New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-15
THE BISHOPS OF ENGLAND
Avn rur nrcrAsEp wIFE,s SISTER.


The Peers last night threw out the deceased
Wife's sister bill by maturity OF five against the
third reading The step is an extraordinary ono
from ALI points of view IL is customary to regard
the second reading of bill as The decisive STAGE
IL tho sac,na reading is carried the principle oil
measure IL affirmed. and its opponents thereafter
coufue their efforts to impairing the efficiency OF
by amendments" in committee. Through TINS
latter process this bill had passed, not unscathed.
Surdry compromises. on which i need not no"
dwell had been agreed TO by Lord Dalhouslo' OF
had been forced upon him. and according TO all the
ordinary rules of warfare the friends of the bill had
right to consider it SAFE But between the second
reading and the report, various things had hap
uersd. described the other day the attacks
wb;cb the Church press had made uDon the Bish-
ons and the reproach they had incurred among the
most bigoted OF their ocks account OF whas was
Thought the lukewarmn~ss OF their resistance W
This sincest billD Less publicly, but not less
efectiyely pressure had been put on the lay reeis
of whom MANY are peculiarly susceptible TO ciercI
;,asence. The result OF all tins was that Loru
R.ancbamp in behalf of the Duke OF MARLBOROUGH
qave notice that the rejection OF the Dill woaiu 10
moved The notice had an appearance OF FAIRNESS.
Time saough Vas given to rally the supporters Oh
the measure, if time were OF the essenco Va 'n.'
Question. But she hostility of the Church is more
than tina friendship OF the Dissenters who are It's
Heading su pporters The band Of 165 Who carfled
an. nd reading were dispersed over the king
dam Same had gone to the Orkueys, some were
m Irelapd some were at the Newcastle races Lofe
Dalhousie's management has been excehen'
throughout and his efforts to recall them were
energetic. Enough OF them returned TO mako the
division again one OF the largest known IN the MS
tory OF the House of Lords But the result was as
above stated.
Tha gsbops of course. turned the SCALE With
ont their seventeen votes against 1t, the measure
would have passed, and they have therefore con-
trvso To raise again in a singularlv DIET mite form
the question, Why Bishops have seats and votes IA
one branch OF the Legislature The his'oricai
answer We all know, but the historical view Is not
to-day the most important one. Time was when'
with majority Of Englishmen, 1t was suincient 10
saw that thing always has been. or has been Tor
long time. They assumed that 1t was rightly So
ana ought to remain So That spirit mas giveu way
te a very different one. IL the Bishops were wlse
xbev vould not give occasion for this sort or IN
ouirv. Wise they may he In matters spiritual bus
ma children OF this world they have way Oh dolug
ANONYMOUSLY foolish things. They have taken q
very conspicuous part in opposing Dill on winch
great many people have set their hearts. They are
nnap,mous against it. They have succeeded In
throwing it out by purely episcopal votes Inc
majority the very large majority, OF the House vi
Commons is known TO be for the bill. VINO ana
what are the Bishops of the Church OF England that
they should be able to defeat the known VIII OF the
elected representatives of the people of England
They are cergymen, ard the Office OF clergyman is
decmod ia the House of Commons too hoiy 10 10
nrofaped BIZ contact with the business of law max
ing A clergyman cannot be member of the House
of Commons, but In the so-called Upper House ne
can and does sit Calling him Bishop does moi
make him the less minister OF religion lie is, 10
,sant of law the nominee of the Crown. In point
M fact ne Is the nominee of the Prime Minister
Some of the men who formed last nights majority
were made Lords Spiritual by the late LORD bea-
consield; some by his predecessors; few oy Mf.
Gladstone They arc a clique inside clique; paid
partisans of q Church which Goes not Number
majority of Englishmen members, in Chamber
which rs relic OF hereditary privilege. The argu-
nent for abolishng the legislative authority OF the
House Of Peers is very strong one. 1t becomes IT.
resstible if the prerogatvry OF the Lords Temporal
are as we are told, indissolnbly bound up with
those of the Lords Spiritual People will not stand
such an anomaly forever. So long as the Bishops
ARE merely ridiculous they are tolerated. If they
become offensive they Will be swept aside.
Yesterday they we're both ridiculous and often
rive As a spectacle they are unique. The House OF
Lords 10 not commonly what would be called an
imposing body The chamber is an imposing one.
if you like, but its led benches are usually teh-
anted during the sittings OK the House. by haii
Dozen or possibly on special occasions by twenty
gentlemen mostly middle aged or past middle age
whose procee dings reach the uttermost depth Of
.dulness. The able men among them display ability
on great occasions bn, il rs for great occasions thai
thev reserve their abilities. section OF the hous'
ON tn, right of the Lord Chancellor and behind TIT
front Ministerial Bench is assigned 20 the bishops
1t is generally empty. Last night 1t was nearly
full There sat some seventeen elderly persons III
en;scopal robes their pufied lawn sleeves suggest
ing in a rather curious way that feminine Gle
mept. not youthful either. had somehow found ~
way into the honse. Look st their faces Int
stamp of their profession is on them. Nooed,
would say that those are men OF the world, or mel
a, bus;ursx. or men Of affairs. The punched lips
tho eyes mostly TOO near together, the skin draw
FIRMLY over cheek and chin, the sloping corners o
hitter months. the air of sanctimony the air o
ALWAYS posing before she world as superior being
with a divine mission and a divine sanction Ter act
someumes certainly not hamsn-ali this and mncl
more Won may see-the most casual observer ma
ses-as he glaDcos at this phalanx OF splritua
LEGISLATORS Good mon. of pure lives In their voca
tim. and useful as ecclesiastical administrator
they all are freely grant. But their whole teacn
iog their studies their lives of pastoral labor hav
utteriv untitled them for the business OF law-mak
ing. ana 1t is this unftnsss of which read I'd
signs in their faces and bearing. Intolerance
branded on almost every brow. bishop coui
hardly be Bishop IL be were not into'erant III
VOW binds him to recognize but one church out q
many. and outside OF the pale OF his one church M
bod : has any rights that be. as functionary
the Church is bound to respect or permitted
respect. What sort of people are these to intIu'
with authority over the interests OF whole con
muni.y. made up of members Of many churches an
of no church at all
sTha Bishop Of Lincoln is speaking rs 60 IN