable letter : — 
 
 '' Hawarden Castle, Chester, Dec. 26, 1866. 
 
 My dear Sir — I have been requested to send to you my answer to 
 an address signed by 128 clergymen of Liverpool and the neighbour- 
 hood. In connection with one of the heads of complaint contained 
 therein — viz., "practices" which mean "gestures, ceremonies, and 
 vestments," they with good reason regret that "the law, is ambiguous." 
 
 That ambiguity has recently been aggravated by the conflicting 
 opinions given by very eminent lawyers. And no good result could be 
 expected from iny exertion of authority which cannot be sustained by 
 law. In the exercise of " free thought," with which the memorialists 
 "deprecate any undue interference," they will dotlbtless he prepared 
 to allow that our public service, according to local circumstances, admits 
 of various degrees of embellishment, when such embellishment is not 
 employed to symbolise doctrines repudiated by our Church, but is kept 
 within its due limits, as offering additional legitimate attraction, as 
 ministering to the ascertained edification of the congregation, and there- 
 fore adopted with their concurrence. The particular ceremony specified 
 in the address, " the elevation for worship of the consecrated elements," 
 appears to me to be contrary to the concluding paragraph of the 
 Twenty-eighth Article, to the Declaration subjoined to the rubric at 
 the end of the Communion Office, and to the obligation under which 
 our clergy place themselves, to "give their faithful diligence always so 
 
 to minister the doctrine and sacraments as this Church and realm 
 
 hath received the same." The second head of complaint is " the use 
 of services not contained in the Book of Common Praver." As no 
 case of this kind has been reported to me from either archdeaconry, it 
 may, I hope, be concluded that no presentation of such practices has 
 been made by any of the churchwardens, to all of whom this question 
 is put year by year — " Does your officiating minister, properly habited, 
 preform the service of the Church as prescribed in the Book of Com- 
 mon Prayer?" The use of such services is in my judgment irrecon- 
 cileable with the declaration, solemnly made by our clergy, that they 
 will "use the forms in the said book prescribed, and none other." I 
 have no sympathy with ceremonial innovations or revivals. But while 
 I offer my thanks to the memorialists for the respect which they express 
 
45 
 
 Ibr my office, I wHl beg their permission to remind them that if the 
 law is invoked for the suppression of errors on the side of excess, it 
 must he expected that strict conformiti/ to the rubric will he insisted 
 upon wherever variations or omissions in any of the Ojffices of the 
 Church have come to have tJie sanction of custom. 
 
 I remain, my dear sir, very fnithfuUy yours, 
 
 William Chester. 
 The Rev. Augustus Campbell, Rector of Liverpool." 
 
 Endorsing these views, I think the course proposed by yourself 
 and the gentlemen acting with you, will prove a most unwise one ; 
 and I shall feel it to be my duty, at the approaching meeting of the 
 Diocesan Synod, to move the resolutions of which I have given notice, 
 in amendment to those which have been published in the Globe. 
 
 Fortunately, in England, hasty legislation is not easy. Men like to 
 see their way before they act. And the probability is, that the law 
 as it stands, will turn out to be sufficiently clear against extreme 
 practices of every kind. 
 
 Since the greater part of this letter was in print, we have had the 
 opportunity of reading a letter published by an able English Barrister, 
 in support of the decision of the Judicial Committee, which entirely 
 declares the validity of the Rubric, and its reference to the First 
 Prayer Book of Edward ; and there seems now to be no doubt what- 
 ever, that the Church at home will be governed by it. According to 
 this ruling, there will be really very little to carp about. *' It is 
 objected," says the able Reviewer, " that the rubric in question does 
 not apply to the first but to the second book." It is put thus : — 
 " Edward VI. began to reign on Jan. 28th 1547. His second year 
 was over on January 28th 1549. His first Prayer Book did not come 
 into use by law until Whit-Sunday, 1549. Well, on his third year, 
 and till then, the Latin Missal and Breviary were the only lawful 
 books in England." The full explanation of this objection, which at 
 first sight seems formidable, is this : — The First Book of Edward VI. 
 was put forth and sanctioned by the Act 2 & 3 Edw. VI., c. 1 ; and 
 this statute enacts, " that all ministers, &c., shall, from and after the 
 Feast of Pentecost next coming , be bounden to say and use the 
 matins, &c., in the same book, and none other." As the session of 
 parliament in which this statute was passed did not begin till 
 
46 
 
 November, in the second year of the King, the Feast of Pentecost 
 next coming would be in the third year. Hence it is argued, that the 
 Prayer-Book could not be in force till the third year. But a later 
 clause of the same Act is overlooked, which provides, that the books 
 should be got by the different parishes " by the Feast of Pentecost 
 next following, or before; and that all such parishes, &c., where 
 the said books shall be attained and gotten before the Feast of 
 Pentecost, shall within three wecJcs next after the said books so 
 attained and gotten, use the said service, and put the same in use 
 according to this Act." The question is thus narrowed to the date 
 of the Act itself. The Judicial Committee, in the case of Westerton 
 vs. Liddell, remarked, that " there seems no reason to doubt, that the 
 Act in question received the Royal assent in the second year of 
 Edward VI. It concerned a matter of great urgency, which had 
 long been under consideration, and was the first Act of the session : 
 it passed through one House of Parliament, on January 15th, 1549, 
 N. S., and the ether on the 21st, same month; and the second year 
 of Edward did not expire till January 28th. In the Act of the 5th 
 and 6th Edward VI. c. 1, sec. 5, it is expressly referred to as the Act 
 made in the 2nd year of His Majesty's reign. Upon this point,there- 
 fore, there can be no difficulty. The fact then, that we are governed 
 by the rubric and law of the First Prayer-Book, and not by any laws 
 or rubrics under the Latin Missal and Breviary, is settled. The 
 'Reviewer further notices: — " At the present day, an Act takes effect 
 only from the time at which it receives the Royal assent ; but this is 
 comparatively a recent system, having been brought about by the Act 
 33 Geo. III. c. 13. Previously to the passing of that Act, the rule 
 was, ' that when the commencement of an Act was not directed to be 
 from any particular time, it took effect from the first day of the ses- 
 sion in which the Act was passed,' therefore there is no room left to 
 doubt, that in the legal phraseology of the day, the usages which it 
 introduced would be spoken of as being in the Church in the second 
 year of the King." 
 
