'Ube 113rob1ncts.

The agitation against Dr. Phillpotts's pastoral letter continues in the towns of his diocese ; parish-meetings passing resolutions against the letter generally, and especially against the use of the surplice in preach- ing and the weekly offertory,—" practices," say the parishioners of St. Andrew, in Plymouth, "unobjectionable in themselves, but now well known as the adopted symbols of an unsound and Rommizing party in the Church"; while the parishioners of the Holy Trinity in Exeter "protest against the use of the surplice in the pulpit as the precursor of' more serious changes and innovations." These latter also resolved-

.' That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the Worshipful the Chan- cellor Martin and the Rev. Dr. Bull, and all the other dignitaries of the Cathe- dral Church, for their temperate, judicious, and well-timed appeal to the Arch- bishop of Canterbury to hold Convocation, and by the united efforts of all the Bishops to restore the peace of the Church. "That this meeting fully concur with their fellow-citizens in the duty of an appeal to the Throne, that no changes, no innovations, and no exercise of power, be adopted by individual Bishops to endanger the existence of the Na- tional Church, or the Protestant succession to the Crown of these realms."

The parish of St. Pancras, Exeter, also threatened to apply to the Privy Council. Similar proceedings have taken place at Newton Abbot, and at a meeting, in Helston, of Churchwardens from the parishes of the Cornish Deunery of Kirrier.

The parish of St. Andrew desired the concurrence of their Vicar, and begged him to "urge strongly on the Bishop the injury that must result by the introduction of any changes in the services of the Church." Accordingly, the Reverend John Hatchard did write a letter to the Bishop. He says that many are "keenly alive to the awful strides made towards Popery," and "are very apprehensive that the errors of Popery are taking such root in the Established Church as will render it necessary for them to quit its pale." Mr. Hatchard, therefore, be- seeches the Bishop to recall his requirements, and thus to check the farther spread of that feeling. He concludes with a solemn aspiration that Divine assistance may be vouchsafed to his Lordship in this time of imminent peril to the Church.

The Bishop of Exeter published another long letter, addressed this time to the Dean of Exeter, and relating principally to a memorial from the Dean and certain Residentiaries of his diocese to the Areh- bishop of Canterbury. The memorial prayed the Archbishop "to consult with all the Bishops of his province, and to procure their cone eurrence in some uniform interpretation of those Rubrics in the Book of Common Prayer which may seem obscure or conflicting, and in some uniform rule /or the direction of the clergy with respect to certain forms

and practices which have more or less fallen into desuetude." And it ' pointed to the advantageous effect to be expected from "a measure of this nature, not confined to any particular diocese, but sanctioned by the -united authority of all the Prelates of our Church." At great length Dr. Phillpotts censures the sending of this memorial at the particular time. He contends that the Chapter is only a Council of the Bishop ; that its members can only advise, and can perform no act of their own. He does not entirely condemn an appeal to the Metropolitan, but he maintains that it can only be made after the Bishop has proceeded to action. He also censures the publication of the memorial in a news- paper, as tantamount to a breach of confidence; and he specially cen- sures its publication without the Archbishop's reply, which had been received four days previously to the appearance of the document in the newspaper. That reply is described as "gracefully putting aside the memorial " : from the context it appears that it simply acknowledges the receipt of that document. A large part of the letter is devoted to a controversial attack upon Dr. Bull, for having, according to his own statement, "permitted himself to agitate the public mind at Exeter" on the subjects discussed at a private meeting of the Chapter, and canvassed measures of the Bishop expected but not promulgated ; such conduct being inconsistent with Dr. Bull's ordination-vow, that he would "reverently obey his ordinary." As to the prayer of the me- morial, Dr. Phillpotts regards it as impracticable-

