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ON A PROPER JUDGMENT RESPECTING THE | grafted inwardly in his heart, that they may

HOLY EUCHARIST.

BY THE REV. J. T. BELL, B.A.,
Assistant Minister of St. Helen's, Ashby-de-la-

Zouch.

No. I.

bring forth the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of his name," the moving stir of many of the assembled, to turn their backs upon the holy table, and thus leave the sanctuary of God, creates in his breast feelings of pity, and bitterness of soul. Or, it may be, he has for some time previously been strivTHAT the sacrament of the Lord's supper is ing with a wayward sinner, in an endeavour an ordinance too much neglected, is a truth to persuade him to holiness of life, and to which must be admitted. The mere profes- this "showing forth of the Lord's death:" sion of Christianity seems now to satisfy the an earnest exhortation may have been given mind of man to too great an extent. False by him in the name of his divine Master: an doctrine, erroneous ideas, prejudiced and ob- instruction in the chief truths which are assostinate opinions, gendered in ignorance and ciated with this holy sacrament may have pride, are also now adding their persuasions been imparted: secret prayer for divine light to frustrate this design of Christ to lead sin- and strength may have been offered up; and ners to God. Thus while some, from a con- hope may have told her flattering tale, that sciousness of unworthiness, or rather from an the person thus visited, instructed, and prayed unwillingness to surrender their hearts unto for, would be one of the guests at the supper holiness, absent themselves from the supper of the Lord, when next it should be set forth of the Lord, there are others who entertain for his embrace. But no: if at church, he scruples and objections from mistaken views rises and retires with many others, and disand sentiments respecting this sacrament. appoints the fair expectations that were enAnd perhaps there is no occasion upon which tertained for his soul. A goodly company, a minister is led to feel the trials of his office moreover, who, from station in life and great more, than when the celebration of this high moral advantages, should be thought to prefeast is proposed. During the time when the fer presence at the Lord's table to absence ordinary service of the church is being per- from it, fall in with the departing stream; formed, he sees assembled before him, in and that scene, which lately presented nummany instances, hundreds of his fellow-bers to the eye, is made to consist of a few creatures: he witnesses in them an apparent devotion in the prayers, and an earnest attention under the reading and preaching of sacred truth; but at the conclusion of the sermon, and when each individual in the congregation is trusted to have prayed unto God, "that the words he has heard that day with his outward ears may, through his grace, be so

VOL. XII.-NO. CCCXXIX.

individuals, like trees that are firmly rooted in the source of their life, while the storm and the whirlwind have carried away the bulk of the forest, that had neither the strength of hold nor the beauty of health.

That such a melancholy truth may be affected by a prospect and realisation of better things, it shall be my endeavour to offer to

[London: Joseph Rogerson, 24, Norfolk-street, Strand.]

I

the notice of the reader, two or three points connected with the holy communion.

I am well aware that many, as I have intimated, absent themselves from the Lord's table from mistaken views and erroneous impressions respecting the nature of this sacred rite itself, and also from a misleading ignorance on some parts of the service which our church has compiled for it. It is our wish that every communicant should, in presenting himself at the table of the Lord, be duly prepared in spirit and in understanding also: this quality is absolutely requisite to render any thing from us acceptable unto God. Whatever sublimity of language the lips may utter, whatever strength of profession the tongue may declare, whatever beauty of visible form the hand may set forth as an outward worship before him, is but as "sounding brass," or as "dead men's bones," without the sacred fire of the breast: the virtue of action is dependent upon the motive by which it is directed, and the spirit in which it is performed. Having offered these remarks, I would, as I proposed, now take into consideration a point connected with the service of the Lord's supper. I refer now to the word "damnation," which is read therein, occurring in this part: "For, as the benefit is great, if, with a true penitent heart and lively faith, we receive that holy sacrament (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us); so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily. For then we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ, our Saviour: we eat and drink our own damnation." This word, or rather the sense in which this word has been received by many, I repeat, has, I doubt not, been the means of their entertaining scruples against joining our communion at the Lord's table. How far this has been just, will perhaps appear from the observations which I shall advance upon the word. A great portion of the 11th chapter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians, which bears so much on the subject, has been embodied into our eucharistical service, and in which portion the word "damnation" is found. This fact may direct our minds to reflect upon the translation of our bible, as approving of the expression before us. But I would not thus leave it I would attempt to give that sense of it in which the translators of the holy scriptures held it. It is an easy matter for a person, from a single expression, and giving it that explanation his own uneducated mind may suggest, and from isolated passages in scripture, to form opinions and doctrines at variance with our established faith; but it is not thus we should handle the word of God

