New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-10


cured the election OF one of his chief antago-
uists in the approaching crisis. Ii was only
few months after DIR. Hawkins became Provost
that he refused. to assign any more pupils 10 inc
three tutors. Newman, Froude and Robert Will
berforce on the ground that they were seeking
to diminish his personal authority, and there
upon engaged TO do their work DIR. HampdeD,
whose appointment to the Theological CHAR OIL
the University subsequently called forth so We
beuent n protest from the Tractarians. AS the
head of the College with which the leaders ana
opponents of the new mOevment were olllelaily
connected, he had great part to play IN the ex-
dtitIp years of ecclesiastical polemics which
allowed bis election and If he took SIDES wlth
DIR. Arnold rather than with DIR. Newman, he
made no bitter enemies among the Tractarlans
who recognized in him sincere and honorable
opponent, swayed by the rational character oil
his religious ideas. DR.. Newman, acknowledge
ing heavy indebtedness to him IN intellectual
training and doctrnal growth, has written OIL
him in the Apologize" in terms of cordial alice
ton and profound respect.
Another antagonist of the Tractarlans, whose
personal kindness and tolerant spirit were rec
ognlzed even in the heat of the Oxford contro-
versies over Catholic and Latitudlnarlan ten
denotes, was Dr. TAFT. He was one OF the four
Fellows and Tutors who joined in the memorial
against DR.. Newman's Interpretation OF the
Thirty nine Articles, and took an active part
in those measures Of University repression ana
condemnation which led to the secession OF so
manyof the Anglo Catholics from the English
Church. His sympathies were enlisted on the
side of Whateey, Arnold, Hawkins and Hamp-
den from the outset, but his concliatOry dlspo-
sition and personal characteristics afforded him
protection against the violence and anmosity
OF that memorable conflict. 1t was this same
moderation of temper that made him IN course
of time an almost ideal Primate of the English
Church. Scarcely had he been promoted to the
historic dignity of the See of Canterbury before
he was called upon to concede the exclusive
privileges of the Established Church in Ireland,
and during the remaining years OF his life the
most complex questions of ecclesiastical dlscl-
pine and ritual repression were constantly arls-
ing. If concessions were made with good grace
and if harassing controversies were either
avoided or settled by legislation, 1t was be-
cause Dr. TAFT was thoroughly statesmanllke
Primate, accepting in q cOnciiatory Spirit
changes that were inevitable and tOlcratng
not so far as was possible, but so far as the
average Engiishman was willing to tolerate,
variations of ritual and divergences OF
doctrine. The same traits which released
him from the odium Of craftsmanship at Ok
ford forty years ago and thereby strength
ened his influence enabled him to administer
his office with moderation and sagacity in the in
terest not of any faction, but of the English peo-
pie The subsistence of those great forces, which
threatened half a century ago to rend the Eng
lish Church asunder. has been so complete that
the magnitude of the crisis is no longer recog-
nized. AS Dean Motley Reluctantly contesses
the Oxford period has vanished from com
mon mortal ken like dream" The leaders are
forgotten and their work is misunderstood, and
the whole movement has come to be regarded
Ms progressive in its tendencies, stirring new
activities in a stagnant church and promoting
a revival of learning, devotion and practical
beneyolcnce,