" The main observation which presents itself to my mind on reading this proposal, especially with Dr. Bull's comment, is, that if acted upon by his Grace the Archbishop and the Bishops of his province' it would bring them,. 1 fear, one and all, under the very heavy penalties of the law. Without the special permission of the Crown, such a meeting for such a purpose would be not only incompetent to do what the memorialists prayed, but would be absolutely illegal This you may think to be very hard; perhaps it is hard: but such is the law of the land, as stated by Archbishop Wake, after very. grave in- quiry ; and the law of the land I for one shall always obey when it is not con- trary to the law of God. Will it be said that the difficulty may be overcome by obtaining the licence of the Crown ? Let the memorialists seek to obtain it, and they will probably hear, from higher authority than mine, that such a licence cannot be granted for such a purpose by any power known to the

constitution. • •

" There is no legal mode in which the Prelates of the Church,' as a body, can come to a 'concurrence in some uniform interpretation of Rubrics and in some uniform rule for the direction of the clergy,' or can 'sanction such a mea- sure by their united authority.' We, the Bishop, cannot hold a Provincial synod, with power to make ordinances. The Convocation only, according to the present law of the Church, is competent to this—the Convocation, lawfully called by the Archbishop, executing the writ of the Crown. Its ordinances must receive the assent of the Crown before they can be even pro- nudged ; and, moreover, they must be confirmed by the authority of Parlia- ment in every particular in which they may be contrary to the existing law before they can have any force. "This, then, is the coarse which must be taken in order to give effect to the payer of the memorial. In such a course I should not be backward to con- cur; and if the result of the present excitement be to lead to the actual adop- tion of any measure by which uniformity can be legally secured, without un- necessarily offending any prejudice, we shall all have reason to rejoice that an inestimable benefit has been obtained. But, in the mean time, the law is plain and precise; it points out one mode by which, and by which only, doubtful Rubrics are to receive an interpretation : and this is the mode which was re- commended to me by the smaller Chapter of October the 19th, when you, Mr. Dean, and two other of the memorialists, gave to me the benefit of your then unanimous counsel to observe the course prescribed in the preface to the Book of Common Prayer."

The passage from the Prayer-Book is given in a foot-note-

" To appease all diversity, and for the resolution of all doubts how to under- stand, do, and execute the things contained in this book, the parties that so doubt or diversely take anything, shall always resort to the Bishop of the dio- cese, who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same, so that the same order be not contrary to anything contained in this book; and if the Bishop of the diocese be in doubt, then he may send for the resolution thereof to the Archbishop."

The Bishop refers to a minute which he had made at the meeting of the Chapter on the 19th October, the gist of which was, "that on ac- count of divisions, &c., it is desirable there be uniformity ; that the only way of securing uniformity must be that all act according to law." He is aware that his is considered a rash and dangerous course, and adverse to popular opinion ; that it is unwise to embroil a diocese so distin- guished for its attachment to the Church as that of Exeter in discus- sion about a surplice or a rubric ; but that very fact stimulates his courage. "1 see a resolute determination in many parts of England to resist all Church authority ; I see schism in its most mischievous form, under the guise of nominal chnrchmanship, rampant, and of course in- tolerant, wherever it is seen." Dr. Phillpotts concludes his long letter by saying-

" The Rubric may be—and in some particulars, perhaps, most of us might wish it to be—altered by competent authority. But whether in its present or an altered form, the Rubric must be the rule of every faithful minister in the performance of public worship—not the clamour of the people, however excited or by whomsoever encouraged."

The Bishop added to his letter a postscript about a clergyman preach- ing in his greatcoat ; but afterwards he withdrew it, on understanding that the tale originated in a mistake.

Dr. Bull has written a letter to the Bishop, energetically denying that be had" agitated the-public mind," and challenging proof that he had spoken to a single layman on the subject. He says that he had no communication with any one' until he and other Residentiaries were publicly attacked in a letter by " A Prebendary"; to which Dr. Bull made a reply.

A new turn was given to the matter by the following efivular " to the- Clergy of the Diocese of Exeter"—

" Biebopstowe, 23rd December.

