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In what degree the world may have cast aside this system of divine aid, so perfectly adapted to human nature, we do not know, nor do we think Mr. Morison can know. Still less can we know how far the little good that appears to be done by men apart from Christ is really due to the impulse which He gave, still working, even on those who reject Him, through the society in which they live. But these speculations about what others are doing are of little value to those who are in earnest in their own moral life. If all men else accepted Him, it would be the duty of any man who could not conscientiously believe, to decline their example and reject Him. And if all men else rejected Him, it would still be our duty to confess Him if our consciences tell us how we need Him, and how He supplies our need. And for our parts we think that those who cast Him off for a moral system which contradicts the first principles of morals, and for a religion the slightest hint of which cannot be produced to us, are making a mistake which we earnestly hope will be forgiven to themselves because of their human liability to error, but of the disastrous results of which to the morals of mankind we feel as sure as we do of the ill effects of poison, however conscientiously administered.

We have never read a sentence more suggestive of the strength of the Christian position than the opinion pronounced by a very able literary organ, that Mr. Morison's work is the ablest attack on Christianity that has of late appeared. This is certainly so far true that, in assailing the moral power of our religion, he has chosen that point of attack where if infidels cannot make a breach, all their efforts elsewhere will be useless. But if this be the best assault on the moral power of Christianity which a very able, well-informed, and earnest unbeliever can deliver, we have little cause to fear that the claims of any rival moral power will ever displace it in the faith of mankind. Christians may be untrue to their own faith and fall from it into pure negation; but the service of man which will ever draw them from that of Christ is not true service, but that poor servitude to man's earthly nature which brings degradation alike to those who render and to those who receive it.

ART. II.-DEACONS AND SECULAR

EMPLOYMENTS.

1. The Extension of the Diaconate. A Ripon Diocesan Conference, 1880. SALE. (Boroughbridge.)

Paper read at the
By the Rev. C. H.

2. The Revival of a True Working Diaconate in the Church of England. A Paper read at the St. Albans Diocesan Conference, 1881. By the Rev. JOHN W. IRVINE. (London.)

3. Chronicle of Convocation of Canterbury for the Sessions of February 1884 and May 1887. (London.)

4. Extension of the Diaconate. A Speech delivered in the Lower House of the Convocation of Canterbury, July 8, 1887. By the Rev. HENRY TWELLS, M.A. (London.)

THE 'revival' or 'restoration of the diaconate' has been for some years past an attractive watchword, and that on two intelligible grounds. It appeals to those who look back with reverence to antiquity, and desire, in the spirit of a great Anglican saint, the 'supply of what is lacking' in our conformity to primitive standards. It appeals, perhaps yet more forcibly, to those who are deeply sensible of the present need for extended spiritual ministrations, in order to meet the immense demand which is made upon the Church by the everincreasing growth of the population. Then, when persons are told that we have 'practically lost an order of Christian ministry,' and that if we could regain it, and set its forces at work, we should substantially provide for this demand, and so far be vindicating our Church's claims to keep a hold both on the past and on the present, to stand in the old paths and yet to be equal to any new emergencies, it is both right and natural that attention should be secured. But then comes the question-How? Forthwith many earnest speakers answer-By allowing men of zeal, piety, and sufficient theological knowledge to become deacons without looking onward to the presbyterate, and at the same time to be independent of official stipend through other sources of income-to speak plainly, by retaining their secular occupations. As far as we know, it was Dr. Arnold who first started this idea; and accordingly he was quoted by Mr. Irvine in 1881 as having written 'forty years ago

'The first step towards the restoration of the Church seems to be the revival of the order of deacons, which might be effected without any other change in our present system than the repeal of all laws, canons, or customs, which prohibit a deacon from following a secular calling, which confer upon him any civil exemptions, or subject him to any civil disqualifications. The Ordination service, with the subscription to the Articles, would remain perfectly unaltered; and, as no deacon can hold any benefice, it is manifest that the proposed measure would in no way interfere with the rights and duties of the order of presbyters or priests. . . . But the benefit would be enormous if we could have a large body of deacons, the ordained ministers of the Church, visiting the sick, managing charitable subscriptions, and sharing with the presbyters in those strictly clerical duties which now, in many cases, are far too much for the health and powers of the strongest. Yet a still greater advantage would be found in the link between the clergy and the laity by the revival of an order appertaining in a manner to both.'

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Mr. Irvine also refers to another expression of Dr. Arnold's mind on this point contained in a letter to the late Dean Stanley, dated February 27, 1839: 'It seems to me that a great point might be gained' (i.e. towards the restoration of the true idea of the Church) by urging the restoration of the order of deacons, which has been long, quoad the reality, dead.' And Dr. Arnold proceeded to say: In large towns many worthy men might be found to undertake the office out of pure love, if it were to be understood to be not necessarily a step to the presbyterial order, nor at all incompatible with lay callings.'1

Mr. Irvine also appeals to the authority of Archdeacon Hale, who for several successive years had brought his 'careful study to bear upon the subject.'

