311tortI1attuno.

The following manifesto, issued this week by the Staff of the Esta- blished Church, has attracted universal attention.

THE BISHOPS TO THE CLERGY OP THE CHURCH OP ENGLAND.

"We, the undersigned Archbishops and Bishops of the provinces of Can- terbury and York, do most earnestly and affectionately commend the follow- ing address to the serious consideration of the clergy of our respective dio- ceses.

"I. B. CANTUAR. G. Parennorcovon.

T. Enos. C. ST. DAVID& C J. LONDON. H. WORCESTER.

E. DUNELM. A. T. CICESTR.

C. R. Wncrox. J. LINCOLN.

C. Barlow/. H. CARLISLE.

G. ROCHRSTER. J. CHESTER. J. H. GLOUCESTER & BRISTOL. S. NORWICH.

C. T. Rreox. A. LLANDAPP.

E. SARUM. A. SODOR & MAN."-

"Beloved Brethren—We have viewed with the deepest anxiety the trou- bles, auspicious, and discontents, which have of late, in some parishes, ac- companied the introduction of ritual observances exceeding those in common use amongst us. "We long indulged the hope, that, under the influence of charity, forbear- ance, and a calm estimate of the small importance of such external forms, compared with the blessing of united action in the great spiritual work which is before our Church, these heats and jealousies might by mutual concessions be allayed. But since the evil still exists, and in one most important feature has assumed a new and more dangerous character, we feel that it is our duty to try whether an earnest and united address on our part may tend, under the blessing of God, to promote the restoration of peace and harmony in the Church.

"The principal point in dispute is this—whether, where the letter of the Rubric seems to warrant a measure of ritual observance which yet, by long and possibly by unbroken practice, has not been carried out, the clergy are either in conscience required, or absolutely at liberty, to act each upon his own view of the letter of the precept, rather than by the rule of common practice. Now as to this question, we would urge upon you the following considerations1First, that any change of usages with which the religious feelings of a congregation have become associated, is in itself so likely to do harm that it is not to be introduced without the greatest caution ; secondly, that, beyond this any change which makes it difficult for the congregation at large to join in the service is still more to be avoided ; thirdly, that any change which suggests the fear of still further alterations is most injurious ; and fourthly, that according to the rule laid down in the Book of Common Prayer, where anything is doubted or diversely taken concerning the man- ner how to understand, do, and execute the things contained in that book, the: parties that so doubt, or diversely take anything, shall always resort to the Bishop of the diocese, who by his discretion shall take order for the

quieting appeasing of the same, so that the same order be not contrary to an 'lig contained in the book.'

"The fair application of these principles would, we believe, solve most of the difficulties which have arisen. It would prevent all sudden and start- ling alterations; and it would facilitate the reception of any change which was really lawful and desirable. We would therefore, first, urge upon our reverend brethren with affectionate earnestness the adoption of such a rule of conduct. We would beseech all who, whether by excess or defect, have broken in upon the uniformity and contributed to relax the authority of our ritual observances, to consider the importance of unity and order, and by common consent to avoid whatever might tend to violate them. In recom- mending this course as the best under present circumstances, we do not shut our eyes to the evil of even the appearance of any discrepancy existing between the written law and the practice of the Church. But there are many cases where the law may be variously interpreted ; and we believe that we are best carrying out her own principles in urging you to have re- course, in all such oases, to the advice of her chief pastors.

"But beyond mere attempts to restore an unusual strictness of ritual ob- servance, we have to deal with a distinct and serious evil. A principle has of late been avowed and acted on, which, if admitted, would justify far greater and more uncertain changes. It is this—that as the Church of Eng- land is the ancient Catholic Church settled in this land before the Reforms, lion, and was then reformed only by the caning away of certain strictly de- fined corruptions, therefore, whatever form or usage existed in the Church before its reformation may now be freely introduced and observed, unless there can be alleged against it the distinct letter of some formal prohibition.

"Now, against any such inference from the undoubted identity of the Church before and after the Reformation we feel bound to enter our clear and unhesitating protest. We believe drat at the Reformation the English Church not only rejected certain corruptions, but also without in any de- gree severing her connexion with the ancient Catholic Church, intended to establish one uniform ritual, according to which her public services should be. conducted. But it is manifest that a licence such as is contended for is wholly incompatible with any uniformity of worship -whatsoever, and at

J. LICHFIELD. T. ELY.

S. Oxosr.

T. V. Sr. Aespir.

variance with the universal practice of the Catholic Church, which has never , given to the officiating ministers of separate congregations any such large discretion in the selection of ritual observances.

