An important meeting of members- of the Universities- and. others
interested in the question.of University Reform- witiplield on Friday afternoon at' the Freemasons' Tavern, Mr. Bouverie, M.P., in the chair. The House of Commons was well represented, and Messrs. Neate, Goschen, Chichester Fortescue, and- Bright, spoke. Professors Groldwin Smith, Xowett, and- Rogers, represented Oxford,. and Professor Fawcett spoke for Cambridge. Besides other distinguished members of both Universities, Messrs. Miall and other representative Dissenters were present. The meeting. was clearly in- favour of the abolition of tests, and of placing Dissenters on a thorough equality with Churchmen. For the present, Professor Fawcett thought the Cambridge test, a simple assertion of Church membership, preferable to subscrip- tion to the Articles, Professor Jowett, on the other hand, maintain- ing that old fetters were more easily worn than new. He added that he was not one of those who wished to lure Dissenters to the Universities in the hope that they would become Churchmen, but looked for great mutual benefits to Church and Dissent from their free admission. The composition and tone of the meeting was all that good Liberals could wish.
Previous page
