The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-23 00:00:00

both their intellectual attainments and the:
high character, were reckoned, and deservedly
so, amongst the highest ornaments of our
Church. Hence it is impossible to deny that
unfaithfulness to the Church of' England, a per-
version of the moral sense, leading to final apos.
tasy, are the not uncommon—we have a right to
conclude that they are the legitimate—fruits of
the system which we have ventured briefly to
delineate in its most prominent features.
Neither is it unjust or uncharitable to say that
those who have set that system on foot, and con.
tinue to keep it up, have much, very much, to an-
swer for. Having regard to the clerical perverts
alone, and to the numbers of the laity, both men
and women, :who have followed them into the
Romish Communion, they have doubtless in-
curred a most grave responsibility. But, un-
happily for the Church, and for the cause of re-
ligion, their responsibility does not end here.
As human nature is constituted, error and evil
are propagated, not only by imitation, but by
contrariety. One wrong begets another of an
opposite kind ; one extreme provokes another.
In proof of this part of the charge which we
have to bring against the originators and fosterers
of the Romanizing movement, we appeal confi-
dently to the proceedings which took place on
Monday last at St. James's-hall, and to other
similar proceedings which have taken place, or
are announced to take place, elsewhere. It is
the fashion of the Romanizers to point to the
gross ignorance, and the still grosser irreverence,
of such gatherings, to the exaggerations and
falsehoods which too often constitute the staple
of the speeches addressed to them, and to ask
triumphantly whether it is by such means that
the holy cause of truth and religion is to be
upheld. The sneer may be well deserved as re-
gards those at whom it is levelled, but it is not
the less true that the heavier share of the respon-
sibility for all these scandals lies at the door of
those who, knowing, or pretending to know,
better, provoke them by their own wilful, dis-
honest, and, albeit under a great show of reve-
rence, essentially irreverent treatment of the most
hallowed subjects, and the most sacred obliga-
tions.

It is very shocking, no doubt, to witness
such a mass of ignorant and vulgar declamation
on religious topics, as resounded on the occasion
referred to, amidst mingled laughter and cheers,
groans and hisses, within the walls of St.
James's-hall. It says little for the good sense or
the good faith of one of the principal speakers
and conveners of the meeting, that he talked
about" the impurities and bestiality of the con-
" fessional," in a style calculated to impress his
hearers and the public at large with the notion
that religiously trained and virtuous women are
subjected by the clergy of the Tractarian school
to the abominations of auricular confession for
which Romish priests derive their instructions
from the moral theology of PETER DENS. More
disgusting still it is to hear another of these
would-be leaders of the religious mind of Eng-
land talk of " chaste women entering those re-
" ceptacles of vice, the confessionals, and coming
" out polluted," because they must there " hold
" criminal conversation with men," and bring
their souls into captivity to "bad-minded priests"
to such an extent that " its equal is only to be
" found in the power of the devil himself." On
behalf of the clergy whose foolish conduct has
provoked these " railing accusations," we hesitate
not to give to charges and insinuations such as
these an indignant denial. There is not a
tittle of evidence to support them. All the
evidence that has as yet seen the light of day,
looks the contrary way. The moral character of
the clergy who have committed themselves by
toying with auricular confession stands unim-
peached. The only witnesses that have de-
posed, or are said to have deposed, to questions of
an impure tendency, are confessedly women of
the most abandoned character, on whose veracity
no reliance can be placed, and whose evidence. is
impugned by credible witnesses,
and in e
stances self-contradicted. Does any man in his
senses believe that if such men as Mr. boas
soni
BEAL, Mr. CHARLES SIBLEY, or their leader Mr.
IVEsTEirrom, and that noisy and unscrupulous
"accuser of the brethren," the Hon. and Rev.
Mr. BARING, had any reliable evidence to sub-
stantiate in a single instance one tithe of the
charges brought wholesale against the Tractarian
clergy at the St. James's-hall gehervig, they

