The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. FRIDAY, MARCH 20. 1840.

ject if it had not been suggested to him by his Royal
Highness, because in former times, in consequence of the
, known liberality cf his principles, he had been exposed to
the hostility,- literary as well as political, of the Rev.
Gentleman alluded to.—( Cheers.) The more the world
became enlightened the more would freedom of opinion be
established, and the more must the voluntary principle in
reFgion progress. He would ask if that principle were
not now pregrassing, throughout every part of the empire ?
—( Loud cheers.) It was a principle in the maintenance of
which they were all concerned, and he trusted that what-
cwr might be their theological differences, however on
doctrinal points their opinions might diverge, yet on this
point there would be such a conveyance of their opinions
as to bring, as it were, into a focus all the rays of light to
the illumination and enlightenment of the world.—
( Long continued cheering.) It would advance even in the
bosom of tho Church itself—nav, it had advanced. why,
even in the University represented by Sir Robert Inglis,
and which had so lone been deemed the unassailable for-
tress of the Church of England, a tendency towards the
voluntary principle was beginning to manifest itself.—
( Cheers.) The first step was an apparent difference of
opinion ; next came discussion ; after that a demand for
the free exercise of opinion. and then the establishment of
the voluntary principle.—(Cheers.) Let them look at the
schism iu the University created by the promulgationlof the
doctrines of Dr. Pusey. The propagation of those doc-
trines had rent asunder the boasted unity of the University.
The first step had been taken, and he considered this as the
first dawn of the voluntary system.—( Cheers.) if such
was the state of things at Oxford, what might they not be
supposed to be elsewhere ?—as had been said by a very
celebrated mn. If the extinguishers themselves take
fire, who shall put out the blaze Hear, hear, and
cheers.) He hoped when Sir Robert Inglis brought
forward this question, he would be met on those grounds.
This was not a lime when the people of this country would
bear a revival of the principles of religious intolerance
which had once been in vogue. The Church should be-
ware of the feeling of re-action against its pretensions,
which would be excited in the minds of the people of this
country, if they went on at this rate. The Clergy, by their
conduct on this question, seemed determined to show the
truth of the description given of them by a poet about 100
years ago--

" This mark of grace is to the Clergy given,
Never to be content with this side Heaven.
Frorn power to power they labour still to rise,
Until they reach what last they seek, the skies."
—( Loud cheers and laughter.) The Hon. Gentleman,
amidst loud cheering, proceeded to propose the resolution
which embodied the sentiments of his speech.
The Rev. J. H. HiseoN, who was received with loud
applause, came forward to second the resolution, and in
doing so he must crave some liberty of speech, but while
he did so he disavowed all intention of giving offence.
Some gentlemen had come forward on this occasion avow-
ing themselves members of the Established Church, he
came forward avowing himself as a Dissenter.--( Loud
cheers.) It could not but be highly gratifying to the
Dissenters to field members of the Established Church co-
operating with them in the advancement of the cause of
vital religion.—( Cheers.) If in passing through the streets
he should find some one putting his hand into his ( Mr.
Hinton's) pocket, he should ask him what he wanted—
how much, and for what purpose ?—( Cheers, and laugh-
ter.) He should feel inclined on this occasion to put the
same question to Sir Robert Inglis.—( Hear, hear, and
cheers.) If the Honourable Baronet were to reply he
wanted money for the civil exigencies of the State, he
would desire hi:n to take all he wanted, because being an
equal sharer in the benefits of such expenditure, he would
cheerfully contribute his quota ; but if he were told it was
for the extension of the Established Church, he would say
that not being a member of the Established Church, he
would not let him take his money for that purpose. Let
the members of the Established Church extend it them-
selvee—( Cheers)—but it would he said, oh, it is for the
extension of religion. That was a species of coaxing by
which their fathers bad been seduced into suffering a grant
of a million of money to pass without one word of opposi-
tion—but he trusted that, in that respect, their sons were
wiser than they.—( Cheers.) If they could be certain
that by extending the Church they should multiply the
Gerrards and the Noels—( Loud cheers)—the country
might derive some benefit from it ; but how could they be
assured that the pulpits so multiplied would not be filled
by Puseys, by Hookes, and by Phillpotts ?—( Cheers)—and
he believed that few Churchmen, and r,o Dissenters, would
be found willing to aid in the multiplication of these
nuisances.—( Loud cheers.) He felt thnt the Established
Church, as a national institution, was inflicting upon him
a social pressure, amounting to degradation ; that it was a
social incubus—(Loud cheers)—and materially affecting
his station in society. The Church of England as it stood
was, and had been, a grievous hindrance to the dissemi-
nation of true 'religion--(Cheers.) How was it that it
had produced so little of it ? Flow was it that all obstruc-
tious to voluntary efforts had arisen from out of the
Established Church ?—( Cheers.) He was of' opinion that
the progress of religion would be abundantly promoted if
from that day the Church Establishment were to become
an Episcopal Church in England, and ceased to be the
Church of England ?—( Loud and long contined cheer-
ing.) The hypothesis assumed was, that there was a na-
tional Church co-extensive with the population, and there- I,
fere entitled to be supported out of the. public purse. He
would ask if' this hypothesis was of a thing existing, cr of
a thing to be ; if told it was of a thing existing, he
would at once demur taking the word England in
its most rest. icted sense ; he mould say that the
Established Church, as a matter of fact, was not
the National Church, and never had been prior
to the introduction of Popery. Christianity had
divided the nation with Paganism—during the exist-
ence of Popery persecution might have brought about some-
thing like unanimity, and at the time of the Reformation
the Establishment had been forced upon a nation of Papists
—the Established Church had never been the national re-
ligion, and was not so at this day. Various other religious
communions had been recognized by law—had been recog-
nized by the law, by th House* of Parliatnent, and
had been recognized by the Throne.—(Cheers.) He
knew that fact, because the other day as a member of that
body he had had the honour of waiting on her Most Gra-
cious Maj-sty—( Loud cheers)—to whom he wished long
life, and God grant that she might produce a long line of
patriot Kings.—( Loud and long continued applause.)
