Mr. McArthur moved the second reading of the Eccle- siastical
Disorders Bill in the House of Commons on Friday week. The measure provides for the appointment of Commissioners empowered to visit any church complained of before the Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline, or to which attention might be called by a parishioner or other person by affidavit. If after local inquiry illegality was proved, the Bishop was to be informed with a view to his taking action, and if his intervention failed, the incumbent was to be suspended unless he promised to dis- continue the practices complained of ; and if that promise was not made, or should not be fulfilled, he was to be deprived of his benefice. Mr. Masterman moved an amendment declaring that no Bill would effectually remedy ecclesiastical disorders which did not provide for the separation of Church and State. Disestablishment was much more practicable than the perse- cuting and inquisitorial measure brought forward by Mr. McArthur. Force was no remedy, but Disestablishment would result in the friendly reconciliation of clerical parties. The amendment having been seconded by Mr. Ramsay Macdonald, the Motion for the second reading was ultimately talked out by Lord Robert Cecil. We agree neither with the Bill nor with the amendment. We desire to maintain the comprehensive character of the Church, and this will never be maintained by drastic measures of uniformity, nor, again, by Disestablishment. But though we desire com- prehension in matters of doctrine, we realise that in the matter of public worship a certain uniformity based on com- promise must be obtained. This we would secure under the existing law through episcopal action.
Previous page
