"In material affairs, in war, in trade, in politics, it is permissible to look to consequences before commencing actions; but compromise in morality and religion is not permissible. Professor Maurice must believe as he does, and publish his belief; and Dr. Jelf must eject him for the same. It is not permitted either to Mr. Maurice or to Dr. Jelf to calculate the consequences of their conduct. It is wicked to talk of compromise where absolute truth is at stake. The Church of England must reconcile herself to herself, must suppress or cast out what is alien to her doctrines and rites, or surrender for ever the claim she so ostentatiously makes to be the only true Church of Christ. In no other way can she fling back the flagrant reproach so justly aimed at her, that she is a fascicle of sects, whose only bond is property, whose prestige is the tradition of an elder Church, and whose internal contests are the scandal of the age.

"All we desire is, that truth may prevail, and with it a spirit of meekness and charity. We hold ourselves bound in duty to accept and follow out that truth wherever it may lead. If it should turn out that the doctrines of the Church of England, and the other forms of those doctrines existing collaterally with her, are not reconcilable to truth, surely every single-minded man will rejoice that truth is found, conscious that no institutions, no forms, no faiths, are of the least moment, in comparison with the truth."

"But as it is only from outspeaking and honest speaking that the truth can be ascertained, we look with less regret at the spectacle of religious dissension before us. All we would stipulate for in the conflict is, that the speaking be free, and the opinions spoken honest. And thus, in this profoundly discordant period, in and out of the Church of England, we find the best guaranty of the future."

These remarks, extracted from "The Leader," define the views and position which have been mine for nearly twenty years. I have admitted of no compromise of moral and religious principle with my opponents. I was bound to believe what appeared to me to be true, and to publish my belief, or not to believe and publish at all. The same necessity brought down the President of Bethany College upon my then very youthful self, which has now pitched the Principal of King’s College, London against Professor Maurice—the defence and preservation of a common craft. The craft has been provisionally perpetuated; but death reigns in Bethania and its realm. College craft in Britain and America, as in the darkest regions of the earth, is ever opposed to "outspeaking and honest speaking," if the speaking be not laudatory of what exists. You may not speak out Baptist truth from a chair of Methodist or Presbyterian theology; nor Bible truth from any papal or protestant chair in their "Christendom;" for to do so would be to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and by consequence the falsity of all their faiths. Baptist and Bethanist are equally opposed to this; for conviction of error concerning the gospel would turn their religious world upside down, and spoil all the interests vested in the chairs and pulpits of the land. But exclusion from these dark centres is not for long. When Christ comes, their foolishness will be made manifest to all. When the sun rises, darkness flies away. This, and not the free and honest speech of here and there an independent mind, is "the best guaranty of the future." Without the light that Christ shall bring, the hereafter of the world is dark and dismal in the extreme.

EDITOR.

* * *