THE BENNETT JUDGMENT.
go THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR "] :SIR,—The conspicuous candour, which is not the least merit of the Spectator, makes me willing to believe that you will answer two questions which Iput to you, touching a remark in your last issue.
You say the English Church condemns the use of the word ."sacrifice" in relation to the Holy Communion ; and that the English Church forbids adoration of the consecrated elements.
1. Will you oblige me and others by saying where the English 'Church has condemned the use of the word " sacrifice " in such relation?
2. is the declaration of the English Church that "no adora- tion is intended to the sacramental bread and wine "at all incon- sistent with a reverence to "Christ's spiritual presence "?
The adoration of matter is a palpable impiety ; the adoration of -God is, at least, a distinct idea ; and it is, at least, conceivable in reason that any manifestation of His presence may receive our reverence without our incurring the charge of idolatry, or of falling under the condemnation of the English Church.
I, for one, wish the range of our toleration to be as large as possible, our condemnation to be as scarce and tender ; but I do not wish to see the anti-dogmatic spirit forming into a spiritual tyranny by force of negation.—I am, Sir, &c., [We only followed the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in understanding the 31st Article as an explicit condemnation of the doctrine, that any "sacrifice" is repeated in the administration of the Holy Communion. As to our correspondent's second ques- tion, we understood the Judicial Committee to have decided it in the negative, nor did any remark of ours question the justice of that decision ;—but of course the rule prohibiting any outward act 'of worship, any bending of the knee not prescribed in the rubrics, is to be observed.—En. Spectator.]
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