The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-09 00:00:00

THE BISHOP OP LONDON ON ESTABLISHED

CHURCHES.

Yesterday afternoon the Bishop of London
preached at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, one of the
Lenten sermons, which during his lordship's episcopate
have become so famous. The bishop selected for his text
the 24th chapter of the Book of Joshua, verses 14 and 15,
" Choose you this day whom ye will serve. But as for
sad my house, we will serve the Lord." He explained
the nature of church and state as it existed in Jewish
times, and spoke of other times when church authority
was repudiated—when • declaration of religion, however
tolerant, wail considered to be an interference with the
rights of individual conscience, and argued that it was
neesasary that there should be • national religion, as the
foundation of national strength. In this country there
wars doubtless a tolerant spirit, whether we owed it meet to
Cromwell, to Locke, to William of Orange, or to the
principles which flowed out of the reformation. Because
they had suffered from evils in the past it would certainly
not be urged that they were bound to abandon corporate
religion altogether. The complicated questions
connected with this union of church and state
were not to be discussed In a single sermon;
but he held that such a onion might be sustained in a
large and comprehensive spirit without sacrificing one jot
or tittleof Christ's trah,or abandoning one of the smallest
rights of Christian cilium.. A notion seemed to have got
abroad that nation' progress would on some day or other
put an sod to the profession of a national religion. If this
ware so, he must remark that the progress must be in the
wrong direction. It was no doubt greatly to be desired
that a national religion should be sampled by a majority of
the people ; but it could not be maintained that what was
to be good for a nation wu to be determined by show of
hands. When, therefore, the churchbad allied itself with
dm state, for the good of the state, with the deliberate
sanction of all that was best in the state, it was not right
that its doctrines should be tested in • manner which
would be repudiated by any other body. If, for example,
there add be • community In which the majority of the
people were rogues, that weld by no reason why an
effective system of government should not be established,
Or why an effective system of police should not be main-
tained Hs believed that all modern European expe-
rience taught that the maintenance of a national state
religion was in no wise inimical to wise toleration or to the
rights of individual conscience. On the whole a national
established church was more likely to be tolerant than any
independent body. The aura of Christ undertaking to
aid the ruling powers of a great nation in guiding and
tending the various ranks edits multitudinous people could
not well lose the largeness of Christian principle in the
narrow disputes which ounpied se much of the time of
other Christian bodies. Then, again, there were many
deals and difficulties which the state had to meet, and
whisk the date could not effectually overcome without
rolling to the aid of the church of Christ. For example,
in all civilised countrias how large • por-
tion of modern legislation was concerned with
the arraegement and distribution of charities, and
the management of thewith education, with
the prevention of crime and the—reform of criminal.. How
could all these matters be managed except on Christian
principles, and how could Christian principles be applied
unless the date allied Itself to Christ's church 1' Doubt-
less the date was benefited by an alliance with the church,
and the aura would noteafier from the union. (Hearse,
the time migh toornewhen the state repudiated gospel teach-
ing, and the church might stand apart, as it did in a
heathen land ; but then were no such symptom* of apostasy in this pantry at moist, nor was it likely these
would be while all the learning and thought of the country
were at command, to adjust the difficulties of the church
as they arose. The church of this country opened its doors
to all ohms ed the community, and he trusted that no
unwise exaltation of church authority on the one band, or
any undue caving for liberty on the other, would tend to
the destruction of thus privileges which England now
ethe njo bene yed. His lordship dismissed the oceieregatioa with
dic

SOHOLLUII/111 AT 11111 STATIONIBB' beROOL.—
A movement is in progress smog the livery of the
Stationers' Oompany for the establishment of some open
scholarships in connexion with the Stationers' School.
One, founded by the present 'water of the company,
Mr. Mimund Modems. and temahls for [oar years at
any university fa the Gaited Kingdom, will be awarded
during the present year. The conditions under which the
seholarships are to be held are unusually liberal. The
holder, if he is so disposed, may continue in the school,
receiving a free edneation while he remain,, until he
attains the age of IS years, and he may then, " without
I=to any university, enter upon any lawful call-
e may &dm, and apply the annual proceeds of the
p, for the unexpired term dazing which it is
tenable, toward his advancement in life," subject only to
the condition of his producing " a medicare of good dash from from his employer, tutor, or guardian.* The liberal
to which have characterised the management
iirnnemniellw and rising school are already bearing good
fruit. Although it bee been little more than six Si
=et elands in the report of the Schools
just published OM on the list of
glassed as "good and useful" under the direction of the
Leaden City mammies ; •end its managemenels described
es well Wollatod to "add to the importance and
Culriof the Stationers' Guild." It is also one of
fallyour metropolitan middle glass foundations which
Mr. Twos, the assistant romadmicaer far the London
&Ads., Air • poised impost'sa and
j saheb fee asposisl sesszneed•tios en sesmalllitt
sassails.•

GMAT RAM= RramiraT. —Mr. R. Young,
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pored at Horde is valid or ought to be seiseted to
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aseossary. The marines and banns el lb* ships Iwo bees
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worthless.

File Soar Fos Doos.—Naldire's Tablet destroys
leak amass. the skip, removes all smell, ',hes 'minutely to
coat. Free tram pnirna.—Prke la : of all chemlele. Whoieru,
of Burial ILIq rarrlainl^witreet.—uAverllnme.g.l- -