"Dear and Rev. Brethren—It has been represented to me by many of you, in different parts of the diocese, that the use of the surplice in preaching is more repugnant to the feelings of the people than could have been reesonably anticipated. To those feelings, however erroneous, I deem it my duty to sur- render what may be abandoned without the sacrifice of any principle. 1 there- fore withdraw my order as respects the surplice. "That order was avowedly issued by me, not for the sake of enforcing an express rule of the Church, but in execution of the power given to me to appease a diversity in divine worship, and so to remove a symbol of disunion among ourselves. cif my object cannot be obtained in the way which I had pointed out without' leading to other evils of as grave a kind, let me, however, hope and entreat, that in using your own discretion in this particular, you will so use it as shall least expose you to the reproach of cherishing parts--spirit. Wherever, therefore, the surplice is now used without offence, there 1 hope it will be continued in use.

"The enforcement of the Rubrics rests on different ground. In them the Church has spoken clearly ; and to the voice of the Church, whea it gives not an uncertain sound, every true Churchman, and especially every faithful minister, will hearken with reverence and submission.

"I am, Reverend and dear Brethren, your faithful friend and brother,

"11. EXETER."

According to a report that had been circulated, the Bishop of Exeter had been threatened that if he persist in his rubrical innovations, the Queen, as the head of the Church, must interfere.

A charge delivered by the Bishop of Worcester, on Saturday last, to the candidates for ordination, at their final examination, was mainly devoted to the Church subject of the day. He contrasted the peaceful diligence that was growing in the Church before the publication of the Oxford Tracts, with the present dangerous dissension. He discussed the questions of the surplice and offertory as unimportant in themselves, but as deriving significance and importance from the party-use made of them. The propriety of wearing the sarplice in preaching depends upon the fact whether or not the sermon is part of the communion-ser- vice; and the Bishop quotes the first Prayer-Book of Edward the Sixth, to show that there was a long division between the sermon and the communion ; all but communicants actually leaving the quire during the interruption ; while in the present rubric the sermon is similarly though less widely cut off from the communion by formal de- clarations of holydays, citations, and the like. As to the offertory, the rubric contains two contradictory directions, and clergymen have naturally availed themselves of the alternative sanctioning its omission. No doubt, one reason for doing so, besides the fatiguing length so trying to the infirm and aged, was the awkwardness of re- suming the surplice again ; the case thus furnishing a collateral argu- ment against the use of the surplice in preaching. A weekly collection for the support of religious societies the Bishop regards as praiseworthy if in accordance with the wish of the congregation, but only if in such accordance. A collection made during the reading of the offertory can only be legally devoted to the poor residing in the parish. He finishes with an exhortation to the young candidates for ordination to fulfil their solemn promise, that they will maintain "quietness, peace, and love among all Christian people "- " Be assured that your usefulness in your parishes will very much depend upon your fulfilling the pledge which you will thus give ; and if you u ill go forth to your respective cures anxious to fulfil your sacred duties its the spirit of peace—not pertinacious about trifles, even if the law be on your side, and still less so if this be doubtful—anxious only to win souls to Christ, and with this view endeavouring to conciliate the affections of your people while you point out to them the way of everlasting life—the Lord will be your helper.'"

The Standard concisely reports similar proceedings elsewhere.

"At the ordination by the Bishop of Salisbury, held at Wells, on Sunday last, Lis Lordship expressly charged the candidates to make no deviation what- ever from the accustomed mode of performing divine service in their respective churches, without first consulting with their Diocesan. It is understood that the Bishop discountenances the introduction of novelties, or, what is the same thing, the revival of obsolete practices. This is a satisfactory state of things, seeing that his Lordship now exercises episcopal jurisdiction in three counties proximate to the troubled diocese of Exeter—viz. Somerset, Dorset, Wilts."

