der several specifications, that Mr. Voysey had controverted in this book the doctrines of the Atonement of Christ, Original Sin, of Justification by Faith, of the Incarnation and Godhead of the Son, and that he had depraved the Scriptures by denying their genuineness as revelations of the knowledge of God. All the charges but the last were sustained. The LordChancellor, in summing up the charges and the evidence, remarked that the Court had not been unmindful of the latitude allowed by the Articles of Religion, and tolerated in the decisions of previous ecclesiastical courts. "But," he added, "the appellant will, we think, himself feel how impossible it is that any society whatever of worshippers can be held together without some fundamental points of agreement, or can together worship a Being in whom they have no common faith." After allowing what was considered a reasonable time for Mr. Voysey to recant his heresies, the sentence of deprivation was made final. terbury, at their meeting in June, adopted the following declaration on the Vatican Council, and directed it to be sent to all bishops in communion with the Church of England: That the request of the Lower House in their message to this House on the 15th of February last, with regard to the Vatican Council, be complied with, and that a declaration on that subject be put forth in the following terms: That the Vatican Council has no just right to be termed an Ecumenical or General Council, and that none of its decrees have any claim for acceptance as canons of a General Council. by the Vatican Council is contrary to Holy Scripture, That the dogma of Papal Infallibility now set forth and to the judgment of the ancient Church universal. That there is one true Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Church the Church of England and the Churches in Christ; that of this true Catholic and Apostolic communion with her are living members; and that the Church of England earnestly desires to maintain firmly the Catholic faith as set forth by the Ecumenical Councils of the universal Church, and to be united upon those principles of doctrine and discipline in the bonds of brotherly love with all Churches in Christendom. That the assumption of supremacy by the Bishop of Rome in convening the late Vatican Council contravenes canons of the universal Church. was Mr. Vance Smith, a Unitarian. He partook of the communion with the other members of the committee at their opening meeting. This act of participation was objected. to by many of the clergy, who regarded as a scandal that a Socinian should be recognized in this manner. At the February meeting of the convocation, the following resolution was proposed by the Bishop of Winchester, and carried: Resolved, That in the judgment of this House it is not expedient that any person who denies the Godassist in a revision of the Scriptures, and further, head of our Lord Jesus Christ should be invited to that it is in the judgment of this House expedient that any such person now in either company should cease to act therewith. The ritualistic controversy was carried on during the year with undiminished activity. The decision in the Mackonochie case, which is quoted in a previous volume of the ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA, had the effect of widening the Among the scholars who were invited to asbreach between the bulk of the High-Church sist the committee of the Convention of Canparty and the Ritualists. The subject of leav-terbury in the revision of the English Bible, ing the Church was broached by some. The question, to what extent the decisions of the Judicial Committee in spiritual matters should be held binding in foro conscientia, was freely discussed. Many of the ritualistic party have given their aid to the movement for the disestablishment of the Church. Early in the year a petition was forwarded to the Convocation of Canterbury, signed by nine hundred clergymen, begging to be protected against this decision. The excitement was greatly increased by another judgment, which was rendered by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, on the 23d of February, in the case of Hebbert against Purchas. This case came up on appeal from a previous decision of the dean of arches, who had pronounced the socalled Eucharistic garments lawful. The higher court decided that the clergyman must not wear a tunicle, alb, or chasuble, in performing divine service; that he must not mix water with the wine for the communion, neither at the altar nor in the vestry before the time of service; that pure wheaten bread must be used, and not wafers; and that the clergyman, while standing at the communion-table, must stand at the north side, looking south, and not east. Strong efforts were made by Mr. Purchas and his friends to have this decision reconsidered or revoked. Application was made to the Queen to suspend action upon it until a rehearing could be had, and the case was brought again before the Privy Council, who decided, April 26th, that their action was final. A number of ritualistic clergyman resolved not to abide by this decision. The Upper House of the Convocation of Can The Lower House responded with expressions of sympathy with the regret of the Upper House that one who rejected the Nicene Creed had been admitted to the communion at Westminster Abbey, but recommended that the resolutions under which the committee were acting continue unaltered, and that the committee be not interfered with. By the determination of the committee, Mr. Vance Smith retained his position as one of their