An Oxford petition, signed by more than one hundred and
thirty of the weightiest names in the University of Oxford, has been sent to the House of Commons praying for an amendment in the Universities Bill, directing the Commis- sioners to remove all clerical restrictions upon College offices and emoluments, " after reasonable provision has been made for religious worship and instruction in the Colleges." The Master of University, the Master of Balliol, the Rector of Lin- coln, the President of Corpus Christi, the Vice-Provost and Dean of Oriel, the Senior Proctor of the University, and a host of other celebrities, sign the petition. Of course the Government will not adopt its prayer, but they would be wise if they did. There is nothing which brings what the French and Italians call " Cleri- calism " into so much odium, as those invidious privileges of the clergy which belong to them not by virtue of any special qualification they possess, but simply from the idle tradition that a clergyman, as such, is a better man than a layman.
Previous page
