a resident in Brighton. On Saturday Sir R. Phillimore will give judgment in the long-pending suit of Bennett v. Shepherd.

PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS.

The Hon. and Rev. Adelbert John Robert Anson, to the Rural Deanery of Himley.

The Rev. G. B. Armes, to the Vicarage of Cleator, Cumberland.

The Rev. Samuel Arnott, to the Vicarage of Christ Church, Turnham-green.
The Rev. E. Austin, to the Vicarage of Broadhempston, Devon.
The Rev. R. H. Balls, to the Rectory of Beaworthy, Devon.

The Rev. Baring Baring-Gould, to be Minister of All Saints' Chapel, Sidmouth.
The Rev. John Chichester Burnard Chichester, to the Rectory of Neenton, Salop.
The Rev. W. Fryer, to the Vicarage of Great Bowden, Leicestershire.
The Rev. John Heelix, to the Rectory of Dufton, Westmoreland.

The Rev. Frederick Amadeus Mallison, to the Perpetual Curacy of Broughton-inFurness, Lancashire.

The Rev. H. W. Marychurch to the Vicarage, Winksley-cum-Grantley, Yorkshire. The Rev. William Ingle Meggison, to the Vicarage of South Charlton, North

umberland.

The Rev. James Metcalfe, to the Vicarage of Christ Church, Plymouth.
The Rev. J. F. Morton, to the Vicarage of Ainstable, Cumberland.

The Rev. Edward Sloane Murdock, to the Incumbency of the new Church of Emmuanuel, Preston.

The Rev. W. Newman, to the Rectory of Barlavington.

The Rev. William Robert Oldroyd, to the Vicarage of St. Paul, Haswell, Durham. The Rev. Robert Phillips, to the Perpetual Curacy of Cheltmorton, Derbyshire. The Rev. J. W. Scarlett, to the Rectory of Copgrove.

The Rev. W. M. Schnibben, to the Vicarage of Wigton, Cumberland.

The sum subscribed to the Sustentation Fund of the Irish Church is now £185,902 7s. 11d., but this is composed of donations, and yearly subscriptions promised only amount to £9,069 16s. 2d. Of the total sum subscribed £109,806 has been paid into the bank to the credit of the Church Body.

The Bishop of London has accepted the office of President of the Anti-infidelity Committee of the S.P.C.K. The following are the persons first applied to to become members:- Rev. Dr. J. A. Henry, Dr. Miller, Dr. Barry; Revs. H. W. Burrows, E. Garbett, J. Moorhouse, T. R. Birks, Mr. Meymott, and Mr. Benjamin Shaw.

The Globe has authority for stating that there is no foundation for the assertion of the Weekly Register that Lord Schomberg Kerr, who has just succeeded his brother as Marquis of Lothian, is a member of the Church of Rome. He is, as he has always been, a member of the

Church of England.

The Rev. A. Moody Stuart, of Edinburgh, writes to the Record in reference to a quotation from the Daily Review given on the 25th of May. It spoke of the sumptuary extravagance in the way of vestments in Mr. Moody Stuart's Church on the day of Sir James Simpson's funeral. It should have been added that the sumptuous vestments were the official scarlet robes of the magistrates (!)

Cornwall.

CLERICAL OBITUARY.

At Caravaghn, Cavan, aged 59, the Right Rev. Charles Leslie, D.D., Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin, and Ardagh. July 11, at Alton, Hants, the Rev. John Banister, Rector of Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, and Vicar of West Worldham, Hants, aged 83.

July 11, at Newport, in the Isle of Wight, the Rev, James Baynham Snow, Vicar of Arreton, aged 93.

Home and Foreign Church News.

The Echo says Dr. Manning returns from Rome a Cardinal.

We are glad to announce that the health of Archdeacon Hale has perceptibly improved.

Over 15,000l. has been subscribed for the restoration of Worcester Cathedral. The architect's estimate was 14,000l.

The Bishop of Exeter was the Preacher at Westminster Abbey last evening. There was a very large congregation.

The New Testament Company concluded their second session on Saturday, having sat three days, and more than six hours each day. A voluntary Church-rate has just been unanimously granted in the Parish of St, Clement's Danes, Strand.