number. The disestablishment of the Episcopal Church in Ireland took effect on January 1, 1871, when all church property became vested in commissioners, all ecclesiastical law was abolished, and the right of the bishops to sit in the House of Lords ceased. The following is a condensed abstract of the constitution of the disestablished Irish Church, which was drawn up by the General Convention in two sessions, held at Dublin in 1870. The Convention was composed of two houses -that of the bishops and archbishops, and that of the clerical and lay delegates. In the latter house the principle of voting by orders was allowed. The bishops, as a separate order, also had the power of voting separately when they desired it; but there was this limitation to the power of their veto-that it could not stop a measure sanctioned by majorities of both the other orders, unless seven of the episcopal bench (there are twelve bishops in all, including the two archbishops) were pres ent and concurred in a dissentient vote. Declaration. The statutes drawn up by this Convention are preceded by a solemn preamble and Declaration. The Declaration runs in the name of "the archbishops and bishops of this the ancient Catholic and Apostolic Church of Ireland, together with the representatives of the clergy and laity of the same in General Convention assembled," and is as follows: 1. "The Church of Ireland doth, as heretofore, accept and unfeignedly believe all the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as given by inspiration of God, and containing all things necessary for salvation; and doth continue to profess the faith of Christ as professed by the primitive Church." 2. "The Church of Ireland will continue to minister the doctrine, and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded, and will maintain inviolate the three orders of bishops, priests or presbyters, and deacons in the sacred ministry." 3. "The Church of Ireland, as a Reformed and Protestant Church, doth hereby reaffirm its constant witness against all those innovations in doctrine and worship, whereby the primitive faith hath been from time to time overlaid and defaced, and which at the Reformation this Church did disown and reject." 4. "The Church of Ireland doth receive and approve" the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirtynine Articles; and "will continue to use the same, subject to such alterations only as may be made therein from time to time by the lawful authority of the Church." 5. "The Church of Ireland will maintain communion with the sister Church of England, and with all other Christian Churches agreeing in the principles of this Declaration; and will set forward, as far as in it lieth, quietness, peace, and love, among all Christian people." 6. "The Church of Ireland, deriving its authority from Christ, who is the Head over all things to the Church, doth declare that a General Synod of the Church of Ireland, consisting of the archbishops and bishops, and of representatives of the clergy and laity, shall have chief legislative power therein, and sueh administrative power as may be necessary for the Church, and consistent with its episcopal constitution." The first statute, accordingly, relates to The General Synod.-The General Synod consists of two Houses: the House of Bishops and the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives consists of 208 clergymen and 416 laymen, selected by the clergy and laity in the Diocesan Synods. The number of clergy sent from each diocese is in proportion to the number in the diocese. The number of laity is determined by a scheme which takes into consideration both the number of parishes and the Church population of the whole diocese. Any clergyman of the Church in priest's orders may be elected a clerical representative, whether he resides in the diocese or not. Any layman, aged twentyone, who is a member and communicant of the Church, and who makes a solemn declaration to that effect, is eligible as a lay representative. He need not be a subscriber to the funds of the Church. A clergyman not having a cure of souls, but being an owner of property in the diocese, may be elected as and lay representatives are elected for three years. a representative of the laity therein. Both clerical The House of Bishops sits and deliberates along with the House of Representatives, but has the power of withdrawing for separate deliberation. The Bishops may let a measure pass without voting on it. When they do vote they vote as a separate order, and the clergy and laity have the same right which they had in the Convention, of calling for a vote by orders. Each order thus has a veto, but the veto of the Bishops is not unlimited, though the limitation bishops may be brought forward again in a year, and is practically very slight. A measure vetoed by the then, if reaffirmed by majorities of two-thirds of each of the other orders, it passes, unless two-thirds of the Bench of Bishops vote against it. If two-thirds of the whole Bench of Bishops are present and vote against it, their veto holds good. The General Synod is to meet in Dublin annually. It has, as stated in the Declaration, chief legislative power in the Church, and can "alter, amend, or abrogate" any of the canons, "or make new canons." The ordinary course of proceeding is by a first and second reading, a discussion in committee, and a third reading, and one clear day must elapse after the bill is reported before the third reading. This is the ordinary course, but there is an important exception. No modification or alteration can be made in