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TAKEN FROM THE "QUEBEC MERCURY" OF THE 26th of that month j TOQBTBBR WITH CBRTAIN ARTICLES FROM THAT JOURNAL, AND OTHERS, BEARUIQ UPON THB SUBJECT OF SVNODICAL ACTION. QUEBEC : PRINTED AT THE MERCURY" OFFICE. 1859. • No pains having been spared to give circulation to newspapers and pamphlets setting forth a particular class of views on subjects connected with Synodical action, it has been thought desirable to collect to- gether, and republish, certain articles which have appeared from time to time, in the Quebec Mercury, and Chronicle, and other papers, on the opposite side of the question. It will be important to observe that the two journals just mentioned are the only secular papers in Quebec which, through their Edi- tors or Proprietors, are connected with the Church of England, although neither of them is under the influence, in the least degree, of any ecclesiastical authority ; and they therefore may be reasonably sup- posed to represent the opinions of the majority of the member? of that Church. In the articles which follow, some slight omissions have been made of passages which are either inap- propriate in the present state of things, or too per- sonal in their character to make it desirable to republish them. V /^(^ 890561 REPORT, &c. From the Quebec Mermri/^ "itlh of June ^ 1858. SYNOD MEETING OF THE CLERGY AND LAITY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. The general meeting of members of the Anglican Church, of which a brief report Was given up to the hour of our last publication, was attended by the greater portion, though not all, ol the CXexgy of the Diocese, and about one hundred and fifty lay members, of whom not more tjian ten had come in from the country parishes specially for the meeting. His Lordship the Bishop, as a tor of course occupied the chair, and the Rev. S. Wood opci the meeting by reading several appropriate prayers. The Lord Bishop in introducing the subject which had called the meeting together, said, that by permission of Almighty God they had met for the purpose of considering and adopting the act of parliament by which synodicjil powers had been conferred on the bishop, clergy and laity of the church of England, and framing a constitution and regulations for the go- vernment of the churcii. His Lordship remarked that for a pe riod of sixty-five years the affairs of the church had been con- ducted without the exercise of this power, and it was but very lately that the subject of synodical action had been prominently brought forward. In 1851 the initiatory movement was made in the matter by five bishops who assembled in (Quebec ; he mentioned the fact of the subject having originated amongst the Bishops, as an evidence of the confidence placed by them in the laity. The adoption of certain regulations and resolutions was the first step taken. Two years arterwurils his Loidsliip went to England for the purpose of meeting tho metropolitan of Australia (the Lord Bishop of Sydney,) to consault the high- est authorities at home and to obtain power to act in the mat- ter from the Imperial Parliament. Objections, however, arose in England as to the eligibility of that course of procedure, and it was afterward thought proper to apply to the Provincial Legislature. The act, to adopt which they had met, was the consequence of that application ; it had received the sanction of royalty, and the power of Synodical action had thus been constituted. His Lordship said that the present meeting was not a synod, but simply a meeting to prepare the way for the formation of a synod ; and in the furtherance of this object, he had availed himself of the assistance of several gentlemen to draw up certain resolutions, which would be submitted to the consideration of the meeting. The first resolution had merely reference to the adoption by this meeting of the Act of Parlia- ment ; the second was for the purpose of establishing the principle of representation in the synod when formed, and it was open to all persons, members of the church, to propose such alterations therein, and amendments thereto, as were consis- tent with the general principles which governed the church. He hoped and trusted fhat the consideration of the subject and the action taken upon it by this meeting would be such as would receive the approbation of the church, the clergy, and the laity of the Church of England, not only through all the places whose interests are identified in thiit action, but throughout the world ; and that whatever discussion took [)lace it would be marked by that cool and calm reflection, that christian candour and gentleness, corresponding with the importance of the subject, and not with minds clouded or prejudiced by per- sonal ideas or considerations. His Lordship concluded by saying that they would now proceed to consider what that synodical action would be, without which they had done for sixty-five years ; and he hoped that the first steps taken would be successful ones. Referring again to the fact that the move- ment originated with the bishops, and the feeling towards the laity manifested by their so doing, he sat down. Revd. A. W. Mountain, was appointed Secretary to the meeting, and read the following Act of the Provincial Parlia- ment authorizing Svnodical Action : — i Li)idslii|) Btropolitan the liigli- 1 the niat- jvcr, arose edure, and Provincial , was the s sanction Iiad thus it meeting lie way for this ohject, 'ntlcn^en to itted to the lacl merely tofParlia- ishing the and it was pose such ?re consis- ■hurch. He ?ct and the U as would 1(1 the laity the places throughout e it would t christian pnrtance of :ed hy per- icluded by what that id done for ken would the move- uwards the iry to the nal Parlia- ACT to enable the Members of the I'nitoi] Church of Kngiand and Ireland in Canada, to meet in Synod. (19 & 20 Vic., rap. 141, Passed by both houses oflmperitd Parhament, 13th June, 1856.) Whereas, doubts exist whether the members of the United Church of England and Irehind, in this Provitife, have the power of regula- ting the affairs of their Church in matters relating to discipline, and necessary to order and good governmrnt, audit is just that such doubts hhould be removed in order that ibcy may be punnilled to exercise the same rights of self government that ore enjoyed by other rel'gious communities ; therefore, Her Majesty, by and wittj the advice and consent of the Legislative Councd and Assembly of Canada, enacts as follows : — 1. The Bishops, Clerjiy, and I.aity, members of the United Church of Kiigland and Ireland, in this Province, may meet in their several Dioceses, which arc now, or may be herf^nfter cont^tituted in this Province, and in such manner and by sucii proceedings at they shall adopt, frame coiistitutiotis, and make legulaiions for enfor- cing discipline in the Church, for the appointment, deposition, depri- vation, or removal of any person beaiing (fTice therein, of what- ever order or degree, any rights of the Crown to the contnuy notwiihsianding, for the convenient and orderly management of the property, affairs and interests of the t luirch in matters relaiitg to and alTecting only the said Church, and the oniecrs and members thereof, and not in any manner interfering with the rights, privileges or interests of other religious eommuniiies, or of any person or per- sons not being a mcml)er or mendjers of the said United Church of England and Ireland ; Provided always that such constitutions and regulations shall apply only to the Diocese or Dioceses adopting the same, II The Bishopp, Clergy, and Laity, mcnd)crs of the United Church of Eng' id and Ireland, in this Province, may meet in general Assembly »/;thin this Province, by pucii Hepresentativcs as Bhall be determined and declared by them in their several Dioceses ; and in such general Assembly frame a cons-litution and regulations for ihe general management and good government of the said Church in this Province ; provided alvvayf", that nothing in this act contained shall authorise the imposition of any rate or lax upon any person or persons whomsoever, whether belonging to the said Church or not, or the infliction of any | unishment, fine, or pejully upon any person, other than his suspension or removal from an office in the said Church or exclusion from the meetings or proceedings of the Diocesan or General Synods ; and provided also, nothing in the Baid constitution, regulations, or any of them, shall be contrary to any law or statutes now or hereafter in force in this Province. hr 'i It was tlioii moved by the Hon. W. Sheppard, «ecorided by iho Revd. D. Falloon,'D. D. I. —That we, (he Bishop, Clergy, and Laity of the Doicese of Quebec legally convened, adopt the Act of the Provincial Parliament entitled " An Act to enable the members of the United Church of England and Ireland to meet in Synod." The first resolution was then put to (he meeting and unani- mously adopted. The second Resolution was proposed bv the Revd. S. S. Wood, M.A., seconded by the Revd. E. C' Parkin. 