792 ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



in civil affairs, are almost excluded from them. Among 

 ourselves, save in the occasional instances of clerical magis 

 trates, the judicial and executive powers once largely shared 

 in by leading ecclesiastics, have lapsed out of their hands; 

 while that remnant of legislative power still exercised by the 

 bishops, appears not likely to be retained much longer. At 

 the same time this differentiation has so established itself in 

 the general mind, that it is commonly thought improper for 

 clergymen to take active parts in politics. 



Good reason exists for associating this change, or at any 

 rate the completion of it, with development of the industrial 

 type. Eesistance to the irresponsible rule of priests, like 

 resistance to other irresponsible rule, is ultimately traceable 

 to that increasing assertion of personal freedom, with accom 

 panying right of private judgment, which industrial life 

 fosters by habituating each citizen to maintain his own 

 claims while respecting the claims of others. But this con 

 nexion will be made more manifest as we proceed with the 

 subject of the next chapter. 



