New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-09-01

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order for the udy Of their departure is at hand
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THE gESLEY.iNS AND THE CHURCH or
ENGLAND
One of the most important questions, shbor-
dinate to that of Irish grievances, vita "llch
the new British Parliament will have to deal
will be the p.Oposcd abolition of religious
tests in the Universities of Oxford and Cam
bridge. In the Parliament just about to expire,
bill for accomplishing this Object-fOr open
ing the doors of those two great national SEM
inarics to the youth of the whole Kingdom,
without any reference to the religious opn-
ions OF the ecclesiastical connections of candl-
dates for admisSion-was introduced in the
House Of Commons by Mr.. Coleridge, the
eminent barrister, member for Exeter; but
although the measure passed the llonse 10y
large majority, it was thrown out in the Lords
through n combination Of-thc Bishops aud the
Tory peers. Whether Mr.. Coleridge succeeds
ia getting seat in the new Plrliament or
not, the measure is certain of being again
brought forward in the popular chamber, and
IA in tlnt event it will DO sure to pass, the
IIppcr House will bo afforded the opportunity
of rcconsidcring its late decision. That 1t
will eventually yield-undcr compuision,
of course-therc can be no doubt !;
and being convinced of this, the Anglican clergy
of the High Church party are employing every
means in their power to thwart the promoters
of the Tests-R Repeal movement The celebrated
Dr. Pussy of Tnctarian fame is doing his
part in support of the rcactionary policy. He
has addressed letter to the President OF the
Wesleyan Conference, which has Just tcrml-
mated its annual session, with the object of in
ducing the Conference to join him in opposing
hlr. C0Cidgc's BILL proposing that either the
Niccne Crccd-to which all Protestant Chris
tans can subscribe without reference to their
ecclesiastical difiercnccs-should I've substituted
for the articles and founularies Of the Church
of England subscription to which now consti-
tutes the tcSt OF, that ont of the funds Of the
existing colleges new colleges should be built
for all denominations that desire to he repre-
scntcd at oxford, so that each Of the creeds
should have its own seminary. Dr. Pusey's
letter was read in the Conference and the
reading of it was followed 10y an interesting
discussion, in which some of the most emf
nent ministers of the Wesleyan body took part.
The conclusion at which the Conference arrived
was-as expressed by one of the speakers on
the occasion-"The hOur2had struck. Ii WAS
mot possible much longer to prevent the Uni
"vcrsites from being natiOualzcd. They could
"not make a greater mistake than to coaleSce
with Dr. Puscy.n So the letter was cOattc-
Ously acknowledged, and there the matter
ended. The party of reaction in England will
evidently meet with no sympathy, will receive
no support, from the great Methodist body,
which in the coming struggle viii be
found on the side of liberty aud progress
But apart from the national view of the qucS-
ton, and looking ut 1t simply as one in which
the maintenance of the supremacy of the
Church of England is concerned, it is clear,
from the tenor of the observations made by the
speeches alluded TO while DIR. Puscy's letter
was under consideration, that process of alien
alton has been going on FOR some time past,
drawing the Wesleyan body further and further
from the Church of England To this result
the increase of Rtuaistc practices in the
Anglican Church has largely contributed, and
that Church can no longer look TO Methodism-
as it has done in times past-tO assist it in the
defense of its temperatures, or of any of its
exclusive privileges The Church Of England
aims ut undivided supremacy in the realm, and
its Overtures to the Wesleyan body all look to
the absorption of that body by the Establish
mont But-as The London Times has summa-
rized the reply of the Conference to Dr. Pussy
the McthOdists cannot advocate one
universal Church, for two reasons. First,
1T is clear TO them that the New
Testament prescribcs no one form of Church
" government and, second, they do not believe
" that it would be practically good for man
kind" Evidently the Wesleyan body in
England is preparing to abandon its mega
tive position on the Establishment question
and to assume "a positive attitude. Hitherto
simply Nonconformst, 10 seems now to be
moving in the direction of t-and out dissent.
We may add that it is significant, rs indi-
eating the important part which the religious
element is destined TO play in the new political
era about TO open in the United Kingdom, that
The London Times and other influential En-
glish journals should be devOting a great deal
OF their attention to the movements of the
Wesleyans, body whose proceedings have
hitherto met with but brief notice aud scant
appreciation and respect from that portion of
the secular press which, like the once powerful
autOcrat of English journalism, assume to speak
for the intelligence and responsibility of the
nation.
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THE PITTSBURGH sAENGERFESr