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1018 THE PRESS, OCTOBER 23, 1858.
•ed estates, as to their market value, was " has its local limits ; it is not capable of exten- both their intellectual attainments and their
wither just to the latter, nor consistent " sion. Commerce is co-extensive with the wide high character, were reckoned, and deservedly
'id public policy; and the result has " world. Land has its system of tenancies, its so, amongst the highest ornaments of our
institution, by the recent Act of the " various easements, its subordinate estates and Church. Hence it is impossible to deny that
'neral for Ireland, of the Landed " interests, its encumbrances and charges, its unfaithfulness to the Church of England, a per.
—a Court is which every owner of " local duties which accompany its acquired version of the moral sense, leading to final apos.
' may have his title certified and " rights. Its code of laws is more or less incor- tasy, are the not uncommon—we have a right to
'e. The practical working of porated with the delicate arrangements of conclude that they are the legitimate—fruits of
*he code of procedure already " family life. Is there any subject which ought the system which we have ventured briefly to
' in the opinion of the Noble "to be touched with a more cautious hand ?" delineate in its most prominent features.
Neither is it unjust or uncharitable to say that
rnish a satisfactory solution Such is the question asked by Lord Chancellor
those who have set that tem foot ,and co
n•
acornqueston NAPIER. Lord nn
RUSSELL'S question is,
tinue to keep it up, have sYsmuch, veryon much,' to ann."
of land, h plete " Why should not an old society be freed from
saver for. Having regard to the clerical perverts
without disturlns&i the " the complications of our law of real property ?"
alone, and to the numbers of the laity, both men
,erty." Let the public judge which of the two questions
and women, :who have followed them into the
911Chldinfr words of is the more pertinent, the more statesmanlike.
servations on the We remarked on Saturday last on the indirect Romish Communion, they have doubtless in.
indeniably great advantages likely to spring from these quasi- curred a most grave responsibility. But, un-
-operty, because scientific associations. The little episode in the happily for the Church, and for the cause of re-
' the difference proceedings of the " Social Science Congress" ligion, their responsibility does not end here.
'ool to which which was going forward at Liverpool while our As human nature is constituted, error and evil
and Law readers were conning our remarks, goes a great are propagated, not only by imitation, but by
ord JOHN way to confirm the view which we then took. contrariety. One wrong begets another of an
• former, Meeting with such opposite views on the floor opposite kind ; one extreme provokes another.
settled of the House of Commons, NAPIER and RUSSELL In proof of this part of the charge which we
that would have been engaged in a Parliamentary have to bring against the originators and fosterers
pest duello of the fiercest character. How pleasantly, of the Romanizing movement, we appeal conti-
,st on the contrary, all went off at Liverpool. There, dently to the proceedings which took place on
instead of firing away at each other, both fire Monday last at St. James's-hall, and to other
at the social science of real property, put up in similar proceedings which have taken place, or
the shape of a target at a convenient distance. are announced to take place, elsewhere. It is
%lien everybody has had his shot, both marks- the fashion of the Romanizers to point to the
si and spectators run up to the target to see gross ignorance, and the still grosser irreverence,
the shots have told. NApIER'S, it appears, of such gatherings, to the exaggerations and
'it "the bull's-eye," while RUSSELL'S has falsehoods which too often constitute the staple
vide—we are afraid to suggest how of the speeches addressed to them, and to ask
the mark. And if Lord Chancellor triumphantly whether it is by such means that
-serves great credit for the skilfulness of the holy cause of truth and religion is to be
litigated amount of credit is assuredly upheld. The sneer may be well deserved as re-
JOHN RUSSELL for the good nature gards those at whom it is levelled, but it is not
has, in the present instance, acted the less true that the heavier share of the respon-
ting out with his own finger the sibility for all these scandals lies at the door of
rival's bullet. those who, knowing, or pretending to know,
better, provoke them by their own wilful, dis-
honest, and, albeit under a great show of reve-
rence, essentially irreverent treatment of the most
they to answer for who hallowed subjects, and the most sacred obliga-
f many palpable proofs tions.
persist in fostering, It is very shocking, no doubt, to witness
'
such a mass of ignorant and vulgar declamation
n our Church. To on religious topics, as resounded on the occasion
college, a notion referred to, amidst mingled laughter and cheers,
humbly in their groans and hisses, within the walls of St.
ething of the
James's-hall. It says little for the good sense or
the good faith of one of the principal speakers
•, and have and conveners of the meeting, that he talked
heart, to about " the impurities and bestiality of the con-
'ibject of " fessional," in a style calculated to impress his
d re-
hearers and the public at large with the notion
her
•
that religiously trained and virtuous women are
subjected by the clergy of the Tractarian school
'ay to the abominations of auricular confession for
- which Romish priests derive their instructions
from the moral theology of PETER DENS. More
disgusting still it is to hear another of these
'ould-be leaders of the religious mind of Eng-
'd talk of " chaste women entering those re-
ntacles of vice, the confessionals, and coming
polluted," because they must there " hold
nal conversation with men," and bring
'ls into captivity to "bad-minded priests
extent that its equal is only to be
*he power of the devil himself" On
• clergy whose foolish conduct has
• " railing accusations," we hesitate
barges and insinuations such as
'ant denial. There is not a
to support them. All the
yet
-nnmitted themselves by
onfession stands unim-
.Tseehenm theora llight of
nesses that have de-
posed, to questions of
nfessedlv women of
on whose veracity
characterd s
of
v
hose evidence is
nd in some in-
./ man in his
Mr. JA3"s
leader Mr.
Tupulous
d Rev-
sub-
the