66 I as sincerely lament; and more particularly that it should in any form have emanated from the Right Rev. Prelate who followed me in the debate. "I confess," said he, "that I am one of those who would strongly deprecate any such alteration, and I am convinced "that there exists amongst the great body of laymen, as "well as amongst the great mass of the clergy, a strong "indisposition to meddle with the formularies of the "Church. If an alteration were to be made for 66 one tender conscience, an alteration ought to be made "for any other tender conscience. Therefore I "strongly deprecate your Lordships' tampering, in any degree, with matters of this kind." From that Right Rev. Prelate, indeed, I might well have looked for a different expression of opinion, and for support and encouragement, rather than disapprobation, judging from the sentiments he had delivered in a Charge, about six years before, on the subject of the various changes which might be adopted in the resources and property, the discipline, formularies, and liturgy of our Church. 66 "It is undoubtedly incumbent (he then observed) upon us to do all in our power to render the Estab"lished Church efficient in the highest possible degree and if, as I am persuaded is the case, changes "can be made (he is here speaking of Church property) "with perfect safety to the Establishment itself, I hope "we shall not be deterred from adopting them by the "unreasonable clamours of our adversaries, nor by the "hasty and officious zeal of some of our friends. Let us rather be desirous of making those well-considered "and salutary amendments which may take away from 66 "the one an occasion of cavil and reproach, and satisfy "the reasonable wishes of the other in a manner consist"ent with the stability and honour of the Church. "We shall do wisely, I think, in availing ourselves of a 'respite from imminent danger, to go round our bul"warks, and mark the defects thereof, with a view to "their restoration; and to place our outworks at least "in a state of defence, even though the citadel itself may "need no substantial repair. It is true that nothing "we can do in the way of reform will appease our "enemies. . . . . . but something should be done to "satisfy our own consciences. . . . During the last "few years a great variety of projects have been laid "before the public for alterations in the discipline and "formularies of our Church. So great, indeed, has "been the variety, that it has afforded a plausible 'ground for arguing that, as it will be impossible to satisfy all who are desirous of change, we need not 66 66 66 66 attempt to satisfy any. It cannot be necessary that "I should point out to you the fallacy of such a mode "of arguing what is reasonable, and salutary, and safe, "we should admit, though it may be claimed but by a "few; what is extravagant, or hazardous, we should resist, though clamoured for by multitudes. . . . . . "If I were to be asked what my own opinion is as to the expediency of attempting any alteration in the Liturgy, 66 I should be deficient in candour and truth if I did not "acknowledge that I think the Liturgy susceptible of "improvement. It would be little short of a miracle "were it otherwise: and I know not why I should be "ashamed or reluctant to avow an opinion which was 66 122 事 NOTES ON THE SPEECH ON SUBSCRIPTION. "entertained by Sancroft, and Stillingfleet, and Tennison, "and Wake, and Secker, and Porteus." He then alludes to the difficulties attendant on their introduction, in which I had in my speech fully concurred; and as fully do I concur and as "heartily pray" with him "that a season may come"-and may it not be far distant-"when the question can be looked at "with calmness and candour; and if the recent conduct "of the Dissenters forbids us to look forward, with any "sanguine hope, to an extensive comprehension of those "who differ from us, that something may be done for "the satisfaction of many who are sincere and zealous "members of our Church."* I have only to add that, had the Right Rev. Prelate, who expressed these his deliberate sentiments in 1834, manifested in his speech of 1840 a disposition to follow them out in their true spirit and legitimate results, the conscientious men who signed the petition might have entertained a just hope that he would have lent his powerful aid in supporting its prayer, and in securing for them what they asked, namely, the candid and deliberate consideration of "what measures should be adopted to render the letter of our Prayer Book and "the Subscription to our Articles and Liturgy consist"ent with the practice of our clergy and the acknowledged meaning of our Church." 66 *Bishop of London's Charge, 1834. |