THE WESLEYAN RECONCILEMENT.
Tim petition adopted by certain clergymen and laity in the pro- vince of Canterbury is a symptom more than it is a measure. It indicates a remarkable impulse in. the religious body, or perhaps we should say the religious bodies of the country ; but it does not appear to us to point to the means by which that impulse can be
ratified. It is reasonable in its spirit, and in the support which it has, for it is remarkable in its combination of personalities and persuasions. It may be understood, from the men who have taken a foremost part, that the movement for reconciling different sects to the Established Church, beginningwith the Wesleyans, has the approval of the Bishop of London. That Mr. Kemp, Rector of St. J ames's Mr. Burgess, Prebendary of St Paul's, and Mr. Ernest Hawkins, Secretary to the Society for the Propagation of the-Gospel in Foreign Parts, should be foremost, may be regarded as implying the virtual presence of the Bishop. The tendency indicated by the same names is usually regarded by the lay public as what is called "High Church." Here then is the High Church making a rapprochement to that body outside the wall of the Church which approximates most closely to the Low party— the party that upholds private judgment as opposed to priestly or episcopal authority. The movement, therefore, indicates a more than ordinary force of the impulse towards reconcilement. - Is it that the Church is conscious of declining in arithmetical ratio to the bulk of the 4, pulation ? Is it that she feels herself gradually shrinking into is ming one amongst many separate bodies ?—a niinority among minorities, and so gradually drifting away from her position as the National Church, and daily losing part of the title which conveys the tenure of her freehold. pro- perty ? Is it that a reaction upon past differences has made men within the Church, as well as without, more conscious of a common Christianity ; more open to the feel- ing that the essential doctrines of the common religion are of paramount importance, while the special interpretations that divided men into sects are of minor importance ? Perhaps both feelings have their sway, but we incline to think that the lat- ter and higher feeling is the more powerful. Is it that some mem- bers of the Church are seized with the ambition of restoring to her a full nationality, an imperial position such as she has scarcely claimed within the present day ? Whatever the motive, the movement is plain enough. Men of considerable distinction both among the clergy and the laity of the diocese of London make a commencement in the endeavour to recall some outlying bodies to the Church of England ; they . propose specifically to begin with the Wesleyan ; they appoint a Committee, which has been sitting for several weeks, "to consider what measures it may be expedient to take for promoting union with the Church of England on the part of Christians not at present in active communion with her ' ; the Committee sits, presents its report, and concludes by proposing a petition to be signed by the clergy and laity of the province, requesting the Houses of Convoy cation to advise upon such measures as may seem most expedient for bringing about a restoration of the Wesleyan Methodists to the communion of the Church of England. As soon as you begin to think of legislation, the difficulties of ptoceeding with a practical measure present themselves. The Csommittee perceives four diffieulties,—a want of sufficient jea- lousy in the Church of England as to the personal holiness of its rdimsters ; probable disapproval of the Wesleyan system of class meetings ; objection to the three years' silence before a Noncon- fOrming minister can be episcopally ordained ; and a suspicion of patronage or temporal advantage sought by the Church of England. All these difficulties are supposed to originate with the Wesleyans. Now, whatever may be the origin of the movement at the present day, it is very well known that the Wesleyans themselves have frequently contemplated reunion ; that the originator of their schism himself regretted separation ; and that the ministers of the Wesleyan body especially have had a regard. to the superior po- sition of religious ministers in the Church of England. We have heard of a Wesleyan minister who addressed a Bible meeting, charitably bespeaking kind consideration for a former member of the Wesleyan body that had left their communion for a better,— the slip of the tongue having reference to the Church of England. It is possible that the chief difficulties entertained on the Wes- leyan side might be surmounted ; but how to surmount those arising from the technical position of the Church we do not at the moment perceive. The doors of the Church are always open to those who choose to enter, if they will go through the usual forms. Clergymen can be ordained if they be qualified and present them- selves inthe appropriate way. Chapels can be consecrated if they are placed under the authority of the Church. Ministers duly ordained can be licensed to preach m the chapels of the Established-Church. We are not aware that there is any limit as to the number of ministers or of chapels, any more than of congregations or of re- venues to be annexed to the Church. It is evident that an un- derstanding can be come to between those who were arranging the proposed union ; and that during the life of such persons, customs resembling Wesleyan =stoma could be maintained in certain chapels of the Church of England, if the diocesan did not object. But where could it be recorded that such conditions should be observed permanently ? Where could a bond be im- posed upon the bishop of one diocese to maintain indulgences not recognized in other dioceses ? Where could any chapel of the English Church be permanently placed under rules and regula- tions differing from other rules and regulations of the English Church ? How would Convocation have the power of overriding the common law and the statute law of this country, without the assistance of Parliament ; and where would be the locus standi for Parliament to intervene ?
Wesleyans have already found how slight is the •division which separates their own body from the Church ; and it is, we believe, not uncommon for those who are ministers in one " persuasion " to find that their children become ministers in another. It has frequently been observed, that as men rise in ordinary society— as they advance to houses of a certain rent, or adopt the drawing- room or dinner-table customs of people living in the best parts of the West-end—they find themselves, by some influence which is not recognized or understood, wandering from the meeting-house or Dissenting chapel into the Established Church, and taking their pew amongst the distinguished company at that recognized place of worship. There is a sort of promotion in these things which begets a constant tendency on the part of those who rise in life to reunite with the influential institutions of the country. Sarcasms may be levelled at the tendency, but it has its origin in some of the most respectable feelings. We see it working at the present moment on a very broad scale ; we do not believe that the impulse can exist to so great an extent without effect. It is probable that the Church of England is at this moment recruited extensively from those parts of the population who would have ranged themselves in the Nonconforming body ; and it is pro- bable that facilities can be offered for the admission of Dissenting ministers to the ranks of the Established clergy. It would ap- pear to us, however, that the facilities will be great in proportion as they are approached in an informal manner. Without making any compact, the doors of the National Church might easily, with judgment and good-will, be open to the whole body, clerical or lay. It is when forms are obtruded, and are made the subject of negotiation or legislation, that difficulties present themselves.
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