for a knowledge of the "truth as in Jesus." The bible, the whole bible, and nothing but the bible, is to be made the foundation of our hope in Christ. And that sacred volume should be regarded as a vast machine, having wheels of different character or properties, as well as various-and, to some, unaccountable-pieces of mechanism; in its construction one part giving check or assistance to another, and the whole dependent, in its operations and effects, upon a due arrangement and correspondence of its component parts. And to draw a conclusion, or form a hasty opinion, upon any single passage of scripture that sets forth a doctrine, without considering what relation it may have to qualify or strengthen it, is, as it were, to suppose that one wheel of itself in such a machine constitutes its effectiveness. The doctrines of our holy religion are to be deduced only from a careful comparison of their relative parts; and a less impartial contrast is almost sure to form that difference of opinion, that schismatic sentiment, which is too widely diffused. O that man would rather distrust his own feeble imaginations, than fancy he has found something new in religion; that he would rather "hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" the whole of the sacred volume, ere he enter upon an opinion which is at variance with what has resulted from the deepest learning among men! The doctrines of our church have been sanctioned by the most exalted human talent, and cemented by the blood of a "noble army of martyrs." For those, therefore, who are unable duly to entertain such a comparison of the different parts of scripture, it is better that they should be guided by what thousands, more able than themselves, have laid down as truths, than set their own conceptions in array against so well established opinions. But man is too much a being of pride, and would rather agree to the dictates of his own weak fancy than submit to the superior judgment of another.

And now, as it respects the word in question, we should first consider under what circumstances the passage wherein it stands in the bible, may be placed. It should be borne in mind, that the language in which the New Testament is presented to us is not the same in which it was originally written; and that frequently the force and exact correspondence of expression cannot be maintained in the translation of one tongue into another. And we should also reflect, that time not only often alters the apparent character of objects, but also attaches other than their primitive signification to words and expressions; and that while the same word may, in common conversation or in the diction of the age, convey one sense, it may, and does generally, in an

cient documents preserve the force and meaning it was intended to convey when they were written. And under such consideration I would have the word "damnation" placed, as it occurs in the verse and passage to which I have alluded. The original of this word does not convey the sense which many erroneously attach to the word itself. That it simply means, and has reference to, the judgment of God, is a point upon which all who have any knowledge of the original, and of the connection it bears in the communion service, are firmly agreed.

"The word damnation," says bishop Tomline," it is material to observe, when the bible was translated, meant no more than condemnation, any sentence of punishment whatever; without a particular reference to the eternal torments to which the impenitently wicked will be consigned at the last day." Bearing also upon the same, it may not be improper to state what some other learned divines have expressed. "The words 'eateth and drinketh damnation to himself,' should," according to archbishop Sharpe, " be rather 'eateth and drinketh judgment to himself;' meaning hereby, that he who thus affronted our Lord's institution, by not discerning the Lord's body-that is, by making no distinc

or inserted as explanatory of, eating and drinking our own damnation.' So that, collecting these few observations together, we may reasonably believe that the word "damnation" here means nothing more than what our translators understood of it-that it stands rather in the sense of a provocation or sentence to some temporal affliction, than that of a condemnation to an eternal punishment.

If, therefore, any reader has entertained the thought or the belief that, by eating and drinking the Lord's supper unworthily, and consequently "eating and drinking his own damnation," he would absolutely be given over to everlasting destruction, he has in part deceived himself. Unworthily receiving the sacrament of Christ's body and blood is doubtless an offence, and justly entitles the offender to punishment from God; but the sin, like others, we have reason to hope, may, through Christ, on our repentance, be forgiven. The objection or the fear, then, which some may have entertained as arising from the expression I have been considering, will, I hope, be made in some measure, at least, to give way under the observations advanced.