 It has been further declared by the Judicial Committee, that " the 
 construction of this rubric which they suggested at the hearing of the 
 case, is its true meaning, and that the word ornaments applies, and in 
 this rubric is confined, to those articles the use of which in the services 
 and ministratious of the Church is prescribed by the Prayer-Book of 
 
47 
 
 Edward VI. All the several articles used in tlie performance of the 
 services and rites of the Church, are ' ornaments.' * Vestments, books, 
 cloths, chalices, and patens are amongst Church ornaments. When 
 reference is had to the First Prayer-Book of Edward VI., with this 
 explanation of the term, no difficulty will be found in discovering, 
 amongst the articles of which the use is there enjoined, ornaments of 
 the Church as well as ornaments of the ministers. Besides the 
 vestments differing in the diflFcrent services, the rubric provides for the 
 use of an English Bible, the new Prayer-Book, a poor-man's box, a 
 chalice, a corporas, a paten, a bell, and some other things."* Nothing 
 can be plainer than this ; and it seems unreasonable to suppose, that 
 the position assumed by those who contend, that certain practices and 
 customs of the Church in use before the issuing of the Prayer-Book of 
 Edward, can be maintained. 
 
 When, therefore it is said, that the Church in Canada had not in 
 mind the re-sumption of vestments unsuited to the usages and 
 doctrines set forth by the Churoh of England, we simply state the 
 truth ; for it is now placed beyond all doubt, that the only vestments 
 allowable, and the only practices permissible are those specified and 
 enacted by the First Prayer-Book ; for it has been declared by the 
 Judicial Committee, that " the same dress and the same utensils or 
 articles, which were used under the first Prayer-Book of Edward VI. 
 may still be usedj" and farther, the Judicial Committee declare, that 
 '' the word ' ornaments,' applies, and in this rubric is confined, to 
 those articles the use of which in the services and ministrations of the 
 Church, is prescribed by the Prayer-Book of Edward VI." No 
 Bishop, with such a sentence from the English Court before him, 
 could permit the use of articles or ornaments excluded by the very 
 terms and known spirit of the Prayer-Book. Incense, Lights on the 
 Altar, the Crucifix, ?nd othei ornaments, but the Chalice, Alms- 
 Basin, Flagon and Paten, with the Service Books and Holy Bible, 
 arc evidently excluded. Even a simple Cross may not stand on the 
 Altar-Table, but only may be used as a decoration or simple emblem, 
 as, say the Committee, '' appropriate." Now, if this is Law, where 
 the necessity for any new Canon ? 
 
 " The legal eflFect of the judgment of the Judicial Committee," says 
 
 * Moore's Reports, p- 156. 
 
48 
 
 Mr. Shaw, •' is to put a very definite and distinct interpretation upon 
 ^he rubric at the commencement of the Prayer-Book. The ornaments 
 recognised by our rubric, and by it invested with a legal sanction, are 
 * the several articles used in the performance of the services and rites 
 of the Church, which are mentioned in the First Prayer-Book of 
 Edward.' It may be said," continues Mr. Shaw, " that the applica- 
 tion of the test proposed, as to the validity of certain things, gives tw 
 one or two vestments, not now commonly in use. If this be so, and if 
 it be thought right to revive them, thei/ will be revived, because 
 thought worthy to be retained by our early Reformers." It is then 
 perfectly certain that Altar-lights, the Thurible, Incense, and the 
 Torch, will be declared to be illegal ; while one or two vestments will 
 be retained as legal. 
 
 " The decision of the Judicial Committee in Liddcll's Case, 
 establishing the exclusiveness of the provisions of the First Book, 
 made that Book supersede the Injunctions, even if they possessed full 
 Parliamentary sanction. The proposition is plain. The Rubric 
 rendered the First Book the only Law upon the subject, which had 
 Parliamentary sanction. What had it before was superseded ; what 
 possessed it intermediately was annulled." 
 
 " The consideration of the rule as to Vestments, was proposed ta 
 be treated separately, but we have already occupied so large a space, 
 that we can only now state briefly, in propositions, the conclusions 
 which are sustained by a great mass of testimony." 
 
 " Upon the written Law, and the construction given to the Rubric 
 in Liddell's case, the Vestments prescribed in the First Book are 
 lawful by English Laws. None previously used, and not so specified, 
 are lawful. The Albe, (in truth a surplice), the Cope Vestment, and 
 Tunicle, so authorized, though the use is cumbersome and unwise, are 
 not allied with Popish errors, and should not occupy a moment of 
 care or thought." 
 
 Why there should be any harshness used in rejecting the mixed 
 chalice, we cannot see. Surely, what our Lord used, it must be 
 right in us to use ; and what oflFence is given to any one, if a Priest, 
 in preparing the elements for consecration, mixes water with the 
 wine ? It is just one of those observances concerning which nothing 
 need be said. We need to exercise at this time the greatest charity 
 towards each other. We must all feel that we are in a crisis. The 
 
49 
 
 time has evidently arrived at which it will be made manifest, whether 
 the Church of England is to be an active, living, visible branch of the 
 Church of Christ ; or whether it is to be rent asunder, and scattered 
 to the winds. Under our difficulties, we may only hope. God will 
 guide into the way of truth those who seek for His guidance, and it is 
 for us to pray earnestly, that His Spirit may be with our Bishops, to 
 guide and lead thera aright. 
 
