The Judge of the Court of Arches has justified the
Rev. Flavel Cook in refusing to give the Communion to Mr. Henry Jenkins, on the ground that the latter was a "depraver" of God's Word, and therefore disqualified, under the Canons and under the Rubrics, from partaking thereof. Sir R. Phillimore held that Mr. Jenkins's denial of the eternity of future punishments and of the personality of Satan disqualified him from receiving the Com- munion, and he held that according to the law of the Church, the Bishop should take proceedings in Court "for the salva- tion of the soul" of Mr. Henry Jenkins, in order that he might be brought into a state of penitence qualifying him for the reception of the Sacrament from which he had been repelled. Notice of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was, of course, given by Mr. Jenkins's representatives. Indeed, after the decision of the Judicial Committee in relation to the doctrine of Eternal Punishments which came up upon Mr. Wilson's essay in "Essays and Reviews," we cannot understand Sir R. Philli- more's decision. If judgment be not reversed on appeal, a more startling step will have been taken towards disruption than either Ritualists or Rationalists have yet had it in their heart to conceive.
Previous page
