New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-02
ENGLAND.
The Religious Agitation What is the Church,
and what 81 Is Worth
trYTsR From CR6RLES LINE

LETTER From CRfRLES LINE
LONDON Saturday, Nov H. 1880
nr.n FRIEND GREELEY-You dislike | be-
liove. the subiect of Theology for newspaper dis
c,ssiep: and if you do not certainly do think
men gcould better employ their leisure than in
nrotraotne the conflict Of words in the never-to-
be.settled tcchnicalites of religious modes of
thought But if men Of the progressive school
were ever so inclined to let Theology and the old
Church alone the Church will not permit them
The Church Will hunt every soul that does not IN
stantly and entirely succumb to its domination
The recent conduct Of the Pope in again bringing
all England into his paternal embrace, has once
more brought the Church into prominence as
public question. Nulgarly speaking, this has in
deed heavenly authority for mover was there
more complete God send for the benefit OF the
Church at large thai this Pontiical Bull The
lehargy which has come over almost every de-
partment ofthe Church is now thrown oil, and par
tisans Of every kind renew their armor for the
war.
A correspondent writing from Alabama, Gene
see Co. New FORK, in reference to my former let
ter. asks me What mean by the Church.
think few would bel doubt tforhis benefit may
describe it as any system or organization which
assuming religion as its basis draws limits around
the human mind The Church has ever done and
now does this Church or no Church is the qucs-
ton of True Thought or Mental Death. Science,
Art Commerce, Literature, Poetry, Education,
propose the unlimited, the boundtess expansion OF
mind. but the Church does not. The Church pre-
! tends to know and to teach all truth, aud conse-
ouently would stop all progress, and if allowed
it's wav would consign the whole civilized world
to the condition OF the Wretched Irish peasant,
without even the miserable consolation OF the
Workhouse. | therefore feel with great force the
truth Of the priests assertion that " 1t we the
priests destroy not the press the press will de-
stroy u.s." The two can no more be Tree to act
together than night and day can exist together.
| Thus. then whether we like it or not, the Press
and the Church, the Old Church, must come into
opposition. You, gentlemen, in the United states,
NAV not very fully understand the Importance OF
this insight. You say that in your land the press
is entirely free, yet the Church fourlshes. Al,
my good friends, how happy should we OF the ola
continent feel if we were afflicted with only such
ghost, a shadow, of Church asyours Why slrs,
we seem at least two centuries from voluntary
Church. disconnected from the State such rs you
enov Men are making like stir in demanding
this separation, but the agitation goes codly on
from the very hopelessness OF the cause You
know the Bishops of England once declared they
were the breath Of the Kings nostrils. So the
1
the Church is puppet IN their hands. 1t Is a
waXen creature they can mold at will, and 1t
takes the shape they please in the hope perhaps,
some day. of gaining the upper hand Yet do
not mean to say the Church in the United States
is altogether powerless, because even inaumate
things which men make or hold in their hands
have reactve or hnderative power on them
selves Above all, that branch OF the Church
called Roman Catholic, by reasonthat 1t is repub-
Gcan in it's form, and Of more prchensile grasp
10 In q modified
even in country Boosting of free press Still,
beneath all this renewed theological agitation IN
England in which each party will try to pen as
many sheen as it can, so that its rents may be
duly paid have faith that majesty and divinity
OF mind has been sufficiently developed among us
TO prevent any serOus retrogresslon
Observers who looked the least beneath the
surface have long perceived the assdulty Oh tne
Romish Church party. They have oeeh co4uot
: ting and shutting q long time. think now they
have played their card too soon, and VIII lose the
trick. The Church OF England will play sharp to
whit and by the aid of Lord John Russell, who
;, is at present making political capital out oil the
controversy, | think the game may strengthenth the
:, Church OF England for season. II in consldera'
." ton Of the vivacity which the newspapers DIS
!. play, and the burning of the Roman Bishops IN
: eitgy, you marvel at the inertlve OF the BRUSH
people, be assured it is not all the torpor OF IN
difference, but their quetude is partly attributable
to phll0sOphiC faith
Yes, Mr. Superstition, Philosophy is not faith
less, nor unbrotherly, nor uncharltable but has
faith in the advent OF that day when souls shall
the world over, be entirely free to think and to
love- without any one being obliged to pay or
any one being willing to receive, earthly wages
for their salvation from sin, vice or misery when
men shall blush aud tremble at the mere thought
of living ON the toll and labor of other men,
though joined with the pretense that they cQn, as
rulers, dole out earthly happiness or, as priests
secure us heavenly bliss.
! Perhaps, in place OF endeavoring to make such
= facts clear though do it in perfect love to all
men, it would be preferable to work to the same
end in other way, as, for instance, by aiding
= the cause of universal education can only say
you at equal liberty to suppress or print these
u sentiments, and that | work IN every good way [
= cam and think some one should be courageous
= enough to declare important truths which many
feel.
The Bishop of London declares he has faith
in the good sense of the English people to manage
the Pope. also have faith in the same article to
manage the Bishop, and every other mortal who
would circumscribe my mental life. think the
) present crisis well worthy of observation from
your side, and have no doubt that poor apathetic
John Bull will come out right
YOurs hopefully, CfIAS. LANE.
Things in Mobile.
Correspondence of The Tribune
Mnpr, Friday November % 1880