the "Articles, doctrines, rites, rubrics, or formularies" of the Church, except after a resolution passed in full Synod, stating the nature of the proposed change. This resolution must be passed by majorities of at least two-thirds of each order of representatives. It must be communicated to all the Diocesan Synods at their next meetings, and no bill on the subject can be introduced into the General Synod until one year has elapsed after the communication of the resolution to the Diocesan Synods. This extra course of procedure is not necessary in the case of such smaller changes as may have been "rendered necessary by the passing of the Irish Church Act," as, for instance, expressions in the State Prayers that are no longer suitable. And any recommendation unanimously made by the English Ritual Commission may be adopted without the delay of a year, but must have the majorities of twothirds in their favor. The Representative Church Body is a smaller body than the General Synod, representing the whole Church. It is incorporated by Act of Parliament to hold property on behalf of the Church, which it administers subject to the control of the General Synod. It also acts generally as a standing committee of the General Synod. This body consists of sixty members, namely, the twelve bishops, one clergyman and two laymen elected from each diocese, and twelve other coopted members. The latter are added in order to secure the appointment of some men whose assistance would be most valuable, but who might not be selected by any particular diocese. The Diocese, Diocesan Synod, and Council.-There are at present twelve bishops in the Church of Ireland. Each of these, with the exception of the Bishop of Meath, presides over a union of dioceses. These unions were made by the Act of 1884, which reduced the number of bishops from twenty-two to twelve. Many of them are too large or otherwise inconvenient for episcopal superintendence and united diocesan action; and the diocese of Meath, containing two counties and part of a third, lies so inconveniently with respect to railway communication, that its Synod is held in two parts, one meeting at Navan in the county Meath, and the other at Mullin gar in Westmeath, and on one occasion, when it was necessary to hold one meeting for the whole diocese, it was held out of the diocese, in Dublin. The statutes of the Convention make provision for the division and rearrangement of the existing diocesan districts, and funds are already being raised for the endowment of additional bishoprics. In each diocese there is a Diocesan Synod, in some cases for the whole union, in others for each of the component dioceses. The Synod consists of the bishop or his commissary as president, all the beneficed or licensed clergy of the diocese, and lay representatives from each parish, who may be in the proportion of two to one of the clergy, but not more. The lay representatives are chosen triennially at the Easter vestries. They must be of full age, members of the Church, and communicants, the only proof of the latter two qualifications being a solemn declaration made by the representative himself. In the Diocesan Synod, again, as in the general synod, either order has the right of calling for a separate vote, and no measure can be passed without a clear majority of both. The Bishop has a veto, but subject to an appeal to the General Synod, if the resolution from which he dissents is reaffirmed after a year by majorities of two-thirds of both orders. He has also the power of taking "any reasonable time, not exceeding one month," to decide whether he will use his veto or not. And he may, if he wishes it, refer the matter in question at once to the General Synod for decision. The Diocesan Synod deals with matters that concern the diocese only, and it cannot make any regulation inconsistent with any law of the whole Church, or decision of the General Synod, to which there is an appeal from its decisions. It elects a standing committee called the Diocesan Council, consisting of clergymen and laymen, with the Bishop ex-officio chairman, to which it can delegate any of its powers that may be necessary. The Parish, Vestry, and Select Vestry.-At the vestry meeting all male members of the Church of full age, who have signed a solemn declaration of churchmembership and have been registered as members of the vestry, are entitled to vote. It is not required that a vestryman should be a communicant, nor is it required by the statutes of the General Convention that he should be a subscriber to the Church funds, but each Diocesan Synod has the power of making this a condition in its own diocese. A member of the Church may claim to register as a vestryman in any particular parish: (1) as being resident in the parish; (2) as having attended divine service in the church for six months next preceding the time of registration; (3) as holding property in the parish. The register is amended once a year; names cannot be put on at other times; and disputes are referred to the Diocesan Council, whose decision is final. The vestry meets ordinarily once a year, and elects: (1) lay representatives to the Diocesan Synods; (2) the people's churchwarden (the clergyman retains the right of electing minister's churchwarden, as under the old law); (3) the parochial nominators, whose part in the appointment of clergymen to cures we shall speak of presently; (4) any number of its members, not exceeding ten, to form, with the clergymen and churchwardens, the select vestry. The select vestry has the control of all parochial charities and church funds, provides requisites for divine service, keeps the church and parish buildings in repair, and appoints and pays church and parish officers and servants. The clergyman is chairman at all meetings both of the general and select vestry, with an ordinary and casting vote. In the absence of the clergyman the chair is taken by one of the churchwardens, with a like right of voting. The Appointment of Ministers.