Sir Henry Pottinger was entertained last week by the people of Man- chester; who determined not to be outdone in their civic hospitality by the people of London and Liverpool. He arrived at Manchester, with Lady Pottinger and the members of his family who travel with him, at one o'clock on Friday. At two o'clock, he was conducted by the Mayor and Town-Clerk to the Hall; where he met the Corporation and some leading members of the city. At half-past five o'clock, a deputa- tion from the principal merchants and manufacturers of the district waited upon Sir Henry, and presented another address, signed by more than 200 of the most wealthy and influential firms. Both these ad- dresses were laudatory of his proceedings in China, and acknowledged the benefit which commerce and manufactures would derive from them.

The dinner took place in the large room of the Town-hall. It was a magnificent banquet, and more than 200 guests, including a few Mem- bers of Parliament and military officers, sat down to table. In propos- ing the toast of the evening, the Mayor praised the treaties with China, as placing 27,000,000 of British people in direct communication with 340,000,000 Chinese— "1 have heard an exclamation which proceeded from one of our country- manufacturers upon the subject, which I dare say will convey some idea to the minds of gentlemen present of the advantages which we are likely to derive from the extension of our intercourse with China. ' Why,' said the worthy manu- facturer, 'all the mills we now have wil: hardly make yarn to find them with nightcaps and socks." The tariff which Sir Henry Pottinger obtained reduced the amount of import-duties in China to one fourth. To show the effect which it has already had, the Mayor quoted a statement of the exports to China during the years 1843 and 1844. "The account is made up from the 30th November 1843—which 'presume was the period when the .intelligence reached England of the successful termination of Sir Henry Pottinger's labours—and is carried up to November 1844. From that account I perceive, that in 1843, of plain cotton- piece goods there were shipped to China, from the ports of London, Liverpool, and Clyde, 1,148,381 pieces; and in the corresponding period, namely, for the year ending 30th November 1844, the number of pieces of cotton shipped to China amounted to 2,250,793,—making an advance, in that short space of time, of 1,102,414 pieces: the value of all the articles enumerated in this statement amounted, in 1843, to 1,468,115/. sterling, and that of the same descriptions in the year ending 30th November 1844 amounted to 2,064,0924—showing an increase in value of the exports of this country to China, in a single year, of 595,978/. I am quite persuaded, that for many years to come our manufac- turers will find by the state of their balance-sheet every Christmas, they will have to bless the exertions of Sir Henry Pottinger. I am also quite delighted to have to express my conviction upon this occasion, that the successful efforts of Sir Henry Pottinger will have given many a large loaf and at the same time a vast amount of comfort to the operatives and artisans of this district."

In returning thanks, Sir Henry began by craving consideration for an extremely bad cold under which he was labouring. In the course of his speech, which much resembled what he had said in London and Liaerpool; he acknowledged much valuable assistance from Mr. Morrison, and from Mr. Thom of Glasgow, to whom he was indebted for all the informaZion upon which the tariff and the commercial negotiations were regulated. Captain Eastwick spoke for "the Indian Army and Navy," when toasted. He alluded to previous services performed by Sir Henry Pot- tinger, under whom he had filled a confidential situation in Scinde. Sir Henry, while struggling against a pestilential climate in declining health, had restored peace and order to that den of robbers the fertile province of Cutch. "I have conversed with the Hindoo ruler of this province, and heard him call Sir Henry Pottinger his father ; and I know that he offered, as a slight testimony of respect and gratitude, to educate Sir Henry Pottinger's sons."

Several other toasts were given, and the meeting did not separate till nearly midnight.