The Dedication Festival of St. Mary Magdalene's, Paddington, commences to-morrow (Thursday), This evening Father Grafton preaches. Dr. Robert Scott, the new Dean of Rochester, was on Sunday installed in his office at Rochester Cathedral, with the usual ceremonies and legal

formalities.

In the Court of Arches on Saturday next Sir R. Phillimore will give judgment in the long-pending suit in the case of the alleged heresy of Mr. Bennett, the Vicar of Frome.

The Rev. Joseph Beaumont Hawkins, M.A., English Chaplain at Baden-Baden, has been appointed Minister of the Chapel in the Cour de Coches, Paris, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. Archer Gurney. At one of the City Churches on Sunday morning the Rector omitted the Sermon, as the congregation consisted solely of the members of his own family and the choristers.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was present in the House of Lords on Friday night for the first time since his long and serious illness. His Grace received the hearty congratulations of many noble lords.

On the 9th inst. the Church of St. Augustine's, Siessell, was reopened after restoration with Special Choral Services. The proceedings were of a most satisfactory character, indicating the steady growth of Church principles in the parish.

The claim of the Rev. J. H. Seymour, of Trinity Church, Belfast, to be deemed a permanent Curate has been allowed by the Church Commissioners. Mr. Justice Lawson, in delivering judgment, took occasion to guard against the decision becoming a rule, save in the case of proprietary Churches founded similarly to Trinity Church.

On Thursday the Archbishop of Canterbury paid a short visit to the his interest in the work in progress, and his best wishes for its success. This was his Grace's first appearance in public since his illness. He addressed some weighty words to those present, and evidently took deep interest in the proceedings.

The demolished Church of St. Benet, which formerly stood on a site at the corner of Fenchurch-street, City, is to be rebuilt in the Mileend-road, in the parish of Stepney, and the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury have presented the Rev. Thomas Richardson, Incumbent of St. Matthew's, St. George's East, to be the first Vicar. Mr. Richardson is a Low Churchman of the lowest type.

On Wednesday the Bishop of Winchester consecrated the new Church of St. Philip, in the Queen's-road, South Lambeth. It is a Gothic structure in the decorated style, with tower; and is fitted with stained glass windows throughout. The cost of the building has been nearly 13,000l. exclusive of the site, which is valued at 3,5007. more; the entire

expense has been defrayed by Mr. Flower, of Furze Down, Tooting

common.

A movement has been set on foot to erect a memorial tablet to the late Rev. Alexander Dallas. A suggestion having been made that the tablet should be placed in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Dean has given his sanction. It is not proposed to erect any elaborate monument, but merely a tablet surmounted by a medallion, and inscribed with a few words of affectionate recognition. The Hon. and Rev. W. C. Plunket is acting as treasurer for the fund, the subscriptions to which are limited to 5s.

Crown as to the validity of Bishop Macrorie's Consecration. He says:— Bishop Colenso writes that he has no intention of appealing to the Bishop Macrorie having publicly stated that he is not and has never claimed to be a Bishop of the Church of England,' it would have been as absurd to appeal to the Crown as to the validity of his consecration' as a Bishop in the 'Church of South Africa' as it would have been to appeal as to the validity of the Consecration of the Roman Catholic (socalled) Bishop of Nottingham.'"

The school library at Winchester, which has been built by subscription among Wykehamists, as a memorial to the Bishop of Salisbury's headmastership, is now nearly completed, and the opening ceremony is fixed for the afternoon of Domum-day, Tuesday, July 26, when the Bishop of Salisbury, Sir William Erle, the Chairman, and other members of the Committee are expected to be present; and it is hoped there may be a large gathering of the Wykehamists.

The full Court of Common Law of the Isle of Man, gave judgment in the appeal case Laughton v. the Bishop of Sodor and Man" on the 6th inst. The action was brought to recover damages for libel alleged to be contained in a Charge delivered by the Bishop to his Clergy at Convocation, in which the Bishop replied to several accusations brought against him by Mr. Laughton, an advocate, while opposing a measure brought before the popular House of Representatives. At the trial no actual malice had been proved, and the judge left it to the jury to say whether they inferred malice. The jury gave a verdict for plaintiff £400 and costs. The full Court on appeal set aside the verdict with costs, on the grounds that actual malice had not been proved.