BISHOPRIC OF ST. JAMES AT JERUSALEM*.

THE

STATEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A BISHOPRIC OF
UNITED CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND IRELAND
IN JERUSALEM.

[Published by authority.]

BISHOPRIC OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF ENG-
LAND AND IRELAND AT JERUSALEM.

AN act was passed in the last session of parliament
(5 Victoria, cap. 6), empowering the archbishops of
Canterbury and York, assisted by other bishops, to
consecrate British subjects, or the subjects or citizens
of any foreign kingdom or state, to be bishops in any
foreign country, and, within certain limits, to exercise
spiritual jurisdiction over the ministers of British con-
gregations of the united church of England and Ire-
land, and over such other protestant congregations as
may be desirous of placing themselves under the
authority of such bishops.

tion between the bread of the sacrament and common food-did, by this his profaneness, draw down severe judgments from God upon his own head: as it follows-' for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep'-that is, they have been visited by diseases, of which some still languish, and others are dead. These words manifestly restrain the damnation, spoken of before, to bodily distempers and temporal punishments; and the same appears from the 32nd verse, where this is called a chastening of the Lord,' to to prevent some worse condemnation." And no less docs archbishop Secker bear evidence: for he says, "There is so great danger of the word damnation being understood here in too strong a sense, that it would be much safer and more exact to translate it (as it is often transThe archbishop of Canterbury, having first conlated elsewhere, and once in a few verses after sulted the bishops who attended the convocation in this passage, and, from what follows, ought un-August last, has exercised the power so vested in him deniably to be translated here) judgment or by consecrating the rev. Michael Solomon Alexander condemnation, not to certain punishment in a bishop of the united church of England and Ireland, another life, but to such marks of God's displeasure as he sees fit; which will be confined to this world, or extended to the next, as the case requires." And that the compilers of our liturgy took the same view of it, is manifest from what they have expressed in that part of the communion service where it occurs : the expression" We kindle God's wrath against us: we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death'

to reside at Jerusalem, and to perform the duties hereinafter specified. The bishops assisting at the consecration were those of London, Rochester, and New Zealand. The appointment of a bishop for Jeru

salem was proposed by his majesty the king of

Prussia, who made it the subject of a special mission

to the queen of England, and of a particular communication to the archbishop of Canterbury. In making

* The important character of these documents induces us to present them in full, in the body of the magazine, instead of in an abridged form in the register. They are peculiarly in

is evidently intended to be put in apposition to, teresting.---ED.

this proposal, his majesty had in view not only the great advantages to be derived from its adoption with reference to the conversion of the Jews, but also the spiritual superintendence and care of such of his own subjects as might be disposed to take up their abode in Palestine, and to join themselves to the church so formed at Jerusalem. There is reason to expect that a considerable number of German as well as English Christians will be attracted to the Holy Land by the influence of strong religious feelings.

In order to obviate the difficulty which might be occasioned by the want of an endowment for the bishopric, his majesty undertook to make at once the munificent donation of fifteen thousand pounds towards that object, the annual interest of which, amounting to six hundred pounds, is to be paid yearly in advance, till the capital sum (together with that which is to be raised by subscription for the purpose of completing the bishop's annual income of twelve hundred pounds), can be advantageously invested in❘ land situate in Palestine.

The immediate objects for which this bishopric has been founded will appear from the following statement. Its ultimate results cannot be with certainty predicted; but we may reasonably hope that, under the divine blessing, it may lead the way to an essential unity of discipline as well as of doctrine between our own church and the less perfectly constituted of the protestant churches of Europe, and that, too, not by the way of Rome; while it may be the means of establishing relations of amity between the united church of England and Ireland and the ancient churches of the cast, strengthening them against the encroachments of the see of Rome, and preparing the way for their purification, in some cases from serious errors, in others from those imperfections which now materially impede their efficiency as witnesses and dispensers of gospel truth and grace. In the meantime, the spectacle of a church, freed from those errors and imperfections, planted in the holy city, and holding a pure faith in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, will naturally attract the notice of the Jewish nation throughout the world; and will centralise, as it were, the desultory efforts which are making for their conversion. It is surely impossible not to recognise the hand of Providence in the remarkable events which have lately happened in the east, opening to Christians, and especially to our own nation (so signal an instrument in bringing those events to pass), a door for the advancement of the Saviour's kingdom, and for the restoration of God's ancient people to their spiritual birthright.

