The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-19

OIsEsTABLISHMENT seems to be rear
ing its head in earnest in Great Britain
On the one hand it is the Established
Presbyterianism of Scotland that is
threatened; on the other it is the Estab
ilshed Episcopacy of England Already
the Establishment in Ireland has passed
away, and the Belfast Witness now writes.
Dlsestablishment seems to be in the air
atpresent, referring to the Scotch Church
and the English Church In Scotland
the Established Church seems already
doomed. The Presbyterian (Philadel-
phia) remarks:
1t is apparent that the Presbyterian Establish
ment of Scotland is to be the next ancient eccle
slastlcal fortress to be assailed 1t has been for
many years the church of the minority of the
Scottish people, 1t has lost the patronage of
the arlstocracy, it lost at earlier dates the Free
Church and United Presbyterian masses 1t
contains great numbers of the middle. classes
and OF the professional and mercantile men, But
stS enemies are numerous and they mean bust
ness" The United Presbyterians are fully com
United to Disestablishment as part of their
church policy. and the younger race of Free
Church ministers either indifferent, or o,
posed t the State Church. 1t has stood hlthei
70 by the force of custom-by the reluctance fel
TO disturb long existing institutions by the rea
and large Christian work done by the Churcl
of Scotland. and by the doubts still felt, of tn,
ability OF the voluntary system to supply thu
spiritual need OF the people. But the tide rises
slowly but surely. The AntiState Church As
sociauons grow In number, and in compactnes.
and vIgor. The question which has Just now
IN Ill.
llshment Is proper or wise, or in what form or
by what methods 1t should be effected but
whether 1t Is proper question to be taken ul
oy the Gladstone government-whether such
promises had not been made both by the Premier
and by his subordinates at the last general cleo
ton, that they are precluded, in honor, from
considering the subject, calling it to the no
tice of Parliament. 1t surely shows how great
the distance already past over is that the subject
IS no longer whether Disestablishment is wise or
unwise right or wrong, but whether one minis
try or another shall deal with it. Doubtless the
agitation, when it thoroughly begins, will con
vuse the whole people, and the fervid genius of
the Scots will come out afresh In words of high
debate over the maintenance or downfall of the
" Aud Kirk We believe that in the end
Church and State will part company, and
tiends heritors," and similar ecclesiastical
words and phrases become obsolete.
The dissenting churches of England
already embrace about one-half of the
population. But the danger to the An
glican Establishment at present is not
from this quarter. The Church of Eng
land is torn with internal dissensions
There are four distinct elements in the
Church: the High Church, the Broad
Church, the Evangelicals, and the Rit-
ualists. There is no good feeling among
them. The Ritualistic prosecutions in
the past year or so have occasioned lust
now great bitterness on their part, and
it is evident that the upper classes of
English society are deeply agitated. 1t
did seem little curious in the last quar-
ter Of the nineteenth century to see secu-
lar officials sending clergymen to jail for
heresy and irregular ecclesiastical prac-
tees. The Rev. Malcolm MacColl writes
to the Guardian that " compromise or
disestablishment is the alternative" The
compromise in view is to yield the use of
the offensive vestments, in favor of which,
says Mr.. MacColl, are the balance of
legal weight, English grammar, and his
torical evidence" Canon Liddon has
proposed court Of appeal of bishops,
taking the ground that Ritualism is a
fact, and must be recognised by the
Church of England as such if they would
consult the preservation of the Church.
But DR.. Littlejohn (Ritualist) writes to
the Guardian that Canon Liddon scheme
is unavoidable" Mr.. Charles L. Wood
(Kitualist) writes to the Times 1--WE can
have no wish, even under such circum-
stances, to play into the hands of the
Liberation Society; but it does not re-
quire much political foresight to perceive