, 1863-07-16

next few months will more than realize all
our most sanguine expectations.
REVOLUTION IN THE ENGLISH
CHURCH
England, the most stubborn and
conservative Of all the so-called liberal
countries on the other side, is undergoing
great and radical changes, the importance
If which it is hard for an American to es-
innate. No body would have believed it
possible twenty years ago, or cvcn ten
years, that any fundamental reformation
could have taken p1ace in the constitution
Of the National Church Of that country,
and especially that 1t could hare
been brought about by the remon-
st1ances Of dissenters, aud the tender
scruples Of candidates for Holy Orders.
Such, however, is very likely to be the
case-so likely that we might in truth and
justice, assume that it has actually been
accomplished. For many years the more
pious and conscientious, members Of the
established church, who designed to take
upon themselves the Office, and functions
Of the priesthood. have not at all 1elished
the compulsory swallowing OF the Thirty
Nine Articles, which the church ordains
and makes, in their case, sins qua
non. They have thought and still
think, that it is too large q subscription
for any Christian minister to enter into;
that it is barrier to free thought and dis.
cussion, and tends to cramp and dwarf the
mind. Besides this, some Of the doctrines
contained in these articles, are of such a
nature that those who do swear to them
that is to say, those who swear they 6ckscs
them in toto-have to take the oath with
certain mental reservations, which are not
the best starting ground for q minister Of
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth. Hence these articles have be-
come obnoxious, aud many God-fearing
men, high dignitaries Of the Church, are
opposed to them, while others think the
time has come for reconsideration, Der
haps for an alteration and Reconstruction of
the whole programme.
That such thing could really happen
in England, makes any, the most mon
strous, miracle in this day possiblei It
would have been easier, one would think,
knowing the character Of the Epfscopalian
people, and their almost jdolatrous Tor.
ship Of the credos and ritual of the Church.
to have established Republic in the
proud little isle, than to have changed
even the letter, to say nothing about the
spirit, Of the old, venerable and sacred
organon upon which it is founded. It
appears, however, tllat nothing is too
sacred for the deyou1ing tooth of innova-
ton, and it is amazing how rapidly the
thoughts Of the martys develop themselves
into regularly organized institutions. Have
q care-an whom it may concern
have a care Of new ideas! They
grow faster than their opponents like
grow whilst men are asleep-and on the
morrow they wake up, and find, it may be
areyolutionl It is but yesterday that god
II dissenters we're fined, and imprisoned in
England, for doubling the infalibility of
the Church, and preaching against her doc
trines. It was felony for any man not or
dained, to preach in q church pulpit; aud
a poor Methodist, preaching without IL
cense, was liable to fine and incarceration.
To-day, q change is passing over that
proud dream Of spiritual superiority: Once,
and not along ago either, it was heretical
to speak against the Church at all, in any
way, and the speaker WIS liable to be hand
ed over to the tender mercies Of the Eccle-
eiastical Court. Witness John Bunyan,
George Fox, and q host Of others Now,
the epar1iament Of the nation gravely delibe.
rates for hour, whether the propositions up
On which the Church is tounded-thc strin.
gent, all-essential thirty -ninc articles, which
arc the cmbodymenr Of the wisdom and in.
spiratiou Of the highest fathers OF the Pro.
testant Episcopal Church-shall not be SO
modified, and altered, as to meet the tender
consc1ences Of candidates for the min
ist1yl
Such debate took place during last
month IN the House Of Commons On the
motion Of Mr. Buxton to abrogate the test
Of the Thirty-nine Articles. This gentle
man argued that the absolute requirement
from candidates for ordination, Of the SUBJ
scIption to the Thirty nine Articles and the
Book Of Common Prayer (which to q
churchman is as sacred as the Bib1e) tended
to keep young University men out Of the
Church. And this daring revolutionary
proposition was not met with violent de-
nurciat;ons, either BY the Government or
The high Church party in the House, but
was calmly debated, and the conclusion
come to was that revision was advisable.