New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

oor,e N the front with the return of the Liberal
marty To mower with large body of NOncon-
for,oist and Labor members. Mr.. Gladstone
and Lord Salisbury, each High Church man.
had been responsible for the episcopal appoint
rnents for a long period, and with single ex-
ception-Lord Rosebery's nomination for Here
ford-the bishops had raised the standards OF
polity and practice. reaction in favor or the
more evangelical elements of the English Church
seemed Inevitable when the Prime Minister was
committed to the revision of the Education acts
and was in sympathy with the revolt of the
Nonconformists against what they chose TO
consider medieval tendencies. Sincere Liberals
among the clergy had been cut off from prefer
ment for decade. and they might have been
looked for reasonably as candidates for episco-
pal vacancies and promotion generally Such
changes as have been made when vacancies Oc-
Cured have been in the interest OF moderate
churchmanship; but there has been no startling
transition, nor has there been any unSeemly
scramble for ecclesiastical patronage. Oppor
tunists. rather than lifelong Liberals with
Whiggish family traditions, are in reserve for
the episcopal bench. They are considered the
safest men for transition period when men
of all parties in the Church are anxious to have
religious questions kept out of politics until
earnest effort can be made to solve without dis
establishment the essential problem of self-gov-
ernment by convOcation. OppOrtunists the
of influence not only in the debates Of the
Church congress. where extremists emphasize
their views with controversial warmth. but also
in the councils of state. where Erastianism is
dreaded as an impracticable remedy for law
lessness in a state church If they take an
active and intelligent interest in social Iegisla-
ton. as Bishop Gore. ArchdeacOn Wilberforce
and many other eminent Church men are doing
their resources for effective and timely work
are greatly enlarged at time when Parliament
is more democratic and progressive than ever
before
Opportunists certainly serviCeabIe men
for rather invertebrate generation OF Church.
men. who weary of controversy over nom
essential matters of faith and practice and are
willing to tolerate differences of opinion. If
they overready TO sacrifice preiudices for
the sake Of peace, and do not appear tenacious
and resOlute in their beliefs, they are more
arduous workers than the foxhunters were in
their time and more disinterested than the
belligerent persons who were rushing from plat
form TO platform in political crusades. They
the men who wish to restore the authority
of the English Church a living organization,
with it's own legislature and local bodies and to
dispense with discipline acts. courts Of law and
Parliamentary statutes. A radical reform OF
Church government may be impossible without
Disestablishment. which would throw back the
Anglican communion upon the resources OF the
convocations for settling every disputed point
Of ritual, dogma and practice and compel it 10
govern itself. The opportunists convinced
that the Church cannot be kept in order by
body of national legislators representing every
religious communion. They warned that
Parliament as II becomes more democratic in
membership and IS more fully preoccupied with
social questions and expedients for financing
them viii cut the Church loose from the State
rather than assume the impossible task Of gov
ernIng It and regulating public worship. They
are peacemakers and tolerant critics. cropping
cautiously for the Middle Way and inspired with
confident hope that it will be found. L N.F.