The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-12-17 00:00:00

VOLUNTARYISM on ABSOLUTE REATHEMISIL

Tio Usc Editor.

•
imam Dadra 001110 to judgment. Septimos Hobbs.
no Mathis of the philosopher I presume, otherwise •
striking inseams of Darwin's theory of oeleatico, foe '
the talent mug hue ran la some other breech of the
family. This gentleman ,nerved to deeds of heroic daring. ,
rasher to the rescue of his derloal breetren, and with
no gentle rapier, but with heavy bludgeon, fairly floors ,
the Nonoonfonnist minister who has even dared to one
his mouth Liter tiir Grade hie barked and, leaving his
antagonist wounded In the Z.rpress,oax;ies off his colours
with a majestic mien which greater heroes might well
ear,. Let us look at this gentleman, whose reasoning
I shall endeavour with the greatest poosible kludnees to
dissect, but who must Oct be surprised if we probe
ommionly to the quick, and finally abandon both him
and his toile a. of the least possible amorintlindeed of
no asseunt whatever in our present cooffiet. We
are pleased to make the ululate,* of our friend on
the oontroversial arem, and although we are sorry to
have no word of congratulation, yet we have one of
kindly advice which is to quit the arena se speedll7 as
paselble, rerpocially if he haa any regard to his reputation
and find his laurels in some more congenial 'sphere. The:
kindest word we unsay of his letter. without appearing
to be really cruel in our criticism is, that • more mis-
cellaneous ma m of bed reasoning, of ill-digested and
wares assorted informatics, width the slightest gloaming
In the Magary field might have enabled him to pith ap,
of glering and palled& mierspreamitations, sod of as
utter want of litmus to undeeetand his opponsot's Peel-
goo, I honestly darns I have never read- whit* allege
time, moreover, I shall try In the briefest possible
spree, although our writer's useations will necessitate
somewhat extended remark, to make good. Lot are ask
your readers to *onside, after what manner &Omits
Hobbs attempts to dispose of my arguments for
Voluntaryism; and first as rupee, the Free Church of
Scotland. Now In the outset without making unduly
to laud that church, I will say that no Me, however
strove his prejudges, Is favour of Church Iforeablish-
meats, with the slightest pretension to any knowledge
of what that °hutch has achieved, but must speak of
It Is terms, if nut of admiration, at least of profeuad
respect. And when It is remembered how its nthraffere
quitted the Establishment, so unlike the dery of the
Free Ephoopel Church of Ireland, heavier everything;
nonino:theco—Charebes, Menses, Glebes, Sotto*. and
Endowments, and in the course of • surprielagly brief
period covering the whole ountry, highland and low-
land, with the agencies of Christian work, and daring
her history has raised by pure voluntary effort, millions
of money foe the emu of God, It will not surprise your
readers that snob • church should have won for itself
the admiration of the civilised world, even if we should
have to omit the names of Kr. Hobbs sod his Priebe-
torten satellite. And what is the reply which this
paganism makes to these feats? Would it he credited
that he attempt' to, and fancies he has eseanded in
extioguishing my argument derived from Sedge\
Voluntaryism by relating a pieas, of religious bigotry
and intolerance of • Presbyterian minister, who was
(hristie& enough to remark when puede:rood after the
welfare of andher, that the "Jove have no dealings
with the Samaritans?" Would not the geraileman who
would Tontine to use each an argument la any Intelligent
assembly *over himself with derisive laughter sod moral
Your readers will deem me fez too sensible of what is
becoming to myself and to them to oondeseend even as
much se to orthe • reply. Bat ss • Bcotehman I beg to
assure your readers that no Impreedon weld be more
fade than to sties that the varies= Christian cam-
muoities in Soot de not cherish • large masers of
and frieadalp for each other. There is •
.eidty and friendship (I wish It were greater)
between those churches, for which Sootohmen,wheo they
cram the border,sigh In vain, and one great end which we
hope to we effected *ey diseetablistment will be the
union of all good men who as things ire now are
hopelessly 'operated from each other.
Not lens peeposterou and ridiculous are his statements
as respect= the politisal and religions life of Amulet',
the evils and abuse of which he coolly ascribes to the
existence of volantarylana and the sheen, of • stale
church, the very evils be reminds us which exist In
"outages of absolute heathenism; leaving it to be
Inferred that In suds 000ditiou is Angeles herself.
Now your reedier" will readily believe me when I say
that I feel it eseeedingly diffieult Wally and seriously
to entertain such statements or offer any reply to
them, the most fitting one being that of oantemptuous
silence. But let me uir where this Syncline Hob,
gets his infortnatioe that he speaks with =oh Madge
and in snob an unjustifiable manner of the great
American people, and wonders that I didn't blush
to mention voluntaryism in connection with them. Has
he lived amid American Institutions? Hes he ignited
American If. either on It. political or religions side?
I. he in anyway, unless through the loose talk of ill bred
and worse informed Englishmen, acquainted with the
great religions and philanthrodo institutions of that
country which are the edmirstion of English
travellers, and which are to be found even in that
degraded sod polluted oily of New York in which
Mr. Hobbs finds his strongest argument in favour
of a state church as agaiost voluntaryism? It is
possible that our reverend friend under my questions ,
may farces badly al • oertscn Sootoh Satin that I have 1
I heard of who was somewhat roughly hurtled by
• student of the Scotch church It was the habit of ,
the tailor to visit the WHIM) on Saturday night for the
purpose ot quertioning the ondente as to showrooms,*
of their theology. One of the fraternity daring of
the exploit" of the tailor was determined to finish up
the business with him. Aooordingly when the tailor
paid his usual visit to the manse and began his clues•
gone, our waggish friend enquired to 'now the gentle-
man he had to deal with and his fitness to discuss such
