The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-07
The Battle OF the ChurcheS---IlS Eject
on Politics and Legislation.
Gladstone and DisraeIi as Controlling Chiefs
IN the Crisis.
'LOTHAIR" AND "VATICANISM."
Cardinal Manning The People
Hostile to Rome.

dispersed the Easter recess TO tle tour quarters
OF heaven. We have just passed that DAY which Is
in London nine parts popular carnival and one
part an ecclesiastical fast, and am now writing
on the eve Of what suppose may be called the
great religious festival oil the year. II occurs TO
me that a sketch OF the theological situation in
tins favored land OF piety may be botn seasonabie
and instructive.
RELIGION AND POLITICS.
During the winter months il was generally an
ticIpated that should have an ecclesiastical
session. The newspapers, daily and weekly, de-
plored the prominence which the Church and It's
affairs would have accorded TO them the national
comments at Westminster. ana the whole race OF
English clergymen, 70 whom the love OF contro
versy and notorlety Is a natural instinct, were
jubilanrly discounting the results OF the coming
fray. These expectations rested upon no better
basis than the promise gwen by Mr.. Russell Cur
ney after the passing OF the Public Worship ReSu-
lation act last year. to Mr.. II. Lowe-who has long
been inspired by pure perecs hatred or
everything in the way or q clerical comba1-tnat
he would Introduce in 1875 q measure dealing with
ecclesiastical offences against doctrine ana NOR
ais, even the act or 1874 took cognlzance OF
offences against the ritual laws or the BOOK OF
Common Prayer. Had Mr.. Quincy fulfilled his
promise Mr. Disraeli would have been bound 70
make the matter one OF government importance,
and would have embraced responsibility
OF q troublesome nature. The Public Wor-
ship Dill sufficiently strained the ties OF
party allegiance and Ministerial unity. The
CABINET like the House OF Commons, contains
in 1t some members who heart Indifferent
TO the Church OF England and al concerning hrr;
contains others VINO are bent upon applying TO
her the most drastic principles OF the Bismarckan
regime. and others again who are IN favor OF the
pretensions OF sacerdotalism.
sACERDOrALISM.
Now Mr. Russell Gurney's bin or this year. had he
brought forward, ike the bill OF last year would
have been directly aimed at sacerdotalism, ana il
Is pretty certain that It's introduction would nave
peen followed not merely BY Parliamentary row
royal but by Ministerial split. a. It the reac-
tlonary element IN the Ca0inet-rnat extreme
right which would ike TO institute 4 tory policy
OF the old traditional kind, and which at heart
thoroughly detests the previous ana democratic
conservatism OF Mr.. Disrae-the element
composed or such men AZ Lord Salisbury,
Lord Carnarvon anu Mr. Ga horne Hardy
is IN a state of yelled rebellion against
what may call the constitutional ranonalism
OF Sir Stafford Northcote, VINO borrowed MS poht-
cal position from Peel and his financial position
from Gladstone ana Of Mr.. Disraeli whose pubic
creed Is that or his The decision, therefore,
was taken some months ago OF attempting
any ecclesiastical legislation N the session or
1875. The prmate, DR.. TAFT, prepared the pubic
mind for the disappointment by announcing that
as Convocation meets tins year unusually lafe lie
which people talked could be .ntrod uced.
This, OF course. was merely an excuse, Tor COnvo-
cation is body winch mas as mucn 10 do with
English legislation as the Geographical Society or
the Royal Academy Of Arts.
LOWE AND THE OPPOSITION
II the government proposes the opposition and
the House IN general nave good deal 10 DO with
OF Parliamentary Mother Careyis chicken, ana de-
lights above al things IN political mischief, Is not
iiS. lie roundy tells MS Irienas--who.
may state, IN view OF Lord HaruDgtons proved
no distant date 20 become ais iotiowersm14at he
Intencs 10 eX2ct from Mr. Disraell anu Mr. Russell
Quincy me iulnimenl Q! iae p.eaee on the
ing bill OF last year, as the Public worship act nas
been appropriately called. We snail then SEQ
wnat we snali see anu y on neea not 0e surprised
IT. In the event Of the administration being driven
into the legislative pitian iron which 1t sarinEs
back with perfectly inielliglule alarm, you
witness something Ike a repetition or tne
Ministerial scrlmnage mat took place IN 1867,
wHen Lord Salisbury, Lord Carnarvon aud
General Peel Withdrew sooner than touch
the unhoy in the shape OF the Derbg-Dlsraen Re.
form bill. There Is another reason besides Mr..
loves notorious aud not altogether innocent per-
tinacity when maSes me think tGat under any
circumstances Parliament will lud itself COM
United TO an ecclesiastical struggle be ore IL u
able TO say, IN August next, in the words Just Ut
tered by the President OF the French anarchy,
"Ld France est leyce.n Great questions are very
often decided on collateral issues and topics ap-
parentlY UNI Important tuIn ont 10 be OF genuinely
rwo ECCLESIASTICAL bills
be ore Parliament, Nacn dealing VITA The same
probiem whica may be coHoquially described an
DO or do we nOL want more b!ShOps2 In tae
house OF Lords Lord Lytteltou, distinguished ia
his YOUTH ana, even TO this day as the most ac-
complshed classical scholar aud cricketer OF ms
generation, mas oi ought IN bil w0lcn gives the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners power, subject to
ce. tain reservations, TO increase the numser q
English bishops. TINS bill bas already received tue
consent OF the Upper House. Meanwhile IN the
House OF commons tue Home Secretary mas pro-
posed measure winch In reality clashes with
NFNrdI ufF oil fhs.a
lishment OF a new pisnopflc In The particular case
OF ST. Adams. At this MS lordsnip - some what
goes 70 the Commons II Will so To tue wall, as, IN
truth, 1t Is exceedingly hKey 10 do. Now,
and the House OF commons. 80 far
as religious TOPICS arc concerned there
tions as TO wnat may ensus upon the Introduction
ana discussion 81 any purely ecclesiastical s0b-
Ject-tng same answer AZ the late speaker Is re. Y
ported TO nave made when ne was Intercepted
what would be the result II he ''naneau a men, 4
Der-'rhe Lord only knoWsr Toe experience 81 I
last year sufficiently SHOWS that rne ramlilca.
lions and the possible Issues Of any DIs affecting
the Churcn OF England DEFY all prediction. There K
Is an old proYero, Let sleeping dogs he" ana Ar.
Cross, am convinced, would have acted more
wisely II ne h4d sIudiousy reraued from sug-
directly ecclesiastical nayor. Yne onlJ explana. L
ton IS taat LORD Lytteiton's bln was Ia exist.
advisable 10 take the bull by The horns.
THE oAUsk-cHARiTY OR PEoPAGASD1sM9
Why Is 10, you may ask, that a PROPOSAL 10 alter I
or increase part ol the macniaeIy ol the EstaD- Z
listed Church N this country should be attended 4
with so many peri!s ami Is certain to be debated .
with sucn anIulatIon Inc reason Is 10 DC lOund
in tue generally unee tied state or public eeiing
on matters ecclesiastical or religious. The pres.
ent with us Is Il tlme-and these Easter celebra.
tons rem1d one possibly o. the iaot--ol mach
superficial paraGe OF theological maltero, muoa
hurrJtug 70 ana no, OF many services anu OF .ong h
prayers, put with exceedingly ligtie Oh genuine
reality underlying the external snow. There i
passionate strlvlna after earnestness, but oil ear.
Of transition, scientific, inIernatlonal ana mora,
Z