New, if the Established Church were not the national
church, it had no business to put its hands in the national
purse, still less into the Imperial purse, for this money
which was demanded for Church Extension was to be
taken, not only fr©m England, but from the Catholics of
Ireland, the Catholics of Canada and the Pagans of India,
and this for the support of a Church which did
not number among its members quite one-half of the popu-
lation of England alone. If the latter hypothesis were to be
acted upon, and it was intended to coerce the whole in.
habitants of the British empire to be of one religion, in
order to enable the priesthood of that religion to glut
themselves from the Imperial Treasury; all he could say
was, he should like to see them try to do in —(lmmense
cheering.) But he thought, when they knew the feeling
of resistance to these encroachments, by which all were
actuated, from the lowest individual in the community up
to the princely personage, who, to their honour, and not
to his own disgrace, was that day presiding over them
—( Immense cheering)—they would pause in their career
—the voice which hail been raised that day would not have
been raised in vain, but would be responded to throughout
the country.—( Loud cheers.) lie had been told that Sir
Robert Inglis had already misgivings on this subject, and
he %weld say that if this motion should not be made, or if it
should be made and lost, it would be lost not by reason of
the inadequacy of the national funds to meet the proposed
expense, but because the hosts of the Church of England
had endeavoured to ride rough-shod over them, but
like the soldiers at Waterloo, they had risen at the moment
of the charge, determined to win the victory.—(Loud
cheering.) The resolution was then put, and carried una-
nimously.
Mr. DENSISTOUN, M. P., rose for the purpose of propos-
ing the next three resolutions, because he felt it the duty
of every man to come boldly forward in every way in sup-
port of the principles of civil amid religious liberty. What •
ever had been done hitherto in support of that cause, had
not beer, done by the Established Church. On the ques-
tion of the abolition of slavery, and the mitigation of the
criminal code, the Church had stood aloof, and neither of
those questions would have been carried but for the effarts
of the Dissenters.—( Cheers.) In Scotland the Church
was placing itself in direct opposition to the law, and he
for one would Lot willingly afibrd them additional means of
setting the law et defiance. If the Church of England
wished to uphold itself, it should merge all sectarian feel-
ings in an endeavour to promote the comforts of the great
mass of the people.—( Loud cheers.) The Hon. Gentle-
man concluded by proposing the resolutions.
The resolutions were declaratory of the injustice of the
proposed scheme of Church Extension, of the injurious
action of Church Establiahments on the interests of true
religion, and of the superiority of the voluntary system, as
the only system in accord:axe with the precepts of genuine
Christianity.
The Rev. J. BURNETT seconded the resolutions, and in
so doing would strictly obey the injunctions they had re-
ceived from their illustrious Chairman. The best way to
carry a good public object was to establish a good public
schoolato procure a good public schoolmaster—(Cheers)
—and to be good pupils, he hoped they had that day es.
tablished a goodeoeus rights
public school, unde(rtheegi
auspices of his
Royal Highness, for time assertion of
the
ud r
and privileges of this
great empire.—(Loud
oftenrs )b Theeen
cry of "the schoolmaster is abroad" had Cheers.)
h
sounded in their ears, and had been met only by the cry of
" the Church is in danger." N. by was the Church in
danger ?
Why, just because the schoolmaster was abroad.
—( Loud ( Cheers.) If the Church could secure an Act
of Parliament for putting down all schoolmasters, they
would not be long before they got whatever money they
liked for the support of the Established Church. A
hard and stern-thinking philosopher was now in the field,
and gradually leading on the human mind to those ligh
attainments which even in this world were destined to be
its portion. They were told that this motion was to be
brought on after Easter. This was rather ominous. In
the Acts of the Apostles we were told of a certain mo-
narch, who having killed James, the hi-other of John, with
deference to the desires arid wishes
cfthe thse"Srdt'ste in
Church of that day, had thrust Peter
into prison with the intention of bringing him
forth to the people after Easter.—( Hear, hear.)
After Easter came, but that Divine Providence which
always watched over the interests of real religion. opened
the prison doers, and Peter was not brought forth to the
people after Easter—(Loud cheers)—and he trusted that
what would pass before Easter and during the Easter re-
cess, would prevent the Hon. Baronet from bringing forth
the great body of the voluntaries for the purpose of co-
ercing • them after Easter. He felt himself in the same
situation when called upon to give a name to this ano-
malous Church, as a geologist did, when, on the discovery
of some strange creature, he was called upon to give it a
strange name.. He knew not by what name to designate
this contradictory one-million-taking, Houseeofa Commons.
enacted, voluntary-compulsory-Church. —(Cheers, and
laughter.) Out of doors it boasted that it numbered
among its members all the wealth and respectability of the
country, and yet it went to the House of Commons and
tdeclared, tit enlgas it propored an Act to force the wealth
and respectability of the country to support it, it must do