The second reading of the Welsh Church Disestablishment Bill was
carried on Monday night by the unexpectedly large majority of 44(304 to 260), the Parnellites voting for the Bill, —we conclude, because they did not like to offend too far their Welsh allies, against whom-they had voted yesterday week on Mr. Dalziel's motion for "Home-rule all round." The debate was remarkable for the frank avowal which even the Ministers, with the exception of Sir William Harcourt, made, that their arguments were just as good against the Establishment of the English Church as they were against the Establishment of the Welsh portion of it, barring only that the much greater unanimity of the Welsh people on the subject made a great difference in opportuneness. Mr. Bryce, in his interesting speech, conceded this with perfect candour, and evidently looked forward with pleasing ex- pectation to the time when the English people should follow the lead of "gallant little Wales." Mr. Augustine Birrell also made a lively and attractive speech, recognising the enthusiasm of the High Church party, but rather super- fluously warning the House of Commons not to be carried away "by other people's enthusiasm." He also urged the argument that the present House of Commons, containing as it does all sorts of different creeds, is quite unfit to discuss questions of creed. No doubt it is. But is it at all unfit to consider from outside whether or not the actual conditions of membership of our Church are or are not unsuitable, and whether it is not quite right to leave the Church alone in its beneficent work, and to abstain from clumsy and ignorant interference—which is apparently all that the House attempts to do ? It declines to meddle with creed and discipline.
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