The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-27 00:00:00

THE OXFORD DIVINES,

We entreat the earnest attention of our readers to
the subjoined narrative, which will convince them of
the,dangetous practical tendency of the Oxford Tracts.
The case of Mr. Biden strongly reminds us of that of
the Hon. Mr. Spencer, who has himself confessed that
he became a convert to Popery by " following up the
data" furnished by Dr. Pusey and his coadjutors.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sig,—There has appeared in some of the newspapers an
account (copied from the Tablet, 'Roman Catholic Journal)
of the proselytism of a young English protestant, Mr. Biden,
resident in Bruges, who, after a public abjuration of his
first faith, was admitted with the usual ceremonies, before a
vast concourse of spectators, into the bosom of the Romish
church, and is now preparing for t,'-.priesthood in the epis-
copal seminary of the above city. His conversion and apos-
tacy are ascribed to " the writings of Dr. Pusey ;" and the
truth of this statement I can most positively affirm. When
I profess the utmost respect for the learning and piety of
that most exemplary divine, and my confidence in the sound-
ness of his opinions, my observations on this head may be
received with less suspicion. The present, I believe, is but
a lamentable instance and realization of the danger antici-
pated by the Bishop of Oxford, in a charge to the clergy of
his diocese—that he was not so apprehensive of error in the
authors of the Tractsfor the Times as in the misunder-
standing of their juvenile disciples.
Mr. Biden is the eldest son of an East India captain, who
now holds a high official appointment in Madras, and is there
resident with the bulk of his family. A young brother was
left in England at Christ's Hospital, and John Christopher,
the subject of these remarks, was placed with a respectable
solicitor in London, to be brought up to that profession, in
which he had good prospects. Disgusted with the study and
practice of the law, and having always had a preference for
the church, he turned his attention to theology, and especi-
ally to a perusal of those works published and recommended
by the Oxford divines. In the course of last year he visited
his aunt, a most excellent Protestant English lady, who has
property in Bruges ; and being myself. resident in that city
during part of the long vacation, I was there first introduced
to him by her. I walked and talked with him daily: and
made a tour in his company through the most beautiful
districts of Belgium. The staple of his own conversation
was derived from the Oxford tracts. I endeavoured in seve-
ral instances, to the best of my ability and judgment, to
point out what I considered his misconstruction of several
opinions therein stated, and his misapplication of the prin-
ciples. But my arguments were generally confronteu by his
exposure of some technical inaccuracy in my details ; as re-
garded, for instance, the distinction of the priestly vestments
and ornaments of the church, in the knowledge of which
particulars I confess he had greatly-the advantage. He had
now abandoned the legal profession, andwas studying for the
ministry of the church of England. I recommended the
best standard works to his perusal, and advised him to com-
mence with the more elementary branches of divinity before
venturing upon the higher ground of polemical discussion,
especially with the one-sided view which he then entertained.
He told me that he had abstained for days together from
meat diet in order, with his savings, to purchase Dr. Pusey's
own, and other theological works of his (Dr. Pusey's) recom-
mendation, more especially some of the early fathers, and to
such had his exclusive attention been directed. His talents
were above mediocrity, but they were warped by the narrow-
ness of his reading. His moral character was irreproachable ;
but, perhaps, for that very reason somewhat tinctured with
self-righteousness and self-sufficiency. I wish, indeed, I
could excuse myself from the like grievous hindrances to the
settlement of religious truth; but, as it was, I am ashamed
to confess, our discussions on these subjects usually terminated
in anything but an amicable:spirit : and, perhaps, by insisting
too obstinately upon what 1 considered the weightier matters
of the law, " which ought to be done," I rather confirmed
him in his opposite leaning towards external observances,
" which ought not to be left undone." However, certainly
he attached as much importance to the shape and fashion of
his clerical habit as the Pharisees of old to their phylacteries
and hems ; and spoke repeatedly of his intention to restore
(as much as in him lay) the ancient discipline of the church
in his choice of the alb, the cope, and other canonical vest-
ments. This is one instance among many such.
Upon my return to England he wrote me a letter to as-
sure me of his " sincere and hearty forgiveness of all past
grievances." I endeavoured unsuccessfully to obtain for
him a Bible clerkship in the college to which I belong at Ox-
ford ' • when to my astonishment last week I was grieved be-
yond measure to learn for the first time his secession from
the church, by the accounts above referred to from the Tablet.
I have been induced to be thus explicit in my narrative,
because what has been his case may easily be the case of
others, who, like him, under similar circumstances, " follow-
ing up" (as it is said) " the data of the Oxford tracts," may,
from very just premises, arrive at very dangerous conclusions,
with no other guide to direct the course of their speculations
than " four months' (!) patient study in the extensive library
of an ecclesiastical seminary." A few months back only I
have been with him when he has suffered himself to be in-
sulted rather than bare his head on the approach of the host
in procession, and shuddered at the imputation of ever be-
ing "a popish recantant." He has now solemnly abjured
the authority of the Church of England, and worships the
blessed Eucharist in high mass, as the substantial body
and blood of his glorified Redeemer ; so, alas ! " following
up the data of the Oxford tracts !" From them again
no doubt he learned the just importance of external
decency and order in the public services of religion ; he
then compares the Sabbath worship (one day in seven)
at the English protestant chapel, a small building of the
meanest description, with no ornaments to recommend it
but a plain pulpit, altar, and organ (which last._ is never used
—there being no psalmody) with the pomp and pageantry in
the daily services at the Romish cathedrals and churches of
the most sublime architecture—allurements for every sense ;
a choir and orchestra with all kinds of ,music, paintings and
images, gorgeous apparel, and brilliant lights ; sprinkling of
water, and the counting of beads ; the very taste consulted
in the prescription of certain foods, and in the administration
of the consecrated wafer ; till, mistaking feelings for realities,
the exquisite thrill of pleasure thus produced by the grati-
fications of sense and fancy for the fervent spirit of devotion,
he naturally despises the unaffected simplicity of our most
spiritual services, which, without meanness, are so well
suited at once to tranquillise and humble the heart, to
enlighten the mind without distraction of thought, and
so, instrumentally, to produce that conversion of the
soul in which originates all practical religion. The
danger, then, is threefold, and the publication of the
above instance may serve for a warning. There is dan-
ger in the writings themselves, because, first (as it has been
already well remarked in your paper of Saturday last),
they are expressed in " incautious phraseology ; " and,
secondly, they are not, generally speaking, sufficiently
distinct in their delineations of the true and the false, the
right and the wrong, of the same sutject matter ; the line of
demarcation is not so nicely and clearly established, that we ,
may know for certain how far to go, and no further, without
either encroachment or delinquency ; how at once " to refuse
the evil and choose the good." There is danger, again, that
in the advocacy of these and similar writings, we should be
so far impressed with their general truth and importance, as
to have no fears for the abuse of them. Had I had the most
remote apprehension of the consequences that would ensue
to Mr. Biden from his perusal of Dr. Pusey's works, how
different would have been my behaviour in endeavouring to
reclaim his delusive notions ! It is said that "he consulted
some eminent divine of the Church of England," and that
" his conviction was most fully confirmed by the very feeble
nature of the arguments produced against it." I am not
aware who this may have been ; but I wish most earnestly
he had consulted Dr. Pusey himself. The result might have
been otherwise. Lastly, there is danger in the student; be-
cause he may venture, as Mr. Biden, "to follow up the data"
thus incautiously offered him, and, trusting to these re-
sources alone, wrest to his own destruction things most hard
to be understood. I am, sir, your faithful servant,
A GRADUATE OF OXFORD.