The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-01 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF

Z JOITILNALI3.

The Times observes that it has become a matter of course,
.and is accepted as such, that members of Parliament, and
'particularly those who happen also to be members of the
Ministry, should go through the ceremony of meeting their
constituents some time during the long vacation. It is
none the less really a very curious phenomenon. In the
dark ages, before railways existed to carry the morning's
news up and down the country, and while as yet electricity
had not been broken in and put into harness, the practice
was natural enough. Now the result of every division
is communicated in the most remote borough almost
as speedily as to those who have joined in it, and
each vote is published at once and canvassed. But
constituencies require in these days, much more punc-
tiliously than they ever did formerly, their representatives
to come and tell them what they have known perfectly for
months past. Last session was a peculiarly laborious one,
and an unusually large proportion of the work fell on the
Cabinet. The majority of the House of Commons was so
docile that it left Ministers to expound the first princiides
of the legislation they proposed. Yet the citizens of
Oxford would probably have been as discontented as if
Parliament had been deliberating all the summer with
closed doors had not Mr. Cardwell gene down to disclose
to them the novel fact that the Irish Church Act got
itself passed last July, and how. But when a Minister
addressing his constituents recites a catalogue of subjects
for immediate legislation, he does not mean so much
to inform them as to submit those heads for the considera-
tion of the nation, and as questions which it is invited to
answer for the instruction of its Government. To
Ministers is committed the drawing up of the syllabus of
the coming session, but it depends on public opinion
always how far that can be carried out, and often in what
shape. Nor need the wisest of Ministers disdain to learn
from public opinion when once formed. Public opinion
takes some time, however, to settle down finally into a
definite character, and a discurse like Mr. Cardwell's is
serviceable as notice that it is time for it to begin.
The Standard remarks that the Social Science Congress
:is obtaining a place among our institutions. It has no';
assembled during thirteen years successively. We may n,
believe that in each session it has done practical work, or
even laboured, as Americans say, towards strict conclu-
sions, But it brings out discussion ; it evokes the opinions
of thinking, if not always sensible, men and women, and
whatever good it may do, it cannot possibly do any harm
This time the session has been inaugurated by Sir Stafford
Northcote. We are persuaded that the right honourable
gentleman would accept no exaggerated compliment. He
is not Lord Brougham, nor has ho followed in the
steps of those who made Newton their master. But
in the life and experience of a gentleman and
politician whose associations have been among many
classes, and whose conscientious thinking must have
travelled far, apart from classical culture and refined senti-
ment, there is much to be learned, when it is honestly and
intelligently expressed to a miscellaneous audience. The
audience at Bristol, however, was not miscellaneous in the
ordinary sense of the term. It exhibited an attentive and
intelligent mind, and brought a bearing upon the inaugu-
ral speech of Sir Stafford Northcote, which we hope to see
producing fruits before the Congress is over. Altogether,
a more suggestive address has not been delivered to the
association, and, as an opening of its session, nothingcould
have been more appropriate or more pleasing. Sir Stafford
Northcote performed admirably a duty not easy on any
man's part to fulfil.
Articles setting forth the specific charges of heresy
against the Rev. Charles Voysey have, says the Telegraph.
been lodged in the Chancery Court of York by Archbishop
Thompson; and, an appearance having been duly entered
on behalf of the defendant, this most momentous ecclesias-
tical cause may be said to have commenced. Before the
judgment-seat of the law, the Metropolitan of York has
summoned the Rector of Healaugh; and the court will
have before it two distinct questions of vital importance to
the administration of the Church—the one of Church
discipline, and the other of theological teaching. In every
Church there must be some conditions of service, and some
discipline. Even those very broad divines who wish to
sweep away the Thirty-nine Articles, would ask the clergy
of the establishment to give some such sign of faith as a
profession of belief in the Apostles' Creed. That would
be a religious test, and the fulfilment of the condition
would demand the exercise of discipline. So far, there it
an agreement between all the parties in the Church. But
no two of them agree respecting the limits which a profes-
sion of faith must impose on the varieties of interpretation;
and, indeed, the English Church is at present so filled with
the sound of discordant doctrines, that agreement on such
a point may almost seem to be hopeless. The divisions of
the Church are numerous; nor do we affect to regret the
liberty which permits Christians of so many shades tc
congregate in the same Church. Such freedom is
the condition of that healthy life which cannot
survive the loss of active energy in conduct and
in thought. Nor can a National Church exist
unless it is " national" in fact as well as in name
It must be the Church of the whole people. Whether the
Church of England already fulfils that essential condition
—whether its articles of faith are as broad as a due regard
for the preservation of Christian truth will permit—is a
question already under the consideration cf the mos
earnest among our ecclesiastical statesmen; and time mus
be allowed for the development of sound counsel on so vas

so complex, and so sacred a subject. Meanwhile the immediate
issue raised by the case before the Chancery Court of York
is—whether Mr. Voyseyhas actually violated the necessary
discipline of his order, and rendered himself amenable t'
the law of the land.

