Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-23
The West aIlnsteF review for April

S@AS U0oS 44AAbGeE k1oNleNU IOE april
Leonard Scott & Co.'S. reprint of this bes,
of quarterlies is at hand, aud is one of the
best numbers Of this Invaluable periodical.
The contents are
1.-The Basin of the Upper Nile and its
Inhabitants. ul .fs
q. Strikes aud Industrial Cooperation.
3. The Abolition of Religious Tests.
4. The Progress ofPardon and the Pun.
isbment of Death.
8. New Zealand.
8 James's History Of fEuglish Literature.
Z. The Philosophy of Roger Bacon.
8. Contemporary Literature.
The third article is a review of Goldwin
Smiths "Plea for the Abolition of Tests in
the University of Oxford" ii
GOldwin Smith is now almost as well
known to the thinking public of the United
States as John Stuart Mill or Herbert Spen,
Ger. He is one of the vigorous progressive
thinkers of England, aad belongs to the
same school of thought as the writer's just
quoted. The review is re-statement of
the premises and conclusions of Professor
Smith, and, as matter of course, an On.
dOFasueat Of the. pqsttian taken by him.
1t may not be generally known to the
American public, that the present law npOn
the subject, is, that all persons proceeding
to the degree of Master OF Arts, in the Uni.
Versity of Oxford, shall subscribe to the
Thirty-niue Articles, and the Three Arti-
cles ofthe Thirty.sixth Canon ofthe Church
of England.
The form of the test is as follows: "1 do
willingly and from my heart, subscribe to
the Thirty. nine Articles of religion of the
United Church Of England and Ireland, and
to the Three Articles of the Thirty. sixth
Canon, and to all things that are contained
In them"
1fauy man from conscientious grounds
refuse to take this test, the consequences are
l. That he cannot hold fellowship.
2. BE is excluded from oonvocatiou-
the governing body Of the Uuiversity.
3. He cannot open a private hall for th e
reception of students. .-..-,
Against this system the arguments are !:
/. II is immoral.
2. It is useless. -
3. 1t is injurious to the Univerisity and
to the country at large. Il i1as==r r.
Itisimmoral because 1t tempts men, by
the offer of worldly advantages-E. G. Eel
lowships, Headships-to neglect or stifls
the voice of conscience.
tits useless, because it has;utterly failed
in the effect It was intended to produce
viz, uuanimity. Unanimity 10 the church
or university is not nearer but farther Of
than eVerit was, after three hundred years
of tests. a.
1t is injurious, becarse it excludes con
scientious 'dissentets from the university
but admits them if they be not conscien.
/ tious, iFii al5 5=eZ 40l.e-3 r
1t excludes the thoughtful and scrupu
lous, il they do not, happen to think ID,
Articles and Prayer Book, the perfection o
truth and wisdom; but it admits the care
less and lax, even though they nevel
thought about them at all.
q This is the sum total of the line Of ar
lgument. Professor Smith has attadke,
another fgment, and We,trust will not tonl
add fresh laurels to his already oyercr0wd
ed Wreaths, but also achieve substantia
success In securing the abolttionTof religi
Gus tests in the universities as a supple.
ment to their abolition 10 Parliament. l..
.