2. — That pending the adoption of a constitution by the Synod at its first meeting, the Synod shall consist of the Bishop of (he Diocese, of the clergy of (ho same, being in Priests Orders, in- stituted or licensed to the cure of souls, or being Principals or JVofessors of Divinity in any College, or being head masters of Schools under the jurisdiction (in cither case) of the Bishop, and not being under ecclesiastical censure : and of lay Repre- sentafivcs, as horeaftcr to be provided. Rev(\. Mr. Wood said, in moving the resolution, that he hoped it would not meet with opposition, as he disliked op- position verv much. There were occasions when an open and manly opposition was required, and no one admired more than he did opposition of that nature; the opposition he disliked was that of a factious nature, and he hoped that nothing of that de^-r ^';ption wouM characterize the proceedings of the present meeting. He was not much in favor of long speeches, and indeed there was nothing in the resolution which would enable a person to make a long speech upon it. Mr. Jeffrey Hale here rose and said that he had an amendrnent to propose. The idea of this amendment had arisen in his mind from what he had heard at thaf meeting, and of course, he had not yet put it upon paper. Previous to doing so, he would explain the opinion which, al- though he was no lawyer, he entertained on the subject under discussion. He doubted very much whether this meeting could delegate its power of forming a constitution to any other parties. The act distinctly stated that the bishop, clergy, and laity of the Church of England must meet and frame their con- stitution and regulations themselves ; no one else could frame the constitution. In laying tlie foundation of our edifice therefore it would bo but wise to lay it surelv. The bod y , leconded ho Doicese Provincial crs of t!)e t'norl." nd unani- evd. S. S. the Synod lop of tho Orders, in- incipals or d masters le Bishop, \y Rcpre- n, (liat he silked op- opeii and more than diked was ig of that he present Laches, and lild enable had an nendment at thaf on paper, vhich, al- 3ct under mceling iny other rgy, and their con- Ise couUl ur edifice he bod V inentionod in the n.solutioii jus<. rend, might, ii is true, frHine a constitution and reguhitions ; but that constitution and those regulations would not be tho constitution or regulations of the Church of Kngland in synod assembled, and might, conse- quently, bo easily alfected, and dilliculties would arise which would bo very hard to get over. This meeting was called together fo- the purpose of framing a constitution and regula- tions for the government of the Church, for tho delegation of their power to do so to another body the act made no provi- sion whatever. He would ihercfbre respectfully suggest that those gentlemen evetj although they possessed much more wisdom than he did, had, in framing the resolution, followed a course not in accordance with the provisions of tho Act of Parliainent. lie would therefore, move an amendment to the following elfect : — That a committee consisting ot twelve members, be ap- pointed by ballot for the purpose of framing the draft of a con- stitution for the regulation of tho Church of England of this diocese ; the same to be suhmitted to a public mcetmg of the members of the Church of England of t!iis diocese for their sanction and approval, at such date as might be decided on. Mr. George Hall, tho acting Mayor, bogged permission to enquire whether Mr. Hale's opinion was supported by that of any of the legal gentlemen he saw present.'' Mr. Andrew Stuart, advocate, having then been called upon by the unanimous voice of the meeting to give his opinion on the subject, said :— That the Act gave the ciiurch powers of government as described in tho second clause of tjiat docu- ment, by means of the bishop, clergy, and laity, and therefore, that a constitution for its government must be given by the members of the church as therein designated. These members could, however, he thought, appoint a Committee to draft or draw up a constitution, the members of the church having full power to alter, accept, or reject such constitution, accordiiiff as they thought proper. The Act conferred no powers of government on a Synod ; the church was to be governed alone by means of a constitution and regulations drawn up by the njembers designated as the bishop, cleigv, and laity. He therefore concurred in the view of the Act taken by Mr. Hale ,P®,,^^^'^' ^^r. Wood here begged permission' to enquire ot the Chair whether it was undej-stood that the voiincr was to be by orders. This enquiry created a decided maniTbstation uf ()|){)Ositiiiii uinoii^ t!i(j luy members pie&cnt, iVum which imnnunt the discusiiun became irregular, anil our ruporter was unable to note the proceedings with any thing like accuracy. The question was repeatedly raised whether the meeting did not already ct)tjstituto a Synod. Mr. James Btdl Forsyth maintained that such was the case from the inomont that the first Resolution had been passed, and that, this point eskiblished, the right of the Clergy to vote by orders, could not be duiied them. The llevd. Mr. Parkin could not conceal his surprise that, constituted as the assemblagi? was in the proportion of twenty laity to one clergynnn,— a feeling should exist against the right of the clergy to vote as they considered they had the right of doing. Mr. ilall expressed his surprise that the clergy should wish to set themselves in a position adverse to the will of the laity. Mr. Parkin maintained in reply, that the present meeting, constituted as it was, could not by any means be looked upon as a representation of the laity, lie insisted th.at it was self- evident, the clergy were members of the Church of England, while proof was requisite that every layman was a member of that church. The Bishop stated that it was hi:i conviction that, the clergy having with one voice decided against the motion of Mr. Hale, the amendment was rejected. The cry of" question," on Mr. Hale's motion, being raised by Colonel Fitzgerald and other gentlemen, The Bishop again stated that he was under the im- pression that the Clergy had declared their view on the sub- ject. The Lord Bishop here remarked that the words of the act were, with regard to Mr. Stuart's observation on the powers of Synods, that the bishop, clergy and laity " were to meet in Synod." From this point in the discussion of the subject, an animated and by no means orderly system of debate prevailed, several clerical gentlemen opposing Mr. Hale's amendment, and main- taining tliat in no way could the government of the church be more etficiently worked out than by the formation of a Synod by the present meeting, and the further election and sending in of representatives from the dilTerent parishes, who would no doubt submit to the wislics of a constituted majority. IVoin which •■porter was e accuracy, lie meeting as the case eon passed, rgy to vote rpriso that, 1 of twenty against tiie id the right bould wish )f the laity. [It meeting, okcd upon it was self- >r England, member of the clergy Mr. Hale, L'ing raised r the im- n the sub- of the act he powers to meet in 1 animated :1, several and main- church be >i a Synod 1 sending I would no They o[)[),)9tjJ Mr. Hale's amendment on the principle thai at presoijt it wouhl disfrancliiso the people of their parishes. To thi.s it was replied by Mr. ILilo that no such intentions wore oiilertuinod or .»tliuwn by tliu amciulmciit ; it delegated no power to the coinmitt'ie which would he formed sl?ould the ainen.lment be adopted ; it was leaving the work ot the many to a tew who w.)uld have no power to fnuno a constitution, but who wouhl merely submit surh suggestions for the framing of that constitution to the assembled members of the church, those meujbers accepting o.- rejecting suth suggestions as they considere 1 desirabh; or otherwise'. Mr. Hall cn(|uired whether h'<>;al advice had been taken by the Bisho[) and the gentlemen who had drawn up the resolution now before I hu tnefting, pr* . ious to their having done so. ^ The opinions of M-,-eral legal gentlemen including Messrs. Kerr and Campbell were given, all tutiding in favor of the in- terpretation of ilm act as titken by ,Mr. Hale. Several observations were then made by various parties in no way complimentary to the talents of Mr. Cameron in draw- ing up ac(s of Parliament, or the infallibility of his opinion. In reply, the Bishop stated that in drawing up the resolu- tion they had been guided by the welfare of the church at largo, and by the opinion of Mr. Cameron, the gentleman who had Iramed and presented the Act itself. Mr. Hale now objected to the decision of the chair, which was, as he stated, a deviation from the general rule at all meet- ings. He would not acknowledge that the clergy had the right of voting separately from the" rest of the meeting. ^ Mr. Kerr, advocate, here stepped forward, on the part of five professional gentlemtn present, w ho had requested him to express their professional view of the right of tliu clergy. It was only by courtesy, in their opinion, that the light is given by the meeting, and would be given on the occasion. The clergy should not arrogate to themselves the right of voting by orders, and even the authoritv of John Hillyard Cameron was not generally approved. Notwithstanding that gentle- man's eminence, the act he had produced at the suggestion of his fellow churchmen in Toronto, was since its piTssage, ad- mitted 10 be nothing else than a hideous absurditv . Mr. Forsyth concurred with Mr. Hale's amendment in all tbmgs save one ; and that was the number of the committee, B 10 i i twelve, which he consideretl far too small; he could not well see how it could he named oiit of this large meeting. Mr. Hale agreed to withdraw the words '"by ballot," and also that the committee should consist of an equal number of Clergy and Laity, which he desired it to be understood, was his intention in originally proposing the amendment. On the question of how the vote for the ap[)ointment of the proposed Lommittee was to be taken, a very animated and irregular discussion arose ; the Clergy supported by the Bishop, asserting and maintaining their right to vote by orders ; a pro- cedure which it was contended would leave the Laity in a minority. This claim on their part, at the present meeting, was strongly repudiated by Messrs, Hale, Hall, Eadon, and others. The llevd. E. W. Sewell, whose rising was greeted with the loudest applause of the day, urged, as a senior minister of the diocese, that his brethren of the clergy would on this occasion throw aside any claim they might have to vote by orders. The Chair being again called on by Sheriflf Seweil and a number of other gentlemen, to decide the point of whether the Clergy were entitled to vote by orders. His Lordship stated that, with all deterence to the attain* ments of the professional gentlemen who had given their opin- ion of the Act by which the proceedings were governed, he held to his original view of the intent of the law, and with the Honorable Mr^ Cameron's written notes of his construction of it in his hands (which document the