 If men are really moved by the love of Christ, they will soon 
 discover that all their actions must be dictated by love ^ not by fitful 
 outbursts of passion, but by a sober, determined acquiescence in all 
 that He commands. In demanding the liberty to set forth His 
 truth even, care must be taken, that we err not in enforcing pas- 
 sionately that which may be urged lovingly. It is truly lamentable 
 to hear men speaking of the departure of members from the household 
 of faith, as if it were a matter of no moment : * Let them be off! — 
 the Church of England is no home for them." is but too commonly 
 on the lip of scorn. To such we would simply address the words of 
 one whose love was from the heart : " 0, my lord, give her the living 
 child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither 
 mine nor thine, but divide it." God forbid ! If we be truly loyal, 
 let us in love meet each other. " Choose you out men of renown," 
 and, depending on the promises of God, let us wait the result of the 
 labour of love which these may bring forth. 
 
 • Feeling deeply the greatness of the work which the Anglican 
 Ohn*^V has to perform in the world, it cannot be unimportant to 
 Ifecsf' who love her, to witness the revival of life and energy in 
 Cuiistian work, which mark her in the present time as an instrument 
 prepared for a great purpose. While, therefore, in a more demon- 
 strative manner than of late, the Church sets forth her true and 
 lively faith j it is quite possible that human zeal hap erred, and unless 
 we deal tenderly, and at the same time righteously, with those whose 
 zeal may lack discretion, we shall in all probability be caught in their 
 error, — zealous over-much. It cannot be denied that our mode of 
 celebrating divine service has been unreasonably cold and formal. 
 The listless undevotional conduct of those who generally attend the 
 Sunday services, has had a bad effect on others who have longed for a 
 more real and devout exhibition of love to Christ. We must then 
 concede, that the expressive and more demonstrative celebration of 
 a 
 
50 
 
 divine service has awakened thought, and brought many to recognise 
 a (Jod who is in the Congregation. I believe that great good has 
 resulted from the order now observed at those Churches, which like 
 All Saints, St. Margaret St., and St. Barnabas', do not go beyond, and 
 as it appears, not so far even, as the law of Ritual allows,* It may, 
 therefore, be quite right to fix two extremes to which observances 
 ritualistic may be carried ; but not the point between those two 
 extremes to which all are of necessity to conform. 
 
 It seems hardly probable that the law is so lame and obscure as to 
 render it impossible that a judgment should be arrived at. As yet, 
 remember, no case has been brought before the Courts, to show what 
 are, or what are not lawful practices and observances : and yet, even 
 in England, intemperate men have been crying out for fresh l(^sla- 
 tion, before they really know whether it be needed or no. The 
 Bishop of London has now taken steps, in the case of St. Albans, to 
 have the matter determined. This seems to be the only proper 
 course to settle the question, and to ascertain the suflBiciency or insuf- 
 ficiency of the present Ir w. With the decision of the Judicial Com- 
 mittee before his eyes, no Presbyter in Canada in any oiour dioceses, 
 would be so foolish as to risk the withdrawal of his license, or 
 suspension from duty, for introducing a ritual not sanctioihed clearly 
 by the First Prayer Book. We have seen, that the ritual under it 
 diflfers but little from Cathedral observances now. This being so, 
 the attempt to force through a mere Diocesan Synod, new Canons, not 
 worth the paper on which they may be written, because of no force in 
 law, would only engender discord and strife. We maintain that the 
 law is efficient, and needs only to be put in force against ALL its 
 violators. Here is the pinching of the shoe. What we truly want is 
 impartial administration of the law. Let us have even-handed 
 justice. Bishops, if they please, may secure the most loyal and 
 dutiful submission, by enforcing their authority, injustice. Do not 
 let us have Presbyters removed from their cures for obeying rubrics, 
 and others let alone in the most open disobedience to all law. Do not 
 let one set of men interpolate the service by some unauthorized and 
 extemporized version of their own ; or omit, as a practice, portions of 
 the service, and of whole services ; — while another class are held up to 
 
 • We believe that the Vestmonta complained against are not wpin in these Churches. 
 
51 
 
 obloquy, and denounced even, when they commit ao other supposed 
 fault than that of preaching in and using the surplice. It does seem 
 rather hard, and unequal, to find a Dean Stanley or Colenso lightly 
 dealt with, or even promoted to honour, when no punishment is too 
 severe for those who, whatever their errors, are sacrificing themselves 
 to the cause of Christ, and are declared, even by the Bishop of 
 London himself, to be pious godly men. Nevertheless, shew them no 
 mercy ; hound them down. Do not try by loving persuasion to win 
 them. The popular voice roars, so the victim must be given to the 
 populace. Not this man, but Barabbas. Up to this time there is 
 not, we believe, a Church in the whole Confederation of Canada, in 
 which any other vestments are used than the surpUce and stole, in the 
 celebration of the Eucharist There are some Churches in which this 
 Vestment is changed for a black one ; and in some, to effect the 
 change, processions are made of the Clergy, the whole Clerical Staff, 
 all in due order, going to look after their brother, or else each to look 
 after other, as they change from black to white and white to black. 
 But just let one of the other school only attempt to bow at the name 
 of Jesus, and a Congregation follow his example, and a Bishop may 
 (as has been one) call out from his place, " Stop that bowing /" 
 It is quite i-ght that Bishops should interpose their authority to 
 prevent the use of incense, or other illegal practices, even when used 
 to intensify the reality of our worship of Almighty God ; but let their 
 Lordships' influence and authority be directed with no less determi- 
 nation, to suppress that display of extreme ultra-Protestant contempt 
 for all Ritual, with which the House of God, and the services of God, 
 are not infrequently treated. If incense is to be put away from one 
 class, let a Clergyman be instructed to rebuke, and even to withhold 
 services from those who are guilty of such profanity as filling the 
 house of prayer with a cloud of tobacco-smoke (the only Protestant 
 incense tolerated), and the desecrating His House by conduct and 
 conversation not even always refined. Do not pass over the great 
 neglect of the public administration of baptism , or the low vulgarity, 
 to say nothing more, of taking a Font from a Church and converting 
 it into a horse-trough ^ while you condemn another, who, following 
 the Wise-Man, bows reverently before His Maker's most holy Altar- 
 Table; and teaches jnen, that '' the Lord is in His holy Temple, let 
 all the earth keep silence before Him." 
 