We need not dwell on the question how far it would be desirable to allow men, in certain circumstances, to receive 'deacon's orders,' as Nicholas Ferrar did, without any intention of proceeding to the presbyterate, but at the same time with the purpose of devoting themselves, as he did, to clerical duty. There would, indeed, be a certain degree of unreality, so far as such persons were concerned, in the concluding words of the prayer in the Ordination Service, beginning, 'Almighty God, Giver of all good things; for they, by supposition, would not expect nor ask to be 'called unto the higher ministries in the Church." A correspondent of the Guardian endeavoured to meet this difficulty by a suggestion that it existed as much for deacons who looked forward to the presbyterate, but had no expectation of attaining to 'mitre

1 Stanley's Life of Arnold, ii. 146.

and crosier.' Apparently it had not occurred to him that there was more than one form of ministration which belonged to priests and not to deacons. Of course, the clause in our collect is a rendering of the old words, 'dignisque successibus de inferiori gradu per gratiam tuam capere potiora mereantur.'' And it might be said that the received interpretation of 1 Tim. iii. 13 implies that the deacon ought to prepare himself for the presbyterate. This interpretation was apparently adopted by St. Chrysostom, and certainly by Hilary the Deacon, if he be the author of the commentaries once ascribed to St. Ambrose-Poterunt digni fieri sacerdotio.' But it is open to the objection that, if St. Paul had meant, 'they earn their promotion,' he could have expressed himself more clearly; and, for ourselves, we should rather take Balμòv Kaλòv to signify that 'excellent standing' or position in the eyes of the Church, which a good deacon would secure.2 Doubtless many of the ancient deacons, like many Eastern deacons at present, made the diaconate a lifelong calling; and if any thought it best to do so, they might be left to their own judgment. Nor would we say anything against that form of extension of the diaconate' which would confine itself to the case of persons willing to serve the Church in that order, dispensing with stipend on the ground of independent income. If any such persons, whether country gentlemen or retired professional men, should give evidence of a genuine vocation, and of a clear purpose to live as ordained men and not as laics, we do not see that any objection could be raised against their admission to the diaconate, on the understanding that they did not, at least at present, intend to ask for promotion to the priesthood. The only plan with which we are now concerned is that which has become associated substantially with the name of Mr. Sydney Gedge; the proposal that men who have already committed themselves to some reputable secular calling should, by due repeal of Canon lxxv.,3 and of any statute embodying a similar restriction, be allowed to become deacons and to retain their temporal employment. We will take up the story of this 'Arnoldian' scheme, as it may be called, from the February of 1884, when a reference

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1 Compare the Coptic formula, ' Ut dignus sit alterius gradus majoris isto.' Morinus, De Sacr. Ordin. ii. 444.

2 This view seems to be taken in the Greek Ordinal. See Goar, Eucholog. p. 250.

3 This canon, however, only restrains clergy from 'base or servile labour.' See Walcott's note in his edition of the Canons, p. 108. Compare a form of protestation framed by Parker and other bishops, Cardwell, Doc. Ann. i. 331.

was made to it in the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury. That House was considering the report of a committee upon the appointment of 'lay readers,' which had been directed to take up also the question of an enlargement of the diaconate.' The report of the committee, presented by the Bishop of Bangor as chairman, contained these words :

'Your Committee have carefully considered the various proposals for a permanent diaconate and for a subdiaconate; but they are not prepared to recommend the establishment of either of these.'

The Committee, as was evident from the Bishop of Bangor's speech in presenting the report, had definitely before them what we have called the Arnoldian proposal. They had held a conference with a committee of the York Convocation, a majority of whom were then in favour of allowing the persons in question, after being ordained deacons, 'to continue in the exercise of their secular profession' (e.g. as medical men or barristers), 'devoting to the service of God in His Church such time and energy as remained when the claims of that profession had been satisfied,' but without prejudice to their subsequently offering themselves for the priesthood, and therewith, as a matter of course, undertaking to devote themselves entirely to its duties. The debate turned chiefly on the subject of 'lay readers;' but on February 15 the Bishop of Winchester proposed the following resolution on the diaco

nate:

'This House is of opinion that, in view of the overwhelming need of increase in the number of the ministry, and the impossibility of providing sufficient endowments for the purpose, it is expedient to ordain to the office of deacon men possessing other means of living, who are willing to aid the clergy gratuitously, provided that they be tried and examined according to the preface to the Ordinal, and, in particular, be found to possess a competent knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, of the Book of Common Prayer, and of theology in general; provided also that they be in no case admitted to the priesthood unless they can pass all the examinations which are required in the case of other candidates for that office, and that they shall have devoted their whole time to spiritual labour for not less than four years, unless they are graduates, before they present themselves for these examinations.' The Bishop added that

'he should have liked to add another clause, but would not propose it, as he thought it would not meet with the same approbation as the resolution in the form in which he had moved it.'

That clause was

'If it should prove that the supply of ministers is still insufficient,

VOL. XXV.—NO. L.

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