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it is only in the event of their default to establish a proper Cemetery where one is required, or in consequence of a loan being needed to carry out the undertaking, or, if they should determine to construct a Cemetery outside their district, of objection being taken to such a proceeding, that the Local Government Board have any authority to interfere.

"The President, therefore, thinks it right to direct the attention of the sanitary authority to the following obligations and powers imposed upon and exerciseable by them under the incorporated enactments.

"With respect to the Making of the Cemetery.

"The Cemetery is not to be constructed nearer to any dwelling house than 200 yards, except with the consent of the owner and occupier.

"The sanitary authority may build such chapels in the Cemetery for the performance of burial services as they may think fit, and lay out and embellish the grounds of the Cemetery.

"The Cemetery must be enclosed by substantial walls or iron railings of the height of 8 ft. at least. The sanitary authority must keep the Cemetery and the buildings and fences thereof in complete repair and in good order and condition.

"With respect to Burials.

"The sanitary authority may set apart a portion of the Cemetery for burials according to the rites of the Established Church, and the Bishop of the Diocese may, on the application of the sanitary authority, consecrate the portion so set apart.

"A chapel, to be approved by the Bishop, must be built on the consecrated part for the performance of the Burial Service of the Established Church.

"A salaried chaplain is to be appointed to officiate in the consecrated part of the Cemetery, the appointment and salary to be subject to the approval of the Bishop.

"The sanitary authority may set apart the whole or a portion of the unconsecrated part of the Cemetery as a place of burial for persons not being members of the Established Church, and may allow in any chapel built in

Condition of our Churchyards.

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such unconsecrated part a burial service to be performed according to the rites of any Church or congregation other than the Established Church.

"With respect to Exclusive Rights of Burial and Monumental Inscriptions.

"The sanitary authority may set apart portions of the Cemetery for the purpose of granting exclusive rights of burial therein, and may sell the exclusive right of burial in such portions, and the right of placing any monument or gravestone in the Cemetery, or any tablet or monumental inscription on the walls of any chapel or other building in the Cemetery.

"It should be observed that the Act under consideration does not extend to the Metropolis, and it is scarcely necessary to point out that in other parts of the country where suitable Cemeteries are in existence there can rarely be need for resorting to its provisions.

"The President trusts, however, that in other localities the sanitary authorities will not hesitate to avail themselves of the important powers conferred by the Act, having regard to their serious obligations in the interest of the public health, and to the responsibilities imposed upon them by the Legislature.

"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

"JOHN LAMBERT, Secretary. "To the Clerk to the Sanitary Authority."

Upwards of two-thirds of the population of England and Wales are already provided for by existing Cemeteries, without any occasion for religious jealousies, and it may be anticipated that a provision will soon be peacefully made for the remainder.

From a careful enquiry which I have made through the Rural Deans, and also in my " Visitation Queries," addressed to every beneficed Clergyman in the Diocese, I am enabled to state that even in many of our own rural parishes, not less than 200 in number, such a

provision is now absolutely necessary, on grounds both of regard for the living, and of reverence for the dead. In many of these, as I am assured, in your answers to my "Visitation Queries," no grave has been dug for many years without disturbing human remains. The condition of many of our churchyards is injurious to health and an offence to public decency; and I trust that no time will be lost in resorting for help to this new Act.

In every case where this Act is resorted to, some portion of the ground should be left unconsecrated. It is not desirable to enlarge our present Churchyards.

I may here take occasion to observe that another Statute, which does not seem to be generally known (the 36 and 37 Victoria, cap. 50), by which a landlord may convey land not exceeding an acre to a trustee or trustees for a Burial Ground, would, with proper safeguards, be found very available for the same purpose.

Before the passing of Mr. Marten's Act the Church of England declared by the voice of 15,000 Clergy that she could not surrender those Churchyards which do not belong to man, but have been given over by a solemn act of Consecration to Almighty God, and which she holds in trust for the burial of the dead with religious services in accordance with the Christian doctrines which she holds, and conducted by her Ministers; and which she is bound to defend against false doctrine, sectarianism, and unbelief; but that she

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was ready to join in providing Parochial Cemeteries for the burial of all who would not accept her services performed by her ministers. And now that an Act has been passed, which facilitates the general provision of Cemeteries in every parish of the land, it would be an act of flagrant injustice (to say nothing of offence against God) and a wanton and gratuitous insult to the Church of England, to invade her Churchyards, and to throw them open to other ministers and to other services than those of her communion. But we cannot anticipate such an outrage as that from any fair, honourable, and reasonable man.

Rather let us hope that the strifes which have divided us from some of our Nonconformist brethren, in reference to this question, may now be buried in oblivion for ever; and that by the grace of the Holy Spirit of truth and love we may be joined together in unity with them; and that, after our departure from this life of care and sorrow, our bodies may rest in peace, and may be raised together with theirs, at the general resurrection; and that we and they may have our part with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God.

D

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THIRD ADDRESS.

LET us now proceed to review the recent action of the Church of England in her Provincial Synods, in pursuance of "Letters of Business" (dated February 8, 1872, and renewed July 6, 1874,) which Her Majesty addressed to the two Archbishops, the Presidents of the two Convocations of Canterbury and York, and authorizing the Bishops and Clergy in those two Convocations to revise the Rubrics1 in the Book of Common Prayer in such manner as they, after careful deliberation, might deem expedient, and to present a Report or Reports to Her Majesty concerning the

same.

First, then, as to the hymn, Quicunque vult, or "the Confession of our Christian Faith, commonly called the Creed of St. Athanasius."

In our own days the Athanasian Creed has been disparaged by some. It will therefore be well that we should be reminded of what our own pious and learned forefathers have said with respect to it.

The Church of England at the Reformation in the eighth of her Thirty-nine Articles declared that the

1 Especially those Rubrics which had been dealt with by the Ritual Commissioners.

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