52 
 
 It was boastfully stated by the Lord Bishop of London, that it was 
 the peculiar excellency of the Church of England, that she did 
 embrace men of such wide views as Dr. Pusey and Dean Stanley. 
 His Lordship evidently had a mental reservation for the class of 
 liituaUsts. She, evidently he thinks, has no place for the soles of 
 their feet. In the all-important question of religious truth, the action 
 of our rulers is looked on with suspicion. Two memorable instances 
 of haste are before us. John Wesley took with him a multitude. 
 He was, by red-tapeism and cowardice on the part of our authorities, 
 in not resisting popular feeling, driven from his home. Popular 
 clamor, and ultra-Protestant haste, betrayed the Parliament of 
 England into passing what they now condemn as foolish — an 
 Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. Take care ! intemperate haste may induce 
 timid men to do now that which England herself may regret. We 
 have not yet come to the belief, '' Vox populi vox Deiy We do 
 believe in trusting implicitly to the law, impartially and righteously 
 interpreted by competent authority. If, when the law is made clear, 
 men refuse to obey it — punish them. If the law is — as we believe it 
 to be — against both the extreme Ritualist, and the extreme Anti- 
 Ritualist — let its penalties fall on both alike. Arbitrarily withdrawing 
 licenses, and condemning men without trial, will not stop the work 
 they are doing. Prove to them that they are wrong — for this is 
 British justice — and then punish, if they heed not. 
 
 We, then, simply ask for justice. Feeling bound by the law, as 
 declared by the Judicial Committee, let our Bishops act — as we hope 
 and believe they will — impartially, and the great body of Clergy will 
 cheerfully obey their requirements, even if such should be of doubtful 
 legality ; and will certainly most patiently submit to the dictum of 
 their spiritual rulers, until such time as the mind of the whole Body 
 of Bishops shall be expressed and declared, and the positive law of the 
 Church made clear by the CJourts. The Council about to assemble in 
 London, is, we must believe, called at the all-powerful suggestion of 
 the Eternal Spirit, Who has put it into the hearts of men, at so 
 critical a period, to require so important and godly an assembly to be 
 made in the cause of the Blessed Redeemer's Kingdom. May we all 
 be filled with the Spirit of love and patience ; and may it be put into 
 the minds of our rulci-s here, to require prayer to be offered to God, 
 for His blessing on and guidance of the Holy Synod. The meeting 
 
53 
 
 is full of significance to the Church, and will, under God's good 
 providence, bring forth useful and blessed fruit. Casting aside all our 
 own mere personal opinions, and looking to the inculcation and spread 
 of true religion, let us be willing to bring our minds and actions into 
 conformity with whatever decisions may be arrived at : the loyal and 
 true-hearted will not — dare not — refuse to be guided by the deliberate 
 opinions and judgments arrived at by Bishops gathered from all parts 
 of the Reformed and Holy Catholic Church throughout the world. 
 
 Strong evidence in favour of the judgment of the Judicial Com- 
 mittee, is found in the very existence of the present 24th Canon, still 
 in force ; and which evidently is in accordance with the Rubric which 
 refers to the ornaments under the first Prayer-Book of Edward. Here, * 
 then, we find, that the law has ever prescribed a special vestment to be 
 worn by the officiating minister at the Holy Communion. Now, as 
 the Cope has been disused for some time, it may be even inconvenient 
 to resume it again ; but we may yet carry out, in a spirit of charitable 
 compromise, the intent of the law and early usage of the Church, by 
 asking those, who are opposed to coloured vestments, to consent to 
 the wearing a Stole, only to be used at the Holy Communion, which 
 may be either of white silk, or else of purple, and to exclude the 
 introduction of other vestments. The Stole was originally the symbol 
 of the yoke which Christ, and (in Him) all Christians bore : it seems 
 to call back to us, the heavy burden of degredation which was laid 
 upon Him, when " they led Him forth, wearing a purple robe ;" and 
 may therefore well be employed as a fitting vestment in our Euchar 
 ristic Service. With the same charitable feeling towards others, who 
 desire to retain the use of the Black Gown in preaching, let us freely 
 concede to them the privilege of its use, and declare that it may bo 
 lawfully used by the Preacher, who with it may wear the Hood of 
 his degree. 
 
 How, then, would the matter of Vestments, and of Ornaments of 
 the Church, stand ; under the present lawful mode of carrying out the 
 Oanons and Rubrics ? 
 
 1. There would be no Altar-Lights. 
 
 2. " " " Incense. 
 
 3. 
 
 (( 
 
 u 
 
 " Cope, Dalmatic, or Tunicle. 
 
 4. 
 
 (( 
 
 (C 
 
 " Ornaments. 
 
 5. 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 " Crucifix nor Cross. 
 
 6. 
 
 (( 
 
 u 
 
 " Flowers on the Altar-Table. 
 
54 
 
 THERE WOULD BE: — 
 
 1. The Sacred Vessels — Chalice, Paten, Flagon, Alms-Basin. 
 
 2. The Holy Table with a Fair Linen Cloth on it. 
 
 3. The Altar-Cloth, of some colour, covering the Holy Table. 
 
 4. The Holy Bible, open. 
 
 5. The Service Books at either end. 
 
 6. The Fair Linen Cloth, to cover the consecrated elements, 
 
 afi&r all have communicated. 
 
