THE ENGLISH CHURCH QUESTION CONSIDERED. 



and cultivated minds, only to the extent in which they, the Dis- 

 senters, may have laboured, and still do labour, under political ex elu- 

 sion. General religious merits no dissenting sect has, to render it pre- 

 ferable to the established sect. The postulates of all denominations 

 are alike, in some respects, objectionable to men of reflection. But 

 the established sect, though its congregational spirit be, in common 

 with that of others, too exclusive and dogmatical, has the advantage 

 of intellect and acquirement, almost exclusively on its side. A man 

 of sense cannot help deeming the functionaries of the establishment, 

 as a body, a far more interesting and useful class than is to be found 

 in all other sects put together. 



In conclusion, we think a limited degree of connection between a 

 government and a religious sect is preferable to their entire separa- 

 tion. There need not be a lord bishop in or out of the House of 

 Lords. We recognise no use in any but parochial functionaries, 

 amenable to a secretary of state for religious affairs, upon complaint 

 from parishioners, entitled to a vote in vestry. But, that entire in- 

 difference in government does not, in the present state of the religious 

 sense of mankind, tend to promote unity of opinion, or harmony of 

 spirit, we think amply proved by the instance of the United States of 

 America. Unhandsome, unreasonable distinctions once swept away, 

 we are sure, that preference to one sect on the score of superior at- 

 tainments, rather than mere prescriptive right, is more likely than 

 any other expedient to reduce religious divisions. 



Political injustice and insult have alone, we believe, hitherto kept 

 the ranks of dissent full and unanimous. The effect of church pro- 

 perty judiciously and economically, though liberally, distributed, 

 would be entirely good. It would soon cease to excite any reasonable 

 offence, whilst the people not goaded into opposition, would by de- 

 grees regard religious matters dispassionately. This point once 

 gained, other advantages must follow. The superior intellectual at- 

 tainments of the patronized functionaries would gradually gain over 

 to them the good will and support of many of those who would else 

 have remained Dissenters. 