Bishop read to the meeting) he could not set aside that right, Mr. T. W. Lloyd thought there could be no doubt that voting by orders at present would be illegal. If the Clergy were determined that they would not vote save by orders, and if the Laity would not concede that point, business could not be carried on. Mr. Kerr, in answer to the Bishop, said decidedly that the Laity, according to the law, were not authorised to give their assent to the Clergy voting by orders. Mr. G. Hall then addressed the meeting on the necessity of their acting with due reflection ; the course pointed out by Mr. Hale and supported by Mi. Stuart, was the only true course which could be adopted, and he begged the mfieting to iUi not well )aIlot," and jual number irstood, was ment of the inflated and the Bishop, ers ; a pro- Laity in a [it meeting, ill, Eadon, reeted with minister of lid on this to vote by ?weii and a vhether the the attain- their opin- verned, he id with the itruction of le meeting) doubt that he Clergy )rders, and s could not lly that the I give their lecessity of id out by only true meeting to u pause and cun*ider well every bearing of the subject before they took action upon it. The subject was a most important one ; they were met to decide on a matter which would affect not only themselves but their children after them. The Revd. Mr. Balfour siynified his opinion that the clergy holdmg the position of one against a thousand, no combined action would ever result, and they would be compelled alto- gether to withdraw. Capt. Rhodes stated that he was tlie only member of his own cjngregaiion present. This assembly was only a representa- tion of a party ^of the city (.f Quebec. He was con- vinced his congregation would be most reluctant to accept the decision of the present assemblage on any point. He therefore propo.sed an adjournment to this day two months. The Revd. S. S. Wood, senior clergyman of the entire dio- cese, and a minister eminent for Ins talents and usefulness to the Church, here rose and begged from his very heart and soul to disclaim the shadow of a wish to override the laity, He solemnly declared that he could not sit in a meeting where there was a disposition of any one order to overrule the others. Mr. Wood hereupon left the inoeting. Prof. Thompson said that any liigli-lianded measure carried here, would, in all probability,' be not acquiesced in by the country congregations, and tiias an extensive schism might arise in the church. The Revd. Mr. Balfour deemed it strange that, after voting themselves a Synod, the meeting were yet in doubt as to whe- ther they constituted a Synod or not. The Revd. H. Burrage, M.A., proposed an adjourninent to that day month. All the clergy around him from the country parishes were, like himself, unaccompanied by a single lay re- presentative, and it was butjustjwhen such important questions of detail were discussed, that the laity should have notification thereof, and rpporlunily to attend Col. Fitzgerald said that if the meeting was properly con- stituted when the act was adopted, why was it not constituted now ? The Bit^hop gave an explanation which had been made alreatly. The Bishop several times left the ch.tir as he saw no pos'iibi- lity of proceeding without the (.rinci[)le being acknowledged of the hands, con- e ballot ticket proceedings lat the clfrgy ^, while that uion lay of a adc, one of 1 September, :'ed the bene- MKKTING. 14) ' the opening lial Act. To per of freely rude attempts rd sometimes rst meeting of irned without e reason why not consent Thij abnird 13 •Jtreme of radicalism would .wamp Bishop, pri.sts, d.acons, und./ the vast numerical majority of lay votes. An extreme so wild a, this has ne^r. we believe, been even temporarily adopted in any diocese of these United States ; nor have „e ever heard of any diocese where any sane man has ever ventured to propose it. Lverywhere among us, a* a mailer of course, the clergy and (he bnty have coordinate powers. In some dioceses the Bishop alone forms a third coordinate power, as indeed, ouj-ht always to be tlie Oise : but oven where this is not expressed in the law, there h hardly ;. Diocese where it is not the case in fad. In the present instance, the words of the Coloni.l Act are clear and express. 'J he legislative power is uiven to « The Bishops, Uergy and Laity, members of the U.Mted Church of Kngland and ire uiuj. J hey are mentioned distinctly, us being dislfnct Orders, and in their action, the consent of the zeholc three is requisite, otherwise it is no action at all. « The Bishops, Cler-y, and I'aity," says tli^ act, '' may meel and frame conslilutions a..d make resiu- latwns, kc. If when they " meetr there be no » laity "there. It is evident that no bubiness can be transacted ; and no other con- struction than this would be tolerated by (he laity themselves. By the same reasoning, the presence ol the 'Bishops^ and the 'Clersv' IS et|Ui.lly indispensable to a valid '^ meeting'^ of (he Body. But .f this be so as to the « meeting;^ it is equally so as to the Jramnig of constilnt ions'' and (he « making of re t^'«^.^e point, the TbJol 1: ::/;:■;;;,;;>, ;:- J^-ese. Up to this of the laity had ■xuu■^v T\ V ^'''V''^'''S^or the representation 't was only t oi 2 '^T.^^^ ''^'l'^'^ «-^^n^^<^ ^v all parties wording of the IctTlnf i^' ''"' ''' '""^^''"''^ ''^'^^^^ '» ">e 'aify at larc^e No 0! i ..■""' ^'^^''■'^^Y t.» convene the legislature ? in fact • 'l' '^"''"'''' ^'"^ intention of t le the bill, and bv no' r"'"" "I- ^'^^ ^'"''^''^'^ ^vho dre v vvhich assent, Vac.7in''"''''r ""''^^ Legislaturl manner, lor not soeci. v 1j "^T'^'J '" "" ''''y courteous Act sto^l, and as H^ h L' "f ^'' '^'^ P"'"^' ^s the be careful to cZf^m IX to" if j"?'"^^^!:'^"' '^' ^^^' benefit of that protect! R.^ '• ^'*^ we should lose the appear that the^A t is not e^"ab in^ f^ " '""■'' '" ^^ °"^^ »« ing us from clisabilifies bu c L .Hn '"'' -'".^ ' ""^ ^^'^'^^- »vonderful notions, so r^Lv hpw i. ^ "'^ '■'^''*^- ^^ '"any Bishop, determined to b IS fc^^ f?^' ^'^^^ ^^e might steer clear of -ill Hiffl ' . ^ ^ ""^ '^S^' ^^^^'^e* that he inas- lisbed,theproceiLalaLha?^^^^ ^^ ^^^«b. been Irrp^nLr ..V- "i?!...'®^/ ^^.^.'» Toronto and Huron hav en irregular and invalid. The bill passes the Legislative Cou n- IS cil, when O'jr friends here conceive an ahirm, aiiee. by repZet came lo bloiv, '*^^™f "'" '"emberj olilT'o. '"l"""'"' 'eFetmed'""/" 5'="s'and in .1, Dio «:"„'; o" ';? ^"P"-" Quebec „ ^ " meeling in OubI,»^ • 9"e'"> 'egalityof n ,-'''^.^^" seem to We I k^^'\^^ ^^^e ^'^at object invf^u- t/'""' ^'"^^«s expfeLvrrn^'?'"''"" H"jion5. i liey are sf) ac- h the work- ^y^'id throve'. : t'ie passing I the Upper ^ wliiit the merely de- '.V represen- ry matters. ' House, it nee to the language '"mportanf fi itclmUy motJerate^ ifing con- ling could y kind are constitu- t-an, they ns. It has be people the peo- 'ynodieal imed the suppose c can be liefl/ of ominent 'ngland tneeting '. The ting in lirch in Or mis- e have ut (he meron d with which s^) ac- 2i <'^"^'-«' Principle.. If such a meetini., what ro ,m n n "*'''''^ '^^'"^ »'^ come to to hold them *? Wl at r ^" ?. '"*'"'*' ^' '«^g« «^"""fih in such an assemble . tS T'/T''' '' ^^^^^-^"^ adjournment, and perhaps ff !r Tl i ^^ " ''^^'etual virtual by some fortunate circZ^'p'' ^' '^'^ !'^.«0'Tie centuries circumstance a Synod might be etablished. viS^zS!J;t^?^^;tr;>f'"r^"^^''^ ^^^- "'^' »^- establishini Svnods of he^ W "^'^^,^'"'^^i»'S the moans of d.ocesesofthe^rovinc .^Ve i^^^ S'"'''' '" ''" «--^-' t!on, which has been forwarded in r'^ r '.""''-^ "^'''« P«''- ■^'gnatures, we understand vee t f' "^- ''^V""' '^•" ' ^he "light have been wiih Zl\ ^"^ "P '" '^ ^^^^^ 'lour.s and Cameron's Act, .^ e pr :, '7 T'''''''^''- '*'''» Mr are disposed to'do) Siin./ f.'T °^ ^"^'' ^^^^^^ ''«^vyerJ ^vould prove impricS^^ '/ ,' . '^!'", •''"' "^^ ^''''^ '^l'''-'N at variance with British con'toH "''/'''^''.'" « "tanner totally ^>ance foreseen anci prJdS ' ^mluy "'7;' "^^ " ^i--- such sentiments was exniainel .n .^' . ^ ''.^ ^""-rectness of :"'t'cle ofthisjournalini^".f,'"'l '"'""tained in a [eadimr •ngs at the late^nois ' " 2a ! f "^T '^1 ^'^"^^'^'^ P^^^^ 3? School-house. Professe 1//0 J^. "^ '"»' ''"''' '" "^« National "fa whole nation provhee,?' '" ''""'y^'' ^'"^ assembla^'e ;;«^t plain, may suit^e . Xfcan bctr?' '" "" "'^ "•- "" ""« t'ie un icensed will and poll" ??'',' "'" ^^'•^'^ '« g'-atifv the »«age has disclaimed such 'Yc J "^'Vl ^'""'^titutional ^kvs, assemble for ledsLi 1 n ' """^ "^^ people, now-a- representatiues p.- Sj ^""^ purposes in (he i,ersip« oftHc^- -ntation isse:ure?;>^t.r dls^":'""^ '^T^^^^^ -P- '- v.c,ni,y of '.ead-^u.:";:,''^^^;,^;.-J^ - ^- P^-i «riL lieu Bill jcnicdjes il Ml IP 22 I II m Jillt^t'd iiici)tisi.sl< inii'8 t»f Mr. Citaioron's Ad in (his rcspecl ; iiiiil will a[)|ieai' l.> iill mo li-ratt) and praclic ul pursotis Hbiiiiinl- ly libcriil in ils ilftaih. This is ihu rosiih, inorenvor, i)f the best opinions ihat ((inid be collected on the snbjcct conjointly with (he l)iocc8( s ofL'ppcr t'iiiuida; but the hill and the |)c(ition speak for (heinseUes. — With re^anl (o ilie tneeiiiig, ludd on Monday evening;, in (h« Court House, n i»rief and candid state- ment ot the proceedings Was giveri ,'ri the Clironicle of Tues- day ; and it was perfectly well niu'r' stood (hat the resoludons were passed (here and then vvidi such unanimity, because the ineeling consisted only of (hose who appear to unite in taking an opposite view of the matter and n lew t)lher persons of va- rious denominations attending from motives of curiosity, in the announcement thct such a meeting was to he held, it was not staled by whom it wa^ called ; and most of (he leading members of the K[)iscopaI community, who are usually present at public meetings connected with the interests of (he Church, declined for that reason (o attend. Mr. Okill Stuart, who entered fortuitously lor (he purpose of introducing a friend from Kingston, was (hd only person who spoke against the course of proceedings ; and he could not avoid deprecating the obstruc- lions, which were being ptrhaps undesignedly made to impede the passage of the explanatory and amended Bill, introduced for the purpose of removing difliculties, and of clearing the way towards the establishment of Synodic-al action in the dilTcrent dioceses on a sound and legal basis.