The society for " the Liberation of Religion from State
Patron- age and Control" is beginning to revive, after the state of partial paralysis into which it fell after Dr. Foster's avowal of its aims before the committee of the House of Lords. On Wed- nesday, a large meeting of the society was held in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, under the Presidency of Mr. Hugh Mason, of Ashton-under-Lyne, and addressed by the Apostle of Volun- taryism, Mr. Edward Miall. The chairman said the society dated from the announcement, "My kingdom is not of this world," which is certainly importing into the Gospel a very curious linaita- tion of "this world" to that very small part of it represented by national administrations. The Dissenting organizations always strike us as earning the right to participate in the adjective " worldly " at least as much as any National Government. It is a simple question between the organized action of a nation and the voluntary organization of individuals, and no objection of principle can be urged against a State Church which does not apply with equal or greater force against a National Poor-law. It is, in fact, primarily the nation's provision against spiritual pauperism and destitution. This, Mr. Miall, if we mistake him not, would himself admit. Of course, the speakers were some of them very violent, describing the National Church as "an ever-living anti perpetual injustice." The "evil spirit of monopoly," said one speaker, "had taken refuge beneath the altar of God, and was moving Heaven aud earth to exercise its leaden rule on every side." The sway of the National Church may sometimes be "leaden," but, at all events, it is not so bad as that iron despotism of opinionated men which the congregational principle imposes.
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