 7. The Credence Table, or Shelf for the Oblations and Alms 
 
 of the People. 
 
 VESTMENTS FOR HOLY COMMUNION. 
 
 1. The White Linen Surplice, falling below the knee. 
 
 2. A Stole, either of white or purple silk. 
 
 VESTMENTS FOR THE SERVICE OF PRAYER. 
 
 1. A White Surplice and Black Silk Stole. 
 
 2. The Preacher's Gown, with the Hood of his Degree, 
 
 to be worn when preaching. 
 
 We have tabularized the Ornaments and Vestments which even now 
 may be worn and used, in order that we may see at a glance, if the 
 proposed interpretation of the law should be adopted, what the 
 Ornaments of the Church and Clergy would be. 
 
 When we speak of settling difficulties by "compromise of our 
 opinions," we do not neecessarily give up any important principles. It 
 is rather the meeting each other in perfect charity, admitting that, as 
 fallihh men, we are one and all, liable to err, and particularly prone 
 to hold our own private convictions passionately. An assembly of 
 individuals is far more likely to arrive at truth — " for in the multi- 
 tude of counsellors there is wisdom" — than isolated disputants, each 
 doing battle for his own opinions. Many minds come to agreement, 
 by excluding excesses, and by being brought to a middle course. We 
 have, in secular aifairs, a good illustration of the effect of this combi- 
 nation of opposing ideas in the case of |)olitical Reform, now taking 
 place in England. A great national revolution is desired. Two 
 parties are pretty nearly balanced : they meet, and as the result, both 
 are forced to sink their personal differences by a majority of voices 
 
55 
 
 of both parties; and so a common stand-point is arrive at. If 
 we, as Christian men, in full belief in the power of the Blessed 
 Spirit, determine to bring our diflferences to a close, the Holy Spirit 
 will guide us to a safe and happy concord. 
 
 By a proper compromise, no party or section could claim a 
 victory. The vast majority of earnest sound-hearted men would 
 consent to maintain the via mediae believing that what is not Bomish, 
 and is from Reformation times, is not likely to be either dangerous in 
 the use or unseemly in practice. Already the law excludes those more 
 prominent ornaments of the Church, which being in use in a foreign 
 Communion, as symbolic of dangerous dogma, are therefore objec- 
 tionable to us, from being so used to set forth error. What the law 
 permits, not being specially Romish, ought not to have any bad effect 
 on us. The very terms of the Canons imply the desire to provide for 
 the harmony and beauty of the services of God. While, in those 
 Temples of Worship, which from their very construction, and from 
 the greater wealth of the worshippers, a more ornate service may be 
 seemly, an additional vestment is used, or the use sanctioned, as 
 falling in wit^ the more beautiful and rich adornment of the material 
 Temple. In the rendering of the services, there are necessary and 
 unavoidable differences, clearly by the force of circumstances permissi- 
 ble. The choir, and fine-toned organ; the full-sized chancel, with 
 its richly carved stalls and desks, together with the (perhaps) elaborate 
 stone pulpit, and often chaste and beautiful plate, constitute of them- 
 selves perfectly correct differences in the rendering of the service, from 
 what we find the service itself to be, as offered up in a simple 
 structure of wood. 
 
 There can, therefore, be no real objection whatever to Congrega- 
 tions bringing up the celebration of divine worship to the standard of 
 Cathedral and Collegiate services, if they can do so. 
 
 While the authorities of the Church, both at the Reformation and 
 shortly afterwards, determined to exclude all that was objectionable, 
 they seem to have been singularly careful to do nothing which could 
 be construed into an intentional depreciation of the externals of wor- 
 ship of the Church. It is quite true, as the Judicial Committee of 
 Privy Council state, that the Reformers differed among themselves, a» 
 individuals, as to the exact meaning to be put upon our Lord's 
 words of institution, but their Lordships were wrong evidently, 
 
56 
 
 in the inference which they deduced from this fact, that the Cliurch 
 ignored all idea of " the Communion of the body and blood of the 
 Saviour" in the Holy Eucharist ; ot in the Holy Communion itself 
 not being in any sense a sacrifice. They emphatically denied, and 
 were fierce even, in their denunciation of the errors, that there was a 
 re-iteration cf the vicarial Sacrifice, and of the doctrine of T ran substan- 
 tiation ; but from the very fact, that they so faithfully appealed to 
 early Christian history, and so earnestly desired to be guided by the 
 consent of the Fathers in all that related to Christian doctrine, 
 appealing to early Authority in support of what they held } it is clear 
 that they never meant to ignore the truth as always held by the 
 Church. And this is made more clear by the very fact of the existence 
 of the Church Catechism, the whole structure and language of the 
 Eucharistic servico, and the 26th Article, and more strongly the 28th. 
 We have nothing to do with the opinions of individual Reformers. 
 We have to be guided by the Book of Common Prayer and Articles 
 of Religion, the great result of the united labour of the Reformers. 
 
 It would seem, from the researches of the Bishop of Ely, that all 
 ancient Vestments were white. This being granted, there seems to be 
 very little doubt, that the mere question of colour should not be very 
 material. The Alba or Alb, .is the oldest Vestment in existence : it 
 is a long Surplice, with a girdle round the waist. 
 
 The latest edition of " The Prayer Book Interleaved," has the 
 following : — " The Privy Council ruled in Liddell v. Westerton, that 
 the word ' Ornaments,' in the Rubric in our present Prayer Book, 
 applies and is confined to those articles, the use of which in the ser- 
 vices and ministrations of the Church, is prescribed by the Prayer 
 Book of 1549.* From a study of the use and structure of these 
 Vestments, we may see that in the present day, if we confine ourselves 
 to what is known as the English circular Surplice, and a purple or white 
 silk Stole, we would have far more appropriate and seemly Vestments, 
 and much more like the early ones, than we should have if we were to 
 return to the use of the Cope and coloured Vestments. The law 
 according to the First Book of Edward VI. would certainly seem to 
 permit no other Ornaments to be placed on the Altar-Table, than 
 those which are required for the due celebration of the Holy Mystery ; 
 
 • See Prayer-Book interleaved, London edition, 1866. 
 