- -'1 here has been much misapprehension in this matter, and consequently much heat and excitement line followed ; but, really now, cannot the members of the Cluiich -f F.nglati 1 in this city, for once in a way, with so iti ,')"i(c. i. id solen •, an j)bject in view, agree to sink mir.or difiuicnces ol opinion, to avoid disputes on mere technicalities, and to combine their exertions in securing an efTective and a properly constituted synod ? An Act to explain and amend the Act intituled " Act to enable " the Members of the United Church of England and Ire- " land in Canada, to- meet in Svnod." Whereas doubts exist whether in the Act passed^in the Session held in (he nineteenth ami twentieth vears of Her Majesty's lloign, intituled, " An Act to enable the Mend)ers '^ot (he United Church ofEni;l,iiid and Ireland in (\iiuida, to Sid on mere tlif |)ur- s; and all Jg"//!^ to irs, wlu» " ;neot in Synoi,'' s'.nicient provnion is iiuulf Cir iImj i(|ir<'- seiitaliuM of ihu K.iity '>| ilie Un't«;il Cliiu.li of l^iiglatid ami Irolaiid ill tlifj Synods !iy Jlie said Art antl h ijBfd Id bo litdd, and it is expcdi'iit lt):it ttucli doubts slioul I b« removed : Therefore, li»;r Mijesty, by and with tlio advicr and consent of ihe Loirislativu (joiMrd and Assomblv td' Canad.i enacts as follows : 1. For all the ^-urin^es of the aforesaid Act 'lo Laity shall meet by ropi-i!s,'tUiifi'>!i ; and untd it shrdi t)e v crwis* deter- mined by the Syn id in each Diocese, « ne or t. le litde^^ato (not exceeding three in any case,) may be elecleu at lli< annual Easter meetings in Oil di parish, mission or cure wilhin the diocese^ or in caS'S i here there may be more one con- gregation in any parish mission or cure, then each such congregation., or at a i.ictjting to be specially call' pose by each Clergyman having a s(?parate cure oi s laymen within such />«;•( >7t, mission or cure or bi such congregation, of :lie full age of iwenty-ont^ shall declare themselves, in writing, at such tneetii gn, to bo members of the United (Jhuich of England and Irelai ', and to belonj; to no other ieliyio is denomination, shouh uive the right of voting at such elecion. Each delegate shai receive from the Chairman of the i leeting a certificate of his election, which he shall produce, v. hen called upon so to do, t the Synod ; and the first meeti g of such Synoil shall be caP d by ihe Bishop of the Diocese at such time and place as he shall think fit ; Provided always, hat no business shall be transacted by the Synod of any DioccM unless at least one fourth of the Clergy of such Diocese sha be present, and at least one fourth of the Congregation within the same be represented by at least one delegate. 2. All proceedings heretofire had in any Diocese under the aforesaid Act, which have been comformable to the provisions of this Act, shall be held to be valid, as it the same had taken place after the passing of this A t. (*) The following is a copy of the Petition forwarded to the Legislature from members of t e Anglican Church, residing in Quebec, in favor of the f.)reg )ing explanatory Act relating to the formation of Synods in the several dioceses of the Pro- vince : — (•) The Act ishfre prinUd r 3 it ac nally passcil, \vi h amentlments, not as it npreireil in the Chronicle o( 29 h July. The dmendmenu are in i'alics. 24 moved. ^penient that such doubts should be re- unJ^llll^J;;!;^,;"^]-^-. that „o action can be taken -,| Lait, of a Diocese" t^ ""'"^^ '' ''' ^-'-P' Cle.g, i ^^^^^y'^^^l'iJ^^^^ --"^^>'e the whCe of I tion : and that to summ n tLm fh'"' • '^''P' ^^ representa- unfairness to the membl s Z r^^'T' ■ ^''""'^' ^"^ «" «^t of of the Diocese, wl^ wo^^^^^^^ '" ^^" other portions «''are in the proceedings- ""^ ^' ^^^'"^'^^ ^^^m any That the intention nf/Nn f„ ■ i . 'iyslem which i( is impZhL , ^I '"' "'" '" i"l'-'«l"co a precedent whatever ^rbeflH''"'{ ,""•' "?'' '''"■ ""'i''' "» members <,rthe Ch.nX.f pT ' /"r '""P'^ '" «'!"'<' 'I'<= ;.n.ler which they we e ,"„„,«"! ""r ^"'"^ r'"'"' '"'"bilities 'i'fb.v Iei;alizin<, such svTlT ' ."?'' '" '''^""^ ^""h re- been hehi in ,he%i";V-7:',!„^,^, r'? f"".-; known ,„ |„,e said Act, in which tl^lL-tv acted L^h'''' "" '""'^'"« "f"'" That such intenii.m ,„•! ""^''.''y '^<'" representatives. H:!:JLl'^"--"-^''eTh^;;h7'L-;f„rJsrh- fin.''t:v^;::;i;r^fj;™,- ^--|J-i.a.i„n.i„ e.pre.i„, .heir ;5,^^^^ n,a>.ri., crtheUE-VlThtrX"^:,-: "f the Legisla,ure'i„''rhi's";r,i:„Tar' '° '"'""'" '"' '"'^""°" A., f"el!''A^drew^"A':''Black'"G'6r-^.''', J. M. Fraser J Belt F,, ' ^•°'" Stuart, G. Pember- Burstall, VVm. Pe ry Wm Pr ^''''p' lY' P""«™b, Henry '"O, Ed. Burstall, ^ U Bel, \ ■ \f '"''"'' "• Pember- W H. Anderson, H. LeMesurier' U W^F;"'-"","""' O Connor, B. Cole, H. G. For«- h r ' m li '^'f'^^'' ^- "• K'fn'in, H. Petrv. Clk W H t ,' . '*v"<»-'"zambert, H. iil'tone, Sc , &c„ &c" ' '''"'""' "• '^'''.v. C. H, E. 25 (From the Quebec Morning Chronicle, Jul^ 30, 1858.) VVe have been charged by a correspondent with unfairness m having omitted certain words in the copy of the new Bill for the establishment of Synods, which appeared in yesterday's Chronicle. We were very anxious to ascertain what unfor- tunate omission had been made, and on applymg to ourcorres- poncent, we found out (hat three or four words had been ac- cidentally omitted, which words our correspondent thought of great importance. Fortunately we find the meaning is com- plete without them ; but the words were in the printed copy given to be set up, and as the document reads correctly without them, the omission escaped notice in the correction of the Press. ^^ Ihe sentence runs thus, the words omitted being italicised • One or more delegates (not exceeding three in any case) may be elected at the annual Easter meetings in each Parish or at meetings to be specially calleii for the purpose by each clergyman having a separate cure of souls." The meanin^r manifestly is that every cure in the diocese will have the privilege of sending lay delegates, and the word parish is actually inapplicable for general purpose in the Anglican diocese ot (Quebec ; perhaps the word ' missions ' might have been introduced, but the word ' euro ' is of more general appli- cation and includes both parishes and missions, as well as- regularly organised congregations under ministers of their own. While on this subject, we should wish to take the opportunity ot alluding to the report, which appeared in a cotemporary, of Mr. Okill Stuart's speech at the meeting held in the Court House on Monday evening. The report says that Mr. Stuart spoke at great length on representation by delegation, which (he maintained) was capable of producing all necessary effects. Now this portion of his remarks would seem almost designedly to have been kept back, inasmuch as it received, and could receive no satisfactory answer. It is quite obvious that in a diocese extending from the entrance of the Gulf of St. Law- rerice to the confines of Vermont, covering immense territories, unless some system be adopted to enable remote missions to be represented at any Synodical meeting held in Quebec, tiie members of the Church of England in those remnte districts would bo ill a manner wholly excluded from taking part in the so much lauded self-government. The cfTect, in truth, would D 26 wh.ch would press unfairlv on all the members of he chu ch atanyd,,,, ef the city, and em.bl.s them to send reJe sentat.ves chosen by themselves to attend to thei ?n en^ts The number of clergy, licensed to cures in the fee bv ft' Bishop, amounts to something like forty -if the hi» ( from the QuebecMorning Chronicle, Jug. 17, 1858.) The Bill explaining and amentlinir the Act ms.P,i !,.» enable the members of the AnoUvnn cLTuin r . '' ^''"' '^ SynoJhasnovv became iavv As ,| 1 Pvn T^' ^^ '"^'*'' '" partly in ('eference to 1 1 1 ^.' !'"* ^'^P'-'na'^ry Act wns Cmmed Quebec, an I f^rttfe General 7'"""" T'^ '^^'''"'•'•^^ of persons !n »ufficient proviLn w ri ' fnrT ^'^^^"'"^'"g'^«"'>'« " whether intheS,n^dsouthori;.^r;ie ?vL^^^^ ,Y ./!'^ '^"^ «> be hoped, that no further ob'tr.ictions.vili ^^.'' ' '^ '' ""^ mentof «ynodicaI action i hi; d e"' ^1"'"? '''^"'^'^■ promote moie amicatili- fp«i;r„. "',^\ »' "'oiild perhaps tend to of future prore^ngs if riZ nnH^T "I ""'"'"'''^ '" ^^' -""••«« the genuine f- ts llf t'h 'it/r c^m " l^f^ ""tf ''r^'"'^ excite distrust and d-fference of opin on '^ Ifo "''r '"^''>' '° orders, and the so- called riglu of vp o .I'v '^"?''"" «f ^^'ingby shop have been cited as U)n pin? T "^"' °" "'^J^^"-' ofthe Bi- The'se t.o ite:S t^vTro: ^tsV^^ same question. It is wp 1,0110.1 "^ m '^'^^''^"t phases ofthe of the' EpilpaVi:' If ST'^^^^^^^^^^ ^3'-^' different orders:- The BisI on hppT^. '''""''' ^""^'«' "^ 'hree dioceeein Priests' orders 1" IR ^'^'^'y^''' °' "'her Clergv of ,he any rate the cfioces/s in C da^^^^^^^^ of the Lai.;.." m Melbourne, Adelaide, New Ze.1 n^X' 1 h ' ". r i^'°^"^/^ ^"'^ -r,esian.), «t, ., &o.., have all mdepeiidently 27 arnved a ,h.» conclusion ; and have placed these three ordert oranac.u.lmajomy.neach order, is requisite for c.-.rrying any measure On .he meeting of Synod .he Clergy and Lai.y ae asse.nl.ied logeiher in ,he same apartment, and ,he U shop if arrvotLT',"- ^"'' ''-»'->• ma'y continue to delibe a.e ' 'act Kut^fKuld any clerical or lay member perceive that there is a ecev'e l","^:;"^' "^''" "^^-^ "^^'^'' "g--^ " measure favor ly t ken bv on '' ^""r"'\^«=^^'"^'y. '•« -y ^"ernand that ,he vo-es li rise hat l' "'V"'"'r ^"^"""^ ^'^ pressed.-llence it\nay arise, that when only one Bisl^.op is present (as must Kenerallv be the c.^.n diocesan >ynod.s) ifhe cLn.lt consc^ienti..usl,' a ,o le concu. then, by withholding his consent, he not onlv anneais in ^."STh ''' "^ '" ','" T "' ^^^^^'^'"g '^'^ Veto Voj r : ^^!:^Z'""' -'Y '^' ^r ■'''''' «"^' ^'^3 Laity respectively Smlr . '^-'""'^ *''" ^^•^'^'■^•^•^' «'-^^^'-- 'il'ereisiniuchan .n.t tut.or, an evident, m.ta.ion of the monarchical and constitutional relusdl of the Noyal sanction would be a nc^aiivt- not an active rrit'vio:; : r-^r?