The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-01-21
The Church of England as an In
strument of Charity.
[St. James Gazette.

SUI uu16uG O1 Suar1Uy.
[St James Gazette]
In the first place the Anglican Establish
ment, as it exists, is vast instrument of char
ity. The amount of money which finds its
way to the relief of the poor the sick, the help
less, through the hands of the clergy-no in
considerable portion of it contributed from
their own narrow income-is enormous. And
then it is charity of the best kind. No one
who has any real experience of English coun-
try life-and the same may be said of much
town life too-can doubt that the parson is the
true relieving officer of many parish. Again,
the clergy, from the highest to the lowest.
form great system of moral and social police
''The Anglican Bishop as Mr.. Carlyle wit
nesses, "does really diffuse around him an in
fiuence of decorum, courteous patience, solid
adherence to what is settled teaches practi-
cally the necessity for burning ones own
smoke (surely necessary lesson in this age
of oursD sand does in his own case burn the
said smoke, making lambent fame and mild
illumination out of it for the good of mankind"
And this is true too, in its degree of the nfe-
rior clergy, as body; criminous and disreput-
able clerks are but the infrequent exceptions
which prove the rule. Once more. There is
no positive religion in the world which does
not do something to idealiZe life; to raise mems
thoughts above the seen and actual; to make
audible the voice of conscience. And how can
we prize too highly the uses of the, Established
Church in this respect? We may not rate very
highly the ordinary theological performances
of its ministers; but the healing and elevating
influences which it brings home to millions
through its beautiful formularies, its bright
and melodious services, the lessons of self deni-
al and sacred aspiration which are taught by
the eloquent lips of many of its clergy, and by
the eloquent lives of more, are surely forces
for good which we can ill affo~d to dispense
with. The Jacobin doctrinaire or the prosper
GUS Dissenting grocer may make light of these
things; but no one who really knows human
nature will make light of them. And, lastly,
let it be noted that all this-and much else of
great value which cannot be touched upon
here-is achieved by the Established Church
without any infringement on individual liber-
ty. Nay, more than this, it may be truly said
and essentially liberal as the Anglican Estab-
lishment has ever existed in the world, or is
ever likely to exist. Can the principle of pri-
vate Judgment be carried further than in
church in which DIR. Abbott and DIR. Pusey,
Dean Church and Dean Stanley, Mr.. Mack
onochie and Bishop Ryle, Cannon Farrar and
Canon Liddon dwell together, if not in frater-
nal unity, at all events in parliamentary uni
formity. AS DR. Arnold admirably expressed it
in his inaugural lecture at Oxford, the bond of
the Anglican clergy consists Sin common OBJ
ject and in common practice rather than in
common belief; their end is good rather than
truth" 1t is here, and not In "the dissidence
OF dissent" that the Professionalism OF tho
Protestant religion is really realized; for Nom
conformity has ever issued in rigid and un-
compromising dogmatism.