صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[ocr errors]

and mine: he is our only one, our tenderly-cherished, -our most beloved boy,-by taking him away

As he uttered this impassioned appeal, his wife suddenly uttered a deep groan and fainted away.

In a

moment Walter threw himself upon her, sobbing violently.

66

"O mother, mother, do not give way. Indeed I shall come to no harm; it's all a mistake; they cannot keep me long. See, I am not afraid. Brother Ambrose can soon prove me innocent. There, open your eyes, look up, it is your own Walter, your son. He is laughing-isn't he ?" "Innocence need fear nothing," said one of the men assuringly.

[ocr errors]

"No," replied Brother Ambrose, all at once aroused from the stupor of utter amazement and horror. 'Innocence never did fear, never will; and if ever heart was innocent of such malice as ye lay to his charge, this is that youth's. Why he hath hardly numbered fifteen years. What could he know of plots and heresies? O my friends, if ye be Christian men; if ye have hearts dwelt in by the Spirit of Love and Truth, deal not hardly with the young man. Do with me as ye list, for I am an old man whose work of life is done; whose warfare is accomplished. Death will come kindly to me. Only prove to these sorrow-stricken parents that their son is at any rate in the hands of justice."

"Our authority is here," calmly but kindly answered one of the men; and he produced a small parchment duly signed and sealed, authorizing him to apprehend both his prisoners, whose persons were fully described therein.

"Then the LORD's will be done," meekly muttered Lacy as he bowed his head in an agony of speechless grief upon the shoulder of his sobbing wife. And so amidst the loud lamentations and wonderment of the servants and farm labourers they were hurried away.

"Remember, brothers," observed the old man, as they came up to the place where a group of soldiers mounted, with horses ready for their prisoners, awaited them. "I declare myself entirely innocent of the charge ye bring against me. I am no Papist. I am no supporter, secret or open, of Mary. If I were the former, I hold it a wicked doctrine that men may withhold honour from their lawful Sovereign, because she doth not seem to them duly to honour religion."

66

Say that before the Commission at Winchester," quietly replied his guard.

The Editor's Desk.

THE question of sisterhoods appears at length to be placed in the true light, and we may expect before long to see it make that way with the public, which its intrinsic merit demands. We have long been of opinion that the objections which many good people have entertained to sisterhoods, have not been to the communities themselves, but have arisen from efforts to establish them in entire independence of ecclesiastical rule and authority. Unauthorized attempts to carry out great practical measures have failed before to-day. Whatever is intended to be of more than temporary moment; whatever is designed to be a part and parcel of the Church, should be most intimately connected with the Church, by means of the Bishop and the Parochial Clergy. To the harmonious working of communities under their Parish Priest, we attribute their success in one or two quarters, which have come under our own observation. It is this very fact which has always caused us to take a deep interest in the Clewer House of Mercy, and we are glad

that strenuous efforts are being made to establish the institution on a firm and lasting footing. The reclaiming of penitents is the grand object proposed by the institution, and in the past labours more than ordinary reasons for thankfulness are to be found.

On the 29th November, an influential meeting of the supporters of this house was held at the lodge of the Provost of Eton, when the Lord Bishop of Oxford presided. The Rev. T. T. Carter presented an interesting report, in which he traced the rise and progress of the institution. He tells us that almost at the same time as Mr. Armstrong (now Bishop of Graham's Town,) drew attention to the subject in an able series of articles, a pressure of concurring circumstances in the parish of Clewer turned other minds to the subject, and thanks to a noble-hearted lady in the parish, an opportunity opened, and an experiment was made.

After some months a meeting was held in the Head Master's house, which bid GoD speed to the undertaking; and those who were engaged in it, went back encouraged and strengthened for the work. But they worked in the dark; they had no immediate precedent in their Church to go by; they had no practical knowledge of the subject; and around them was an array of prejudice against all religious houses; and great fears were entertained as to the effect of exposing pure women to contact with the most degraded of their sex. Such was the state of things four years ago. The present state is this. The House of Mercy is established on a freehold estate, which it holds free of debt. Instead of relying on a few individuals, it has an organized body of sisters, bound strictly by the laws of the Church, and visited by the Bishop of the diocese. A house of the same character is established at Wantage, and another at Bussage, in the diocese of Gloucester.

It is probable that ere long other similar bodies will be actively engaged in the diocese of Norwich, at Leeds, Dover, and elsewhere. The house at Clewer has received most distinguished patronage, including the Dean and Canons of Windsor, two successive Provosts of Eton, some of the Fellows, two successive Head and Lower Masters, and Assistant Masters, the Archdeacon of Berkshire, and many of the Clergy, and influential laymen. The Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London are also among the contributors. Visitors are freely admitted. Gentlemen may see all that they would think it right to see, and ladies may see every hole and corner. Amongst the speakers at this interesting meeting were the Provost of Eton, the Hon. and Rev. R. Liddell, the Hon. and Rev. C. A. Harris. The Bishop of Oxford spake heartily, and with his usual force, drawing illustrations from the venerable building in which, and the day on which (the Eve of S. Andrew) they were met. Plans of the proposed works involving an outlay of £9000 were laid before the meeting, and £1000 was promised at once. trust that He Who has put it into the hearts of His servants to do this great work, will bless them in all their ways, and crown their efforts with abundant success.

We

The formation of two new dioceses in the formerly extensive one of Capetown, and the consecration of two such men as Drs. Armstrong and Colenso, cannot fail to fill all churchmen with feelings of thankfulness and gratitude. We are rejoiced too that such a day (S. Andrew's) should have been chosen for setting them apart to the work of the Episcopate, though many will regret with us, that a Parish Church should have been preferred to Westminster Abbey. Such an arrangement prevents the use of that grandeur of ceremonial, which should be employed, and causes the exclusion of hundreds who would gladly take part in these services, and aid the

was

work by their prayers and alms. The sermon preached by the Bishop of Oxford. We congratulate the devoted Bishop of Capetown on the success which has attended his mission in England, on behalf of the African Church. He tells us in a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, "that the pecuniary results of my visit to England may be briefly stated. A capital of £17,000 has been raised: (note-£18,900 has been paid; but this includes portions of subscriptions for two years) and subscriptions promised for five years to the extent of £2,300 a-year. Deaths, change of residence, the want of a proper system of collection, will probably greatly reduce this latter sum.” We are sure that prayer will be daily offered up for one, who has given such proof of faithful stewardship, that his health may be fully re-established, and that he will be preserved from the dangers of the great deep.

The report of the deputation to the American Church has been made. It touches upon questions of great moment; upon one especially affecting the Eastern Church, we should much like a further development of the plan, as we confess to no little suspicion on such subjects. If intercommunion in some shape or form be the object, we shall be rejoiced; but if interference, then we have already had quite enough of that.

In the sister Church of Scotland, the Cathedral question is gaining ground. We have already noticed Cumbrae and Perth. And now the Bishop of Moray and Ross desires to raise a fund for building a Cathedral in Inverness. A good beginning has been made, an Englishman who desires the prayers of the Scottish Episcopal Church, having contributed £7000, besides which £3000 have been raised from other quarters. The Bishop proposes to have a Dean and four Canons attached to it.

The rebuilding of the church of S. Hilary, Cornwall,

« السابقةمتابعة »