The Mission House of S. Boniface, WARMINSTER. REV. CANON SIR J. E. PHILIPPS, BART., Vicar of Warminster. REV. S. J. EALES, M.A. REV. H. G. FIENNES-CLINTON, B.A. Was established in 1860, for the purpose of receiving young men who desire to devote themselves to the work of the Foreign Missions of the Church of England. The training given is industrial as well as theological. The annual charge for each student is £40. Many Scholarships of £30 and £40 annually are given by Missionary Associations to be held here. Communications are invited by the Principal. MR W. E. SKEFFINGTON again invites very special attention to this WINE, which is already used in above 2,000 CHURCHES, including All Saints', Margaret-street-St Matthias, Stoke Newington-All Saints', Paddington-St Peter's, Eaton-square-St Saviour's, Hoxton-Lichfield Cathedral-Lincoln Cathedral-Worcester Cathedral-St Barnabas', Kensington-Ely Cathedral-Bangor Cathedral— Peterboro' Cathedral, &c. TINTA FRANCISCA. The Special Wine for Holy Communion. Per Dozen Bottles, carriage paid, 36s. Per Dozen Half-Bottles, carriage paid, 20s. 9d. EXPORT ORDERS are put free on board the Export Vessel in London, including all charges to that time at the same prices mentioned above. Orders must be accompanied by a remittance. N.B. Testimonials have been received from The Bishops af Lincoln, Winchester, Ripon, Worcester, Bloemfontein, The Dean of Lichfield, Canons G. H. Wilkinson, A. R. Ashwell, R. H. Baynes, the Reverends J. II. Blunt, P. G. Medd, Dr Hessey, G. R. Jelf and very many others. Pamphlets with full particulars will be sent on application. W. E. SKEFFINGTON, 15 Cooper's Row, Crutched Friars, London, E.C. CLERGY MUTUAL ASSURANCE SOCIETY. ESTABLISHED A.D. 1829. OFFICE-1 AND 2 BROAD SANCTUARY, WESTMINSTER, S.W. The next Bonus will be due on 1st June, 1881. Assurances now effected share therein. Expenses of Management on all accounts, £3 8s. per cent. of total income. MATTHEW HODGSON, Secretary. Mesars SKEFFINGTON beg to intimate that they continue to purchase not only Complete Libraries, but also Small Collections of Second-hand Books, During the last thirty years they have constantly bought, such Libraries and Collections from Dignitaries and other Members of the Church; and the very highest references can be given if required, Messrs SKEFFINGTON will either go in person, or will send a thoroughly competent representative to value any Library, either in Town or Country: should they purchase the books there will be no charge; and if not, only the expenses of the journey will be charged, With reference to smaller collections of books, they will, if desired, send empty packing cases in which they may be forwarded for valuation, or they will endeavour to give some rough idea of their worth from a List. N.B.-THE HIGHEST MARKETABLE VALUE, IN IMMEDIATE CASH, IS ALWAYS GIVEN. ALL DELAY, Uncertainty, and expenSE IN REALIZATION AND REMOVAL ARE ENTIRELY AVOIDED, London: W. SKEFFINGTON and SON, 163 PICCADILLY, W. Printed for the Proprietor by CHARLES W. REYNELL, 16 Little Pulteney street, in the Parish of S. James, Westminster, and The Parochial Psalter and Hymn Book, With TUNES, INTROITS, etc., for the use of the Church of England. Selected and Arranged by the Rev. J. ROBINSON, M.A., LATE SCHOLAR OF ORIEL COLLEGE, oxford. The Musical Department under the direction of Mr. HOPKINS, Organist of the Temple Church, London, and the late Dr. RIMBAULT. THE HYMNS. In making this Selection of Hymns, the Compiler has endeavoured to keep three things especially in view 1. A Scriptural tone of doctrine, as exhibited in the Book of Common Prayer. 2. A poetic character of thought and expression, and a simple dignity of style, worthy of the time and place for which they are THE TUNES. As regards the Musical part of the work, the Compiler has the pleasure to state that the late lamented Dr Rimbault and Mr Hopkins, the admirable Organist of the Temple Church, have taken great pains to make it what it is. Their experience in the matter of selection, and their careful revision of the whole have been invaluable; and they have besides contributed several Original Tunes. At the same time the Compiler has to express his obligations to several musical friends, who have either written for him, or permitted him to take from their books, or placed their manuscripts in his hands. First among these he would name Herr F. Weber, Organist of the German Chapel Royal, who was always ready to help with Old and New. Also Dr F. Maurice, Editor of Choral Harmony; Dr Steggall, Organist of Lincoln's