The New York herald., 1845-01-25

osy and politics, the writers for the daily press
nave tneir hands full. It has long been held
ar rnas sne concerns OF religion were beyond the
HIovince OF newspaper criticism. We have out
nvea mat era. Pastoral letters are now as freely
anaysed as fercely assailed, as Royal speeches OF
!ne M Parliamentary debates. There is no affair
700 mlnu1e, no interest too great for the "fourh
blsaop or wayward Parson are daily subjected to
It's tomahawk. The Bishop of Exeter has received
s.. thorough n scalpng Of late But the Bishop is
game, ana never knows when he isbeaten. He
dps his pen in gall, and never inflicts a. wound
without striving to leave gangrene behind. Few
men are deeper smltten with the Loquendi ct
sGs.d sss e. He wags @ his tongue as ercey he
wielus MS pen. we stated in our last that he
insisted upon his clergy wearing the surplice
during the sermon. This pastoral injunction pro-
voked rebellion amongst nearly the whole OF the
ialty and considerable portion Of the clergy, Of
ms diocese ana such a storm of opposition did it
and rescnded the order But he has done so with
such bad grace-he has made the resembling
venicle Tor such savage attacks upon those who
IesistedIadoPted such guerilla mode of warfare
against the dissentients-that his retraction has
lost the grace OF concession, and converted the
into triumph over himself Rumors prevail
that the Premier found it necessary to interfere,
ana that ne threatened the rampant divine with the
Queens interference as the head of the Church,
IN the event OF his obstinacy being continued. =
More improbable events have occurred; for the
Bishop OF Exeter Is not the man to sacrifice his
opinions or his prejudces. except on "compulson."
Opposed to the see of Exeter is that of Worcester,
whose BISHOP, IN a pastoral letter to his clergy,
has recommended a course of discipline, as re-
spee.s forms II s and & &obseryances. the antpodes Of
ton In February. Mr.. Ward Of his gown, on ac
count OF the doctrines put forth in his Ideal Of
Christian Church." Mr. Ward intends to defend
himself. and as they say Of culprits, to die hard
The same board has also passed resolution, set
ting forth the necessity of the cergymen of the es-
tablished church subscribing TO the thirtynne ar-
cles in their plain, common-sense acceptation
shed letter, has intimated that if the declaration
s made retrospective, he will resign his seat in the
University A convocation of the Bishops to settle
tine DISPUTED points s talked Of one day, and con
and her. throes afford inward satisfaction to all
without her pale. A meeting of the nobility was
recently held, we are told, to impress upon the
Archbishop of Canterbury the necessity Of stirring,
Puseyism has taken deeper root in the Establish
ment than could have been anticipated-and many
OF the foremost in that movement command
respect by the purity of their lives and the super.
no sympathy out Of doors. They have no
party in the country to back them. Oppo-
sed to popular feelings and prejudices, their
retention Of the ministry produces nothing but
heart-burnlngs. Unless some decided movement is
taken, these intestine commotons will shake the
church to its basis. Ii the Tractafan party few
in number, they are powerful in zeal. Split into
two divisions, as opposite as the poles, the rival dis
tending for their orthodoxy, without having court
Of appeal to decide his differences. In such
struggle, discipline will be forgotten, and the fate
OF the Kilkenny cats is typical Of the result. But
But dissension is not confined to the Anglican
Church. 1t has at length reached the Church OF
Rome-that branch of it at least which is located
IN Ireland The dispute does not refer to matters
nff fo1t line Init and Aroxs,
backs Of the Charitable Bequests Act, which was
passed IN the last session OF Parliament, in order
to relieve the Roman Catholic hierarchy in that
country from certain disabilities under which they
bequests for religious and charitable purposes.--
When sects are persecuted and unpopular, they
band together tor mutual protection and resistance.
The unity which has 80 long existed amongst the
which they were subjected That unity has existed
to the present time, when the apple of discoyd,
thrown from the Castle of Dublin,. under the d.
rsction Of the Lord Lieutenant and the Executive
O'Connell and the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr.
Murray, are at !oggerheads. The clergy and the
lalty are divided In opinion on this rerata qutio
and the controversy has assumed an angry and hos
tile appearance The Archbishop, in pastoral let
ter has justified himself and the other tive Catholic
prelates who have agreed to act as commissioners
under the bill, by showing the concessions which
the government IN the new measure has made to
the Catholic Church in Ireland-concessi0ns which
they sought IN vain to obtain when the wings were
in power. Dr. Murray makes out strong CASE
i is clear that the act puts the Catholic body on
better footing than before-beter, indeed than the
Protestant Church of England enjoys in the matter
of bequests: For the first time since the penal
laws the titles of the Catholic Bishops and Arch
bishops are acknowledge in legal form, and they
take precedence Of an Earl who is named in the
commission. This is measure which Minister
less powerful than Sir Robert Peel would not have
dared to propose. As it is, the acknowledgment Of
the titles Of the Roman Catholic prelates has pro-
voked hostility amongst section OF his ultra sup
porters in both countries. This feeling is likely to
be increased by arrangements which are said to
be in progress for opening direct communication
between the British Government and the Papal
See: The Government here has long had to con-
Irish clergy. To pension them il out of the ques-
ton the offer has been made and rcpudiated If
the Cabinet can influence the Roman Pontiff to
prevent his clergy from dabbling in the troubled
complished much This, doubtlees, is the end and
aim of the pending negotiations. The repeal fame
has been kept alive in the sister country more
through the influence of the priesthood than from
any undue influence on this head, and may proba-
bly, resent it. The breach between O'Connell and
the prelates who have accepted office under the
Bequest Act is already as wide as church door
1t is easy to imagine that, under circumstances
which are likely to arise, with the great majority
OF the secular clergy and all the hierarchy, save
three or four, on the popular side, the breach may
be widened so as to neutraze the P6pe's authority,
and defeat the intentions of the Government. 1t is
a ticksh affair, and may lead to important conse
quences But ministers seem determined to pro-
ptiate, far they can, the Irish clergy and peo
pie. The grant to Maynooth is to be Increased,
rumor says; and two universities are to be cndow-
ed at the public expense, where religious tests will
be dispensed with-so that all classes, irrespective
Of creeds, may partake of the advantages therein.
GLORY AND SHAME OF EraIAND.-The papers
TEEN with royal and aristocratc bounties distributed
amongst the poor in their several localities. This
distribution OF the necessaries Of life, at the pre-
seat incement season, is amiable aud considerate.
But ii marks the destitution which exists. Unfor-
tunately, such charity is generally reserved for
what is called "Christmas festivities" the donors
forgetting that destltution 10 not limited to Chrst
mas, but exists, if not the whole year round, at
at least more or less during the winter months
The same journals, which announce with ostenta-
ton, these gratuties OF the great, conain almost
daily, cases of starvation, from absolute want of
food, shelter, or raiment To England belongs the
opprobrium Of being at once the richest and the
a he xrcrId will aWaVe