5 MAY 1888, Page 3

Both Mr. Asquith, M.P., and Sir George Trevelyan spoke at

the meeting of " The Society for the Liberation of Religion from State Patronage and Control " last Tuesday, Mr. Asquith remarking that the moment Dissent was admitted as a civil right, the position of the Established Church became practi- cally untenable, which is not unlike saying that the moment Quakerism was admitted as a lawful form of faith, the existence of the Army and Navy became practically untenable. Mr. Asquith took more popular ground when he attacked the Bishops for so often ignoring or even resisting popular rights ; but even if the Bishops were, so to say, mediatised,— that is, excluded from politics,—the Established Church would be as great a power as ever, perhaps even a greater power.