Inn Chapel; the Editor of The Chorale Book for England; the Editor of The Irish Church Hymn Book; the Rev. R. R. Chope; the Rev. H. E. Owen; the Rev. R. Brown-Borth. wick, for tunes from his 'Supplemental Hymn and Tune Book; L. E. Hayne, Editor of the Merton Tune Book; 'Dr Holloway, Mr Surgey, Dr Gauntlett, who would probably have contributed more had he survived. Last, but not least, to Mr Barnett, Organist of Ascension Church, Settle, his old teacher and friend, some of whose compositions are among the most expressive in the book. The Editor requests any of the Clergy or others who may be wanting a Hymn Book, carefully to compare the 'Parochial Psalter' with any of the popular collections they may have seen. EDITIONS. ... ... Small Type, without Music (A) 1s. Od. Small Type, with Soprano part only (0) ... (D) ... ... ... (E) 78. 6d. LONDON STANLEY LUCAS, WEBER, & CO., 84 New Bond Street, and 308A Oxford Street. Published THIS DAY, price 6d, by post, 6id., THE LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF HARVEST. An entirely new short Sermon for HARVEST THANKSGIVING. Just published, feap. 8vo, cloth, price 58., ΛΟΓΩΣ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΕΝΑΝΘΡΩΠΗΣΕΩΣ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΛΟΓΟΥ, ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑ ΣΩΜΑΤΟΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΗΜΑΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΕΙΑΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ. A DISCOURSE OF S. ATHANASIUS ON THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD OF GOD: with an English Translation and Copious Analysis by the Rev. JAMES RIDGWAY, B.D., F.S.A., Lincoln College, Oxford, &c. Oxford and London: JAMES PARKER and CO. THE "PARISH TRACTS." Specimens 6d. 100 assorted 3s. These Tracts having received unqualified commendation from the Literary Churchman, Church Times, Church Review, Churchman's Companion, Penny Post. Bishop Jenner, Canon T. T. Carter. C. S Gruet er, Dr Sanderson, &c. &c., the clergy need scarcely hesitate to send for a parcel. Sold by the Author only, J. HARRY BUCHANAN, Priest, Ilkeston, Notts. MURRAY'S STUDENT'S MANUALS. A SERIES OF HISTORICAL BOOKS FOR ADVANCED SCHOLARS. Forming a continuous Universal History, Sacred and Secular, from the Creation of the World to the Present Time. Each Work contains as much matter as is given in two ordinary octavo volumes. "We know no better or more trustworthy summary, even for the general reader, of the early history of Britain and Gaul, than is contained in these volumes respectively."-The Museum. ANCIENT HISTORY. The STUDENT'S ANCIENT HISTORY of the EAST The STUDENT'S MANUAL of ENGLISH LITERA From the Earliest Times to the Conquests of Alexander the Great, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Media, Persia, Asia Minor, and Phoenicia. By PHILIP SMITH, B.A. With 70 Woodcuts. Post Svo. 7s. 6d. The STUDENT'S HISTORY of GREECE. From the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest. With Chapters on the TURE. By T. B. SHAW, M. A. Post Svo. 7s. 6d. The STUDENT'S SPECIMENS of ENGLISH SCIENCE. History of Literature and Art. By WM. SMITH, D.C.L. With The STUDENT'S ELEMENTS of GEOLOGY. By 100 Woodcuts. l'ost 8vo. 78. 6d. The STUDENT'S HISTORY of ROME. From the Earliest Times to the Establishment of the Empire. With Chapters on the History of Literature and Art. By DEAN LIDDELL. With 80 Woodcuts. Post 8vo. 78. 6d. Sir CHARLES LYELL, F.R.S. With 600 Woodcuts. Post Svo. 98. The CONNECTION of the PHYSICAL SCIENCES. The STUDENT'S GIBBON. An Epitome of the PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. By Mary Somerville. History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. By With Portrait. Post 8vo. 98. PHILOSOPHY AND LAW. The STUDENT'S MANUAL of MORAL PHILO- The STUDENT'S BLACKSTONE. An Abridgment of the Entire Commentaries on the Laws of England. By R. MALCOLM KERR, LL.D. Post Svo. 7s. 6d. The STUDENT'S EDITION of AUSTIN'S LEC- An ANALYSIS of AUSTIN'S LECTURES on JURISPRUDENCE, for STUDENTS. By GORDON CAMP JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, FRIDAY, SEPT 3 1880 Lo CONTENTS LEADING ARTICLES: LAY PREACHING PAGE - 367 - 369 371 372 - 272 - 373 -375 Mr J. Challis's Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality 376 Lay-Preaching. The question whether laymen, under any circumstances, should preach and conduct religious services, is one which has been, from time to time, ventilated both at Church Congresses and Diocesan Conferences. Opposite views have, as was