On Thursday Mr. Mellor, Churchwarden of St. Clement's Church, Rochdale, was served with a citation from the Archbishop of York for having on the 12th day of June, 1870, without any just necessity or lawful authority, and contrary to the expressed injunctions of the Rev. W. N. Molesworth, as Vicar of the said Church, forcibly removed a cross attached to the ledge, fixed to the reredos, in the Parish Church of St. Clement's Spotland, the position of such cross having been approved of by the late Bishop of Manchester. And for having then illegally carried

A correspondent states in the Standard that Dr. Durnford, the new Bishop of Chichester, made a speech in the Upper House of Convocation which electrified that audience. The Right Rev. Prelate took his seat in the House of Convocation for the first time on Friday last, and availed himself of the opportunity for delivering a speech of which a very inadequate idea can be gathered from the reports which appear in the daily papers. He accused the Right Rev. brethren of indifference, langour, and lassitude, and told them in a very plain way that they wished to be considered anything but dumb dogs," they must make some advance upon the course they had hitherto pursued. He shook his cap at his Right Rev. brethren in a very significant way, and the Bishop of Gloucester rose to protest. The Bishop of London also protested, and explained. But the Bishop of Chichester was inexorable

In a Sermon preached by the Hon. and Rev. Robert Liddell, at St. Paul's, Knightbridge, on Sunday morning last, he mentioned the various alterations and improvements which will shortly be made at that Church, owing to the benovolence of a deceased member of the congregation. The organ will be moved from its present position to a room that will be built over the Vestry; this will enable the committee to erect seventytwo seats in the organ gallery, which will be free. The present heavy altar rails will be removed, and light low brass rails will be substituted, and a new window will be added to the chancel to throw additional light upon the altar. At present the singing is far from perfect, owing to the difficulty the choir have in keeping time with the organ, which is so far from them. It is expected that the alterations will be completed

in three months.-John Bull.

At the Quarterly Board Meeting of the Tithe Redemption Trust, held on Wednesday at the offices, 25, Parliament-street, Westminster, under the presidency of the Right Hon. Lord John Manners, M.P., a grant of 15. was made in the case of Ford, Diocese of Hereford, towards the legal expenses incurred in carrying out an annexation to the Living of an annual sum of 607. tithe-rent charge, from the lay improprietor, Mr. J. Naylor, which benefaction has been met by a grant from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for a Parsonage-house. A grant of 101. was also made in the case of Llanbadarn Fynyld, in the Diocese of St. David's, towards legal expenses is restoring tithe to the amount of 201. annually to the Living. A grant of 501. was also promised to Kirkbampton, in the Diocese of Carlisle, on the completion of a restoration of 587. tithe, now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

Judgment in the case of the Church Association persecution against Mr. Purchas, of St. James's, Brighton, was given by the Judicial Committee of Privy Council on Thursday afternoon, Sir R. Phillimore reading the document. The question was whether a fresh promoter could be appointed in the place of the original one, Colonel Elphinstone, who had died since the commencement of the suit. Their Lordships were of opinion that they possessed the power of substituting one promoter for another, and having decided this, the only question remaining for consideration was whether Mr. Hebbert, the gentleman proposed in the place of the late Colonel Elphinstone, was a fit and proper person, and they were of opinion that he was. Judgment was therefore once more in favour of the Association. There was no order as to costs, which means that each party has to pay his own.

We learn from the Liverpool Courier that in that great town a number of gentlemen have formed a "Churchmen's Lay Helpers' Association," and their objects are to secure rooms in thickly populated districts in which to hold Services on the Sundays, to hold " Cottage meetings" on the week nights, and to visit the sick and the poor. The Association have made their first effort in the district of St. Catherine's Church, Abercromby-square. In Cambridge-street there is a large plot of ground called St. Mary's Cemetery. At the north end is a stone building used as a Chapel when the cemetery was in existence as such, but lately as a rifle storehouse. This building has been cleaned and repaired, and the use of it granted by the Churchwardens of the Association. The first of the Services was held on Sunday evening, when the small Chapel was nearly filled. Mr. S. R. Gresson read the Prayers and Mr. Stewart the Lessons. Mr. Stewart preached for half an hour from the parable of the Wedding Garment.