" We therefore beseech any who may have proposed to themselves the 'restoration of what, under sanction of this principle, they deemed a lawful system to consider the dangers which it involves to see it in its true light, and to 'taint a more just and sober view of the real position of our Church whilst with equal earnestness we beseech others, who either by intentional omission or by neglect and laxity may have disturbed the uniformity and. weakened the authority of our prescribed ritual, to strengthen the side of order by avoiding all unnecessary deviations from the Church's rule. "Su& harmony of action we are persuaded would, under God's blessing, go far towards restoring the peace of the Church. This happy result would more clearly exhibit her spiritual character. The mutual relations of her various members would be more distinctly perceived; and our lay brethren: would more readily acknowledge the special trust committed to us as stew- ards of the mysteries of God, 'for the edifying of the body of Christ.' They would join with us in asserting, and if need be defending, for themselves,as much as for us, the true spiritual freedom of the Church. They would unite with us in a more trustful spirit, and therefore with a more ready will, in enlarging her means and strengthening her powers for the great work slas- hes to do amongst the swarming multitudes of our great towns at home and of our vast dominions abroad ; and that Church which has so long received from the hands of God such unequalled blessings might continue to be, yea and become more and more, a praise in the earth.'—.Marcla 29, 1851."

The mode of baptism has been brought in question at Brighton, in a way to revive that troublesome question in the most embarrassing form. The subjoined correspondence speaks for itself "TO THE EDITOR OP THE TINES.

"Sir—Permit me to acquaint your readers with what occurred at St. Paul's Church, Brighton, on Saturday last. "I accompanied Lady Londesborough to that church, for Lady Londes- borough to be churched, and our child, an infant of little more than three • weeks old, to be baptized.

"At the font, and during the ceremony of baptism, the officiating clergy- man, the Reverend Arthur Wagner, suggested that the infant's hat, cap, and outer garment, should be taken off, for they would be made very wet. *Upon Lady Londesborough and the monthly nurse being much alarmed at this being done in a cold church, I ventured to ask Mr. Wagner in the most civil manner whether, in consideration of the infant's tender age and of its not being used to cold water, it would not be possible to baptize it by putting a little water upon its forehead. That gentleman merely replied that he was not there for me to teach him how to baptize a child. I then addressed the nurse, and asked whether she considered Mr. Wagner's mode of baptism would risk the infant's life. She said that she could not answer for the consequences; that were she the child's parent she would not permit it, and that she hoped I would not. Again .I asked Mr. Wagner, whether it would not be possible to baptize the child in a milder manner. Closing his eyes, he merely pointed to the passage in the rubric where immersion, or pournir water upon the child, is mentioned. "I then declared that I could not take upon. myself the responsibility of the infant's life, and that I could not permit the ceremony to proceed ; when Mr. Wagner said, You thus prefer the child's temporal to its spi- ritual life. I must speak to you as I would to the poorest man—this is a mockery of the ordinances of the Church,' and he then left the font.

"My child has thus been refused admission into the Protestant Church unless at the risk of its life, that risk having been declared by a competent person. "I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, LOICDESBOROUGH. " Grimston, April 2."

"TO THE LORD slum OP CHICHESTER.

"My Lord—I have the honour to acknowledge your Lordship's letter, de,.- livered by this morning's post, and am thankful for the opportunity of offering an explanation to your Lordship respecting the event which occurred. last Saturday in St. Paul's Church. "The circumstances are these. A child, according to previous appoint- ment, was brought on Saturday last, at twelve o'clock, to be baptized. No, sponsors attended, but I waived tins irregularity; so that the father and mother and the clerk of St. Paul's Church stood as proxies for the real sponsors. The service was continued up to the place in the Prayer-book where it says, Then shall the priest take the child into his hands, and shall say to the godfathers and godmothers,' &e. Before taking the child into my arms,' requested, as I always do (a suggestion hitherto cheerfully,. if not gratefully complied with) when there is a cap upon the child's head,. that it might be removed, and that for two reasons—first, that the cap might not be spaded by the water; secondly, that the child might not take cold by having the risk of a wet cap upon its head. Upon my making thiii re- quest, the parents expressed alarm lest the child should take cold, and ap- pealed to the nurse whether it were safe or not. I explained to the mother, that my sole object in wishing the cap removed was to prevent the child taking cold; and that I would readily baptize it, whether with or without its cap, as she pleased, but that it would be better for the child to take the cap off. 'The nurse then said, if I remember aright, that there was no occasion to take the cap off,—that the smallest drop of water put with the finger on the child's forehead was all that was necessary. Upon this I pointed to the Rubric, which sets forth, 'It shall suffice to pour water upon it ' ; and re- ferred, as I trust with calmness, to the anomaly of a minister's receiving in- struction from a nurse as to how much or rather how little water I aught be permitted to use. "The laments then, after talking aside to each other, requested that the service should cease, and. the baptism be postponed till the child was stronger. I remonstrated with them on the inconvenience of beginning the service and discontinuing it without sufficient reason; but to no purpose, for they soon after left the church.

"Such, my Lord, to the best of my recollection, are the facts of the ease. There were three other persons present besides the parents and nurse,— namely, Mr. Chisholm, Mr. White, Mr. Cruse, who, I have no doubt, would corroborate, if needful, the above statement. "I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's faithful, humble servant, " Vicarage, Brighton, 3d April 1851."' A. D. WAGNER.

