THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON CHRISTIANITY AND COMMUNISM.

Evening Star, Issue 3048, 25 November 1872, Page 4

THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON CHRISTIANITY AND COMMUNISM.

The Eight Eev. Dr, Fraser preached recently in bt. Thomas’ Church, Vrestou, to a densely crowded congregation, from Phillipians ii, 4—“ Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” The Bishop said it was not his intention to enter into this subject as it concerned its effect upon the soul of the penitent so much as to attempt to show the effect of Christianity generally upon the nn sses of the people. We were taunted with the fact that Christianity had lost its hold upon the masses, and, to a certain extent, he feared that was true. Perhaps one reason of that was that the expounders of Christianity, in addition to explaining its effect upon the sonl in the next -world, failed to a large extent in bringing it before the people in its bearings upon this present life ; and surely anything that would make a man more pure, more holy, and live less to the world, was a thing to be brought before the masses, as likely to elevate them from their present indifferent level. To his mind Christianity had a threefold aspect, which might be described y three words, although those words had been prostituted in this day from their original meaning; but still those three words comprehended much of true practical v hristianity. He alluded to the words liberty (true liberty), fraternity or b rot ber i. ood, and eqn a' i i y—not chat miserable thing called Communism in our day that would set class agaiust class, that "would give every man a share in the industrial treasures of the world, whe her he had contributed to the getting of them or not; but that equality by which the soul of the peasant was as precious in the sight of God as the soul of the peer. Having fully described these three-fold branches of Christianity, his lordship stated that, like everything else in this our day, Christianity was on its trial. All things were in progress; and whether we liked it or not, developments must take place. We were iving in a democratic age, not that he feared anything from democracy so much, unless it be mixed with Atheism - then, indeed, it would become a terrible scourge. During the last century no one dreamed of opposing Christianity ; but bolder spirits were in the world now-aclays, daring even to state that the world would be better without Christianity. Not only was Christianity upon its trial, but everything else. All human institutions wore upon their trial—Monarchy, the House of Lords, and many other things were ou their trial. For himself he had no fear for Ch istianity in the future, if only those who really p’o r cs ed it were true to themselves and to ih ir Ma-ter. His lordship continued to urge his hearers to look upon Christianity as a matter of 1 fe, and to examine for themselves as to the effect upon their daily lives ; and having denounced the glaring sin of the age—selfishness—concluded by forcibly recommending the principle of the text to their serious consideration