We quote the following from a letter in the Record on the recently consecrated Church of St. Peter's, Streatham :-" But the Church contained even worse things than a second altar. In the south aisle there is what is commonly called a 'memorial window,' with the name, date of decease, &c., of the party whom it was intended to commemorate. But besides these things-to which of course little exception can be taken-there were also the three portentous letters, R. I. P. Now, Dr. Wilberforce knows perfectly well that if these letters are allowed to remain where they are, a clear public Episcopal sanction of prayers for the dead will have been at length obtained, to say nothing of the implied recognition of purgatorial fires! We many of us remember how the late Archbishop Longley acted when, as Bishop of Ripon, he was about to consecrate St. Saviour's, at Leeds, but noticing over the portal the words Ye who enter this Church pray for the sinner who built it,' he refused to proceed with the ceremony until he had been assured that the

It is stated in the Times that the Company for the Revision of the New Testament concluded their second session on Saturday, having sat three days, and more than six hours each day. The attendance was large, and the deepest interest was shown by all in the work, which is now proceeding steadily, and on principles which practice and experience are securely consolidating. The Bishop of Winchester presided for a short time on Thursday; for the rest of the time the chair was occupied by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. The Company has now separated for the summer, but will meet in the second week of October.

The Church of St. Margaret, Roath, near Cardiff, has been restored and reopened. Nearly three years ago the old building was pulled down and a new one partly erected. The plan not proving satisfactory, the new work was taken down and another commenced after the plan of Mr. Pritchard, the Diocesan (Landaff) architect. The sole expense of the erection has been defrayed by the Marquis of Bute, and is estimated at 5,000, exclusive of the tower and spire, which are yet to be added. The design of the Church is cruciform; the character of the architecture, Early English. The reredos is alabaster inlaid with green marble, and is beautifully carved. From the north transept a highly finished hagioscope looks towards the altar. The pulpit and chancel-screen are of alabaster, the former being inlaid with green marble; an eagle with outspread wings forming the book rest. The font is hexagonal, formed of Mansfield stone, with crosses of alabaster on the east and west faces, supported by richly carved columns of marble.

Speaking at a meeting in aid of the Christian Knowledge Society, the Bishop of Manchester made some remarks on Sunday-school teaching, the local branch of the Society having given £2,000 for the improvement and inspection of Sunday-schools. Dr. Fraser observed that if religious instruction should be banished from the day schools, which, he hoped would not be the case, then Sunday-schools would assume a still higher importance. At present, in spite of all the Sunday-school enthusiasm which prevailed in the northern counties, the teaching of Christianity in the schools was, as a matter of fact, no practical teaching at all. A great proportion of the teachers were not sufficiently instructed themselves to impart sound instruction, and what was called teaching degenerated into a mere sentimental talk between the teacher and his class, which was almost valueless. He therefore welcomed the proposal to institute an inspection of Sunday-schools, because he believed the effect would be to raise the standard of Sunday-school education. He hoped the movement would not be resisted by the Clergy.

has been addressed by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol to the Rev. J The following letter on the recent Celebration in Westminster Abbey B. Wilkinson on a matter which has disturbed so many minds:"2, Portland-place, W., July 4, 1870.-Rev. and dear Sir,-As you do however, in regard of my public acts, I have an answer for every man, not belong to my Diocese, I am a little surprised by your inquiry. As, I at once reply. The facts are as follows:-I received a circular from the Dean of Westminster stating that Holy Communion would be administered in the Abbey to such as desired to receive it. As I did desire to receive it, I went accordingly. 1 found about twenty present, several of whom I did not know, even by sight. It was, of course, presumable that they belonged to that body to which a most responsible Committee of the Southern Province on Convocation had committed the revision of the Authorised Version of the Holy Scriptures. To decline to partake, under such circumstances, would, in my judgment, have been extremely uncharitable. As an individual recipient I had nothing to do with others present. All that I am concerned with is that the Service was duly performed, and the Nicene Creed duly recited. Such having been the case, I left, and leave the question of reception to each man's conscience, and the responsibility of administration to the Ordinary, who alone performed the Service and administered the Elements. You are perfectly at liberty to make any use you like of this note, whether public or private.-Faithfully yours, C. J. GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL.

