344 AGNOSTICISM AND CHRISTIANITY ix 



annihilated Romanism with the other ; and the 

 total result of his ambidextral efforts is to shake 

 Christianity to its foundations. Nor was any one y 

 better aware that this must be the inevitable 

 result of his arguments if the world should 

 refuse to accept Roman doctrines and Roman 

 miracles than the writer of Tract 85. 



Dr. Newman made his choice and passed over 

 to the Roman Church half a century ago. Some 

 of those who were essentially in harmony with 

 his views preceded, and many followed him. But 

 many remained; and, as the quondam Puseyite 

 and present Ritualistic party, they are continuing 

 that work of sapping and mining the Protest- 

 antism of the Anglican Church which he and his 

 friends so ably commenced. At the present time, 

 they have no little claim to be considered 

 victorious all along the line. I am old enough to 

 recollect the small beginnings of the Tractarian 

 party ; and I am amazed when I consider the 

 present position of their heirs. Their little leaven 

 has leavened, if not the whole, yet a very large 

 lump of the Anglican * Church ; which is now 

 pretty much of a preparatory school for Papistry. 

 So that it really behoves Englishmen (who, as I 

 have been informed by high authority, are all 

 legally, members of the State Church, if they 

 profess to belong to no other sect) to wake up to 

 what that powerful organisation is about, and 

 whither it is tending. On this point, the writings 