57 
 
 while there is no law to prevent the Altar-Table itself from being of 
 the most beautiful and excellent workmanship. If therefore we may 
 never burn incense thereon, if no lights be permitted there, nor 
 flowers adorn the throne of Him who cometh to give the odour of 
 Life to His people, we must be satisfied to refrain from such symbolic 
 practices. But what we cannot refrain from doing is, the setting 
 forth our full belief in the Real Presence of Christ. We truly 
 believe, that the absence of lights and of flewers will have no serious 
 effect on any minds, nor will the removal of a simple cross even, 
 from the Altar, be a sufficient cause of estrangement between those of 
 the same household. But to attempt to define the exact method of 
 kneeling or of recognising the Redeemer as present with Christian 
 worshippers, and to say, that there is to be no presentation of the 
 oblations to God, may be a hard matter to accomplish. We believe, 
 that there ought to be some method of setting forth or symbolizing 
 the faith of the Church ; and while we agree to discard the use of 
 symbols which are employed to exprc-s doctrine from which we all 
 dissent, we may, on the other hand, by symbols perpetuate that truth 
 which we hold. The Greek Church objects to an Altar-Table of 
 stone; keeping in mind "The Wood" on which Jesus suffered. 
 The Anglican would seem to incline to the same symbolic use of wood. 
 Some will not recognise in any sense an Altai', but a Table, — to other 
 minds implying a conception as carnal and gross as that which the 
 Romanist professes to hold. But the Lord's most Holy Altar-Table, 
 is His Throne of Mercy with us ; and the richness and beauty of its 
 covering, and the nature of the devout service offered at it, should 
 ever fill us with lowly reverence, when we assemble before it.- 
 
 It certainly does seem reasonable, that the Altar-Table should 
 stand out in the adornment of beautiful simplicity — that there should 
 be no objects to call even our senses away from those elements which 
 represent (through our carnal sight) to our spirits, the wonderful 
 Sacrifice of the Son of God. Sacred vessels for such Service there must 
 be, and let them be such as become the House of God. Instead of 
 teaching people to use in His service vessels, that they would not 
 allow to be at their own tables, let them know, that in proportion to 
 their means must be their gifts. Therefore, when they may be had, 
 even gold cannot be too costly. In addition to these, no other earthly, 
 symbol than the Bible can represent to us so truly the nature of 
 
58 
 
 Christ, as God and Man ; no other can bring before us so clearly, 
 " the Word made flesh ;" no other can illustrate as well, the power 
 of God and the mercy of God, as *' the Word of God."* As God's 
 Throne of Mercy, as His Footstool, let the Holy Altar-Table itself be 
 as perfect, beautiful, appropriate as human hands may make it. It 
 cannot be right to repress the warmth and aiFection of the heart, or 
 needlessly to limit the expression of that love for God which men 
 ever and again exhibit. " Diavid said unto all the congregation, 
 Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and 
 tender, and the work is great ; for the place is not for man, but for 
 the Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house 
 of my God, the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for 
 things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for thing* 
 of iron, and the wood for things of wood : onyx stones, and stones 
 to be set, glisteriing stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of 
 precious stones, and marble stones in abundance." — 1 Chron xxix. 2. 
 Let the Bezaleels to whom God still gives knowledge ; and who are 
 filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in 
 knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship — bring all their know- 
 ledge into God's service, and beautify His House, and make the 
 place, where He has put His Name, glorious. But in doing this, let 
 it be after the pattern that He -hath shewed us : — a Temple meet for 
 the indwelling of Christ's body. The tabernacle was beautiful, and 
 truly beautiful, as shewing forth that perfection, and beauty required 
 by God, and for the setting forth of truth. The Temple was very 
 magnificent, because it set forth the glory and truth of all that is of, 
 and for God. The devout Jew fell down to worship when the cloud 
 appeared : so when, in the Christian tabernacle, the hallowed signs of 
 Christ's presence are set before us, it must not be otherwise with us. 
 Mr. Maurice, in his Kingdom of Christ, page 341, remarks : — 
 *' I must say a few words before I conclude upon the difference 
 between my views and those of the Romanists, respecting those who 
 administer this Sacrament. The pure Protestant expresses his difler- 
 ence in such words as these. The Romanist, he says, unhappily con- 
 necting the idea of sacrifice with the Eucharist, necessarily supposes 
 that the Christian Church must have its priests, as well as the 
 
 • At St. James's Cathedral, Toronto, the Bible rests on the Altar-Table always. 
 
