The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1891-03-19 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

OLIVER CROMWELL."  A social meeting was held in the Charlotte Street Schoolroom in the evening, followed by a public meeting in the Church, when an able lecture was delivered upon "Cromwell "by the Rev. Dr Bruce. Mr J. Brown presided, and said that those who were prosecuting reforms in relation to the land and other matters in the present day were the true successors of those who under Cromwell had fought our battles. Dr BRUCE, in his introductory remarks, said that the study of Cromwell would be far more profitable than following up the doings of Mr Parnell in the newspapers, and reading the numerous iccidents, suicides, and the like which the newspapers served up to their readers. He did not intend up a that occasion to deal with Cromwell so much in his public or military career, but to set forth more particularly what he had done either directly or indirectly on behalf of religious liberty. Having given a brief outline of the principal facts of Cromwell's personal history, noting his conversion at the age of 24, his Parliamentary career, some of his military exploits, and the bringing of Charles I. to the block, he said that no man had been more condemned by his enemies, or more applauded by his friends than Cromwell; and his enemies had been many, and until recently his friends had been few. Such historians as Clarendon and Hume made out that nothing was too bad to believe of him; but Macaulay and Carlyle had brought him into his proper place. Hulnie, in a curious passage said what a nonsensical book the speeches and letters of Cromwell would make, but what could be more interesting than the three volumes of letters and speeches which had been brought to light by Carlyle, which spoke once more as Agrippa spoke to St. Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." The lecturer could not hold him up, however, as being blameless, but to blame him because he did not completely understand the true principles of liberty would be as unrea -onable as to blame the medical. men of those days because they did not make use of chloroform, cod liver oil, or the discoveries of M. Pasteur and Dr Koch. Cromwell's first step towards religious liberty was his own conversion. He knew the value of religious liberty, because he had himself tasted the bledsedness and felt the power of religion in his own heart. A firm religion was the most characteristic element in his life. A hypocrite was sure now and then to let his hypocrisy be seen, but every one of Cromwell's letters and speeches were not only full of religious phrases, but breathed a religious spirit throughout. Of course his conduct, for instance, at Wexford and Drogheda could not be defended, when viewed in the light of our own peace principles. His religion was that of Joshua and David rather that of Jesus Christ. In regard to Ireland and the Roman Catholics, many very hard things had .been said; in fact his reign in . .  Ireland was called by the Paptists " Cromwell's curse." His conduct had been severe, but it was necessary to remember the previous massacre of the Protestants by the Catholics, and the avowed intention of the Catholics to banish every Protestant from the Emerald Isle. He was not alone, however, in his opposition to Catholicism, but he merely represented the then universal feeling of the country. Having dealt with Scotland and Presbyterianism, the lecturer said that Cromwell had done an incalculable service to religious liberty, not only to England but throughout Europe. Although he was a true patriot, he could not act as a free man, as a constitutional monarch. He had to do a rough and sturdy kind of work in defence of a sturdy freedom—a work which could not have been done by a weak, effeminate man, but required a rough-handed hero. Cromwell's aim had not been self-aggrandisement, but the setting up of a reign of truth, justice, and liberty in the world. That the Commonwealth did not succeed was not his fault; perhaps it was the will of God that monarchy should again be set up, at any rate for a time. But he succeeded in breaking down the superstition and fetichism that a king could do no wrong; and the change which was brought about in 1688 had led to that course of legislation, which beginning with the passing of the Act of Toleration which had gone on slowly—step by step ever since, in the abolition of many of the grievances and wrongs under which Nonconformists laboured, such as the opening of the burial grounds, and marriages in dissenting places of worship; but still they would never rest satisfied until they had ultimately set up religious equality throughout the whole of the British Empire. (Applause.) A hearty vote of thanks having been accorded to Dr Bruce, on the motion of Mr CROMPTON (Whitehaven), seconded by the Rev. 0. K. HOBBS, the meeting closed with a similar compliment to the Chairman.