The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-04-02
NG1M MOBILES COUNTY, MINNESOYA. S85 M
DISEBTABLLSHMEYT:

This long, and, in our country, unf..-
miliar word, is the designation for ono
OF the burning questions in Great Brit
and State. The State supports and
controls the Episcopal Church in Eng.
land, and the Presbyterian in Scotland.
One Of the great grievances in Ireland
till recently was the State Church
(Episcopal) in that country. But in
Ireland the Church is now disestab-
Iished. that Is. the bond between Church
and State has been cut, and the Episc'>
pal Church has only voluntary support,
like any and every church in this cOun
try:
For number of years there has
been efficient agitation against the
''unholy alliance" between Church and
State, and the process Of educating
tie people up to the polnt Of throwing
otf this great incubus has been led
chiefly by the ''Society for the liberia
ton of Religion from the control of the.
State This agitation has been COLI
Quoted up to this time very much like
tho carly anti-slavery discussion in this
country, principally urging moral con-.
siderations without carrying the ques-
tion directly into politics.
The Liberation Society proposes to
carry this question into politics in the
coming election, and have already held
their first meeting with this purpose in
view. The London Times and other
papers opposed to tie movement take
comfort in the fact that, rs they say.
the meeting was very small and by no
means enthusiastic. But there were
enough present for an able presentation
of the argument and to pass resolu-
tions.
One of the chief points made was
that the State has no right to take an
nually thirty millions of dollars from
the pocket Of the nation and bestow it
in support of the religion of part of the
people. Tins thirty millions, said the
81 eaker. is needed for the elementary
education Of the children Of the whole
nation. The meeting resolved to push
the question into politics despite the
cry "f many Of the Libe, alists, "Don't
embarrass the Liberal party" One of
the speakers Said he was sick of that
cry.
There is great fear among many ef
the best friends Of the cause that this
political turn to the movement is pre-
mature. They fear it may divide the
Liberal party and throw the Govern
ment into the hands OF the Conse. W..
tive or Tory party, and thus put the
cause back 1T least half u generation.
The Liberation men reply, Your tim
idity is more likely to divide the :.ibrr-
III party-men. especially politicians.
learn fast about election times"
It seems the chief reason the I.ibera-
tionists offer for forcing the disestab-
lishment question into active politics
At this time, is the passage of the Re
form bill by which more than two mil.
lions of voters have been added tO tl,..
voters of the nation, and most of item
in the country, farm lal,orrrs. 1t is be.
lieved that the great majority OF these.
are prepared to cast their vote in favor
of disestablishment. But Others, arc,
among them some of the best friends
of the cause, are fearful that 4 majority
of these will vote for the opposite side.
From this distance we can form M
Well-grOunJed opinion as to the wis
dom or lack of wisdom il this new or
der. It is quite likely that the Liberia
tiOnists will he somewhat disappointed
1T first. Still, even that may be i nee
essary means tD the desired end. W..
have no doubt the end will he reached
at length. Indeed. it must be. Tw.
causes will temporarily hinder. One is
that tie Establishment has u new bo:,
zeal to do the appropriate work "f II
national church. The other is that SO
many Of the wealthy Dissenters are n",
earnestly opposed. politically. to the
Establishment. If i national church
were not in being. few Enelis''mrn
would vote for one to-day; bnt as it is.
we think the great majority will not
vote for Gisestablishmpnt without sew
eral years in which to think it over
Dover Morning Star, N. II.