THE NEW IRISH CHURCH.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1
SIE,—I have just read your remarks on the Irish Lay Conference of last week, and as I was a member of that Conference, and as I value the opinion of English Liberals, I trust you will publish the following remarks.
I agree with you, that "voting by orders" will diminish, rather than increase, clerical power, but not for your reasons. You appear to think that the clergy and laity are not only to vote, but to debate apart, like the Lords and the Commons. Were it so, it would, no doubt, destroy the moral power of the clergy in the Synod ; and I should greatly regret this. But it is only the voting that is to be separate ; the debates are to be in common. This is implied in the expression that there is to be voting by the separate orders, if demanded.
There is not the least possibility of the resolution in favour of voting by orders being rescinded. If it were, the effect would be this :—That in quiet times, when there was no question of any particular interest, the clergy would attend the best, and vote together, and outvote the laity ; but on exciting questions the laity, by reason of there being twice as many, would outvote the clergy. This would not be a desirable state of things.
With voting by orders, the double number of the laity is a matter of no importance as affecting any principle ; but it is important as giving a larger number of men not only an interest, but the feeling of an interest, in the working of the Church ; and by obviating the danger of the representation falling into the hands of an aristocratic clique.—I am, Sir, &c.,
JOSEPH JOEiN MURPHY.
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