likely, been expressed upon the subject; but the balance of opinion has been decidedly in favour of employing lay assistance of this kind, though under certain restrictions. Thus, at one of the Lincoln Diocesan Conferences, a resolution was carried by a considerable majority, to the effect that duly qualified laymen "under proper safeguards" should be authorised by the Bishop of the Diocese to conduct services in unconsecrated places, and also "under certain circumstances in consecrated places." Without committing ourselves to the terms of that resolution, with a part of which, at least, we do not concur, we are fully prepared to admit that there are large and populous parishes where lay-preachers may be with advantage employed. We acknowledge that the subject is one which we treat with some degree of diffidence, and approach with a feel- 377 ing amounting to prejudice. Lay-preaching has been so commonly associated in our minds with Nonconformity and obtrusive vanity, if not vulgarity, that it is rather difficult to sever a connection which has been so long esta- 380 blished. However, we will make the attempt. 377 - 379 - 380 - 381 - 382 The preliminary inquiry must be, is lay-preaching permissible? Secondly, if permissible, is it advisable? Finally, if advisable, what are the limits within which it should be restricted? To answer the first question, we must refer to Church history; for no amount of advantage, which it may be proved can be derived from any practice, would be sufficient to justify its adoption, if such practice were evidently contrary to all Ecclesiastical precedent. In the earliest times, preaching seems to have appertained to the Bishop alone. One qualification for the Episcopal office is that he should be "apt to teach ;" and ancient Councils define preaching as the Bishop's exclusive duty. It is well known that S. Augustine is said to have been the first presbyter to preach before the Bishop. Afterwards, it was decreed that presbyters should have power to preach, and then deacons in their absence. The Bishop seems to have preached by an inherent, the priest by a delegated authority. We can understand how the successors of the Apostles, who had received "the deposit " Displayed Advertisements will be charged according to the space of the faith, would at first be regarded as the sole enunoccupied. Cheques to be crossed "London and Westminster Bank." Post ciators of the doctrines with which they had been Office Orders to be made payable to W. Skeffington and Son at the entrusted. Yet even in primitive times, there are to be Piccadilly Circus Office. found instances of lay-preaching. Origen preached, as a layman, in the Church; and the act was sanctioned by Alexander, the Bishop of Jerusalem, who, when questioned upon the point by Demetrius, defended his conduct by quoting precedents. Indeed, lay-preaching was of sufficient account to be dealt with in the fourth Council of Carthage, at which laymen were forbidden to preach in the presence of clerics, a prohibition which shows first that laymen had preached when ecclesiastics were present, and secondly, that they were still allowed to preach, when not favoured by such an audience. We need not pursue this branch of our subject, or dilate upon the power of lay-preaching in the Middle Ages, in the religious orders, or at the Reformation period. That there are precedents for it is acknowledged, but is it advisable to revive the practice in a modified form in the present day? And first we would limit a lay-preacher to the simple teaching of the fundamental truths of the Gospel. The Schoolmen divided teaching into four kinds, the first of which was elemental, a kind of preaching or instruction which they described as "conversiva ad fidem.” It is just this converting teaching which we need for our heathen at home. They were careful to reserve sacramental instruction, questions on deep mysteries of the faith, and on the perfection of the spiritual life to God's The reason for resorting to laymen for such help is too ordained minister; but the elemental teaching, though apparent. It is because there are not enough clergy to it primarily appertained to the clergy, they still admitted do the work which is allotted to them. In our mining, to be fitting "cuilibet fideli." We one day asked a our large seafaring, and manufacturing districts, the clergyman, who had for some time made use of layclergy find it impossible to reach the multitudes of human preachers, whether he restricted them as to the subjectsouls committed to their care. We know