On Saturday, a deputation from the working men of Manchester waited upon Sir Henry Pottinger with an address that had received 10,438 signatures in fourteen hours. The address acknowledged be- nefits derived from Sir Henry's negotiations, and the remarkable tariff of the Chinese Emperor- " Based on the most complete and absolute freedom of commerce, imposing no protective duties, but granting free admission to the productions of all nations at moderate rates of duties, and prohibiting none. The low duties on the products of this district have caused a greatly-increased export of calicoes, printed cottons, and cotton-twist, to China, whereby we have been benefited by obtaininw" increased employment." The address also earnestly entreated his good offices with the British Government to induce them to imitate the "enlightened measures of the Chinese, by imposing the like moderate duties on all foreign products imported into this country; and espe- cially to imitate the wise and beneficent provision in the Chinese tariff of not only allowing the import of grain and rice free of duty, but encouraging the same by the remission of port-charges on all vessels conveying these important and necessary articles of food."

Sir Henry Pottinger replied thus-

" I beg to assure you that nothing could give me greater satisfaction than this address. I entirely appreciate the kind feelings which have induced you to come forward to present it to me on this occasion. I am equally happy and flattered that my humble exertions in China have tended, as you inform me they have so materially, to better the condition of numbers of my fel:ow-coun- trymen. There is nothing dearer to my heart than the welfare Of you all indi- vidually and collectively ; and at any time or in any manner in which I can further your views, consistently with what is due to the other classes of this great empire, I shall most heartily and cheerfully do so. I have not had an opportunity of preparing any answer to your address ; but I will do so before I leave this place, and send it to you. I repeat, that nothing could give me greater pleasure than this address, and the assurance from your lips that my services have been of any benefit to you ; for the happiness of my fellow-sub- jects has always been the object of solicitude nearest to my heart.

Saturday happened to be the anniversary of the day upon which a weekly half-holyday had been conceded by their masters to the clerks employed in the warehouses and the tradesmen's assistants in Man- chester, and was kept by them as a species of festival ; a large tea- party being given upon the occasion. To this Sir Henry and Lady Pottinger and their family were invited ; and they were most heartily received by the multitude assembled.

At a meeting in Hyde, on Sunday, of delegates from the operative cotton-spinners of Manchester and the surrounding towns, a memorial was adopted, addressed to Sir Robert Peel, praying for the abolition of the duty on cotton-wool, as unjust to British manufacturers who have to compete with Americans pay ing no duty, and as restricting employ- ment. The memorialists say- " The operative cotton-spinners, as a body, have long struggled to ameliorate their condition and to prevent reductions in their wages, without success. But your memorialists feel convinced, from past experience, that there are other causes than that of the mere will of their employers which materially affect the remuneration of their labour ; and they beg to state, that they are decidedly of opinion that the unjust and impolitic tax alluded to forms a serious bar to the -obtaining an advance of wages, and also operates in preventing the attainment of another object which they as earnestly desire, the shortening of the hours of

labour."

The Bolton Chronicle mentions some favourable "signs of the times"— 'We are informed by John Bolling, Esq., the treasurer of the savings bank, that the sum deposited in that institution at the present time amounts to up- wards of 100,000/. ; and that in the two last consecutive weeks, the deposits paid into the bank have exceeded the sum drawn out by 1,000/. These facts afford a pleasing evidence not only of the improvement of trade, but also of the provident habits of the operatives.

At the dinner of the Blandford Agricultural Association, on Satur- day, Mr. Sturt, M.P. for Dorsetshire, gave the results of some prac- tical experiences against the allotment-system as a general remedy for distress among the labourers— He did not say he was the first to introduce allotments into that county, but no one had tried them to such an extent as he had, or continued to do so. Some time ago he pulled down a small village and built up an experimental village in its place. He built two cottages on an acre of ground, so that the land on one side should belong to one cottager and that on the other side to the other. The land had been cultivated in an excellent manner; but he agreed with Mr. Osborne it was not a remedy—it was only a palliative; and he owned, that if it were not carried into execution with forbearance, it was capable of producing a much greater evil than a good. He said it was a palliative: the object of that Society was to place the labourer in the most wholesome state. Now, the most wholesome state was that wherein he was enabled to take his capital (that was his labour) to the market, and obtain such an equivalent as would enable him to get the necessaries of life. [Mr. Sturt made some re- marks on the inequalities in the rate of wages in several parts; but he does not seen: to have shown how adequate wages are to be secured.] He gave a piece of advice to farmers—that they should " look to the North and take a leaf out of their book"— The custom there—recognized by the Court of Queen's Bench, and there- fore legal—was this: if the farmer left his farm after laying out his money, he was entitled to remuneration. He could not go into detail; but bones were supposed to last a certain number of years, and so was guano ; and when be left his farm he made a demand which he had no doubt the squire settled. If a desire for such a practice existed in that neighbourhood, he had no doubt, by the aid of their President, Mr. Farquharson, (their chief squire,) and three or four farmers, a code might be framed that would be satisfactory to all.

