The sun., 1899-04-30
COMMONS MEET A CRISIS.
DIGYIFIED 7RE< TMENT OF THE ENG
LISH cHURCH QUESTION.

This Subject, which Has Been tho Pnrn-
mount One in the Public Mind for Weeks
and Is DiSruptiDg Both Politlcnl Par
ties, Discussed in the House for SiS
Hours without n Word of Bitterness or
Even of Observation-Disclosures Speech n
Masterpiece of Forceful Temperntepess-
Bishop of Wakefield Attacks n Now
Comedy-CominG Sale OF Two Notable
lections-sir w. Is. Rtchpiond's Deco
ration of st. Pnurs Severely Criticised.
LONDON. April 1J-The British House Of
Commons gained for itself last Tuesday dis
tinction unique. / believe. In hstory-one
which entities it to the unGrudging admira-
tlon OF Christendom--and yet no one in Eng
land apparently has perceived II or recognized
anything remarkable In It's achievement. The
crisis in the Church has been the paramount
subject In tho public mind for many weeks. 1t
IL OF necessity as much political u religious
controversy. 1t is disrupting tho two great
parties; 1t fills the secular well the religious
press; It is invading all branches Of public life.
1t will soon be. il it has not already become.
tho dominant issue before the British people.
The House Of Commons debated this great
question in Its most passion -rousing features
last Tuesday. and during the six hours that it
occupied the attention Of u crowded house
there was spoken not one word OF bitterness
was no superGciality in the discussion. no at
tempt to deny or minimize the gravity OF the
issue. 1t was a serious. earnest grappling Of q
great problem by each speaker. That such
debate could take place In national legislature
under such circumstances without ncrimony
discourtesy undue warmth OF language Is in
some sense the greatest modern triumph OF
virtue. OF civilization. Of Christianlty-cal It
what you will. leave 1t to the cynics to argue.
n fhav yil o of
dent Ia the decadence Of religion as a whole. in
that II no longer has the power to arouse those
extremes OF interest and passion which have
made religious controversies in all history the
bitterest OF all quarrels There is no lack OF
interest and passion in this quarrel in the coun-
try at large.
The fact remains that tho most dangerous
subject for human discussion has been for the
moment disposed OF by the British Legislature
in q debate which for dignity. tolerance. ear
nestness and downright human interest should
stand as model OF parliamentary procedure.
American readers would find the debate OF al
most equal interest with their English col
leagues. but 1t Is not necessary to indicate
more than its main outlines. 1t was the open
defiance Of both civil and ecclesiastical au-
thority by the English Church Union which
forced tho subject upon the attention OF Par
lament. The matter was brought up In the
form Of the following resolution. moved by Mr..
Gedge. member for Wasall:
That this House deplores the spirit OF law
lessness shown in memorial which the Eng
than & 700 Clergy Of the Church Of England dare are
%ee5ns e held ondoP dPF'af the ssth day Of
February last. and, directed copy to be sent
house of Parliament, and approves Of, the
declaration made in this House on the I'd day
recommend any Clergyman to a hcnehce unless
his Bishop and in sscotdahse the?ewith conn, n
IDENTITY hopes that the Ministers of the Grown
asticai preferm ent un less they are satisfied that
he will Loyalty obey the law as declared by the
courts which have jurisdiction in matters &C.
clesiastical.
The mover explained that his desire was to
maintain the Reformation-to maintain the
Church OF England as an Established and Prot
estant Church. 1t was in no angry spirit that
he brought forward this resolution. but with an
earnest desire that what seemed to him very
lawless might meet with proper reply from
the House OF Commons. The English Church
Union was founded forty years ago to preserve
the endowments OF the Church. to defend it's
discipline and doctrine. and to obtain such re-
forms as would enable the Church to decide
finally for herself In all spiritual causes. Those
objects were quite legtimate but at u recent
meeting OF the union. held at Bradford Lord
Halifax. the President. had stated the following
as the objects Of the union: The right to re-
serve the sacrament for the use OF the sick
the right to use extreme unction: the right to
pray for the dead. not privately. but in church
services; the right to use incense. and the right
to identify the Holy Communion with the mass
OF the Roman Catholic Church.
1t was evident. therefore. that Lord Halifax
admitted these things were not at present law
ful and that he wished to alter the law Mat
ters OF serious doctrine lay at the back OF the
action OF tho English Church Union. On Feb.
% memorial was approved by go delegates
from all parts OF the country: and a copy Of
that memorial was sent to the Queen, to the
Archbishops and Bishops. and to the members
OF both houses Of Parliament. Therefore. the
House was bound to take notice OF anything in
that memorial which might appear as O chal-
lenge. 1t might be difficult to say that any
particular paragraph Of tho memorial was in
itself q defiance OF the law. 1t was in
geniously but notI ingenuousy framed But
the intention Of the whole was clear. and
that was to bring back the Church OF England
to medieval practices and to undo the reforms
Of the sixteenth century. The particular ac-
tlon which tho memorial contemplated was de-
fance OF tho courts and even Of the authority
OF the Bishops. II exercised on principles which
the memoriasts disiked The memorial con-
cluded by warning the Bishops against using
their power to suppress rituasm. and by warn
ing the State against taking steps to enforce
the decisions Of its own courts.
Mr.. Gedge proceeded In strong but tenn
perate speech to argue that the House could
not allow such challenge to the constituted
authority OF the nation to pass unnotced and
unrebuked. Others supported the resolution.
and then an amendment was proposed which
made the resolution read:
That thl Is House deplores the spirit OF law
lessness shown by certain members OF the
CHURCH OF England, and confidently hopes that
the Ministers of the Crown will not recommend
DrnteTm6Ot
unless they are satisfied that he will Loyalty
obey the Bishops and prayerbook.
The point was made in favor OF the amended
Bresoluton that there were other forms OF law
lessness in the Church besides that exhibited
by the English Church Union which should be
rebuked and re2ressed. Mr.. Balfour supported
the resolution in its second form. His speech
was perhaps the ablest the most remarkable