The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

* s ms, flw > 1 ONTARIO -- LEGISLATURE, dearninesseag@mmememmen * a & ® Third Parliament--Third | Sesgion. w e _ _ + Lraismariv® Asssgusuy, Toronto, Jan. 11, 1878. The Speaker took the chair at three o'clock, PETITIONS. The following petitions were presonted :--= _ Mr. Bethune--Petition of David Fisher et al. pray> Ing that an Act may pass to authorize tacm to sell the property of the Port Whitby Harbour Company. Mr. Flesher--Petitions of the Township Council of Caledon, praying that an Act may pass to confirm a gurvey of said township. Mr. Deacon--Two petitions of the County Council of Renfrew, praying for certain amendments to the Municipal Institutions Act. PRAYERS IN THE HOUSE. Mr MOWAT moved ""That it it be an Order of the House that the business of each day shall com-- mence with prayers; that a Special Committee be appointed to consider and report upon a form ef prayer, and upon other arrangemerts in connection therewith ; such Committee to be composed of the Honourable _ Attorney--Gencral Mowat, and the HMonourable Messieurs Crooks, Fraser and Cameron, Messicurs Boulter, Ferris,Graham and Harkin." HMe eonsidered that it was a proper thing that an assem-- bly of this kind, composed of the representa-- tives of a Christian _ people, and of all classes, _ _ creeds, _ and _ nationalities, should acknowledge its dependence upon the King of Kings, and ask for the Divinc'guidance before enter-- ing upor its deliberations. -- There might be a ques-- tion amongst Christians as to the particular occa-- | sions on which public prayer should be offered, but there appearcd to be a gcoueral counsensus amongst | English----peaking people everywhere that one of the fitting occasions for united prayer was at the open-- ing of Parliamentary and Legislative bodies. _ They | all acknowledged :flcir dependence upon the God that made them, and if they were really anxious to do what good they eould in the places they occupied, and to fulfil the duties that were assigned to them, they imight consider themselves in the lan-- yuage _ of the Scriptures -- and . he _ spoke with all hwmility--co--workers with God Himself, HMe need not rcm{nd the House that in the old land the custom of offering prayers at the opening of both Mouses of Parliament had existed from time imime-- morial. 'The ancient method appeared to be for a form of prayer to be read by the Clerk of the House; sometimes also there was a prayer read by the Speaker. In the seventeenth century the practice scemed to have been introduced for the first time to have the prayers read by _ a@ Chaplain, and the same _ practice had _ been maintaincd since. 'The two Houses at Washington, as well as the State Logislatures in the United States, -- had adopted the same tule. _ The practice had prevailed in the old Council of Canada and in the Senate. It had lately been adopted by * the House of Commons at Ottawa, which fact had % suggested the motion he had laid before the House. It had also been the practice in the Assembly of Up-- per Canada till 1820, when, in consequence of the ex-- citement which then prevailed in reference to Church establishment, the rule was rescinded. -- 'The Licutenant--Governor had appointed a minister of the Church of England as chaplain to the House, and there was such hostility to the idea of an established Church in Canada that that proceeding was eupposed to be antagonistio to tho interests of the country. _ _ The -- Legislative -- Assembly conseqently reseinded its order, and no change had been made up tothe time of Confederation. in view of all the facts he had stated, hejasked the House to resume this old custom, He asked the House first to affirm the principle that their proceecdings should be opened with prayers, and then he proposed a Committee to consider the details, 'The form of prayer adopted by the House of Commons at Ottawa was probably the one most likely to be adopted, still there might be some modification of it required, By whom the prayers should be read would also be a matter for the consideration of the Committee. He thought thore would be a difficulty in having them read -- by a clergyman, and the Committee might consider whether they should be read y the Bpeaker or the Clerk. Mr. LAUDER, in seconding the motion of the At-- torney--General, said that «t the same time he did not think the proposition would be the most suitable thing for them to adopt. On the principle of asking the sanction and direction of the Divine Being over the deliborations of a body representing a Christian country there could be no doubt or difference of opinion. But in an Assembly like this, where there was considerable bitterness of feeling exhibited, he did not think very much practical good would result from the adoption of the proposition made, 1e was satisficd that both sides of the House were desirous to uphold and _ foster a Christian sentiment in this country. Personaily, he had pleasure in se-- conding the motion, but he saw difficultics in the ' way of carrying it out. | "The motion having been put, | Mr. CLARKE (Norfolk) thought the example set them by the Mouse of Commons at Ottawa was well | * worthy of being followed, and he should be glad to | give the motion his hearty support. He had long felt | that there should be a pwblic, as well as a private, recognition of the supervision of the Divine Being over their deliberations. Jf such were the case he believed their discussions would be characterized by far loss bitterness tha» they were usually. (iHear, hear.) He thought the man who conducted the ser-- vice, however, should be a God--fearing man--oune who _ did _ not _ swear _ in his _ common conversation--(hear, _ hear, and _ laughter)--and whose moral character was above suspicion. Other-- wise the whole proceeding would terminate in a farce. As a solemn service to Almighty God, it | should be conducted with due reverence, and not as | a mere matter of form. |