The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-23 00:00:00

Month% 211 Th

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1841.

The Bishop of GLOUCESTER'S Charge to his. clergy,
which he delivered on Monday last at Newnham, at
his triennial visitation, contains matter that is to Le
objected to as well as approved. The stern, uncom-
promising tone, in which the Right Rev. Prelate
speaks of the determination of the Church as regards
the great question of popular instruction, is deserving
of special animadversion ; while the calm, rational,
but decided character of his remarks on the Trae-
tarian heresy, is not less deserving of approbation, and
stands out in favourable contrast to the vacillating
course of conduct pursued by himself, and re::om-
mended to his clergy, by the sly, temporising.
jesuitical Dr. BLOMFIELD. But let us hear the
Bishop of GLOUCESTER first on the subject of edu-
cation. Alluding to the institution of Sunday and
daily schools, he tells us that they afford "an oppor-
tunity to the poorer classes of obtaining the benefit of
instruction, which if based on the principles of
morality and religion, is among the greatest of human
blessings, but if severed from those principles, it may
prove like the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the fore
runner of spiritual ruin." To the truth and justice of
this observation no one can possibly object. It is an
obvious truism—a safe and harmless common-place.
which must obtain the assent of Dissenters of all
classes. But mark what follows 1—" With respect to
the necessity an:l importance of the Church perform-
ing its duty as the national educator of the people,"
adds the Right Rev. Prelate, " I bel'eve we are all
agreed; and we are determined not to sacrifice any
part of this duty in favour of others. In this matter
we will neither make nor accept of any compromise."
It is evident from this last remark, that by the
"principles of religion," of which he speaks in the
first-quoted passage, the Bishop of GLOUCESTER means
the principles of the Established Church ; and to
sever education from those principles is, in his view of
the case, to bring about the " spiritual ruin" of all
who may be educated und9r such circumstances.
Religion and the Church are, with him, synonimous
t2rms---one and the same thing ; and he cannot ima-
gine it possible that any sound devotional feeling can
be found without the pale of the Establishment.
Hence he will have nothing to do with any system of
national instruction hut such as is in strict ac-
cordance with the views of orthodoxy. "No sur-
render!" is his rallying cry. " A Church education
or none !" is the motto which he inscribes on his'
banner, and which he expects his clergy to insist on
with their utmost power of lungs. Thus, what appears
in the first passage, to be a mere harmless common-
place truism, becomes —when taken in connexion
with the second—to be a bigoted, ex-cathedra dogma,
whose burblind intolerance cannot fail to give deep
offence to Dissenters of all shades, and call forth the
regret of every liberal-minded man who, though he
may wish well to the Church, is by no means of opinon
that it is but another term for religion. While such is
the spirit that actuates our Episcopal Dignitaries—and
by which, as a matter of course, their clerical subordi-
nates must in a great degree be influenced—we
despair of seeing a system of rational education
established on a sound, enlightened basis ; and can
only offer up our humble supplications to Providence,
that—to quote the impressive words of the Litany—
it will please him to. endow the heads of our Church
" with grace, wisdom, and understanding." But to
turn to a less ungracious theme. Speaking of theTrac t
arian heresy, the Right Rev. Prelate observes—
"'laving three 3 ears ago deemed it my duty to de-