The Times of Wednesday contained the following from "S. W." on the late Marquis of Lothian :-"The remains of the late Marquis are to be laid in Jedburgh Abbey, the beautiful ruin which he loved so well. There, after Holy Communion, and with the choral song of the Church, will be laid, in the old Cathedral precinct, the body of as true and noble a man as old Jedburgh ever saw. Lord Lothian was gifted with talents of the very highest order. To those who knew his early manhood it seemed likely that he would occupy, before his middle life was spent, the very highest place in his country's political life. His diligence was untiring, his intuition piercing, his thirst for knowledge unquenchable, his sympathy with all that was good and great in humanity, ever ready, fresh, and universal. He ruled the hearts and guided the intellects around him. With no vulgar ambition he appreciated and was ready to fulfil his high mission. When in the first burst of manhood, there fell on him the life-long disabling sickness which has just closed. Every faculty of mind and spirit was left untouched. Still the fire burned within him; still the thirst for knowledge led him to unwearying efforts; still the living sympathy united him to every noble object; still the imperial judgment pronounced its decrees; still the heart beat as

full in affection, as true in love, as it had ever done. With the full sense of all that was to be done, and all that he was capable of doing, he felt himself exiled from the active throng he might have joined, and exiled for life; and yet not one word of complaint ever passed his lips; not one spasm of fretfulness disturbed the serenity of his countenance. For the most part he acquiesced in the enforced silence of his life, only now and then, in extremity, through your columns, uttering as a prophet from his cell some word of warning; but for the rest, he communed with suffering and weariness as his appointed fellows, cheered evermore by the love of the most devoted of wives, and bowing with a rarely equalled cheerfulness of submission to the High Will, whose ways he diligently studied, and to whose behests he humbly bowed himself. So lived and so died this great man. Perhaps such a lesson of greatness was what, more than anything besides, this busy age needed. To spread it beyond the close circle of those who saw his life and honoured it, I have ventured to trouble you with this imperfect sketch. I venture to hope that many of your readers may on Thursday turn their thoughts to the long shadows of the old Cathedral ruins, to the Church's hymu of faith, and to the great and instructive memory of this young, brave, wise, loving, and Christian man, the Marquis of Lothian."

THE UNITARIAN COMMUNICANT.-The following is a copy of the letter sent by Mr. G. Vance Smith to the Times, and revised by him for lication in the Guardian :-"Sir,-From some expressions used in the debate on this subject at the late meeting of Convocation, it would almost appear as if the Nonconformist members of the Revision companies had presented themselves at the Communion Service without any kind of previous invitation. Speaking for myself alone, I shall be glad if you will allow me to say that such was not the case. Most probably it would not have occurred to me to attend the Service had I not thought that I was invited to do so, and that my presence would be, not objected to, but even welcomed, by the other communicants. It was doubtless to be expected that the members of the Church Union would take offence at it, while yet it is a little surprising also; for do they not, most of them, profess themselves very anxious for the reunion of Christendom? Speaking again for myself only, as a Nonconformist and a Unitarian, I may, perhaps, be permitted to say that I considered it a most becoming proposal, to commence the long and arduous labours of the Revision with such a Service, and that I very gladly assented to the notice or invitation, to be present. I did not go to it under any false pretence of professing one thing while believing another; and, of course, I retained my own ideas of the nature of the rite. No one asked me what these were, or requested me to disavow them. And to me, I may add, the Communion is simply a commemorative Service, done in remembrance,' in grateful and devout remembrance, but further implying, of necessity, the open profession of discipleship to Christ. Why should not Christian men of all Protestant names be able to do this,' and make their Christian confession, on occasion, in each other's company? Perhaps in their next memorial the Unionists will kindly answer this question for us; and it will add much to the interest of their reply, if they will also inform us by what authority they speak. If there be obstacles in the way to a union of this kind among us, they are surely not of Nonconformist making. I venture to say that they consist mainly in the departure from simple Scriptural language and usage, which still unfortunately, in 1870 as in 1662, so strongly marks the Communion and other Services of the Church of England; and that, were those obstacles removed, and those Services more truly conformed to New Testament models, nearly every important impediment to Communion at Church between members of the different Christian sects of this country would speedily disappear. The Church Unionists say they rejoice to hear that Socinians should be willing to recite the Nicene Creed, and to take part in the adoration' of Christ. And yet these gentlemen ought to have known beforehand that the Socinians did not object to the worship of Christ. I do not, however, profess to be a Socinian, nor am I aware whether any of that ill-reputed name were present. We did not confess our faith to one another, as a preliminary to Communion; and I do not suppose that any one of our number could or would have set himself up as an infallible judge, to decide whether we were, any of us, in point of faith, worthy or unworthy to partake. It is possible that some of the Church Unionists might have undertaken this office, if asked; but, as it was, we had not the advantage of any such exalted opinion. Nor did I join in reciting the Nicene Creed. I heard it recited by others, and I was perfectly willing to tolerate their avowal of their Christian faith in their own form of words; as they, I supposed, were willing to tolerate my silence. I have always understood that Communion was mainly in the common participation of the elements, not of the Creed; that the Supper' to which we come is the Lord s s Supper, freely open, without question asked, to all who may desire to partake, in the spirit of discipleship. This was not the first time that I had been a silent listener in Church to a Creed in which I could not join. Under the special circumstances of the case I could not see that my presence involved any compromise of principle on my part; nor was it likely, I thought, to be so construed by anyone else,-unless, indeed, it were the members of the Church Union; and they, it appears, would rather rejoice than lament at the sight, if it did. In conclusion, I would ask whether it is not true that every Englishman, as such, is legally a member of the National Church; whether, therefore, he has not the right to present himself at Communion, if he should wish to do so; and