^^'^"^.' ^^'^^'^ ^-" '^^^ ^-^"o "ar : : UnitldT. , r^^ ^l'"""^". ''""g^'-""^ and impracticable. Jn the r^th r tl ih': ' "^'r-'^f "'" '"'"^""y ^''"«^^'he republica' rather than the monarchical practice, this nepaiive power is waT'ifJh Tr''"'"^"S°' ^'" ^'^'"'P'- "'' he'mC'^iv': of L n? ""?'"■' " n^^"S''^ "P ^"^'' 'he repeated approval ifkJlvto 7 ''' '"■''"'■'■• ^"' '''^ "'«'^"P andbi'scle.gyareno thl -IH tv Tn'T-^' 'T'^'^'^F'-^'' "•"' '^-^^ '■'^^'y '« ^«"^P'K "gains the iHity. Jn tne Stales the Bishop has also the p.-uer of l!T"tc1s':;'" g-eral synod of Hisho'ps, who can thLl^'s rai^ the eHetts of any local ag.tnlion, and prevent any violent and partial changes in the discipline or rtdmg principles o^ J here ,s not yet any general Episcopal synod in this Conner- ard unt. there will he Ihequestion 'may'sta.,d over. Buim Iced 'these points and any other deba'eable matters m„>t be pra ti a U . Lp! .«.o consideration, «hen the conventional syXs J"'; 2 proper steps are pursued to draw up a constitution uu canons '^r INewYork.in discussing the advantaees of svnod.I t-iof •> Mb a mend from Canada, said : that .he system was one ortheTew";afe. guards of conservatism left in the States, and svorked effectively j 28 that the laity never sought to over-reaeh or overwhelm the influence and power of the clergy; they thought that church matters xvere tikely to be best managed by persons professionally educated and professionally connecte I with them. Of course when called upon to assist in temporalities, the laymen of the church acted with zeal and liberality, nor would they neglect their duty in resisting useless inno- vations and in maintaining the conservative principles and character of their beloved and respected ecclesiastical institutions. (From the Quebec Mercurj/, August 19, 1858.) In connection with the subject of Synodical action on the part of the Members of the Church of England, we publish the following diocesan circular just issued to his clergy by the Lord Bishoo of Quebec. ' (Circular.) BarDFIELD, NEAR QuEBEC, 18th August, 1858. Rev. and dear Sir, You are aware that, in consequence of a particular construction put upon the first clause of the enabling Act relative to Synodical powers, I was induced, after full consultation with persons com- petent to give advice in Church affairs, to revoke my Circular of the 25th of September, 1857, summoning the Clergy and the Lay- delegates, for whose election provision had been made, to meet at Quebec, on the 9th of June last / and to issue another, summoning a meeting to be held upon a different principle, on the 24th of that month. You are also aware that the reason for this postponement was not that I had any misgiving in my own mind respecting the propriety or the legality of the step which had been taken, but that we might proceed to our task without being liable to be called in question upon a point of law on which different opinions were held, and that the initiation of our Synodical proceedings, might rest, in the eyes of all men, upon a well-assured basis. The construction to which I have referred, of the Act in question, imports the necessity of calling together the membersof the Church throughout the Dlocese,~that is to say, of calling together at Quebec or some one other place, all the members of the Church scattered here and there, chiefly in poor settlements and with wretchedly 29 imperfect facilitiea for travelling, from the Magdalen hlanda to Stanstead,— the Cliurcli of England population at Quebec, constitut- ing, BO far as ia ascertainable, perhaps not more than one sixth of the whole number. As it is evident upon the ver)' first aspect of the case, that even a remote approximation to any expressed sense of the Diocese, could not, by possibility, be arrived at in a meeting so called, I took it for granted that, in common good faith, the meeting could only be regarded as a pro forma proceeding lo satisfy iho real or supposed requirements of the Law j and having conferred and concerted arrangements with gentlemen of different sentiments upon Church questions who all seemed to regard the matter in the same light, I went down to the meeting with no other preparation than that which enabled us to propose to its consideration the simple Kesolu- tions already adopted in the correspondent case of the Diocese of Huron, which were essential for setting the machinery of the Synod in motion. I shall not here enter into any description of what took place at the Meeting when assembled. Whatever notice my duty may impose it upon me to take of that unhappy scene, I reserve to be given, D. v., in another form. Suffice it to say that an adjournment took 1 1 ' place to the ist of September : but not before it had become apparent that great confusion and multiplied mischiefs must ensue from the Act as interpreted to require a meeting of the members of the Church otherwise than by representation, as well as that extraordinary prejudice must be thence done to the rights of the Diocese at large. A Bill was subsequently introduced into the Provincial Parliament through the intervention of some leading laymen in different Dioceses of the Proviiice, for the remedy of these evils and the relief of the Church, which Bill having become Law, the aforesaid adjourned Meeting of necessity falls through; and you will consequently be pleased to notify your Congregation or Congregations that no such adjourned Meeting will take place, (f) The Meeting on St. John the Baptist's day, was called for two objects : Istly, the adoption of the Act, 2ndly, the establishment of the principle of representation :— the former was disposed of upon the occasion : — the latter has been provided for by the Legislature, and so far as the Laity are concerned, any other mode of meeting than by representation U made illegal. I cannot close this Circular without expressing my warm and t The passing of the Bill (and I speak under advice) is by no meant the only ground for setting sside the adjourned meeting ; but it is of itgetf a pioper and sufficient ground. 30 tion passed l,y a iLe rnepr„ r . > •'""^' '" '''^ '^''^P^ "^ « '•esolu- ".y person. Ztu^TZ^^Zfu^l'ir^ "'''"'■ r^''"'''' »° it vvusiMdml a great CO, if. r, f «'J"'.n.siratu,n „f ,|,e Dio.e.e. Divine anproval in he ;[ :^ l.eart-„ext „> ,|.e hope ofihe tne g ory cH' God. he good ^f Mi^Ch.nv'h ""T ^""^ " ^'"^''' ^^'^ «° wlul I can p'u'sibf; ;:]:y.'""^°^' '" "'"« ^''"^'^ of disturbance, I am, Dear Sir, Your aflectionale Brother in Christ, G. J. Quebec. (From the Quebec Mercury, August 31, 1858) 11. VV. Heneker, Esqr., one of the Church Watiens :1 ^ To the Right Revd. the Lord Bishop of Quebec. yVe, the parishioners ot St. Peter's Chnr.-U ci , o Service ' "'"""="*'"" .i.e s,ro„gesffeeii„.v:rr:;;y.it :xra;e''r'^ bim;r».Trerifv^!^;irr.ssf%^'^r^-'>'''-'- u,. -ii^.i ^, ,at anxiety, and ii the attached 31 feelings of a humble branch of »ho rh-.-^u • ami harmonious aciion may be co-e.xistent. '"'<:"Sbion Signed by R- VV. Ueneker, J ,,, , Alex. Winter, J thurchwardens. and (idy-Cour olliers. His Lordship replied as follows :— you'Lve'l't" h"'""''" '-'^''' "">■ kind a,Wre5s which fs"hr;ut'a"i.t ::„:".;; r" "■V"'"" i-^"-' """'. u„expcc.ed. °"""''"" '" "•? '"''"'S^ l-ecanse it was cnlireljl J:i'':;:,t''u"et:n!:'' ''i'"^ '•""^"' «-i """' ^-um i'.aveneve';';Ls'i\::L";:;ie' .';;;r:L';";:%k'i''-,H»!,'^ rabr^^-;;, ■';iiLtrr"tir''''"/""'"™ ^■■■- Christian floc\, a'nT ^L' , rinen^.e't'.ho Di "■'""■!■ "[•=' «„r c.h.r,e, gives 'weigh. '^^^ :^:,,^;7l^ :^ promptuslodesrair "anJth? '^'""u ."!''« ^^ ^«". might administration Tuch a 1 l.f/''P°"''^''^''- '''''^''^^^ ^" ^^'e extrpmp rl "'/'"^^ '^ Uiocese, are often harrassinff in the 32 m 'I suiVmoixyis m C.r.sl. Ami so lo.igas we can conscientious^ «ay to our lay brethren, in the maintenunre, for hTcommoJ benefit of what wc conceive to he safe and primitive pS" pies, that ' we preach not ourselves but Chris Jesus the oid and ourselves their servants for Jesu«' sake," we daim hpir o^lrte^^^^^^^^ '' ''' -' ^-''^' 'y ^^'^-^ aPPrecia^i^^Tf For xyhatever little time it may please God that f shonir? ♦' abide in the flesh,^ (to be succeeded, as I pray by somp " 'l who wdl more ably fill the charge,) the La'ity^oV L d" ce : at large will, I am persuaded, do me the same justice, h Xeir estimate of my fidelity to their interests, which has b'en rendered by yourselves; and most cordially do I re pond ^ ihe hope and happy anticipation which you express tCthp cooperation of the laity which we of the episcc!^ a Urde have invited and have used long and at last successful eXvos ,o put in tram, may be, as the experiment proceeds TaJrTed .1 in this asit is already in so many other Colon IDK^eTes ^^^ once with full advantage to the Church and with harmon ous understanding between its different orders, in their united I will only add,— with reference lo the occa^^inn ^vJ,; i brought me here,-.that 1 am thankful to w tness thTLnrovP ments in your Church, and I fervently pra^tlm he Crd^ applied by the patriarch to the solitary sp(,t\vhich he conse crated as having there held Communion with the AlSv may, in their best sense, be verified to your experience wfthn hese walls.-This s none other than the house of Gorand (his is the gate of heaven. ' "*^ {From the Quebec Mercury, 4lh September, 1858.)* Our contemporary the Gazette has for some weeks leemerl «,;.!, |..8Jl.e .„or,, wandering, and miets, i„^|,e vale c/^^^^Z^^ 33 th.^^'^'r''^' '"; "atur.lly, ihougli by no .ncans logically assume* Me U II ol iruth. Professing neutrality, lieBeemsto forget that hia p.per bears lr.-^yeekly pro.f tl.ut he i. a violent partizan tha J^^llT ^'f'''^ '"^ '''^'?'" ""S""^^' ""'^'"^^ •" l''e respectable sect ofJN ethodisls, we may be allowed to doubt whether a Methodis .. better able to jtulge of tbo alfuirs of the Church of Kngland hanTe members of that Church. We wish it to be particularly un le "tood hat we have not the remotest desire to quarrel with fhe pecuUar .s es of any beet. But our excellent conien.porary must^ forg ve us for not wishing to see ihe Clergy of our Church; as an O der swamped, and the Bishop reduced to a nullity ' riie Act to amend the Act for Synodical meetings, &c., which has now become law !s sufficiently liberal ia its terms to'sTtiafv "Tr^n^Mi"'''!' '' '""".