The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-21
THE DAILY NEWS.
The Established Church--hePortea "e-
f.ctfon of the Bishop of Oxford

From the New York Express.]
Tn our religious compilation elsewhere will Do
sonni mysterious paragraph from the LONDON
Weekly Register, the prnclpal homan CaInolic
organ in England, forshadowing forthcoming
Conversion to that church, which would cause
a greater sensation than any similar event for q
long while. Conjecture was rife, lmmedlately
on the publication of that announcement, as TO
who the eminent person could be and there
we're not wanting intimations IN some OF the
secular journals that he would, in al pro3aDl-
lity, be found among the Royal iamily ltseM.
By the steamship Minnesota, which arrived
here This morning, however, the mystery
would seem to be explained. The Cork Ex-
aminer of the 1se inst. says: "There seems to
he general impression that the individual re-
ferred to is the Bishop Of Oxford, DIR: Wilber-
force. whose sympathies with rituahsm are
well known. We understand that private
letter has been received in this city stating dis u
tinotly that DR.. Wilberforce has entered the
Catholic Church, and that the fact is to be
announced in London to-day. This being the
fact, the assertion of the Weekly Register that
the coming accession to the church is the most
important one since the conversion OF Dr. New
man and Archbishop Manning, is fully borne
out. keyond all question, DR.. Wllberforce ls
the ablest and most distinguished man IN the
Church Of England" .,
racter, the agitation within the Episcopal
Church here, growing out of the lying trial
and the ritualstic demonstrations at st. AL
bans, fade into insignifcance, It will be for
inmate for the established Church if the Bishop
of Oxford does not carry away with hlm many
of the lesser lights of that organization. One
would naturally suppose that the frequency Of
these defections would inspire all parties with
a desire to settle their contentious betwe. n
s'high and low," and unite for the malnte-
nance of the church to which they profess, IN
common, to he loyal. AS it is, it is difficult 10
see how any eccleslastical organization, no
matter what may be it's prestige or it's power,
can long avoid positive disintegration.
The Bishop Of Oxford was born IN l8Q5, and
received his education at Oriel College. He was
ordained in 1923, and was appointed Rector OF
Brightstone, in the Isle of Wight, in 1880. In
1887 he was appointed select preacher before
the University Of oxford; in 1889 Archdeacon
to Prince Albert; in 1840 Canon Of Winchester
Cathedral; in 1841 Barupton Lecturer; in 1874
sub-Almoner to the Queen; and in 1S45 Dean
of Westminster. In the last named year he
was again select preacher before the Universi-
ty, and in November was appointed Bishop OF
Oxford, to which Office is attached the Cham
cellorsbip of the Order Of the Garter. In 1847
he was made Lord aigh Almoner OF the Queen.
he Is one Of the ablest debaters in the House
of Lords. Beside the Life and the Correspon-
dence Of his father, prepared by him and hle
brother, Bishop Wilberforce has published
various works Of an ecclesiastical character,
which have now become standard authorities
In that branch Of the church which has been
accustomed to look up to him as leader and
counsellor.