New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-20
service the noncoporming bodies had 3, ilo,752 at
tepdauts against 2,y7I, 75S Of Mother Church Non

Service the non conforming bodies had j. ilo752 at
tendauts seaipst 2y71,75S Of Mother Church. Non
conformity is strongest in Wales, the popuous coun-
ties of the North of England and some OF the Miani
counties ss NottiDehamshire, Cheshire. and Derby
shire. Elsewhere, for the most part the Church OF
England preponderaes its strength being particular
" great in the agricultural districts Of the south and
west of England.
The three most salient reflections arising from q
purvew of this report are:
l. The large number that seem to be outside OF all
religious denominations. With reference to this
point the Reporter says (amid much to the same
effect, More especially iu cities and large towns
sis it observable how absolutely Insignificant por-
ton of the congregation is composed Of artisans"
Prom whatever cause in them or the manner OF
their treatment by religious bodies it is sadly GER
tain that this ras, intelligent and gro'crgiy impor-
tan, section Of our countrymen is thoroughly es-
tranged from our religious institutions in their pre-
"sent aspt ct" The religious sentiment Of the coun-
try is attessed throughout by the Reporter to rest
with the middle classes Of England; but, no says
with the upper classes too, the subject OF religion
has obtained of late marked degree OF notice, and
ga regular church attendance is now ranked among
. the recognized proprietes of lie."
9 The onward progress of the "Voluntaries'
whose cbapes and ministers not supported by any
State endowment, and
g. The waning power and prestige of the Estab-
lisbed Church when compared with her position fifty
wears sgo This isof prime political inport for nj h
..the Established Church" as says Lord John Rus.
sell. "the hereditary monarchy aud hereditary aris
..tocrscy stand or fall" Notwithstanding her own
conyulsve efforts to maintain her ground for the last
ten wears preceding the census returns and since;
Notwithstanding the jealous zeal OF Parliament
in her behalf her career is still downward. la
view of the light thrown upon her present position oy
this Census of the recent successful opposition 10 the
church tax, the question of tie admission OF Dissent
ers to the privileges of the two great universities
Carried in the Commons the Canada Reserves Act
the curtaiment of the jurisdiction of the Ecc'esias-
tical Courts the obstinate opposition OF the Episco
pal Bench in the Upper House to the Jew BILL AMI
the bill to legallse marriage with a deceased whes
sister the exposure of the malyersaon of the Bishops
by Mr. HOrsman and other radical members Of the
House Of Commons, the disposition OF the High
Church party to mako the church independent
of the State the success OF the Hon. Bap-
fist Noel and his elaborate attack upon State
Church. the dismissal of Professor Maurice and the
internal dissensions that and anon arise within
the bosom of the establishment-al these facts ac-
quire an added significance, for it is n'w beyond de-
NAL that the State Church is the Church of very
decided minority OF the people. English states
men had additionally believed and affirmed
the contrary, aud liberal churchmen, such
as Dr. Arnold, had always distinguished the
question of the justice of the establishment in Ireland
from that in England by advertng to the fact that
in England it the Church of the Major
ty and thus entitled to be treated a National
Church. Fifty, thirty years ago. there
some ground for this assertion, but the present
Census cuts away that ground, and each succeeding
year makes it more false. Liberal Churchmen must
now awake to the fact that the State Church is
Minority Church in England it is confessedy in
Ireland, and will have to shift from that ground which
they have so long com placently occupied.