THE HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL ON THE "UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE."

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 336, 2 August 1849, Page 3

THE HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL ON THE "UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE."

In the New Zealawler of Saturday last \vc gave an analytical summary of the Fiist Pa)t of this remaikable and popular work, in which the Author treated of the Principles on which the Union is based, which he condemned as corrupt and anti scriptural. We now proceed to present a similar view of the Second Part, in which he advances and maintains his views of the Effects of the Union. These he discusses in their results on Persons and on Things. First, onPRRSONS. (J.) On Bishops. The qualifications for the episcopate as laid down in the New Testament are delineated. Mr. Noel then contends that the Scriptural model is departed fiom, the " pastors of the pastors" being selected for the most part by worldly statesmen, who may force them upon reluctant Churches. The system places pi elates in the midst of ensnaring circumstances. " From this enumeration of some of the functions of a prelate, imposed by the State, it is too obvious 1 that a pastor suddenly raised by the fiat of thi- pre ?nier to the prelatic dignity must u <Ip>^o temptations of no ordimry force. How can oup, whose position was so humble, become at once so lofty without giddiness ? That smile of a statesman has made him at once n peer, the maatei* of a palace, tl c owner of a lordly revenue, the successor o f apostles. Thenc forth he bhinos in Parliament, nnd moves ami Ist the most splendid circles of the wealthiest nations cf the eat th ; or, retiring to his palace, he administers within its baronial prec nets an extended patronage, wields an absolute 3ccptvc over one-th rd of hh clergy, and by an indefinite prerogative av.es ana coi trots the rest; meets with no one to question his opinions or contradict his will; and may look along a lengthened vista of enjoyments to the more dazzling splendour and prerogative? of Lambeth. If a man, under these ciicumstances, is not deteriorated, he mult have extraordinary wisdom and virtue. To the efficiency of most men as ministers of the Gospel, these circumstances would be fatal. Thry would cense to be pastors : tbeir preaching would become lordly, heartless, and infrequent; and they would giow worldly, covetous, self indulgent, proud, and imperious, if, under all circumstances, ' it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a ncli man to enter the king* dom of God,' wealth, dignity, patronage, and prerogative tliuu combining, must greatly increase the i difficulty. ''Through such an ordeal, scarcely the best mpn in ! the kingdom could pass unscathed. But, to mak<» the matter worse, worldly statesmen are, in general, 1 kely to create worldly prelates, and to expose men whose tempers are ambitious, and who have given no proofs of spirituality, to temptation*? strong enoujh to corrupt the wisest and the most devout." (2 ) On Pastors. Tho 13,000 ministers of the Establishment should cany the Gospel into eveiy family ; "but the torpedo touch of the State has paralysed them." The State-paid minister, possessed of a legal income, independent of his qualifications, can with impunity resign himself to a life of almost total self-indul-gence :—: — " Chosen by peers and squires, l>y colleges and Church corporations, by chancellors and State-made prelates, many are made pastors by corrupt favouritiam, many are allured to an uncongenial employment by the income which it offers them, and many embrace | the profession of a pastor because they are too dull, inert, or timid for any other. They have scarcely any theological training— they are pledged to all the errors of the Prayer«'Book, and all the abuses sanctioned by the union. They dread reforms ; they are servile to patrons — they are insolent to Dissenters. Their zeal is crippled by State restrictions, and their indolence tempted by unbounded liberty to indulge it. Severed from the body of the people by their birth, by their early cdncation, by their college life, by their aristocratical associations, by tbeir zeal for their ecclesiastical prerogatives, they have little popular influence. Lawyers, men of science, and editors of newspapers do rr.t listen to them ; Cliarlisti and Socialists dislike and despise them ; they scarcely touch the operative millions; thry make tew converts among the devotees of fusbion, and under their leadership the Christian atmy is inert, timid, and unsuccessful." The 5320 curates v. ith an aveiago income of i.Bl per annum, and the 6831 incumbents with incomes under £300, are actuated by a feveush desire for change, and are tempted to servility lo obtain the more splendid omoiumen's. (3.) On Curates. " Paper checks in the shape of subset iptions" fail to keep out the unsciupuJous, and the bishop has little power to exclude them. Each prelate may, by revoking their licenses, exclude the best men fiom his diocese, and prevent their employment in another see, so that the curate must " either satisfy the bishop or starve," — ciicumstances fatal to all independence of thought and action.

