The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-30 00:00:00

THE PRESS:

the spiritual question is intrinsically of
minor importance, but because a separa-
tion of Church and State, while destroying
the influence of the Church, would leave
her divisions where it found them. Parties
must exist within her pale whether she is
established or not. With this difference, that
at present their violence is controlled by other
considerations, while then they would break
forth with unbridled fury, and end, perhaps, in
the total dissolution of her temporal power.
Let us admit, for the sake of argument, that
her present position is a necessary evil ; and
very generally a necessary evil turns out to
be a practical good.
The way to avoid a separation is to avoid
extremes. LAUD gave power to the Puritans,
and SIMEON made way for the Puseyites.
The former overthrew the Church ; the latter
advocate theories which tend to the same
result. Many of them scarcely affect to hide
their scorn for an Establishment. Though in
justice to the gentleman from whom their
appellation is derived, we must express our
belief that he does not share in these senti-
ments. Some have adopted a still more
offensive line of policy ; and in order to
promote ecclesiastical intolerance have affected
political liberalism. This stroke of priestcraft
has been successfully adopted elsewhere ; but
to those u ho see through the mask it is as con-
temptible as immoral. It is the device of
little minds and loose principles. Between
ultra-sacerdotal theories and genuine demo-
cratic theories there can be no real sympathy.
Those who pretend to feel it must be traitors
to the one cause or the other. We care very
little which. But the course of events in
continental countries, no less than the nature
of the case itself, may guide us to a reasonable
conjecture.
On the other hand, nothing can be more
delusory than the expectation of the extreme
Evangelical party, that the recent appoint.
ments of Lord PALMERSTON will strengthen
their own principles. They are as certain to
create a reaction as the tide is certain to ebb.
And if the system is persevered in, it must
inevitably produce the very same results
which their -most uncompromising opponents
would rejoice to see accomplished. By
means of the present connection between
Church and State all religious parties are
afforded a wide field for the development of
their special views. But this concord is
owing to the limits imposed by the civil
power upon all sectional encroachments.
Should the State prove untrue to her trust,
and, in place of holding the balance fairly,
throw all her weight into one of the scales,
temporary triumph would be purchased by
the ultimate demolition of the whole fabric of
the Church, and the reduction of the Evan-
gelical party to the position of a petty sect.
Their conduct in the present crisis is just as
shortsighted and irrational as that of a man
who to widen a favourite apartment should
undermine the foundations of his house.

These are some of the reasons which render
so invaluable that ma media school of divines
to which Mr. DISRAELI al:uded in his late ad-
dress to his constituents. They it is who
represent the essential characteristics of the
English Church—the union of dogmatic
teaching with the •free exercise of private
judgment, and who, in Mr. DISRAELI'S own
words, uphold " a full and complete ecclesi-
" astical establishment on the basis of a true
" Protestant feeling, and wish to see our
" ecclesiastical polity maintained in its spirit
" and its truth." This class of men, by their
high character, their learning, and their
scholarship, have earned for the clergy of the
Established Church the rank they now occupy
in the estimation of the country; and by the
weight attached to their opinions, the natural
reward of sense and moderation, have con
tributed much to maintain the relations of
Church and State upon a wholesome footing,
and to make the British Hierarchy respected
through the whole of Christendom.
It is to this class that we now confidently
appeal for the support of Conservative prin-
ciples. That it supports them theoretically
is an admitted fact ; but that is not sufficient
It is now high time that the Conservative feel-
ing of the country should draw to a head,
and that lovers of the Church of England

SATURDAY,

should begin to choose their political side.
Minor differences must and will exist. But
the Tory party is that on which the Church
must rely in the hour of need. And whatever
be the conduct of the clergy, that great party,
true to its traditions, will faithfully respond to
her voice. But both will be in a much better
position to meet the assaults of their adver-
saries, if the old cordial union, which once pre-
vailed between them, uould be restored in its
integrity.
That it will be so, sooner or later, can be
doubted by no one who reflects on the identity
of their interests, and the common armoury
from which each must draw weapons of de-
fence. " Church and Queen" will at no dis-
tant day become the rallying cry of a great
party. In the meantime, we must deplore that
sAcerdotal ambition on the one hand, and
evangelical prejudice on the other, have done
so much to loosen the bonds of that alliance
which it was the pride of our forefathers to
maintain.

We trust that the two parties wa have
been addressing will now do their utmost
to repair this mischief. Their principles
are similar, and their sympathies the
same. They have historic traditions and
ineffaceable associations in common. Both
aim at a common result, and are both
threatened with common dangers. Disap-
pointed men have sought to sow dissensions
between them ; but if the Church act with
that moderation and common sense which has
hitherto distinguished her— looking to general
principles rather than particular occurrences—
judging by a long train of antecedents rather
than by transient phenomena, and preferring
the alliance of old and tried friends to the
treacherous professions of jesuitical Liberals,
or the interested efforts of Calvinist cabals—
all such attempts must only recoil upon their
authors, and England again witness a nume-
rous and united party devoted to the main-
tenance of the Constitution in Church and.
State.