DOING PENANCE IN CHURCH.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 648, 29 September 1882, Page 2

DOING PENANCE IN CHURCH.

On Sn diy evening a man named Llewellyn llartree did penance at A I S dots' Church, East Clevedon, Somersetshire, for seduction of a servant girl. Tne chur-ah w,.s crowded. Atter the evening prayer, as the vicar was about to enter the pulpit, ho requested the to remain seated. Hy then said;—" We are about to deal with a matter of a most ancient character—a cane of Church discipline. It is a very common reproich to us En-g!i-h Churchmen that we are the only body of Christians in the world amongst, whom holy discipline is dead. Among tiro Catholics or in the Eastern Church, the Presbytoriar.a of Scotland or the English

m.-Hint era, I know not any body of Christ iaiis where salutary discipline is dea-.i except the Oiiu:;.'h of England. I as (irmly as anyone in this church feel it would be a perfectly intolerable evil for a parish priest, at his own discretion, to call before him in the church any notorious offender for public rebuke, ; r.t it heeom -s very dilferent when he is acting with the consent of tho churchwardens, cotigregitiou, anp parishioners. Tbe oli'ender wid now come into the church to ask forgiveness of his fellow-men, the one he has wronged, and Almighty God.'-—The churchwarden then brought the m.v.i into the church. On reaching (lie chancel steps the vicar motioned the man to kneel. This he did, arid the senior churchwarden then handed the vicar a paper, when he said to tho nun, "Do you acknowledge this lo be your handwritin" ':'" lie, in a low voice, s.dd, " Ye<,"

The dec' -ration was then read, as follows

—"I, L-<".'.'e!leu Hariree, do acknowledge to be gum.y of ihe most grevious sin. for which I do hereby ask tne forgiveuct'; '-f

my fellow-men, and of the woman I have wronged, and of the Aimiglity God. In proof of my repentance, f promise to cany out the penance laid upon m.; in t.bo • .whence of this congregation.'' The vicar then

said—"The penance laid upon yon is, that you go to the assise court at Weils, when it 5!...il nest bo held, aud take your place, where I shall set you beside the prisoner at the bar. Will you accept that penance ?" Tho man answered " Yes." Turning to tho congregation the vicar said, l> I am going to ask you ail a question. Seeing that this man has humbled himself in tiie House of God, and provided he fulfils his promise, will y>u forgive him ? If so, answer, l l will.' " The congregation replied, " I will." I'lie vicar continued, " One thing more. Will you all, so farasopportunitymay permit, so help this man towards living a better life, and shield him from reproach

in this matter? If so, answer, ' I will."' The congregation replied, "I will." The vicar then, turning to tlie young man, pronounced these wolds. " God be with thee, my son, and give thee the peace of true repentance to live a belter life from this time henceforth. Amen.'' The vicar afterwards ascended the pu:pit and preached a sermon from the 21st verse of the 18th chapter of St. Matthew. " H'»v oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him '?"—At the Somerset Assizes on Wednesday, Helen Hill was indicted for manslaughter of her child at Glevedon, ;dso for concealment of birth. This was the girl, whose sweetheart, the father of the child, did penan c in Clevedon Church list Sunday, and promised to sit near tho accused at trid. The grand jury threw out tlie bill i'or manslaughter, aud the prisoner, pleading guilty to the charge of concealment of birth, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment without hard labour. — Weekly Times, August 6.