-In the appointment of clergy there are two interests to be servedthe interest of the Church at large, and the interest of the particular cure to which the appointment is to be made. The method of appointment adopted has been designed to secure the representation of both of these interests. The Diocesan Synod elects from itself three diocesan nominators, two clergymen, and one layman, and each parish elects three parochial nominators. The qualifications for a parochial nominator are the same as those for a lay representative to the Diocesan Synod. No clergyman holding a cure of souls, or licensed curate, is eligible. When a vacancy occurs, the diocesan nominators and the parochial nominators of the vacant parish form a board, at which the Bishop presides with an ordinary and a casting vote. This board nominates a clergyman to the vacant cure. The Bishop may afterward refuse to institute the clergyman so nominated, giving his reasons in writing; but there is an appeal against this refusal to the Court of the General Synod. The diocesan nominators are elected annually, the parochial nominators triennially, and, should the time for electing the latter come round during the vacancy of a cure, or after the clergyman has given notice of his intention to resign, the nominators who were in office at the time of the vacancy occurring, or of the notice being given, and not those newly elected to the office, are to act. And the outgoing diocesan nominators are to finish any business that may have been before them at the time of the election of their successors. Arrangements may be made with benefactors as to the patronage of benefices, but all such arragements must receive the sanction of (1) the Bishop; (2) the Diocesan Council; (3) at least four of the Board of Nominators besides the Bishop, including two of the parochial nominators, and (4) the vestry. And no right of patronage can be acquired while the cure is vacant. The Election of Bishops.-The Diocesan Synod of the vacant See is summoned by the Archbishop of the province or other person having the right to summon it; and if the Synod can fix on any one clergyman in priest's orders, by a clear majority of two-thirds of both orders separately, the name so selected is transmitted to the Bench of Bishops, who, if satisfied of the fitness of the person appointed, shall proceed to give effect to the nomination. If the Synod cannot fix upon one name by so decided a majority, then two or three names must be sent up to the Bishops, who select one of them. If no name be returned after three months, the appointment lapses to the Bench of Bishops. The See of Armagh presented a difficulty which the Convention took a long time to settle. The occupant of the See of Armagh has been, since the time of St. Patrick, Primate of all Ireland: therefore either Armagh must lose the right of electing its own Bishop, or else it alone must elect the Primate of all Ireland. The matter was settled for the present as follows: The Synod of Armagh is to select four of the existing Bishops, from which four the Bench of Bishops choose one to be Archbishop of Armagh and Primate. To fill the See thus left vacant, Armagh selects one Presbyter and the vacant See another, and the Bishops decide between the two. If the two Dioceses fix on the same Presbyter, and the Bishops are satisfied of his fitness, he is appointed. Cathedrals, Deans, and Archdeacons.-All permanent arrangements with respect to cathedrals and their staffs are deferred for the present, until something more definite is known about the future financial position of the Church. The appointment of Archdeacon is to be made by the Bishop, as heretofore, but is not to be coneected with any particular benefice in the diocese. Ecclesiastical Courts.-The statutes provide for Diocesan Courts and "the Court of the General Synod." In the Diocesan Court the Bishop, assisted by his Chancellor as assessor, with one clergyman and one layman, sit as judges of questions of fact, and sentence is given by the Bishop. The clergyman and layman who sit with the Bishop are taken in rotation from lists of three, which are chosen for five would amount to about five and three-quarter mill- Church was held on the 13th of April. In ac- years by the clergy and synodsmen of the diocese. When the Bishop wishes to act as accuser, his Chancellor takes his place on the Bench; but in such a case, if the charge is one involving doctrine, questions of fact only are decided by the Diocesan Court, and sentence is given by the Court of the General Synod. Charges may also be preferred by the Diocesan Council or by private members of the Church who have signified in writing their submission to the General Synod of the Church. But charges involving doctrine, if not promoted by the Bishop or Diocesan Council, must be brought by four male communicants of full age, who reside in the diocese, or are personally injured or aggrieved by the act complained of. There is an appeal from the sentence of a Diocesan Court to the Court of the General Synod, which consists of one of the Archbishops, who sit in turn, one Bishop, chosen by the Arch-cordance with a resolution passed to that bishops, and three layinen. The laymen are taken by ballot from a list chosen by the General Synod, which list contains only the names of persons who are, or have been, Judges in some of the superior civil courts. Any charge against an archbishop or bishop comes before the Court of the General Synod, and, if it involve doctrine, must be preferred by an archbishop or bishop, or by six male communicants; and no sentence of deposition, deprivation, or removal against an archbishop or bishop can be passed without the consent of the two prelates on the Bench. The same consent is required to any sentence of deposition from the ministry. Sustentation Fund.