The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-25 00:00:00

MIIITANNIA

TIM hUI,O, BILLIGNOTGN, THE GENTLEMAN PICK-
POCKET.—Arean Haman and Madman I. EMIL —,lnging by
Mears. H. Sydney, J. Ogden, C. Woodman, and J. Plumptou.
And THE CORdICAN BROTHlClE.—Oanueenee

Tan Ems% lIIAZEPPA;76I; which SCENE IN THE
CIRCLE bidlie. llatiottl.—To cowhide with • comic BALLET
In which the Mimes Owludas will appear. —Commence M 7.

HIGli MATIIII AT LONDON bIIDEM.
TRIP DAY Mmmins. fh- Om.....AMeromm, Oh. Urn.
Taitoasor—llondag, 20. 60m.

LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 25.

Sr. BAZTHOLCIIIM'S Day two hundred years
ago marked an important crisis in the history, and
especially the religious history of England, and the
bicentenary of the day has been celebrated in a
characteristically English manner. On the 24th
of August, 1662, the day on which the Act of
Uniformity came into operation, two thousand
clergymen voluntarily abandoned their livings
rather than stain their consciences by compliance
with its designedly severe conditions. The day
falls this year, aa it did two hundred years ago, on
a Sunday, and the Nonconformists throughout the
country accordingly determined that, in connexion
with other forms of celebration,their services yester-
day should have • special bearing on this great
and critical event in their history. From their
various pulpits the Protestant Dissenters of the
kingdom were yesterday reminded of the sufferings
and patience of these early confessors, and exhorted
to admire and imitate their unfaltering fidelity to
conscience, and supreme devotion to what they
held to be the truth. It is not only avery natural,
but, as we have said, a thoroughly English pro-
ceeding, for those who are historically connected
with these expelled ministers to commemorate in
their own way the completed centuries of their eject-
ment. Our whole national life, social, political,
and religious, has an historical basis, and amidst
the eager conflicts of the present, every sect and
party is more or less influenced by the example and
authority of the past. In the discussion of public
questions the unfettered exercise of reason is com-
bined with an enlightened respect for experience,
the connexion being carefully traced between new
principles or what appear to be so, and those
which have been already accepted as rules of action.
This historical element,this living hold on the past, is
a moral force of enormous power, and it is not
surprising, therefore, that every party in turn should
seize on the opportunities most favourable for
turning it to full account.
The two hundredth anniversary of an event so
important in itself and in its results as the eject-
ment of these two thousand ministers could hardly
be passed over in silence. Such a noble instance
of self-denying sincerity deserves commemoration.
The more liberal opponents of the ejected ministers
accorded for their conduct at the time " the
" price which is due to heroic virtue in an enemy,"
and their act is, in its motives at least, one on
which Englishmen at large may look back with
legitimate pride. But the consequences of the
event have invested it with peculiar value and
importance. These results have been of the most
various, extensive, and permanent kind. The Act
of Uniformity was, indeed, passed in • moment of
violent reaction, and its more vexatious and op-
pressive provisions breathed the violent passions
and vindictive spirit of the hour. It was a measure
of severe retaliation, but its momentary success,
under all the circumstances of the case, can hardly
excite surprise. It was violent and tyrannical,
And avowedly directed against the Presbyterian
party in the Church. But it was passed at a time
when the principles of toleration were very imper-
fectly understood, when the practice of it was
almost unknown, and by • victorious party in the
flush of sudden and overwhelming success. Unfor-
tunately, however, this sweeping measure survived
the passions of the hour, and was permanent in its
effects, and those effects have been quite as
injurious to the victors as to the vanquished.
The blow dealt by the triumphant Church in the
moment of victory, while telling at once with full
effect on the enemy, recoiled in the end with even
greater force on herself. In driving out a large
body of able and conscientious divines the extreme
party divided the religions life of England.
By that fatal act they exaggerated the differences
between themselves and their opponents, ex-
cluded all hope of compromise or recon-
ciliation, created a large body of high-minded
Nonconformists, and threw them wholly on the
people for support. What was the result?
Being thus thrown on the people, the I
ejected ministers voluntarily adopted the Con-
gregational form of Church government. Up
to this time great numbers of them had no rooted
objection to Episcopacy. No special form of go-
vernment was of Divine authority in their eyes,
the machinery of the Church being regarded
as • question of fitness to time and place, and
the adaptation of means to ends. Hence-
forth, however, in the eyes of • large sec-
tion of Englishmen Episcopacy was identi-
fied with tyranny and oppression, and a rival
form of Church government began to pre-
vail. The same effect was produced in relation to
the voluntary principle. The ejected clergy were
not opposed to a connexion with the State so long
as it was not incompatible with their Christian
integrity and spiritual freedom. By this act of
violence that expelled them they were, how-
ever, led to rely wholly on the voluntary
principle, and the result has proved fatal to
the exclusive pretensions which inspired the
Act of Uniformity. Since that measure was
passed the new principle it quickened into life
has won its way amongst the people, covered the
land with places of worship, and produced • body
of ministers of various denomination& almost equal
in numbers and superior in circumstances to the