The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
Over 10000 NonconformistS Rise
Against Compulsory Support
of Established Religion.
MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND
That May Soon Result in Change
of Government and Divorce OF
State and Church.
ALREADY 1000 MARTYRS
Dissenters Who Permitted Tax
gatherer to Seize Their Goods
Scenes at Auction Sales.

Correspondence or the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON, Jan. IF the cutest man in
England hadn't diverted attention just when
things were beginning to become serious it
would be realized by this time that the Curl
Gus revolt begun here by the Passive Rests
ters' has now developed into far bigger
struggle for religious liberty than that
which drove our Pilgrim Fathers out of
England.
II has been a queer movement fun or pa
thetic incidents. grim humor and heroics
both false and true. and underneath it all
has been the kind of stern determination
TO make any sacrifice for conscience's sake
which has plunged countries into bloodshed
often enough before now. 1t is the same
spirit that brought about the Boston Tea
Party and the Revolution.
So far, there has been no bloodshed in
England other than the broken heads Of a
few auctioneers, but it is safe TO say that
political revolution-a change of government
would have been in sight i'm England to-
day if Joseph Chamberlain, foreseeing the
trouble, had not popped in at the psyche
logical moment with his tariff scheme and
filled the newspapers so full Of free trade
and protection arguments that there was
only room at the bottom Of the column TO
record the daily sales of household goods OF
sturdy citizens who held that conscience
was above even the law OF the land.
There are now 10000 Passive Resisters, and
so far 100 of them have been summoned
to court to show cause why their goods
should not be sold for taxes in support or
a religious creed in which they do not be-
lieve, and some $50 OF such sales have been
held. Each sale breeds new "Resisters."
and the movement has been growing stead
lily ever since IL was begun, last summer,
under the leadership of the Rev. John Cnf-
ford, former president OF the National Coun-
ell of Free Evangelical Churches, pastor OF
the Westbourne Park Church I'm London,
and probably the foremost Baptist in
England.
Suppose a large population of the day
schools of the United States were supported
and managed by religious denomfna-
ton, with teachers OF that denomination
and with instruction OF all the pupils In
that one creed. Then suppose the govern
ment enacted measure taking over these
schools and-without changing the sectarian
religious instruction of the requirement that
the principal teachers should be OF the one
denomination-should call upon the general
taxpayer TO support these schools. Wouldn't
there be a beautiful row before many hours
had passed? Wouldn't the taxpayers OF
every other faith except the favored one
rise TO a, man and tell the government what
they thought about it. in terms that
couldn't be mistaken?
Well, they move more slowly over here.
/
Established Church, TO which, nOminally,
half the people in England belong. Yet the
American parallel will serve to give an idea
or what a big, significant and deep-seated
conflict is now going on In this country,
despite the fact that outsiders hear little
of il.
MADE A PARTY QUESTION.
What in the United States is called the
Episcopal Church is in England The Estab-
lished Church. and all the others-Meth-
odst Baptist, Presbyterian. what you Will
ARE punched together in the Episcopal
mind under the sweeping title of Nom
conformists," or "dissenters" They are
looked upon with some condescension So
! cially and theologically. Only the other
day clergyman. touching from his pulpit
/ on the present controversy. said magnani-
mously that he hOped-yes. he hOped-that
Nonconformists would not be excluded from
! heavenl
obstinate, Woodworking, law-abiding mid
| die Glass; as IL is called on this side of the
| ocean. What might be dubbed their ca
thedral is the famous City Temple. from
| whose pulpit Dr. Joseph Parker Numbered
for so many years and which Of late has
ings addressed by such noted pulpit ora
tors the Rev. r. b Meyer. the Rev r.
j. Campbell, who succeeded DR. Parker;
! DR.. Clifford and other leading Monochrome
lists, all arrayed against the government.
! Some Of them were doubtful about DR. Cliff
ford's scheme Of refusing TO pay taxes to
| the enemy, but all We're united in saying
| that the government must either repeal the
! hated education bill or be overthrown The
great Liberal party OF Gladstone, disunited
over the Boer war, came together again
in fighting the government on this act and
now hopes to get back into power as much
because Of the education bill as because
Of Chamberlain's tariff scheme
The size of the struggle becomes appar-
ent when one realizes that half the church.
goers in England are arrayed against the
other half. A careful census conducted bv
London daily newspaper shows that In
actual worshipers the Anglican Church in
| London does not outnumber the NoncOn-
| fOrmists, while In the country districts
the Established Church falls short OF the
! Dissenters. Estimating the respective
! strengths according TO the numbers OF COM
| municgnts. both in London and the pro-
| vinces, the NOnconformists are Outnum-
| bered. The latter however. are not dis
turbed at this. for they declare that every
| man who is nothing claims the Anglican
Church, and they say, as well. tina: the
| who attend two services each Sunday.
Most OF these Nonconformists decided at
| first TO pay the hated tax and take it out
| IN voting against the government when
they got the chance. but the ''martyrdom'
! of the 1000 who have been warned that
they are To be sold up. and the steadfast-
ness OF the 10000 who Intend 10 be sold up.
bring on converts 20 such an extent that
no one can tell where the affair will end.
| 1T is my opinion, said DIR. Clifford 10
! the writer that nothing but n general
election. bringing a change OF government.
| viii stop this fight As long the Tory
/ party remains in power We have little
chance OF getting anything permanent, but
! the Liberal leaders have pledged them
| selves 10 two things which II granted. will
/ probably suspend the campaign for tiTae.
These are popular control over the support
of the public schools and the abolition OF
| sectarian tests for teachers. Until these. at
| least, are granted the Passive Registers
| movement viii continue 20 grow-how much
| do not pretend 10 predict"
AMERICAN SYMPATHIZERs.
Although almost nothing has been written
in the United States about this big contest.
letters from sympathizers across the ocean
are beginning TO pour in by every mail IN
New York and Boston committees have
been formed. and funds are being solicited
10 send across the ocean. The Rev. or.
Hin. OF Valley Falls, n. Y. Is the head OF
the American movement. and nearly all tho
contributions reach England through him.
Drs. Lorimer and Haw, of New York are
| associated in the work with DR.. nm. while
the Rev DIR. Macarthur. OF Boston. Is fur
| thering the cause I'm that city.
D For the benefit OF American readers d..