While the church of Rome is continually, and, at this very moment, labouring to pervert the members of the eastern churches, and to bring them under the dominion of the pope, sparing no arts nor intrigues, hesitating at no misrepresentations, sowing dissension and disorder amongst an ill-informed people, and asserting that jurisdiction over them which the ancient churches of the east have always strenuously resisted, the two great protestant powers of Europe will have planted a church in the midst of them, the bishop of which is specially charged not to entrench upon the spiritual rights and liberties of those churches; but to confine himself to the care of those over whom they

cannot rightfully claim any jurisdiction; and to maintain with them a friendly intercourse of good offices; assisting them, so far as they may desire such assistance, in the work of Christian education; and presenting to their observation, but not forcing upon their acceptance, the pattern of a church essentially scriptural in doctrine, and apostolical in discipline.

The bishop of the united church of England and Ireland at Jerusalem is to be nominated alternately by the crowns of England and Prussia, the archbishop having the absolute right of veto with respect to those nominated by the Prussian crown.

The bishop will be subject to the archbishop of Canterbury as his metropolitan, until the local circumstances of his bishopric shall be such as to make it expedient, in the opinion of the bishops of that united church, to establish some other relation.

His spiritual jurisdiction will extend over the English clergy and congregations, and over those who may join his church and place themselves under his episcopal authority in Palestine, and, for the present, in the rest of Syria, in Chaldea, Egypt, and Abyssinia; such jurisdiction being exercised, as nearly as may be, according to the laws, canons, and customs of the church of England; the bishop having power to frame, with the consent of the metropolitan, particular rules and orders for the peculiar wants of his people. His chief missionary care will be directed to the conversion of the Jews, to their protection, and to their useful employment.

He will establish and maintain, as far as in him lies, relations of Christian charity with other churches represented at Jerusalem, and in particular with the orthodox Greek church; taking special care to convince them that the church of England does not wish to disturb, or divide, or interfere with them; but that she is ready, in the spirit of Christian love, to render them such offices of friendship as they may be willing to receive.

A college is to be established at Jerusalem, under the bishop, whose chaplain will be its first principal. Its primary object will be the education of Jewish converts, but the bishop will be authorised to receive into it Druses and other Gentile converts; and, if the funds of the college should be sufficient, oriental Christians may be admitted; but clerical members of the orthodox Greek church will be received into the college only with the express consent of their spiritual superiors and for a subsidiary purpose. The religious instruction given in the college will be in strict conformity with the doctrines of the united church of England and Ireland, and under the superintendence and direction of the bishop.

Congregations, consisting of protestants of the German tongue, residing within the limits of the bishop's jurisdiction, and willing to submit to it, will be under the care of German clergymen ordained by him for that purpose; who will officiate in the German language, according to the forms of their national liturgy, compiled from the ancient liturgies, agreeing in all points of doctrine with the liturgy of the English church, and sanctioned by the bishop with consent of the metropolitan, for the special use of those congregations; such liturgy to be used in the German

such of them as may be subjects or citizens of any foreign kingdom or state to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and the oath of due obedience to the archbishop for the time being.

language only. Germans, intended for the charge of | firmation and consecration, and without requiring such congregations, are to be ordained according to the ritual of the English church, and to sign the articles of that church; and, in order that they may not be disqualified by the laws of Germany from officiating to German congregations, they are, before ordination, to exhibit to the bishop a certificate of their having subscribed, before some competent authority, the confession of Augsburg.

The rite of confirmation will be administered by the bishop to the catechumens of the German congregations, according to the form used in the English church.

