The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-11 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON MIMI.

Tins DAY —Morning, 24m ''.AitZrOol;i: 3h. 3031.
TO4IOIDOW-11Lorning, 311. 5.5 m Atitarnoon. 4 Ua.

LONDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11.

THOSE who as often as Convocation meets com-
plain of the encroachment of ecclesiastical discus-
sion upon the columns of newspapers will not re-
gard Church Congresses with more favour. In
truth, however, these meetings are necessities of
the times. The criticism to which every ecclesias-
tical ordinance and institution is now subjected

is compelling stricter inquiry into their grounds,
while the circumstances of modern society, and
especially the accumulation of increasing propor-
tions of the population in large towns, call for the
greatest wisdom in adapting the means
and instrumentalities of religion to their wants.

11
Nevertheless ."2:722. ;
77:"..7.
thinking that the greatest impulse has been given
to these meetings by the feeling that a change is
gradually and surely taking place in the relations
of the Church to the State, which makes it more
than ever necessary that the former should arouse,
gather up, and organize all its latent energies in
order to establish its title to public confidence and
support on the sure basis of public usefulness. It
can hardly be doubted that in this respect these
meetings are calculated to be useful. They bring
men together, both clergy and laity, whose views
have been formed in very different circumstances,
and who are engaged all the year round in the
work of the Church under very different con-
ditions ; they bring theories to the test of prac-
tical life, and give a vivid reality to many an
important consideration which, long admitted, has
never been more than dimly apprehended. The
York Congress was favoured with the attendance
of the two English Archbishops, and it is satis-
factory to notice in both the sermon of Dr.
LONOLEY and the address of Dr. THOMSON
a healthier and manlier tone held with
respect to the religious difficulties of our
times, grave as they undoubtedly are, than is
sometimes found in the deliverances of our
prelates. The subjects for discussion appear to
have been well selected. It seems that the
mention of " the choke left at Treads with
" Carpus," in the programme, was a mistake,
that topic being reserved for a lecture at the
Exhibition of Ecclesiastical Art. The Congress will
rather occupy itse:f with practical points in the law
and constitution of the Church, the instrumentali-
ties available in parochial work, especially the aid
of laymen and women, preaching, hymnology,
education, and the observance of the Lord's Day.
The Archbishop of YORK opened the proceedings
by a strong plea for freedom of discussion, be-
speaking a fair hearing for every speaker, even
from those who might most dissent from his
opinions, and strongly deprecating the practice of
interrupting a speaker with cries of disapproval.
His Grace declared that no paper had been re-
jected because its opinions were not in aceo-darce
with the opinions of the Managing Committee,
and that no speaker who might offer himself
would be hindered because his views were not
those of the chairman of the day. This may not
em a large stretch of liberality ; but remember-
ing what had been written in anticipation of the
Congress, and what measure is often dealt out to
a minority at meetings where religious topics
are discussed, the Archbishop's language is
worth noting. The Congress does not propose
to itself any more practical work than that of
elucidating the Church questions of the day, or
we should be tempted to ask it to do something
towards providing a hymn-book which should take
the place of the innumerable compilations now in
use, and which, far from representing, like the
Prayer-book, the common belief and sentiment. of
the whole Church, represent the skill of a propa-
ganda, the memory of a popular minister, or it
may be the enterprise of a pushing bookseller.
If this is too much to ask, we shall be content
with the fulfilment of the Archbishop of Yoax'a
prediction—" We shall go back to find a
" fresh life infused into the tame and trite routine
"of our duty. The task of teaching from a town
" pulpit, for example, a congregation full of modern
" ideas, thoughts, doubts, may become to some of
" us infinitely larger, more solemn, more absorbing
" than we took it to he ; no longer to be dealt
" with by a happy knack of reproducing the see-
" mons of the last generation in a more succinct
" and modern garb, but rather the supreme task
a of a mind rich in things new and old, and able
" to claim the confidence of its hearers by show-
" ing itself a leader of their thoughts, better in-
" formed than they about the modern spirit, and
" able to help their strife because it has striven
too.),

Of course the Archbishop spoke for the clergy or
both provinces, who now, therefore, understand
what is expected of them, and will know what
the laity have come for, if they should observe an
increased attendance at Church for the next few
Sundays.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

VORMION
The Daily News interprets the article on the con-
clusion of peace with Italy, which the Austrian govern-
ment caused to be inserted in its new semi-official journal,
to mean that that government is already anxious about
the security of its smith-western frontier. It is evidently
another struggle with Prussia that is apprehended. Bet
though Austria is so ready to sketch out • policy for
Italy, she has not yet announced the aims by which
her own course will be determined. Should Baron Beust
be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Austrian policy
will once more bear a strongly-marked char►cter; but as
the baron is at this moment the most unfortunate
statesman in all Germany, and as his very name is a
synonym for egregious failure, we can hardly believe that
his nomination to the most important post in the Austrian
government would restore public confidence to the Empire
An urgent objection to his appointment, moreover, would
be his persistent opposition to Prussian policy for so many
years, and the resentment which is felt towards him at
Berlin. Not poly in that city, but at Vienna and Perth,
and every European capital, such a nomination would be
taken as a sign that the Emperor had bosoms convinced
that he could not safely pursue a simply conservative
policy, but that the interests of hie monarchy required
him to summon to his aid every element of hostility to
Prussia which Germany could furnish.
The new national defences given to Italy by the suss
render of the Quadrilateral are described with much detail
by the Times. Suoh a war as Italy could wage at the
present day for hearth and altar has never been conceived
in ancient, mediaeval, or modern times, because the coun-
try has never been united in self-defence, and has hardly
ever fought alone. Any one now venturing within the
circle of the Alps would have to move forward within a
mace of bristling citadels, from any of which the native
defenders collecting their forces from their various pr
risme by the aid of their railways would fall on their
enemy with eft the advantage of numbers and position
and sudden surprise.
Lamenting the conquests of Prussia, the Herald never-
theless, tells the Hanoverian', the Neiman', and the
Frankfurters, that what has been done cannot be undone.
Made Prussians against their will, they must seize all the
advantages which Prussian citizenship affords them, and
seek such compensation as they can for their moral loss in
the material gain which is promised them. The interests
of their new country must be their interests.

LAWS.

The Herald says it mast be confessed on every hand
that the Americans had some excuse for feeling
sore at the losses they suffered during the recent
war through evasions of our neutrality laws by
persona acting in the interest of the Confederates.
It has for some time been felt that at some future day
we might find our own traders and mail steamers deci•
mated and driven off the seas by some future fleet of
iron-clads, ha' ing from we know not where, and for want
of a prize port sending ship and cargo down, with quick
despatch, to Davy Jones's looker. So long, however, as
Earl Russell and his colleagues remained in office, nothing
was done towards remedying the evil ; but their rivals
and successors have not allowed much time to pass
before taking the affair in band. The Herald has reason
to believe that a royal oommission on the neutrality laws
will shortly be appointed, with a view to future remedial
legislation. The legal, political, and statesmanlike elements
will all be adequately represented =ow its members.