^ ^ "member of the Church of England^. The most libera measures have been taken to ensure the due repre- sentation of the la.ty at the forthcoming meeting. Each congrega- l.on chooses as its delegates those who most possess its confidence- the congregation will therefore have itself to blame if it selects un- worthy representatives. The meeting, besides, is but a preliminary meeting in which all points connected with Synodical actionrS the veto downwards, must be discussed and arranged. It seemT probable that members of the Church of England in this Province win have more confidence in a meeting composed of delegates, duly chosen by members of the Church, than ,nk mas. meeting cS mgo. a variety of sects, ,n which any one could pour fotTh at wi 1 his views and his venom The recently passed acl\o ame.d the act for Synodtcal meetings, &c will certainly prevent the recurrence o those d. graceful scenes which took place at the meeting i„ the National >chool House. This, perhaps, may render it unpopular with certam people who have a morbid predilection for such stbrmy reunions. But the great majority of the laity will, we feel satisfied! be glad that the measures for the government of the Church will be discussed and arranged with caln.ness and deliberation, not amid the tumult and uproar of a heterogeneous mob. (From the Church Journal, Oct. 13, 1858.) -The SyMPATHisERs.-Our columns not long ago contained an account of a meeting in Quebec, at whicli the Bishop and B 34 Clergy were trctued itithe most unhandsome if not insultinc manner, by soine who clnime.! to he insisting upon the "rights of l.e la.ty." The Protestant Churchman cnp\o, a comlen. seu repori of a second puhlic meeting, in which arc !«ct forth «ht« complaints and chiimsof this chunorous ,,nr(v ; and eives moreover f u I e.Iitorial en.h.rscmont to th. facJion; sayinchhat It cannot but sympathize in the elForls afoot for (he rec^offni- tion and maintenance of /«;/ rights in the Canadian Church." ilie hrstcomphnnt made at that meet ini; was, that Ihe con- Htitulion of the church in that Diocese was not to he submitted t(» a general meetir>g of its incmbers/' instead of heing acted on only hy ji.y deputies. Il ii„s Le a deprivation oi lay rights here are no lay rights on this side of the line ; lor none of our Uiocesan constitjiions have ever been submitted to any such general meeting of members." Thev have all herome law by He action of Conventions in which ihe laitv appeared only by lay-delegates, as in all our other Church legislation. IhelateExplanatory Act passed by the Provincial Pnrlia ment,,sthcnfouv' fault with as "unfair" and " arinciplc of represcniatiofi oy poputatton has been scouted, and the laity of the city almost Ignored." . . . " UmW the amenll W ^ ^ Quebec would always be in a minorily.'' Calculations were given showing that the lay delegates from the country would be much more numerous than those from the cifv As- tonishing ! Does " the recognition and maintenance' of lay rights require that the aVy delegates should outnumber those from the country parishes ? Then why does not the Protest- ant Churchman commence agitating for '<■ lay rights" here at home ? For it is precisely the same case in the Diocese of iNew York. Of our 274 parishes, only about 50 are in this city,-~a city, too, rather larger than even Quebec. Fn a full Convention therefore the country would have a majority of • w? '''',^' '.T^.'' *''^ ^''>'' "^^^ "^^'^"^f'v complains in Neiv Yo-k Why should the Protestant Churchman lend itself to support agitation in Quebec, on grounds which it would he ashamed to act on at home ? But'MhepopuIar principle of representation by population has been scouted." What of it ? It is scouted here in New Vnrkas welL The smallce^t parish organized a few davs a^o 35 )> in a country village, has (lie «nme lay representation in our LonventMn as the oldest and wealthiest parish (those only c.x- cepted which have more than ono consecrated huildin.' aiid more than one congre^^ation). Even country pati«h?s so small that they cannot furnish three male communicants to be deputies arc, as the Proleslant Chitrchmun contends, enti- tied to the n-/i^ of being represented by 7iO«-coniniunicants. And hero mi .New York, it clainis that it is an encroachment upon the rights of the laity" to rrfuse to such a weak little oiiuntrypansh, a position ecpjal, in Convention, to that of S Ueorge s Jstuyvesant Sijuare, with its 800 •-ummnnicanis. But tnero isno complaint here. I he laity in \ew York are not conscious ol any oppression. Why does not the Protestant Uiurckmnn con)njence the war for " lay rights" in New York .? And if there is no cause <-f complaint "n New York why does It sympathize with the faction in Quebec which is iighUu^ agam^il precisely the same stale of ihiiii-s that ore- vads all over the Church of the United States ^ ]^J a pervades our General Convention as well; and the smiillest rontier Diocese, with only six or eight clergymen, is entitled to as largo a representation, and throws as heavy a vole ^& this great Dio'.ese of New York with between 300 and 400 clergy, M there be oppression in the case, therefore, we churchmen are universally oppressed here, in tlie United States ' VVhen it is remembered, on the one hand, that the late Act oi the Frov.miul Parliament against which such clamors are raised, was parsed after the utmo^-t ellorts its opponents could miike; that it was passed by a mixed body of Romanists, Churchmen, Dissenters, and Nolhingariarls ; that it was passed by the very strong vote of seventi}-two to seven : and that every Churchman in the Mouse voted in favor of it • and when, ()n the other hand, it is seen that every organic point on which sympathy is expressed by the Protestant Church- maa is m agreement with the system in universal practice among us, without serious complaint anywhere in the United Slates— without complaint even from the Protestant Church man here at home ; it will then be understood how utterly empty are the pretexts of the faction in Quebec, and how -ra- tuitously mischievous is the '* sympathy" so cordially expressed by our contemporary. Indeed, the latter is so little creditable in any respect, that we prefer considering it as merely— an accident. / " 36 ill (From (he Church Journal, Oct. 13, 185« ) DIOCESR OF HURON. nr.rinl'n^'^T'r^ "^ '^1° !"'^ moetii,^M,f Syno.1, «,ul the sound a Xr'f'M'""" "' '" ^"?^ Tollovving letter, wl.icl. furnishes lerolT:!!! °<-'^"""t"f<''« proceedings th.n wo hnve had an K-c. nV ? ""r '^ l^' ^■•"'"^' ^^'•'^^^^' '"'"^y "^^^ bo added London r w ' ^r'' ^^''''-■"'" ^^•"'^''' ^^'''''' ''^^ ^old at in. Tn ;. •' °". ^"''^">' ^'"*' ^^'^'"e««l^'y tl'e 2lM and 22,1 forwanUv r '"''*'^' many cf the olcrgy had been looking w th vvlrh ."■' ^''"" "'^'"^'^>' ^'"'^'•^'^y' »ho principal objec° tTon w ' \ 1 '''r '""''"'*^' ''^''"° ^'^^ "''^'Pt'^'" of a Constitu- UDon wl i I i"''^;"'' '"'"'"'^^' *^" settlement <.f the principles brcond '. w ' •:;^"™'"''^^'''''li'>" "f tl^« l^i'>cese should horoalter draft of nP J''." '"•^'^^*>' ''^^^' ^'^''" •^'^'"'y occasioned by a Ura tof a Constitution, put forth some months ago, by the Corn- ice rlr"''^"'"/'r'' ^" ''"•'''"'■'" '^''' ^'"'y '-^t •-> g*^"^'''' "i^eting of uarv r^^ "":^^"^^ "^^'^^ ^^'"^^«^' ^^'''^»' '°^>k place in Feb- nrov^din/V ,V"^'"'^'''^ '^^ ^''^ P''''P"'^^^ Constitution-that K: ^ f'V''' ^'''^''^" "^'^y representatives-gave the rioht h Ihl /. ?'^ parochial meetings held for that purpose, notoSly o the actual members of each congregation, hut also to " habi- havpTvl^ f'f '? '" ^^^ '''^""^•" '^^^'''' P'ovision would evidently JnL. ^ -^ ^''^ "^'^^ "^ ''^^''^^ ^^ Methodists and othe. dis- frenZuf ^ '" '^^"7 of our more remote country parishes are altCs^^ ^^""' worshippers in our congregations. And ^vmc^ifT themselves of the privilege, it xvas felt that the DHn 1 ^"l ""' f " '''""'^' ^"^ ^ ^^'-''^"^ ^'i'>'ation of Church !c M^^ ?' Z''^' ""^ ^''^ proposed articles was as follows :— wiM, .nf .?' ''^'°'"^'*'" "» its first introduction shall become law w inout the concurrence of the Bishop and a majority of the of thfvv?1 T^ rf'?.*\ P"""^'^^"^' ^^^''^^' ordinarily, the votes desirp Zt l-^r^ ''^'" ^" '"'^'^^ collectivelv ; but that at the nesire of the Bishop, or at the rcpiest of five'clergymen, or of hve laymen, the votes of each of the above named Orders shall 37 Joking (Jl.S< 1)0 taken separately ; and if any .litrercnce Mill subsist wIumi such vole isso taken, tl.on ihesi.l.jcct un I..t .lc.|.In«r..tioM sl,..|| stand over lor consKleralio.i to the ensuing SynnJ, and il' (i.en passed by a majority olihree-fourtl.suf the Cler^^v an-l Laity rU.ec- ively, .t shall bo adopted." To thi.. proposition, "the obiec- tion entertained by many of the Clergy, w.a if possible stron- ger than to that previously alluded to. There was a very dec.) conviction on the min-ls of not a lew, that the questioii at issue was in reality nothing less than Episcopacy itself; that .should the Bishop by the adoption of this Constitution, be placed in such a position as, under certain circumstances, lo be deprived ol his le;,rislative ^unctio^^ in the Diocese, his ofTue wouM bo a mere sham. As the relative .strength ol the parties •no winch the Diocese was divided on this great an^'^"'"'.r ""^^'^ py'"e",t'-y «l'all be taken separately The consideration of the Constitution occupied the feynod during the afternoon session of Tuesday, and the morning session oi Wednesday. On Wednesday afternoon a very animated debate took place on a motion to address the Le- g.