questions with hlni,and had a reply tattle emit that be
had te deal with the most intelligent man babe parish.
"Very well", said the student, Can yea toll me how
many entitles it requires to snakes personal identity?
"I doe's know the gentleman," "answered the tailor."
Well, can you define such and such an angle, to which
question the tailor was as obtuse as the eagle itself.
" Dear me," said the stadent," what • tinning ignoranee
yours is. What do you know' Let me pet • question
about your own buskins ;" which mimed to off, •
prospect of relief at last. "In the Apoulypee," said the
student, " we read of an angel with one foot on sea, and
another on solid laud, how much cloth would it require
to make a par of brooks (tremors) for him r Noel
am far from supposing that my questions on American
111. are as likely to durablimader Mr. Hobbs, who I
have no doubt is really the most intelligent man of his
parish, as the student dumbloundered the tailor, still I
think be will have some dielesity in answering them to
satisfy your readers as by the validity of his argonaut for
State Churches, and while he is preparing his answers,
lot me give your readers a little information no these
questions derived from • very competent and reliable
authority in the person of Dr. Mathis, the joint editor of
the Sunday ilagesiss, who spent time months in the
United ritgas,for the plywood studying its religious and
other institutlous, on the casossion of his being deputed
by the Assembly of the Free Church of &ottani to visit
Asir heathen lovieren, oottetitating the Presbyterian'
Churches of America, and who eornmoolosted his int.
preesions of American religious life in • series of very
able papers, to +doh I refer your readers for fuller
Information on the subject, and whist% appeared In the
Sunday Mope:ins for the years 1870 and 187 L Let me
quote one senteme which I am sure finds an echo la
every British heart (if not In Mr. Hobbs's) and to which
elcopent expression was glson but the other day by
the Prime Minister at a public heaviest, whoa he
spoke of the happy termination of our difficulties with
America, and of the happy Issues for the whole world,
In the interests of religion and civilization, whir=
must attend the mutual understanding and oe-
operation of these two great =entries in all that
go to oonatituto the himangs of humanity. There
Is a noble and truly English ring In these words
as compared with the paltry and unworthy insinuations
of your correspondent who knows as mash evidently of
Asterism life as on. of Mr. Derwln's relatives, and
whose spirit if it were, which happily it is not, general
in this country, would effectually provost that cordial
hello' and good will between the two nations upeu
which the hest =threes of the civilised world depend.
But now let me give my violation from Dr. Walk*—
" For the highest welfare of the world (says he) few
things seem to no more essential at the present time
this a sordid understanding (which happily at last
has hem effected) and friendly co-operation between
Great Britain sad &nudes. Were t6se two Dations
to be 'et by the ears, and to direct their unrivalled
energies to mutual destruction, it is little to say that
the world would be thrown beak • motor* in Meiling,'
and Christian progress. If in God's good providence, the
friendship not oat, csontiaus bat grows between them
and they devote their energies with increming vigour
to the noble end of spreading over the world the
highest blessings which God hes given to won—what
glorious employment to themselves, what • happy
result for the world I The more that one's *out bermes
expanded (sae may hope that after these words, Mr.
Hobbs will begin the protease) with the bright Tidos,
the more distressing is the thought that any easpidoos
or jealousies should lurk in the bosom of either people,
as if we were not really well wisher§ and did not Is
our hearts desire to be friends I believe that on the
part of the greet mare of the Christian people of Groat
Britain, there is not only no sold feeling to the United
States., but the warmest regard.' Sash testimony is
true, and the paltry and unworthy insimatio, of Mr.
Hobbs, in which by prorate the worst side of American
life without spothing one generous word of It. noble
eltristan enterprises which go head Is hand in Ism
favoured lands with our oen ; which is about as reason-
able to tell us what London la by plowing its many
morel and political sores without speaks a word of
man
_y ehristian and other agencies are unworthy
of an Engliahman and quite sure I arn there are few
Englishmen capable of them. What I ask Is the
diarsoter of our own political life or religious UN either
Nur we should speak in such terms of America?
And Is it not a fact, that thou who have done most t
degrade political life in America have gone
own shore, and until lately driven from them, by unjust
=eoliths°, which while it lusted was an utter &weeo
to us in the gym of the civilised world and of all right
thinking "gammen ? And yet this Mr. Hobbs thalt
that since the dierstaldishment of the Irish Church, tire
nation has Wm degraded la the the eyes of the world;
divided for aetlag justly forsooth But to lay
teething of the political sorraption of some of our own
didnathised oonstituendes, god the heatheniath and
bacchanalia= somas of our former elestirms, whiala
happily me now ended, I etyma to the loss of
Enil greatness i• the estimation of Mr. Hobbs-
still
he fan muds himself with the union of the
pablieens stud clergy which has lately bolo effected and
which is likely to prom advantageous to both *ties;
to th e rested Interests of the one in drunkard., Sid
the vested interests of the other la the oure of
souls; and which I. destined to Pie/ en Important Part
at our neat election; to say nothing of each political
aorruptioo, what has Mr. Hobbs to say of the political
eorruptioo of his beloved institution the Established
Murata Does be not know that no. President of
America, avast pre/eased the nepotism which is
putted in that church? Is it not also true that livings
are mid and bartered in that thank as goods and chattels
of ordinary Inersimedies : that oar aristocratic families
have the aura to fall bask apes to lad =comes few
their yotiager and otherwise lamaishig "ms; is it
not true that at this nomad oat of 1076 lithe. there