A memorial, signed by influential clergymen, of whom the Bishop
of Dover, the Bishop of Newcastle, and the Bishop Designate of Truro (Canon Wilkinson) are apparently the most important, is to be presented to Mr. Gladstone against the Affirmation Bill, and will maintain," That the deliberate removal of the name of the Supreme Being from the form of affirma- tion proposed in this Bill, for the purpose of admitting as a Member of the Legislature, by its retrospective action, an open and avowed Atheist, who has admitted that he has no religions scruples: is dishonouring to Almighty God, and contrary to the spirit of our laws and Constitution." If the same memorialists had written in the same spirit at the time of the Jewish Relief Bill, they would have said, we suppose, That the deliberate removal of the reference to the true faith of a Christian from the form of the oath, proposed in this Bill, for the purpose of admitting, as a member of the Legislature, by its retrospec- tive action, an open and avowed opponent of the Christian faith, is dishonouring to Christ, and contrary to the spirit of our laws and Constitution.' The memorialists try to make some- thing of the fact that Mr. Bradlaugh is "without religions scruples" as to the taking of the oath, but as they will not peonit him to take it, scruples or no scruples, that has no bearing on the matter. What, on their'grounds, they are bound to impose on all Members of Parliament, is a deliberate test of personal Theism. Why do they not propose this, as the only honest way of preventing a course "dishonouring to Almighty God " P
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