The Herald comments on the case of a lighterman named
Slattery, who at different times saved the lives of six or
seven-persons from drowning without reward. Such a list
of gallant deeds as this is material for half a dozen heroes
Eut saving human life, it seems, is so anomalous, so in.
vidious a pursuit even, that nobody knows what to do with
a man who is so foolish as to undertake it. Mais que dish
oflait it faire dans Bette galere ? It is far safer to stay out
of it, stand on the bank, and see the entire strangers
drown, with the remark that these things are
very shocking, or other sympathising words to
that effect. Such at least appears to be the opinion of
authority on the subject. Where is the Legion of Honour,
whose decoration Slattery would have received had ho
been a Frenchman, to say nothing of substantial marks of
respect ? Where is the Victoria Cross, which, even as an
Englishman, he would have received had he been a soldier,
and performed only one act of conspicuous gallantry on
service? Where is even the medal of the Humane
Society, Villa, at least, one might have expected to see
shining on the lighterman's jacket? We have at least a
private society, supported by voluntary contributions, with
life membership to be bargained for on easy terms, as the
fountain of honour in cases of the kind. Not knowing
what else to do with an infatuated man who had been fool

--
enough to lose his tin-te in saving the life of a fellow-
creature, Sir Sydney Waterlow remarked that the case
was one for the society to take up. But poor Slattery
had been to the society, it appeared ; had laid the list
of his achievements before the secretary, and had
been told—what ? That the society could do nothing in
the matter, because the man had not applied within four-
teen days. Had he gone to the place boring with a great
scientific discovery, or some scheme for the amelioration of
everybody's condition, he could scarcely have been treated
with less consideration. Within fourteen days after the
act a man must, it seems, avow himself a hero or for ever
after hold his peace—as far, at any rate, as the Humane
Society is concerned. This is sharp work, surely. How
about people who do good by stealth, and blush to find it
fame ? Does the society make no provision for persons
who, so far from reporting their humanity within fourteen
days, would never dream of reporting it at all, and whose
good deeds would never be heard of did they not happen
to be " found out ?"

The Daily NCI43 declares that, despite the reassuring
• words of the Astronomer Royal, many persons still look
forward with anxiety to the approach of the great tide
which will occur on October 6. Nor is this altogeth( r
surprising. It is true that the tidal wave which wfll
'sweep along our rivers may not be unusually high. Yet if
the winds should unfortunately combine to swell the
waters which surround our shores, an amoimt cf mischik f
may be effected which it will take some time to
repair. Danger, however, there is none cr little.
We need not fear that such misfortunes as have
f c now e 1 the outburst of high level lakes, cr the
inroads of the. sea through dykes and sea-walls,
will mark the course of the steadily swelling wave which
will sweep aleng our tidal rivers next week. The records

El such mi-lortuncs may well make us rejoice that the
phcnomenen Ice are awaiting is ono rather to excite our
-1:0 cur fears. In all ages floods and
„gartlett as among the most

int.ereat3 than ±C 2
EuntlAtion3 have

Lcen

terrible di-,asters which can Lcfal a country. When the

Rhone the

ne, r.nd the third overflowed their

I:yanfls, in 1313, the most disa-....trcus effccts were pro-
perls.l73 cf r,:l the ri7em :, hich. by their

.:I

I:Carl the worst
1

1 Mitt"-u

ii7cr Ne-nt

times within the

ccatury river has ovc:11.-,wed its banks, risiag

t ten.fec:

cracti;

,e 3 rar,re, above, it 3 natunl

levcl. On ti 7th Novcraber, 1324, the Neva rcse fully
-Luitecn feet. The effects of such a iLie in a river of such
ma;rnitude may he judged frcan the circumstance that, even
at the hcizht cf the approaching tide, it is not likely that
the Thames will rise so much as two feet above the ordi-
nary high-tide level.

TIIE Plu Right Hon. W. E. Glad-
stone, accompanied by Mrs. Gladstone and daughters, has
arrived at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, *here the *at
boa, itsOleraau remain foul fin wtsks.