THE RESTORATION OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. A large and influential meeting was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Mansion-house, presided over by the Lord Mayor, to further the movement on foot for the completion of St. Paul's. A model of the choir, representing the altar which it is proposed to set up, was exhibited in one of the ante-rooms, and attracted considerable attention. The design of the altar is in accordance with what is believed to be Wren's original idea as described by him in one of his last letters, when he said that the painting and gilding of the east end of the Church, over the Communion-table, was intended to serve only until such time as materials could be procured for a magnificent design of an altar, consisting of four pillars of the richest marble, supporting a canopy appropriately decorated. The four pillars as represented in the model are similar in design to the pillars in one of Raphael's cartoons.

The Lord Mayor opened the proceedings by stating they had met to inaugurate a national movement-the preservation of the greatest Protestant monument England possessed. None, he said, who entered St. Paul's could fail to be struck by its coldness, its want of finish, and even its want of cleanness, characteristics which did not at all correspond with the architect's original plan. The object for which the meeting had been called was to make a determined effort to alter this; London had made one or two nibbles at the work, but now it was resolved to complete it by a national movement.

The Bishop of London moved the first resolution, which set forth that the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, the noblest Church erected in these later times, and the special boast of the Reformed Communion, having been left unfinished by its great architect, it was incumbent on all to aid in the completion of the work with such magnificence as the wealth and skill of the age could supply. Setting aside the few statues which had been placed in St. Paul's some of them in very questionable taste he said that nothing had been added to the ornamentation of the building, except the stains of time and the cobwebs of neglect. Unfortunately for Wren and his great work, he was in advance of his time; unfortunately, the period which followed his death exhibited no taste for architecture; and, unfortunately for St. Paul's, the revival of that taste was directed to the cultivation of the Gothic school. St. Paul's, too, had been neglected on the plea that little use was made of it. Occasionally, indeed, it was the scene of some great pageant. A monarch had chosen it as the place for returning thanks on his recovery from a long illness; a great naval commander had been borne to his last resting place within its walls; and the burial of the greatest captain of our day had been the occasion of another solemn ceremony within the Cathedral; but until lately the building had come to be regarded as little more than a show place. This reproach had been swept away by the gathering of congregations, numbering five, and even seven,

ECCLESIASTICAL ART EXHIBITION AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The directors of this popular place of amusement, always ready to exhibit anything or anybody that the public cares to come and gaze at, have bethought themselves of a novel attraction, to wit an Exhibition of Church Furniture and Ecclesiastical Art. We must plead guilty to an opinion, which some people would call a sentimental prejudice perhaps, that such objects of sacred art are rather out of place in a building confessedly devoted to miscellaneous entertainments, but apart from this, it must be considered one of the " Signs of the times" that Mr. Bowley should have thought it worth while to arrange for such a display, and that the directors should have consented to offer prizes to the amount of 1307. for competition among Church decorators, amateur and professional.

