The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-13 00:00:00

CHURCH-RATES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Suc,—By your advocacy of the principles on which resist-
ance to Church-rates has become all but universal, you have
obtained for The Sun Newspaper the respect and commenda-
tion of every friend of religious freedom in the country.
Taking the ground, then, which from the beginning of the
contest you have so ably defended, namely, that there is no
moral nor scriptural right any where to be found to warrant
one sect of Christians to demand, much less to enforce, pay-
ment from all others, I wonder how it could happen that in
the debate on the Church-rate question on Friday last, there
was not one speaker who noticed the power Churchmen
possess by the present law to coerce, with harassing suits in
the Ecclesiastical Courts, and imprisonment, those who con-
scientiously believe the ceremonies of the Church of England
to be unscriptural, and unwarranted. The whole debate turned
on the question of money arrangements alone ; the only ca,e
wherein principle was adverted to being Lord Sandon's asser-
tion, that when the Dissenters are tired of putting their hands
into their pockets, they call conscience to their aid, as an ex-
cuse for not paying Church-rates. I sat in the House and
heard the false and unchristian taunt with mingled feelings of
sorrow and contempt. Are the whole of the Society of
Friends, who have suffered imprisonments, paid thousands
of pounds in expenses, over and above the demands of
the Church, rather than violate the dictates of conscience,
to be abused as persons who object to pay just and
lawful demands ? Are the thousands of Christians of
other denominations in the country who have suffered, who are
ready to suffer, the penalties and imprisonments which the
Church has the power to inflict, rather than pay for ceremonies
in which they dare not join, to be told that it is an imposture
invented to save their pockets? They have fearlessly encoun-
tered the hostility of Churchmen, who would rekindle the
fires of by-gone days, miscalling- it the support of religion, and
are they to be taunted with dishonesty ?
The Ministers deserve, and have the thanks of the friends of
religious freedom, for the greater part* of the proposed
measure, and the people who wish to see Christians of all de-
nominations living together in harmony and peace, will do all
in their power to support the Administration, by pursuing
such a course as shall bring the matter to a speedy and final
settlement.

Manchester has shown them how this is to be done—there,
according to the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
no Church-rates have been collected for years past. Many
other places, pursuing different courses, have produced the
same effect ; and it is already apparent, that henceforth where
one person has refused voluntary payment, thousands will sup-
port the Ministry by leaving the present law to take its course,
if the Tories shall be mad enough to perpetuate it, by throwing
out the wise and hcpling measure now proposed.
A NONCONFORMIST, ON PRINCIPLE.
Doctors' Commons, March 10, 1837.

P. S. In the House of Lords last night, the Bishops hit upon
an odd way of carrying out the principles of Christianity.
If our Lord had said to his disciples go into that house,
ask the owner for money for my use, if he refuse to give it
you, take whatever you can lay your hands on, and let us
sell it for any sum, regardless of its value—or drag the mas-
ter or mistress of the house to prison without further en-
quiry, what a very different book the New Testament would
have been—especially if he had added, let us take the highest
scats, call ourselves Dignitaries, wear the purple and fine
linen, and clothe our servants also in the livery of Dives It
* That part of the plan which continues the payment of
Church-rates in parishes where there are debts, will, it is
hoped, be modified.
t Sec the speech of the Bishop of London.