—Commutation.-The Convention and Representative Body have also passed resolutions on the subject of finance, with a view to the formation of a General Sustentation Fund for the future support of the ministry. To understand their resolutions on this subject we must recollect the position in which the Irish Church has been left by the Act of Disestablishment. The Church is completely disendowed, but the life-interests of the present clergy are preserved to them. The property of the Church is taken by the "Irish Church Temporalities Commissioners," who will pay to every clergyman during his life an annuity equal to his present income, the clergyman being bound to perform his present duty as long as his health permits. There is, moreover, a provision in the act enabling the Temporalities Commissioners, with the consent of all parties concerned, to hand over a capital sum equal to the estimated life-interest of any clergyman in his annuity to the Representative Body, who thereupon become responsible for the payment of the annuity. And when three-fourths of the clergy in any diocese "commute"-that is, accept this change of paymasters 12 per cent. will be added to the whole capital sum paid over on account of that diocese. This bonus is added to compensate the Church for the risk and expense incurred in the management of so large a sum of money. Commutation would be no direct gain to the Church, but the Representative Body see so many advantages to be indirectly derived from it that they have determined to accept it in every diocese where the three-fourths of the clergy agree to it. There are at present more clergy in the Church than will be required to do the work efficiently under the new system. Some of these will wish to pound" that is, to receive in hand part of the commutation capital, leaving the remainder to the Church, the clergyman being freed from the obligation to duty. Thus a clear sum will be secured at once toward the future endowment of the Church, and the clergyman will be at liberty to seek another field of labor. *** The principal advantage expected from commutation undoubtedly is, that, by the scheme proposed by the Representative Body, a definite object is set before the members of the Church to commence subscribing at once toward its support, and not to wait until the deaths of the present clergy: *** If all the clergy commuted, the whole commutation capital, including the twelve per cent. bonus, com effect, copies of the Bible and Prayer-book in Irish were placed on the table along with the English Bible and Prayer-book. Archdeacon Stopford brought up the report of the Judicature Committee, who had prepared a new set of canons, a number of which were designed for the repression of ritualistic practices. In accordance with a compromise suggested by the Duke of Abercorn, a committee had been appointed, at the head of which was William Brooke, Q. C., Master in Chancery, "to consider whether, without making any such alterations in the Liturgy or Formularies of our Church as would involve or imply a change in her doctrines, any measures can be suggested calculated to check the introduction and spread of novel doctrines and practices opposed to the principles of our Reformed Church," who brought in a report in which were suggested changes going to the root of Sacerdotalism. It recommended that a new question and answer be added to the Catechism, declaring that in the Lord's Supper the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ are taken and received only after a heavenly and spiritual manner; that a declaration be added to the Communion service, that "no adoration whatever is to be done to any presence of Christ, or of Christ's flesh and blood, supposed to be in the elements after or by virtue of their consecration;" that the form of absolution be omitted in the visitation of the sick; that the words in the ordination service, "whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted," etc., be struck out; and that the form, "Receive the Holy Ghost," etc., be changed to a prayer; and that the word priest, wherever it occurs in the book of common prayer, be defined as equivalent to presbyter. A set of canons were also submitted by the committee, condemning and prohibiting in detail each and all of the symbolic practices which the ritualists are seeking to incorporate in the services of the Church. In connection with the introduction of this report, a number of the members of the committee, constituting the minority, sent in statements of their objections to it. A motion, declaring that no revision of the Prayer-book was desirable except so far as the disestablishment act and the new situation of the Church had made necessary, was defeated by a vote (380 to 139), which showed a large majority of the synod in favor of the revision. À similar result appeared when the vote was taken on the first proposition of the report of Master Brooke's