^ ature upon the question of religious instruction in Common !5choo|.i, but a though all present were unanimous as to the importance of the object, no definite plan for carrying it into effec could be agreed upon, and the motion, with' a proposed amendment, was ultimately withdrawn. f f ^^^ VVith the appointment of some Commitiees the business of the Synod then terminated ; and all felt thankful for the impor- tant results thus so happily attained. ' The evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday were devoted to he atfairs of the Diocesan Church Society, which has recent- ly received Its charter of incorporation from the Provincial Le- gislature. The principal business in connection with this in- shtution, also, was the adoption of a Constitution ; but in this asm the former case, the discussion was confined to matters of detail, the Constitution drafted by the Committee having, in IN principles and general features, met withgeneral acceptance llie most important ditference between the Constituhon of (he A I 39 Church Society of Huron, and that of the Diocese of Toronta consists .P. the arrangement that all moneys collected for the Socety, or any of .ts objects, shall he pa ill into the General Fund to be admm.stered by the Standi.Ig Committee instead of m part by the Committees of District Associa on^/wh ch are in fact now merged in the general body. ' Subsequently to the adoption of the Constitution, on the se. cond evenmg, a question was brought up on which the interest of the day concentrated itself. It arose out of a motion of M Dewar, of Sandwich, to vest the Patronage of the Rector^s wh.ch .s by Act of Parliament given to the" Church SyTn he Bi8l^>p ofthe Diocese. This was, met by an amendment to the effect that it ^ould be vested in the present BiXpTur ing h.s l.fetime. A brief but very animated debate ensued which bvfTR^'""'""' '''''^T'^ the announcement of of satisfaction. One or two minor matters were then dispose of, tie usual complimentary resolution to the Bishop was pissed and the meeting was dismissed at the hour of midnigh , wit h his Lordship's benediction. ° ' ""*" Thus terminated the proceeding* of a meeting which was dis- tinguished by a delightful unanimity, no lefs than b^ d ep earnestness of feeling-a meeting which it is earnestly and con- hdent ly anticipated, will be followed by many others, if not so important in heir results, yet equally conducive to the wel/are of our Jerusalem, and equally serving to illustrate the Divine sen iment -Behold how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in unify." ' Faithfully yours, H. j-f Diocese of Huron, C.W., September, 185S. (From the Church Journal, November 10, 1858.) Extract from Nova Scotia correspondence, containinLr account of meeting ol Diocesan asseembly -^ »'«»iin^ You are probably aware that, according to the Constitution of the Assembly, no measure can pass without the conr„r.-.nI sanction of Bisiiop, Clergy, and Laity. 40 C.r,i«i(lerable umbrage bad been taken by some opp.,nenls •fomT ; ? ^^'% '^-'ly^ tbus given to tbe Bisbop to^lissent irom II e action oftbe other two bodies, but on tbis occasion he Laty, whose (h.ssent t;g/oerf a measure concurred in bv « veto "f '';? ""r""^- '^^';'^ «^^^ ^-^-^-^ ^^ ^^e obnoxi<.us veto by the Lai.y, instead of by the dreaded Episcopos tor't^'ror" l"r """'. ^r''' '^"'^^^^'-^"^ regulations^ ' delibe. i n °^• !;''"^;"^" clergymen, were passJd, after due delibeia lon. Hitherto almost absolute power, in this and in 7:]^ p7T ';"''•"" "'''''' '" ''^ Bishop'ld'm^l'd" d torvT , 'r'T^ V'^'\ '"y '^^'■"'^ oneofthecommen- dator) fca ures of the Synodical scheme, that thereby the H.shop calls in his clergy and laity to share 'with hirin^Mmors an.f privileges from which they were before excluded {From the Quebec Mercunj, December 11, 1858.) MEETING OF iMEMBERS OF THIi: CIIUllCH OF ENGLAND. At a public meeting, convened in St. Paul's Church, Kino . sey, in the Diocese of Quebec, on the second day of Decem- ber inst. to express publicly their disapproval of certain con- troversial and disorderly proceedings, for some time past car- ried on by professe.1 members of said Church, within the city or l^uebec, the tollowing resolutions were passed. Whereas'^ a certain party m (he City of Quebec, professedly members of the Church of .England, have of late factiously set themselves in opposition to Ecclesiastical authority, sometimes openly in public meetings, but more frequently covertiv and over fictitious names through the public press, and published pamphlets, have much disturbed the peace of the church • and by misrepresentation, through misguided zeal or visionary apprehension, have done much to bring her administration and clergy into contempt ; weaken the confidence of her members- and distract her unity ; to tbe great disparagement of our' rciigion, the honor of Christ, and the "prosperity of His 41 Church in this Diocese ; holding her up irreverently and ron emptuous y to the public gaze and ridicSle of al whLcoffat re*- \7 ZIT T ^-n ^'i' '''''''^' -^ Zion.-It is hereby^ Chir;i. r '"'-''1"';^' '"'"^'"- convened in St. Paul's Church, K.ngsey, ,n the Diocese of Quebec, and sneaking thp ^^v r"'-.'^'V"S''^'^" ^''^"^^h in'this p^r of tlo iocVse tl S Z']r^\''.^'^^^ «nd regret, the spirit and conduct oi- lier of A^n'f.'"}^. "' ""'■^"^^ ^'^'^^he fundamental prin ciples of Apostolic Clinst.anity ; and deprecate their oro. ceed.ngs, as inconsistent with iheir profession, grievous to^al wel instructed churchmen, and me'riting the Semnation ot all good and unprejudiced Christians. 2nd. Resolved,— That, whereas the said party have out themselves forward as the index of Anglican iCtestan ism^?n I'f s?vTe';" / -d'.ave organized a SoLty and con S 'a self-styled Lay Committee of the Diocese of Quebec •" we need no such champions of our liberty, we accept no't thdr and excellent b.shop, and have full confidence in our cler/v • and we beseech our brethren of Quebec to lay aside their Ifexl andr.ansp.r.t and return to quietness, peaL and good oXr . 3rd. Resolved,-That, whereas the said party have assailed ma most unbecoming, uncharitable and unchritian manner l^th tr"''''^°^^''W^"J'^S^' «" institution cloXS merit ^Crof'Th '' Lr '^""'^ '" ^^^^^^^" C-«^«' '^^ one Soffonl fhp r^'V"' r' ^^--^g^'-'ng against the preju- aice oi sonn^, the apathy of others, and the difficulties which n common w.th all, beset the incipien, stages of sSar'nti- ut.ons ; and regardless of self-respect, have deTcended to he use of lampoons, satire, and of vulga? and opprobious epi^ t l^f'^lwe'ctnotl"' ^"^ l-ofSsorsand^heTradua^^^^^^ inereoi,— vye cannot express our condemnation of such nn worthy and suicidal conduct without heart-felt sorrow and Shan^ls"'' ''"' "'" ''''' '""^^' ^^'^^^ '^ expert beueral 4th. Kesolved, That although the said party have spared no pamsor expense to disseminate their principles far aJd wide we have hitherto contemplated their movement in silent ni^v' regardmg.tonly as in tr'uth it is,a local facTon, o e of tCe occurrences spoken o hn Scnpture as temporarily permitted of ..on, as a iruil of our faiih and steadfastness WILLIAM CARSON, Senior Church Warden, Chairman. (From the Quebec Mercury, Deer. 23.) ADDRESS TO THE LoHTbisHOP OF QUEBEC, to !L'bX;!'o?V'T'"'V" P"^'i«l»'"S ^>'e f-'lowing address o tie Bishop of Quebec, fionuhe Mission of Framjton and tha M.sion shows unm.stakeably the place which our vener- aed B,,f holds m the afreclions of his people. We hope M s S W. '"' T'^'}' 'f "^^^^^ ''y '^-^ othe^co fr; To the Rt. Reverend the Lord Bishop of Quebec. onTi^^^f'i."'^^''''^"'^'' J'eads of families, inhabitants of East and West Frampton, Standon, and Cranbourne, re.pectMIy pproachyour Lordship to offer our expressions of deep s mp^^^ thy ,n this time of trial, and to assure you of our unabati con- acf: in I'k ,"i'^'=''.'-- «^ y-r ^o'i^^hip'^ intentions and From the public prints, and more recently from your Lord- ship's - Letter addressed to the Clergy and Laity of the D o- cese '' we haye learned, and with much regret, L opposiUon wh.ch has been offered, by a party in the city 'of QuXc, to nation 'tV'^' j"^' ''^"^' ''^^'•^»' ^^^^^^ ^" -g^-' to S nod ca° action, and he gross misr presentation to which your conduc has been subjected For our pari, we beg to' assure your Lordship of our unshaken reliance on the watchful care and zeal, Tr tbi^ n-n'" '^^^"^'.r^r ''°" '^""" ^'^^^^'" '" "''^ administration of tins Diocese. 1 he fact, that for more than twenty years you haye sijpplied us with a resident Clergyman, though mir means were altogether inadequate to his support, 'shcu^ the Sy mteres which your Lordship has always taken in our welfare^ nni-fT P"""'' ""^ ^"'■''' '''^ *'"«^ *'^"t we are not ungrateful and If the support and aficction of an humble portion of your Lordship s flock can tend in the slightest degree to lessen the anxiety incident to your high and%esponsiMe office, vve be. respectfully to assure you of both. ^ In conclusion we heartily pray that your Lordship may long be spared o preside oyer the Church in this Dioceie, and tl a^ your efforts to promote harmony among all parties in the 43 Church may be so blessed with success, that we may be all joined together in unity of spirit and in the bond of peace (Signed,) John Dillon, Andrew Ross, J. P., Thomas Hodgson, William Bagley, Edward Anderson, Michael Armstrong, James McClintick, Churchwardens, And one hundre.l and four others, heads of families. REPLY. . Quebec, Deer. 17, 1858. My Christian Friends,— I have received with feelings of much gratihcation, the kind address in which you convev lo me the assurance of your confidence in my administration of this Diocese, and your appreciation of those labors in which It has pleased Cod to use an unworthy instrument for effecting some good in this portion of His Church. Whatever (roubles have been caused by tlie Episcopal move- ment for procuring Synodical action, it is a comfort to enjoy the well assured feeling that they arc not chargeable upon the author of that movement, either in originating, or in conduct- ing the movement itself, and that they could not have been an- ticipated as a consequence of any other exercise of the episco- pal authority within the Diocese. It is nothing new, however, in the history of the Church, that men should encounter opposition and miscons-truction when they are seeking, in all good will and simplicity of heart, to work for the public good. We can only commit our cause in prayer and faith, to Him who can make all things work to- gether for good, and who can turn the hearts of men, as well as guide the course of events according to His good pleasure. We may well hope that the cause of peace and order in the Church, and the preservation of those principles among us, which essentially belong to the Anglican Communion, how- ever rudely they may be assailed, or however perseveringly un- dermined, will one day be seen to triumph, as well as that many persons who have been carried away by colorable ap- pearances will correct their own mistakes for themselves. Meantime, I desire cordially to acknowledge the contribution of your own efforts towards so happy an issue. I am, my Christian friends, Your affectionate servant in Christ, x/r ,vn ^' ^' QUEBEC. Messrs. Dillon, Ross, Hodgson, Bagley, Anderson, Armstrong, McClintock, and other signers of the address. 