to the judgment of persons whom I regarded as superior to myself in knowledge of life and in ability to determine questions of, moral obligation; but the progress of unbelief and enlarged experience decided me, at last, on the adoption of an independent course of thought and action. Taking counsel of my own heart, I resolved to terminate a conflict which had become intolerable. Painful and singular complications preceded, accompanied, and followed my retirement from the English Church."
Here is the "Robert Elsmere" of real life. Since Mr. Call left the Church of England, thirty-five years ago, it has become a largely rationalistic institution. Legal prosecutions of clergymen for heresy have resulted in proving that the evangelical and orthodox have no more right to the Church, in Law, than the liberals. They were usurpers of authority not guaranteed by the constitution, in which there is nothing requiring a clergyman to believe in hell, or the devil, or miracles, or the infallibility of the Bible. Many clergymen are now honestly preaching a simple theistic and humanitarian religion, and when told they ought to leave the Church need only reply, "If you think so you have a right to prosecute me."
The English charlatan who calls himself "Father Ignatius,' who could only make himself ridiculous as a heresy-hunter abroad, seems to have found the Episcopal Church in New York provincial enough to take him seriously. He would never venture to suggest the prosecution of a Broad Churchman at home. His ignorant tribe have too keen a recollection of their severe falls in grappling with Bishop Colenso, and the authors of "Essays and Reviews." We have, however, to deal with America, where the sects, by departure of some of their best brains, seem falling more and more under control of their illiberal constituents, though the consecration of Bishop Phillips Brooks show that reactionists will not have it all their own way. The passage I have quoted above bears upon a moral problem which has already become urgent among us, and in the progress of inquiry must inevitably become of very serious importance to large numbers of ministers and their families. I therefore introduce here a little digression on this subject.
What is the moral duty of a young minister who finds himself
