Page:Letters on Church Matters Vol 1.djvu/160

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154

they most desire to affect will accept their extra-legal dicta in the face of such an opinion?

I trust we have heard the last of so unfortunate a con- trivance fiS this publication would infallibly turn out, to kindle strife vhere harmony may nov exist, to subject honest men to the torment of a divided conscience, and to compel them to Inake questions, now in solution, matters of principle, and to fight for theln as such, without the hope of an accom- 11lodation. The fear of the Ministry driving on the Bench to acts of intolerance being nov reuloved, such considerations as those I have just stated must prevail. Our bishops 111USt desire to return to that status in quo vhich last autulnn disturbed, and to escape, with all possible and decorous haste, frolll their pre- sent attitude of preparation for a fierce intestine war in which they would be the assailants. Thus, sir-to return to the point fro111 vhich I started- the Russell revel ended, all parties but the "large party" of High Churchnlen find thelnselves in their vrong place, with vrong allies, and ahning after bnpossible results. The "large part:r" itself was at first adopting some erroneous policy, but it corrected itself just at the right tÍ1ne. Churchmen vill have enough to make theln fearful for the future; but one forll1 of the perpetual danger which they are ever incurring has been averted-one part of the history of the Eng1ish Church has been played out: the first scene at the FlanlÍnian Gate; the second in the Dishop of Durhaln's study; the rest-no matter "There; at last the epilogue, vhen the chief perfornler, vho began roaring and bouncing and 111Rwling like a lion, confessed his real naUle and vocation :-

"When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar,
Then know that I, one Snug the joiner am,
No lion fell, nor else no lion's dam."


END OF FIRST SERIES.




PETTER, DUFF AND CO. PRINTERS, CRANE COURT, FLEET STREET.