44 {Vromthe London Guardian, Feb. 10, 1858.) CHURCH SYNODS IN THK COLONIES. P4b;te?ian t ere s t'hP C^ " '^' *^P'«^"Pal, '•>e'-e is the what Cicero calls a temperamentum oi l\\ iU.ll aTZ t|.ory the Church or^tli ..:rltr:::o HotsT Co^v^ fnio/ f^r I ^'"V '""tT ^'■'"'™^"^ '"'"'e its own Conoreffational aT« Vh.. I't"';'- . ^"^ ^'"^'^ ^'^« Parliament lostKpedaUv as a Church body, ,t can hardly be said that there is rea v anv SSr?orfr""r"S'" ^'^^ ^''"^<^''- TVeHoU'esTf XT. tl ■ ^" P^cUcal purposes are still a cinher • ami active t ""''"f S-^^"r"'^f^'- Church is X^copaT^ Tnert anZ ^^ ^°'' "° ^'«"bt tho.e is an imri.ense amount of makes itserfrf?''^'"'' '" "'^ ^''^^'^ '^° elements hat Now air I if ^°"f ^vat.on, if „ot for progress. be&v ^t^l^^^^^^ '«^^'^^'' ^f^f Present'stfte of things to ill: . liome, Low Churchmen try to remedy it in ional's^ter ,^^^^^^,^''^'\-g -pieties on af.urei; Co t^^^^^ -e divided „„ ,„e ^t^howX":; "^^X' t'T: .0 see ,he lai.y admi.led a'a dl i„c td t 'o .he cT,S^ of working the Church system efleclually but throu/hThP ofMelbournlld hide IdN^^^yH Toronto, the Bishops dently arrived at ,t coiclufi^Mhf ,trc L n"™ ,"" ""','•""• of the outMion limn l>v it. , '^ '" "" '"''''' solution eou«lf„„.in„ nt I I'"' '""P^romentum of all three on an roti»reh^-tifr^f-- -j:i '-oZ?I I ' 45 liistory can it be called a Medievalism ; it is no attempt to regain ecclesiastical power, but a simple expression of a prin- ciple contained in the U.tory and idea of the Church of Eng- land, and the outward visible body of its life. These remarks are suggested by the papers relating to the JMew Zealand Church Constitution th .1 have lately reached us • rom which It would seem that the Bishop has been labourintr tor ten years past to establish the result at which the Church has just arrived. It would appear that for fifteen years he had been ma/^-re Im an autocrat, and that no one felt more nain- tully than himself the evils of such a svstem, in which all the onus of power and of obloquy fell upon his shoulders alone, there was hardly a clergyman, or a church, or a schoolhouse. or a churchyard in the colony, for the maintenance of which lie was not made responsible. If a window was broken in the church, the Bishop was held to blame till it was mended, bentlemen sat in church with their umbrellas over their heads, because the Bishop, who had advanced most of the money iJx the building, did not also see to the securing of the saddleboard that had been warped by the sun. To such minutie were Episcopal autocrats reduced, and deservedly so, if it had been ot their own choosing ; but the position was forced upon them : and the great duty and labour was to impress the clergy and the laity with a due sense of their own responsibility in re- gard to the maintenance of their own church in the colony. Ihis wasno easy task. The plan proposed was unlike the existing state of^ tnjngs in England ; and there is a strong Conservative feeling in the breast of the most Democratic col- onist, t was not then till many other minds, lay and clerical, were duly impressed with the real need of the Church, and alter ten years' patient discussion and ventilation of (he sub- ject, that at last in May, 1857, two Bishops, eight clergy, and seven laymen, met in Synod for a whole month, and pro- duced a Church Constitution, of which we can only say at present that it seems promising and feasible. Of the eight Clergy, lour were missionary Archdeacons, summoned to represent tt,e natives, the other four were elected ; the seven laymen were elected deputies from all parts of the diocese. thrL^^^"" principles of the Constitution are-first, that those c«n Lc -'^ '''; ^"''^ egi='ative purposes, equal, and nothing can pass into a law without the assent of a majority of eachi vr«^y'A'!''«M"S'' ^''" Prayer book and the Authorised Version of he Bible remam unaltered by the Church at home, the colonial branch binds itself to the full acceptance of the 46 i-ormulariesof ihe Mother Church and its Authorised VVrsiun but leaves .tse f at liberty to acceptor decline any future alteration made by the Church at home. This General fcJynod will depute its powers to diocesan bynocls (*) ftnd local vestries, still holding and exercisin- a su. pervision over all, and a power of revoking abused authority. As lar as can be judged from the unanimity that prevailed ihrouappen to think (liire.eiitly a« to tlic mtmis of obtaining tlic end, the result would bo such as would rejoice the heart of every good man, and the intluence of Christianity itself would oe lar wider and deei)er spread amongst the masses of the people. How can a man or community, with any show of propriety, incu cale doctrines of sobriety and temperance, when the ex- ample and the prece|)t are so widely separated ? W^e are led to tliese remarks hy the perusal of a pamphlet recently issued by the Lay Association of the members of the Church of England in the Diocese of Quebec. We would ask firstly, is such an association necessary or even desirable ? Why in a Christian community put class against class ? Are not the interests of the Clergy and Laity identical .-' Why endeavor to raise uj) antagonis^m between the people ani their ministers in religion ? But to the pamphlet itself. Grave°charges are made against the Bishop, (*) it being asserted that alter a ceilain meeting held in Quebec in June last, for the purpose of determining as to the acceptance or not, ofSynodical action in this Diocese, and after the vote of acceptance was passed, further proceedings were stayed by violent conduct on the part of both Clergy and Laity ; that a vote of adjournment wascarried, in the hope that time and reflection might tend to allay the bitter feelings drawn out, but that in the meantime the Bishop took advan- tage of the sitting of Parliament to can.se an amendment Qf the act to be passed, authorising and requiring the appointment of Lay delegates to meet in synod, and legislate on the internal (•) Note by Com;;i7cr.— Net withstanding; this, which seems to be sufficiently plain, the advocates of the Lay Association, in order to disarm opposition, are henrd to say, whilejthey are circulating this rery pamphlet, that they have nothing to bring against the present Bishop. but simply desire to put matters on such a footing as that if he should have an unworthy successor, he might be restrained from doing mischief. Surely such inconsistency must be easily seen through. The pame parties put themselves forward as the champions of the rights of the laity throughout the Diocese ; but no one can read the foregoing extracts, without perceiving, clearly enough, that the object of the Bishop has, all along, been to secure to the Laity of the country their just rights, of which those who oppose him wjuH have deprived them by keeping the control of every thing in the hands of a mass meeting at Quebec. Defeated in this at- tempt, they now endeavor •' by good words and fair speeches, to deceive the hearts of the simple," (f) when they profess to be the friends of the people, ft is impossible to avoid this conclusion, except on the charitable supposition (which one willingly indulges) that they are deceived themselves. (t) Romans, XVI. 17, Read the whole patsogf. 48 .ir.irs of the Ch.ircl,.-This is the charge, u.ul a Lay Assocla- tion .8 formo,, ileiiouncin^r the conduct ol the Bishop and his immediate fo lovyers ; letter follows letter in the puhlic press, and a pamphlet is issued, warning the laity that their rights are being mvaded and that they must come forward in defence of trieir religious freedom. Surely this must be considered as 'somewhat violent conduct, and to the outside observer, would tend to shew the wisdom of not allowing Quebec, en masse, to legislate for the whole Di- ocese. To us, resident at a distance from the scene of trouble, the conduct of the Bishop in securing the rights of the ChurcJ. in the Diocese in general, by allowing re>esentation in fair libeVal'^'oUc ^^ ^^^^^^ ^'■^'" ''''^'y P^''''*^ ^^'^"^s the most Mass meetings are not the place for calm discussion, and the vital questions at -ssue can only \>o met by quiet temperate conduct on 'he part of all. ' We are clearly of opinion that the Bishop has in this in- stance, shown a promptitude and energy of character in applyinff an immediate remedy to the evil felt, and acknowledged by all which ought to earn for him the thanks of the diocese at large.' No doubt he r It Ihit time and discussion, instead of allaying the spirit of d.scord, was only exciting it, and he would naturally think that another exhibition, similar to that of the June meeting, would do incalculuble harm to the cause of the Church over which he presided. Again, in the appointment of delegates he has only carried ou the wishes of both parties. The extremest reformer could T Ko ^ yr'/^!" ^^'l ^'^"'^'^ °^ delegates is left entirely in the hands of the Laity themselves. We have felt it our duty thus to allude to this pamphlet, and we earnestly hope that the good sense of the people in the townships, to whom we more particularly address ourselves, will lead them to avoid joining any exclusive party in the Ohurch ; and when the time for action arrives, let another i^bnstian maxim overrule all their actions, " Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."