Subjoined are copies of the commendatory letter, addressed by the archbishop of Canterbury to the rulers of the Greek church, and of the same translated into Greek, both of which the newly-consecrated bishop carries with him to the east.

London, Dec. 9, 1841.

"Whereas in and by an act passed in the twentysixth year of the reign of his late majesty king George the Third, intituled, 'An Act to empower the archbishop of Canterbury or the archbishop of York for the time being to consecrate to the office of a bishop persons being subjects or citizens of countries out of his majesty's dominions,' after reciting that 'there are divers persons, subjects or citizens of countries out of his majesty's dominions, and inhabiting and residing within the said countries, who profess the public worship of Almighty God according to the principles of the church of England, and who, in order to provide a regular succession of ministers for the service of their church, are desirous of having certain of the subjects or citizens of those countries consecrated bishops according to the form of consecration of the church of England,' it is amongst other things enacted, that, from and after the passing of the said act, it should and might be lawful to and for the archbishop of Canterbury or for the archbishop of York for the time being, together with such other bishops as they should call to their assistance, to consecrate persons being subjects or citizens of countries out of his majesty's dominions bishops for the purposes in the said act mentioned, without the king's licence for their election, or the royal mandate under the great seal for their confirmation and consecration, and without requiring them to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and the oath of due obedience to the archbishop for the time being; and whereas it is expedient to enlarge the powers given by the said act; be it therefore enacted by the queen's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that it shall and may be lawful to and for the archbishop of Canterbury or the archbishop of York for the time being, together with such other bishops as they shall call to their assistance, to consecrate British subjects, or the subjects or citizens of any foreign kingdom or state, to be bishops in any foreign country, whether such foreign subjects or citizens be or be not subjects or citizens of the country in which they are to act, and without the queen's licence for their election, or the royal mandate under the great seal for their con

"II. And be it further enacted, that such bishop or bishops so consecrated may exercise, within such limits as may from time to time be assigned for that purpose in such foreign countries by her majesty, spiritual jurisdiction over the ministers of British congregations of the united church of England and Ireland, and over such other protestant congregations as may be desirous of placing themselves under his or their authority.

“III. Provided always, that no person shall be consecrated a bishop in the manner herein provided, until the archbishop of Canterbury or the archbishop of York for the time being shall have first applied for and shall have obtained her majesty's licence, by warrant under her royal signet and sign manual, authorising and empowering him to perform such consecration, and expressing the name of the person so to be consecrated, nor until the said archbishop has been fully ascertained of the sufficiency of such person in good learning, of the soundness of his faith, and of the purity of his manners.

"IV. Provided always, and be it hereby declared, that no person consecrated to the office of a bishop in the manner aforesaid, nor any person deriving his consecration from or under any bishop so consecrated, nor any person admitted to the order of deacon or priest by any bishop or bishops so consecrated, or by the successor or successors of any bishop or bishops so consecrated, shall be thereby enabled to exercise his office within her majesty's dominions in England or Ireland, otherwise than according to the provisions of an act of the third and fourth years of her present majesty, intituled 'An Act to make certain provisions and regulations in respect to the exercise within England and Ireland of their office by the bishops and clergy of the protestant episcopal church in Scotland; and also to extend such provisions and regulations to the bishops and clergy of the protestant episcopal church in the United States of America; and also to make further regulations in respect to bishops and clergy other than those of the united church of England and Ireland.'

"V. Provided always, and be it further enacted, that the archbishop who so consecrates shall give to the person consecrated a certificate under his hand and seal, containing the name of the country whereof he is a subject or citizen, and the name of the church in which he is appointed bishop; and, in case of such person being the subject or citizen of any foreign kingdom or state, then such certificate shall further mention that he has not taken the said oaths, he being exempted, by virtue of this act, from taking

them.

"VI. Provided always, and be it enacted, that this act may be amended or repealed by any act to be passed in the present session of parliament."

QUEEN'S LICENCE FOR CONSECRATION. "VICTORIA R-Victoria, by the grace of God queen of the united kingdom of Great Britain and

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