The Gazette of Tuesday notified the appointment on the let instant of Samuel Wensley Blapkall, Major in the Longford Regiment of Militia, to be Lieutenant,Governor of the island of Dominica.

A. letter-bag will be made up for the island of St. Helena, to leave Plymouth on the 15th of every month, by the Cape of Good_Hope mail steamers : letters to be directed "by packet via the Cape of Good Hope.'"

The serious attention of the Government has been drawn by the Go- vernors of the West India Islands to the irregularities of the West India packet service since the establishment et the new route. The inhabitants of Demerara have not been able to answer their correspondence by return of post but once since the new route commenced, owing to the late arrival of the outward mails.—Daily News.

It is proposed to establish a line of packets between France and Brazil ; to start from Nantes, for Pernambuco, Bahia, and Rio J Mare.

An earthquake has shaken Asia Minor, from Samsonn and Trebisond on its North-eastern verge, to the Gulf of Macri and the island of Rhodes on the South-west. The accounts frog Rhodes and Maori are disastrous. At Rhodes, the first shock was felt on the 28th February. The upper castle fell, and overwhelmed the officers of the Austrian Lloyd's Steam Navigation Company ; the tower of Arays-Kule, and the fortifications commanding the entrance of the harbour, were overthrown. Slighter shocks continued to the 7th of March. At Macri, all the houses have been levelled, and bituminous vapours rise from gulfs which traverse the site of the town. The town of Levissey was destroyed ; and in this in- stance it is feared that at least six hundred persons have perished. The village of Chiorge was overwhelmed, and the port of Ekengik filled up, by the fall of a mountain.

Results of the Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the week ending on Saturday last.

Zymottc Diseases

1,880 •

• • • 245 Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat 595 ....

42 Tubercular DisPaws 1,925 • • • • 195 Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses

167 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 1,301 •..... 353

53 Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration . 1,788 .....

272 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 601 • • • • 65 Diseases of the Kidneys, dm 87 • • • • 7 Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, Se 118 ....

a

Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Sc 71 ....

13 Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, Se. 10 ....

1 Malformations 24 • • • • 4 Premature Birth 219 ....

42 Atrophy 169 ....

25 Age

Sudden

Violence, Privation, Cold, andIntemperanee 9:6 ...

614 .... .. l ii

—

— Total (including unspecified causes) 10.726

1,418

While the Marquis of Granby was out with the hounds at Belvoir Castle last week, he approached a rider who had a young unbroken horse. The horse began kicking, and struck the Marquis inside the left leg below the knee, cutting through boot and flannel drawers, and stripping the flesh to the bone. Though the bone was not broken, the pain was agonizing, and for two nights some anxiety was entertained for the patient; but he is now proceeding so favourably that it is expected he will be able to resume his Parliamentary duties soon after the Easter recess.

The Roman Catholic Peeress with whom Wm Augusta Talbot is placed for the present, is the Countess of Newburgh.

The Duke of Brunswick and Mr. Green have made a successful airial voyage from Hastings to the coast of France. Their balloon landed with safety at Neufchatel, on the coast ten miles South-west of Boulogne. Their contrivances for enabling them to keep a fixed level above the sea, trailing along its surface a line with logs of wood, were successful.

Among other applications made of the photographic processes, some very satisfactory attempts have been made in this country to impress designs upon wood for the purposes of the engraver. By this means, the object will be copied at once on the block, and the labour of drawing avoided, as the wood- engraver can at once proceed with his work.—Art Journal.

A novel kind of paper is stated to have been produced at the mills of a Kentish paper-maker. It contains a water-mark portrait of the Queen, con- trived, not as the ordinary water-mark in mere outline, hitherto used in bank-note and other paper, but so as to give the gradation of light and shade of an Indian ink drawing, such as is seen in the porcelain pictures intro- duced from Germany.. It is the invention of Mr. Oldham, the engineer of the Bank of England ; and as its production involves many difficulties, an Opinion is entertained that it may form a valuable addition to bank-note paper for the prevention of forgery. The portrait is surrounded by an ap- propriate wreath in water-mark of the ordinary character, but executed in a superior style.—.Dover Telegraph.

One of those unfortunate accidents that sometimes frustrate labour at the point of success occurred on Saturday to one of the intending exhibitors in May next. Mr. M'Lachlan, the decorator in St. James's Street, had just finished a fine specimen of his art in arabesque colours, chiefly on glass, to show the effect with which painted glass might be used for the purposes of interior decoration, and had placed it on a van to convey it to Hyde Park ; hut before any cord could be put upon it, a. strong gust of wind, sweeping along Jennyn Street, lifted the decorated specimen quite off the van, though it was a weight to require the strength of four men, and dashed it on the pavement, face undermost. The consequence was, that one of the large glass panels was smashed into a hundred pieces ; and a very beautiful composition, -which had occupied the exhibitor's attention and labour for the past nine months, almost hopelessly destroyed. The broken panel will be restored as far as possible and the composition will. be placed m the Crystal Palace.— Morning Post.

Ten Weeks Week.

of 1841-50. of 1861.