- Mr, f uharson, who afterwards spoke, did not seem to think leases 'very:_ ary. He said that farmers often bettered themselves by chaugIng t ir farms.

John Sgr the surgeon's assistant charged with feloniously attenaft- ingio pr the miscarriage of Miss Jane Railton of Wolverhamptt n, ..,, was acquitted at Stafford last week ; Miss Railtoa not appearing on her recopizances to give evidence against him.

At Durham, last week, three men, previously moving in a respect- able sphere of life, were tried for forging a number of Stockton and Durham County Bank notes. One of the prisoners confessed his guilt, and gave evidence against the others. Russell, a writing-master actually made the notes ; forming a copperplate by an electric process, printing the notes, and forging a signature to them. All three were found guilty. Another man was then convicted of uttering ten of the false notes. They were sentenced to be transported for different terms. There were no fewer than ten trials for arson, at Norwich, on Thursday and Friday week ; and in all cases convictions ensued. One of the culprits was an elderly woman, and another a man ; the rest were boys and lads, all, with one exception, under twenty years of age: one of these youthful incendiaries was nine years old, another thirteen, and a third fourteen. The two youngest and the woman were ordered to be imprisoned; the rest were sentenced to transportation.

Two more rural fires are reported in Hertfordshire. A woman has been committed for trial on a charge of causing one of them.

A ferocious attack was made, one might last week, by some score of poachers, on five gamekeepers to ths Earl of Coventry, at Croome, near Worcester. The keepers fled before their assailants; who fired and wounded two men, though not seriously. One keeper, however, was so savagely beaten that he has since died. One of the attacking party has been apprehended. The poachers in the neighbourhood have been very daring of late.

A boy only ten years old, residing with his grandmother at Bulking- ton, near Devizes, after injuring the old lady's property in various ways—which injuries the dame ascribed to a "ghost"—has finished by setting fire to the stable; and that and the dwelling-house were entirely consumed.

A very distressed woman, with an infant at her breast, has been com- mitted for trial from the Wallington Petty Sessions, for taking a faggot valued at three farthings from a wood. Mr. Page of Stokenchureh was the prosecutor.

A man and a woman have been found dead on a mattress, in a cot- tage at Ashford, near Bedfont. It is supposed that the man poisoned himself and his wife; and he also appears to have attempted to destroy their two children, but they have recovered. The deceased were in a state of great poverty, gaining their livelihood principally by begging.

Eight lives have been lost at a colliery at Corbyn's Hall, near Dudley. Six boys and two men got into a skip to descend the shaft; they had not been lowered very far before the chain broke ; and they were thrown to the bottom of the shaft, and all killed.

An elderly woman has been killed at the Theatre at Windsor, by falling from the gallery to the pit. No person was sitting in the pit at the time.

Culpable negligence caused a fatal explosion of fire-damp, last week, at the Pentrefelin colliery, near Morriston in Wales, by which two men and a boy were killed. A fan is worked to clear the mine of foul air ; boys, whose strength appears not to have been sufficient for the work, being employed to tarn the fan. For a considerable time it was not put in action at all, and a quantity of gas collected, which exploded when a light was taken into the mine by a workman.