committee-that declaring the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharistic elements to be "only after a heavenly and spiritual manner." It was as follows: yeas, clergy, 117; laity, 271-total, 389; nays, clergy, 77; laity, 35-total, 114. The proposition, however, was not carried, for it failed to receive the concurrence of twothirds of each order, voting by orders, as required by the constitution. A motion to repeal this "two-thirds rule" was supported by a majority of the Synod, but it failed to receive the requisite two-thirds vote of the clergy. A canon was adopted to the effect that no minister, or other person, during the time of divine service, should make the sign of the cross save where prescribed in the rubric; nor should he bow to, or do any other act of obeisance to, the Lord's Table; nor should any bell be rung during divine service. A rubric was passed prescribing the ornaments that might be worn by the minister. The subject of revision was finally postponed, and referred to the bishops, and a committee of twenty-two clergymen and eighteen laymen, representative members of the Synod, who are expected to report in 1872. A discussion took place in the English Church, in the early part of the year, in reference to the appointment of a Bishop for Madagascar. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, representing the High-Church party, proposed to appoint one. The proposition was opposed by some of the bishops, and by the Church Missionary Society, on the ground that it would be a violation of the comity of missions. It is the understanding among the missionary societies that none of them shall enter upon ground which is occupied by another society. Madagascar has been Christianized mainly through the efforts of the London Missionary Society (Congregational), who have large congregations in various parts of the island, particularly at the capital, while the Anglican societies have but three missionaries on the whole island, and no missionaries or converts at the capital, where the bishop would have to reside. The Church Missionary Society threatened to withdraw its missionaries if the bishop were sent over; the movement met but little encouragement from the Government and bishops; the primate refused to sanction the appointment; finally, the person designated as bishop declined to go. The matter remains in suspense. A new system of ecclesiastical polity has been adopted by the Australian branch of the Church of England. An assembly has been constituted, with representatives of the two orders, who may vote separately. The bishop, as an ecclesiastical governor, acts by the advice of a responsible cabinet; archdiaconal councils and church committees act upon ordinary and financial matters. The laity are constituted the chief power in the Church; they sit as part of a board, which is " a sort of diocesan privy council;" they are consulted on appointments to cures, act as assessors on trials for ecclesiastical offences, and have a voice in the appointment of bishops. The movement for the disestablishment of the Church of England, which has seemed to gather force among certain parties, has led to the organization of a Church Defence Institution." The Archbishop of Canterbury is president, and several of the bishops are among the vice-presidents. It will direct movements to influence public opinion in favor of the continuance of the establishment. Efforts have been prosecuted during the year to bring the clergy and the laity of the respective dioceses into closer relations with each other, by means of diocesan conferences, or synods. The Bishop of Ely has been one of the foremost and most active promoters of these movements, In his address at the opening of his diocesan conference, which was held at Cambridge on the 24th of October, he said that he had first planned and worked for the association of the two orders nearly eight years ago, under the feeling that the isolation of the clergy one from another, and of all from the laity, was one of the greatest practical evils in the system of the English Church. He began by inviting the rural deans to call together the chapters of the deaneries once a year for intercourse and consultation; he then invited the archdeacons and rural deans to meet with him at the cathedral; then he proposed that lay representatives should meet with them, forming a clerical and lay conference. The Diocesan Conference, which met on the same day at Chester, discussed, among other questions, "the best means of sustaining and promoting mutual good-will among the various classes of society." Conferences were also held in several other dioceses. A similar body, styling itself a synod, met at Salisbury on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of November. It discussed a large number of topics, chiefly of local interest, and effected a permanent organization, adopting a set of standing orders, or constitution. These bodies are, of course, purely voluntary, and are not capable of binding action. They are regarded with diversity of opinion, and have been subjected to severe criticism in the papers and in discussion. The annual Church Congress differs from the Diocesan Conference in that it is general in its character-standing for the Church at largeand is open to all, whereas the representatives to the Diocesan Conference are chosen by the local assemblies. The Congress of 1871 was held at Nottingham, and was presided over by the Bishop of Lincoln. More than two thousand persons attended it. The number of papers read was very great. The discussion |