It is to be regretted that they did not give longer notice of their intentions, and advertize them widely in the proper channels. As it is, very few persons have heard anything about it, and but for the objects contributed by some of the principal ecclesiastical furnishers the whole thing would have been a complete failure. Four prizes were offered, the first being of the value of 157. for a "specimen chancel screen (sic., reredos or dossal is meant), fitted complete with furniture, altar cloth and fittings, with appropriate Easter decorations," but only one competitor (Messrs. Cox) put in an appearance, and the judges awarded them the second prize. The reredos is of carved wood work, the panels filled with moss and flowers in a way which young ladies will pronounce to be very nice. We are more concerned to note that the altar, the front of which is deeply carved, has no frontal, and is altogether of dimensions far too insignificant for a Church, though it would do for an Oratory or private Chapel. The first prize, and the only one we believe, given for 66 door or window decorations was carried off by Miss Boswell, who sends a text suited for a small chancel arch cleverly executed in straw and evergreens, wheat, grapes and berries being introduced to heighten the effect. It would serve for a useful pattern to persons who undertake to decorate Village Churches for a Harvest Thanksgiving Service. For Illuminated Texts, Messrs. Cox again take the first prize, the second falling to Mr. S. Beal, of St. Paul's Churchyard, who also exhibits large sheets of pattern alphabets, &c. A fourth prize has been gained for some texts inscribed upon a background of floral devices, fern leaves, &c.. executed in a low tint. These are very effective, but scarcely so well suited, perhaps, for the walls of Churches as others which display less ingenuity. Some of our readers may like to know that these are made by laying the natural leaves upon paper and sprinkling colour over them, care being taken to properly arrange the light and shade, and the text is afterwards painted over the whole.

In the non-competitive division, Messrs. Hart, Peard, and Co. are the largest exhibitors, and to praise their excellent brass and ironwork would be quite a work of supererogation. Amongst other articles, they have sent a portable font, manufactured for the Bishop of Central Africa. This is simply a large wooden tub, lined with metal, mounted upon an iron stand, and very much resembles a colossal wine cooler, in spite of the effort to give it an Ecclesiastical appearance. It is capacious enough for immersion to be practised in the case of a child, in providing for which his Lordship has acted wisely, and we trust that this curious font is destined to be extensively employed. Messrs. Cox and Son, Jones and Willis, and T. Pratt and Sons, each exhibit collections of Church furniture of the usual descriptions. The latter firm are the only exhibitors of vestments, and they offer for inspection only two chasubles, one of green silk and the other of red damask, with a yellow floreated cross woven into its substance. This has a handsome appearance, although wanting in depth and richness of colour. Its great advantage is that it is very cheap. The same remark will apply to a collection of stoles, alms bags, bookmarkers, &c., exhibited by Mr. G. Shaw, Saddleworth, near Manchester, whose articles appear well made, but the materials are not sufficiently stout to be either durable or effective in colour. We must not forget to notice the collection of Eucharistic vessels contributed by Messrs. Pratt. It would be idle to pretend that these rival the productions of medieval artists, but they are for the most part correct in shape, of solid workmanship, and extremely moderate in price. From this commendation mast be excepted the silver-plated monsterance (sic) which is too much in that debased modern French style, to be avoided by all art-workmen. Some good examples of diapering for organ pipes are shown by Mersrs. Bryceson; and F. Saintsbury, of Wandsworth-road, has some striking and effective texts inscribed upon banners and shields, which would have been better, however, if a darker background had been chosen. In a dingy corner outside the Medieval Court will be found a press made of "Roberts's Fir "-i.e., the dark outside layers cut from an old fir tree, desiccated and varnished. The grain is remarkably rich and fine, and such a press would be a handsome and worthy addition to the vestry of any Church. It is to be hoped that if this experiment be repeated another year it will be placed under different management, and greater publicity given to the exhibition beforehand. A catalogue, too, is an almost indispensable requisite, and ought to be provided in future; in the absence of some such guide, it is difficult to arrive at any satisfactory knowledge

of the contents of this or any similar collection, and for want of it we may have passed by something which we should have been glad to notice ourselves and notify to our readers.