59 
 
 Jewish ; we rejecting the first idea, of course reject the second. Now 
 as I have so carefully connected the idea of sacrifice with the 
 Eucharist, it follows from this statement, that if I suppose it to be 
 administered by human hands at all, I must suppose those hands to 
 be, in some sense of the word, sacerdotal. Nay, it would seem to 
 follow by necessary inference, that if I suppose the Jewish sacrifice to 
 have passed into something higher, I must suppose the Jewish priest- 
 hood to have passed into something higher. And this in fact is my 
 belief. I do think a Melchisedec priesthood has succeeded to an 
 Aaronical priesthood, even as the power of an endless life has suc- 
 ceeded to the law of a carnal commandment. I do think that He who 
 presents the perfect sacrifice before God, and himself and His people 
 as redeemed by that sacrifice, has a higher function than he, who 
 presented the daily offering, or made the yearly atonement before 
 Grod. I do think he who is permitted to feed the people with this 
 bread and wine has a higher work to do than he who came out of the 
 holy place to bless the people in God's Name. And I complain of the 
 Romanists for lowering this office^ for depriving it of its spiritual and 
 Catholic character, for reducing it to the level or below the level of 
 that which existed before the incarnation. No honour which is put 
 upon the person of the priest can make amends to him for the 
 degradation which he suffers by being treated as if he were without 
 the veil, pleading for admission into the presence of God, not claiming 
 the privilege for himself and his people of being admitted into it. No 
 emblems which exhibit his own mysterious glory and beauty can be 
 any compensation for the loss of the belief that he is permitted with 
 open face to behold the glory of his Lord. Above all, the differences 
 which are made between him and his flock, especially that most gross 
 and offensive one, by whatever arguments it may be palliated, of 
 permitting him alone to receive the sacramental wine, do but show 
 that he is not like his Lord, that he is not one of many brethren, but 
 has only the melancholy delight of fancying that there are blessings 
 reserved for him in which other men are not sharers. Herein he is 
 far below the Jew. The high-priest believed that he was one of a 
 kingdom of priests ; that he received his garments of beauty and his 
 holy mitre, because he was their representative. A Jew would have 
 answered to the complaint of Korah, ^ Ye take too much upon you, 
 seeing that all the congregation are holy, every one of them.' ' We 
 
60 
 
 take this upon us which has been put upon us, because the congrega- 
 tion is holy, and because it would not be holy if we were not conse- 
 crated to be witnesses and preservers of its holiness." A Jew could 
 see thai the oil upon Aaron's head went down to the skirts of his 
 garments. It is not surely for Christians and Catholics to set up an 
 office in the Church against the Church itself, to set at nought the 
 ascription which they are appointed to offer up in the name of tha 
 whole body : ' Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins 
 in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God 
 and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 It is not alone in the use of certain vestments, that some minds are 
 perplexed. It is in the observance of a certain ceremonial that they 
 take offericc. They assume, and persist in declaring, that these 
 ceremonies are expressive of certain doctrines repudiated by the 
 Anglican Church at the Reformation. Thus, in taking the Paten 
 into his hand, the Priest breaks the Bread and lays his hand upon 
 the Bread, using the words of institution of our Lord. He then, it 
 may be, lifts up the Paten heavenward ; so with the Chalice. If this 
 were done towards the Congregation, in order that they may worship 
 material substance, it would be grievous sin ; but it is a presentation 
 before God of the oblation of the Sacrifice once for all offered by our 
 Lord, in which the people are to ooncur; pleading the perpetual 
 memory of our Lord's Sacrifice, which sacrifice we are bidden to make 
 and shew forth here, that its actual and effectual presentation by 
 Christ, through his service of representation here on earth, may be to 
 us the verily and indeed taking and receiving the Body and Blood of 
 Christ, bestowed upon faithful creatures in the power of His quicken- 
 ing Spirit. Christ onji/ is to be adored, wherever and whenever we 
 appear before Him. If He has ever taught, that the Cup of blessing 
 which He blesses is the Communion of His Blood, and the Bread 
 which He breaks is the communion of His Body, then as the Jew 
 was no idolater, when he saw the Cloud over the Tabernacle, and 
 worshipped God, and not the cloud — so they who recognise and fiilly 
 believe in Christ's unseen Presence, cannot be charged with idolatry 
 for believing Him to be really doing that which He has promised He 
 would do, when the signs of His Presence are before them, to certify 
 them of His promise. 
 
 
61 
 
 THE PRESENCE OP GOD, AS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE, MAT BE FOUND 
 
 IN THE FOLLOWING TEXTS : 
 
 Job xiii. 20 & 24. 
 Psalm X. 1. 
 Psalm civ. 1. 
 Isaiah xlv. 15. 
 Deut. xxxii. 20. 
 Psalm civ. 29, 
 
 Isaiah viii. 17. 
 Psalm XXX. 7. 
 Psalm Ixxxix. 46. 
 Psalm xxxi. 20. 
 Ezek. xxxix. 29. 
 Psalm xliv. 24. 
 
 Psalm Ixxxviii. 14. 
 Lament, iii. 56. 
 Jeremiah, xxiii. 24. 
 Job : xxiv. 29. 
 John xi. 36. 
 
 A careful study of these several portions of Scripture, gives us a 
 brighter and clearer idea of God's presence with us, than all else that 
 may be said or written. " We cannot ascend into heaven to bring 
 Christ down," but we have His "Word for it, that He has taken up 
 His abode amongst us. He has taken us to Mount Zion, and unto 
 the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable 
 company of angels. "Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom which 
 cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God 
 acceptably with reverence and godly fear." It is God who worketh 
 in us. We cannot bring Him. into our presence, it is He who 
 bringeth us into His presence. " For ye are made nigh by the blood 
 of Christ." " The Lord Is in His Holy Temple, let all the earth 
 keep silence before Him.' 
 
 Reasonable objection is made to the proposition that there shall be 
 but one coloured Altar-cloth ; because the Church has ever carried out 
 the contrary idea, of a year of seasons — the events of Jesus' life. To 
 mark the seasons in the Christian year, and practically to set forth 
 the varied events of our Lord's Life on earth, is but to illustrate the 
 teaching of the Church. To say, that we must not in any degree 
 vary the devotional intent of our services at Advent, Christmas, Lent, 
 Easter-tide, &c. , is but to render public worship a cold monotonous 
 formality.* If congregations, from pure love to Christ, like to 
 manifest their love, and are wealthy enough to afford beautiful but 
 correct methods of adornment, there can be no real objection to the 
 use of hangings and coverings of different colours, to mark the 
 different seasons ; and certainly the practice is in accordance with the 
 
 * " In respect to embroidered cloths, the sentence in the case of Westerton w Liddell, 
 is, that the covering used need not always be the same ; and that whether the cloths 
 used be suitable or not, was a matter to be left to the discretion of the ordinary.— See 
 Moore's Report. 
 
