The British Magazine

useful to state the facts as correctly as we believe it is possible to ascertain them.

The Bishop of London considered the letter of Mr. Oakeley to the ViceChancellor of Oxford as one that was deserving of grave notice, and the question of revoking the rev. gentleman's licence for Margaret Chapel was no doubt under consideration. But the licence never was revoked, nor was Mr. Oakeley ever suspended in any technical sense; though he did, by a voluntary arrangement with the bishop, abstain from officiating for five days. In the meantime, the bishop, with the kind view of avoiding an extreme exercise of authority, suggested to Mr. Oakeley the resignation of his licence. To this request no answer was formally returned.

In the further consideration of the subject it was found to be full of difficulties on the one hand, the opinion of an eminent civilian suggested great doubts, to which the Bishop of London allowed their due weight; then, though a revocation of the licence would have displaced Mr. Oakeley from Margaret Chapel, that gentleman holds a prebendal stall at Lichfield, from which he cannot be removed except by process in the ecclesiastical court; and as the case against Mr. Oakeley was not one of immorality, the bishop naturally felt reluctant to adopt summary proceedings against him. On the other hand, representations strongly in favour of the rev. gentleman's ministerial conduct and teaching were made by competent persons, including some of high station and still higher character. An address, of which we subjoin a copy, was submitted to the bishop, signed by all the regular attendants at the chapel. Many other representations were made of the incalculable mischief that would result from the breaking up of the congregation, in consequence of a procedure against a clergyman of Catholic opinions. Among these ill effects would not improbably have been that of an immediate counter-movement against Mr. Baptist Noel and others; and this was felt, we believe, by Mr. Noel's friends, who had tried to agitate against Mr. Oakeley, but were thus induced to forego the attempt.

Under these various vews of the case the Bishop of London determined not to suspend Mr. Oakeley, but with a proviso that the circumstances might still be the subject of legal consideration-though that, we believe, is not likely, on account of the great probability that the decision of the ecclesiastical courts would not sustain such proceedings as might be instituted against Mr. Oakeley

ADDRESS TO THE BISHOP OF LONDON FROM THE CONGREGATION OF

MARGARET CHAPEL.

My Lord,-We, the undersigned, being persons frequenting the services at Margaret Chapel, having been informed that your lordship has suggested to the Rev. Mr. Oakeley that he should resign his licence and retire from the ministry of the chapel, beg leave, with great respect, to make the following representations :

That Mr. Oakeley has for some years had the charge of the chapel, and during that period, partly by the mode of conducting the services, partly by the uncontroversial and practical tone of his teaching, and partly by his kindness and sympathy towards those who have had recourse to him for advice, has collected around him a body of persons, of various grades of opinion, who all hold him in high estimation.

That many persons have found, in the constant services of the chapel, oppor tunities of retreat from the hurry and anxiety of business; others, occasions of retirement in seasons of distress; and we have reason to believe that many others, whose minds have been in a perplexed and unsettled state, have been quieted and held in their present position, by Mr. Oakeley's counsel and encouragement in private.

That in our attendance on the service at Margaret Chapel we have never heard any doctrines inculcated which we have any reason to believe your lordship would have disapproved, and that we thoroughly believe that the influence exercised by Mr. Oakeley over the members of his congregation, and which in many cases is confessedly great, has always been exercised for good, and in restraining from extreme conclusions, when there might be any tendency to such a result.

That we are apprehensive that the retirement of Mr. Oakeley from Margaret Chapel will have a very injurious effect upon the minds of very many who now look to him for sympathy and support; and that it will, in many cases, produce the utmost distress and perplexity; and that, in so far as it may tend to the discontinuance of the chapel services in their present state, it will be a serious privation to us all.

ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND.

Patronage of New Districts under Sir Robert Peel's Church Endowment Act, 6 & 7 Victoria, cap. 37.

By the 20th section of the above act, the right of patronage of any district or new parish constituted thereunder, and the nomination of the minister or perpetual curate, either in perpetuity or for one or more nomination or nominations, may be assigned to any ecclesiastical corporation, aggregate or sole, or to either of the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, or Durham, or to any college therein respectively, or to any person or persons, or the nominee or nominees of such person or persons or body respectively, upon condition of such corporation, university, college, person or persons, contributing to the permanent endowment of such minister or perpetual curate, or towards providing a church or chapel for the use of the inhabitants of such district or new parish, in such proportion and in such manner as shall be approved by the ecclesiastical commissioners for England and the Queen in Council.

Several districts, for the assignment of the patronage of which no proposals have yet been made to the commissioners, have been approved generally by the board, subject to the further preliminary proceedings required by the act; and are intended to be shortly constituted.

Any parties desirous of obtaining the whole or any portion of the patronage of any one or more of the proposed districts, in accordance with the act, are requested to make an early communication to the commissioners.

Note. Although no fixed general rules have been laid down respecting the conditions upon which patronage shall be assigned, no less consideration has been accepted for the whole patronage in perpetuity, than the providing of a church, with adequate accommodation, and a sufficient repairing fund, and the securing of 50l. a-year towards endowment, the remainder being supplied out of the monies at the disposal of the commissioners.

Portions of the patronage have been assigned for considerations of less amount, varying according to circumstances.

ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND.

AN account of the patronage of new districts under Sir R. Peel's Church Endowment Act, 6 and 7 Victoria, cap. 37, has appeared.

By the twentieth section of the above act, the right of patronage of any district or new parish constituted thereunder, and the nomination of the minister or perpetual curate, either in perpetuity or for one or more nomina

tion or nominations, may be assigned to any ecclesiastical corporation aggregate or sole, or to either of the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, or Durham, or to any college therein respectively, or to any person or persons, or the nominee or nominees of such person or persons or body respectively, upon condition of such corporation, university, college, person or persons, contributing to the permanent endowment of such minister or perpetual curate, or towards providing a church or chapel for the use of the inhabitants of such district or new parish, in such proportion and in such manner as shall be approved by the ecclesiastical commissioners for England and the Queen in Council.

The districts named in the following list, for the assignment of the patronage of which no proposals have yet been made to the commissioners, have been approved generally by the board, ard subject to the further preliminary proceedings required by the act, and are intended to be shortly constituted.

Any parties desirous of obtaining the whole or any portion of the patronage of any one or more of these projected districts, in accordance with the act, are requested to make an early communication to the commissioners.

Although no fixed general rules have been laid down respecting the conditions upon which patronage shall be assigned, no less consideration has been accepted for the whole patronage in perpetuity than the providing of a church, with adequate accommodation and a sufficient repairing fund, and the securing of £50 a-year towards the endowment, the remainder being supplied out of the monies at the disposal of the commissioners.

Portions of the patronage have been assigned for considerations of less amount, varying according to circumstances.