a large manufac-matter of their sermons, and he replied, "I trust them turing population where the clergy, who are constantly at work, finding themselves utterly unable to reach the outlying districts, were fortunate enough to secure the unpaid services of four lay-preachers. These were all educated gentlemen, and at one time consisted of the High Sheriff of the County, a colonel, a doctor, and a lawyer. They were all extempore preachers, and never wanted for a congregation. There may be reasons, too, for sometimes employing laymen as preachers besides that which is grounded on the fact that the clergy are insufficient for the work which has to be done in such districts as we have mentioned. As there are diversities of gifts and vocations, so there may be those who have no call to a ministerial life, and | yet are endowed with powers of mind and utterance which may be turned to account in the service of the Church; and who, if not so employed, may find a sphere for the exercise of their capacities beyond her boundaries. Most men now think that the Church made a great mistake in its method of dealing with Wesley and his followers, who with a little more elasticity and earnestness on the part of our rulers might have been retained within her fold. There are some to whom office and positions of influence are objects of great desire, not merely for selfish ends, but for the good of others. "Minor orders," "lay-deacons," "sub-deacons," or "lay-preachers," are all the names of legitimate outlets for this species of zeal; and thereby natural and spiritual gifts are laid under contribution which would otherwise have remained dormant, or possibly would have been transplanted into another Communion. It may be also well worth consideration how far some of the very poor and uneducated in our large cities may not be more easily instructed by preachers of a lower rank and education than the clergy of this country; and who may, by their modes of thought and expression, be better able to reach their comprehension, and to prepare them for higher ministrations. It is time, however, to answer the last, but not by any means the least important, of the three inquiries which we stated at the outset. Under what restrictions should lay-preaching be permitted ? implicitly, and have always found them keep to the simplest proclamation of the Gospel." Within this limit we would confine them, and leave to the Parish Priest the discretionary power of enforcing this first condition. Secondly, we would restrict lay-preachers to unconsecrated places. The Bishop of Lincoln, at the Conference to which we have already referred, quoted an instance of having heard a layman preach in a Greek Church. We think, however, under the circumstances of our own country, it would be very unadvisable to admit the laity into the pulpits of our churches. It must be remembered that the preaching of an ordinary layman, one who follows a secular occupation, stands on a somewhat different footing from the preaching of one who, though not in holy orders, had embraced the religious life, and thus by dress and spiritual obligations was distinguished from the rest of the. congregation. One great danger, we have learnt to our cost, in lay preaching is the tendency to encroach on the priest's office. Wesley, when he allowed lay-preaching, at first took, as is well known, great precautions, lest his preachers should "seek the priesthood also," forbidding them to hold services or preach during the time of Divine Worship at the Church, and we know, too, with what result. There is a certain proclivity in human nature, when a part is granted, to seek the whole. We hope we shall not have another illustration of it in the easy transit from the Churchyard to the Church. There is less danger, it is true, in the present day, of an ignorant intrusion on the sacerdotal office. Now sacramental powers are more recognised and exercised than in the days of Wesley. Still, we would preserve the line of demarcation clear, and keep consecrated places for consecrated persons. We expect a special grace from those who are commissioned by God to speak to us, even when they do not possess the talents or facility of speech which may add an intellectual charm to their ministrations. What would be an impertinence on the part of a layman in the presence of his fellow parishioners would be viewed as a proper exercise of authority on the part of the "Parochus." The layman will have a sufficient opportunity for the exercise of his "gift" in the mission chapel or cottage lecture. |