€2 
 
 usage of the Church from earliest times. " And the Lord spake unto 
 Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me 
 an offering ; of every man that giveth it willingly with liis heart yc 
 shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of 
 them : gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, 
 and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' 
 skins, and shittim wood, oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and 
 for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and 
 in the breast-plate; and let them make me a sanctuary, that I may 
 dwell among them.'^ At this very time all parties are expressing the 
 wish for the introduction of shorter services, to be used on special 
 occasions, as Harvest Time, in the Time of Pestilence, and for 
 Missionary Meetings ; a general movement towards a more active and 
 fruitful Christian life is taking place everywhere, and a more syste- 
 matic acknowledgment of Christian duty, is bringinf; into closer and 
 more intimate connection, the hitherto too widely separated classes of 
 society. It will be impossible to minister to such activity by an 
 unimpressive and icy cold performance of public worship. Earnest- 
 ness will make itself felt ; and the Church of England will not be the 
 only portion of the Church ashamed or afraid to manifest the depth 
 and heartiness of true devoiion. 
 
 We cannot admit, that it is a matter of indifference, what ritual 
 we have ; because men are deeply moved whenever ritual is either 
 increased or diminished. It is because it is most significant in its 
 teaching, that importance is attached to it. We believe that we 
 cannot safely deprive the services of God of all ceremonial and 
 adornment. In our nature He has been pleased to plant certain 
 powers and faculties, which are all and each to be consecrated to His 
 service. Hallowed by dedicating our lives to His Service, our 
 emotions, affections and passions are to be employed to His glory. 
 Our power of appreciating beauty and harmony, the elevating effect 
 which is produced on the mind, and the depressing effect which the 
 absence of beauty and harmony has upon us, warns us not to be slow 
 in making the ^' place of His feet glorioi^." 
 
 look how the floor of heaven 
 
 Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold 
 There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st, 
 But in his motion like an angel sings. 
 Still Quiring to the young-eyed cherubim ; 
 Such harmony is in immortal souls." 
 
63 
 
 An Informal and spiritleas service may be as destmctive of devo- 
 tion, as an ornate service without the true spirit of piety. It must 
 be, that our souls are quickened and rendered more instantly sensitive 
 by appeals through the senses, or by quickening influences on our 
 emotions and passions ; for our Heavenly Father would not have so 
 constituted us, as to render our spiritual nature largely dependent 
 upon those senses by which we are made to a great extent cognisant 
 of an external world. Solomon, as we have shown, was not ashamed 
 to bow before God's Altar on earth. His warm emotion demonstrated 
 his earnest belief It is the Lord's Altar-Table laden with precious 
 gifts now, as then ; yet we would decry all demonstrative reverence. 
 " Whoso shall swear by the Altar, sweareth by it, and by all things 
 thereon." Therefore, whoso boweth before the Altar, boweth in 
 humble worship before Him, the siffts of whose Freoence are lying 
 thereon. " Son of man, the place of my Throne, and the place of 
 the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of 
 Israel for ever ; and my Holy Name shall the children of Israel no 
 more defile." Thus hath the God of Heaven and Earth claimed for 
 Himself a place, where in His holy House there may be His Throne 
 and Foot-stool at which He may receive the offerings and adoration 
 due to His Holy Name. 
 
 If in appropriate Ritualistic practices we set forth or demonstrate 
 Truth ; do not attempt harshly to repress all such practices. God 
 knows we are cold and lifeless enough, and need be stimulated to 
 warmth and fervour. 
 
 The Venerable Bishop of Exeter, who now more than ninety years 
 of age, still lives, again to lift his voice against the errors of Rome, 
 as well as to curb the extravagances of ultra-Protestantism, has 
 better understood the position of the English Church than perhaps 
 any other Bishop living. He has always acted on the principle, that 
 the Church has left no choice to her Bishops, Priests or People, but 
 has plainly declared what may be done. And it would be well that 
 we should keep in mind the great principle which has guided so 
 able a Bishop through the diflSculties with which he has had to 
 contend ; first with the extremely Low, and then with the ultra-High 
 Churchman. 
 
 The Bishop of Exeter, in Helston's Case, (1844, Pinnock's Laws 
 and Usages, p. 803,) decided that he would not interefere to condemn 
 
64 
 
 the Rev. W. Blunt for using a surplice, because the Churchwardens 
 had not provided the alb, vestment, or cope, as was their duty to have 
 done. If they were provided, he should enjoin the Minister to use 
 them. The parishioners were not bound to supply a Gown, nor would 
 it be right to use it. The Gown was no ichere mentioned in any of 
 the Rubrics. 
 
 In Smith's case, 1841, (Pinnock ut supra, p. 480,) the charge 
 against the Minister was, that he had placed, or caused to be placed, 
 and suffered to remain, during the performance of Divine Service on 
 Easter Bay, in the Church, and especially on the Communion Table, 
 certain ornaments, — among them two glass vases, containing flowers 
 and a cross about two feet high, decked withflowers. The Bishop con- 
 demned theni as ornaments not warranted by Law, and admonished 
 the Minister. The principle upon which he proceeded, in the full and 
 absolute rule of exclusion of what is not authorized by the Statute and 
 Rubric, and found in the First Book. It was not sufficient that the 
 articles were not prohibited. There must be an express or implied 
 direction to use them. 
 
 If this principle of even-handed justice govern our Bishops, we 
 shall soon find out, that no change in the law is required. Our Re- 
 formers knew what they were about, and if the Rubric still in force, 
 having their approval, has escaped repeal, notwithstanding the 
 repeated revisions of the Book of Common Prayer, we say again, 
 LET IT BE, and at least carry it out, in its spirit and intent. 
 
 J. B. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Caxton Press : T. Uill, Printer, Corner King and Nclton Street, Toronto.