On Monday this exhibition attracted considerable notice from the excursionists then visiting the Paiace, and it is to be regretted that some competent person was not present to explain to visitors the meaning and use of the different objects, as to many of which they were altogether in a state of ignorant wonder.

The following further correspondence has been published: :"English Church Union, 11, Burleigh-street, Strand, July 8, 1870. Grace's letter to me of the 2nd inst. "My Lord Archbishop,-I must thank you very sincerely for your

"I venture to reply to it because I think your Grace, and those who spoke upon the same subject, in the Upper House of Convocation, on Wednesday last, have somewhat misunderstood us. Whatever may have been our own feelings, we expressed no opinion upon the fact that Bishops and Priests should have communicated with those who are, I suppose, whatever excuse may be made for them, in a state of schism. We said nothing as to the duty of repelling any person from the altar, believing as we do that the responsibility of communicating is everywhere thrown upon the communicant himself.

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Still less did we touch upon the infraction of the 27th Canon, or the Rubric at the end of the Confirmation Service,

"The point which chiefly distresses us, and to which we did call your Grace's attention, is, that persons rejecting the claims of the Church, including a Socinian, should be invited to receive Communion at his hands by a Clergyman of the Church of England, and that such an act should be supposed to have the sanction of the Church.

If your Grace can assure us that no such invitation was sent, and that the responsibility of being present rests only with the persons who then communicated; or if your Grace would contradict the statement that the Church of England approves the act by which those outside her communion, and who have no intention of returning to it (including a Socinian), have been invited to her altars, your Grace will co much to remove what causes us the greatest distress in this matter. "I am, with much respect, your Grace's obedient servant, "CHARLES LINDLEY WOOD. His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury."

Addington Park, Croydon, July 9, 1870. "My dear Mr. Wood,─I beg to acknowledge your letter of yesterday's date. "I am sincerely sorry that you and your friends still feel the greatest distress' on the subject of your letter, notwithstanding the explanations and I would gladly do all in my power to remove your difficulties. But offered by myself and the Bishops in the Upper House of Convocation, I really have no further information to communicate on this matter than is already set forth in my letter of the 2nd. "A. C. CANTUAR.

"Sincerely yours, "The Hon. C. Lindley Wood."

(Signed)

THE POPE'S INFALLIBILITY.

The Ecumenical Council voted on Wednesday in favour of the Infallibility of the Pope by 450 ayes against 88 noes. There were 62 conditional votes. The following is the latest telegram :

Rome, July 13.-Six hundred and one Fathers were present when the vote on the Infallibility dogma was taken. Many absent Fathers were recalled in all haste from the Court of Rome in order to diminish the numerical importance of the opposition. The general aspect of the assembly was much agitated; forty-eight Fathers gave votes of non placet, including Cardinals Mathieu, Schwarzenburg, and Rauscher, and the Archbishops of Paris and Grenoble. Another meeting of the Council is to be held with the object of reclaiming dissentient votes, after which the date of the next public sitting will be fixed."

The correspondent of the Tablet writes:-"The close of the discussion on Monday, of which the telegraph will long since have carried the news to every country of Christendom, is of course the only subject of conversation. It was scarcely looked for till Wednesday, and took all by surprise when about ten o'clock in the morning the return of all the Bishops from St. Peter's told of some unusual proceedings. A number of French Catholics who were on the Piazza of the Minerva were unable to restrain their anxiety, and ventured to arrest the progress of one of the returning Bishops, and ask what had happened. The discussion is over, my friends,' he answered, and God has accomplished a great work and triumph for the Church this morning.' The news spread in all directions, and at the mid-day masses, and all through the afternoon, kneeling groups were to be seen round every altar in extraordinary numbers rendering thanks for the happy close of the struggle the Church has passed through. All through the day the general joy was evident in all classes, and one saw groups of eager and exulting faces at every angle of the Corso, friends and fellow-workers exchanging congratulations. The day of the Holy Ghost has dawned at last,' were the words overheard on all sides. I always said so!' I heard a French