(4.) On the Members of Anglican Chinches. They receive unconverted pastois ; neglect to maintain Christ's right over them ; aie " a'confusecl mass of believers and unbelievers ;" they aie without discipline ; tbe\ aie inactive towards tbo ignorant and careless: and pcisonal and family religion languishes among them. ( t.) O« Dissenters. The Atilhot's conclusions heie aie — " Lot us now recapitulate the evils which the union inflicts upon Dissenters. By exalting a rival denomination it necessarily depresses them, and by branding them as schismatics, shuts them out from the society and the sympathy of their fellow Christians. It impedes their efforts to instrnct the ignorant ; it allures the children of their wealthier members to desert them, and thus impoverishes their miuisters, their schools, their colleges, and their missions; it deprives them of their share of advantages from the ecclesiastical property of the nation ; it forces them, by Hie payment of Church-ra'es to support an ecclesiastical system which they condemn ; and, by compelling them to seek a political remedy for a great political grievance, it exposes them to the censure and dislike of their fellow-Christians as a turbulent political party, who merit the severest reprehension." The Secon'l Chapter, which occupies upwaids of 250 pages of the work, and contains a great number of statistical facts, treats of the influence »f the Union on Tur.vGs. (1.) On the number of Ministers. The State Clergy number somewhat above 15,763 ;•— a large supply, supposing all, or half of them, to be conveited men. "But, alas! we have too little ground for that supposition." However, be their merit what it may, the dissolution of the Union would not lessen their number so much as many ignorantly suppose. (2.) On the distribution of Ministers, u More than one-half the number of the v»oikmg ministers are expended by the State upon one eighth of the population, and seven -eighths are left with a provision not equal to that winch is afforded to one eighth. Fourteen millions are stai ved and fwo millions are snifeited." On the other hand voluntaryism " is as thrifty as the State is thoughtless. Whether we regard the counties of England, the mauufactuiing districts, or tiie metropolis, we find tint while the Stale disregards the proportions of the population, individual zeal makes them the measure of its sup* ply." This is especially observable in the case of London. (3.) On Hie maintenance of Minsters. Church propeity is scandalously misappiopnated in the erection and maintenance of bishops' palaces Again, while 1619 of the clergy " who have got the great piizes of the Establishment, ' have an average income of XJB3S,X J 83S, 10,112 of the working clergy have incomes below £125. (4.) On the Doctrine taught. Having sanctioned various enors in the Prayer book, the Establishment gives them cmrenc> through the land. Attention is called to '- the blasphemy" in the pretended communication of the Hoh Ghost by the bishops; the authority of t lie Church i/i contfovertiius of faith ,- the authority given (in the 20th Aiticle) to niigodh eqmll) with god!) ministers; and to baptismal ic^encrasion, lespccting which Mr. Noel sa)s, "I once laboured hard to convince mjself that our reformers did not, and could not mean that infant, are regenerated by baptism, but no reasoning avails." Several extracts follow fioin the wiitings of the Tractaiian sect, which the Author believes to be still increasing*— He pioccels to urge that the Church of England furnishes no adequate check on the admission of either incompetent or heretical ministers : — " Thousands of parishes are thus surrendered by the State to Anglo-Cath'd'c or worldly mm, to whom the union secures a »nonopoly of instruction. A spiritual darkness broods over the land, benpath which piety dies, and no stirring evangelists nv\y dispel it. Thia is bad enough, but it sCi'ms to me still worse that the effect of the union has been to 6i«pi<y men's consciences while it ties their hands. Cnris 's command to preach the Gospel to every ere iture h superseded by canons which forbid it to be pleached; and evangelical ministers, and myriads of pious per ons, contentedly see thfi co-nmandments of Christ made of none effect by Chuich traditions (see Mutt. xv. 1-9) ; and, when they know that there ao thousands to whom the Gospel is not preached, do nothmg to save them; nay, v, hold, with a strange enthusiasm, the 1 renerable Establishment,' whose hw of patronage and whose merciless canons perpetuate their fatal ignorance." (5.) On the Discipline of the A,ijhcanChurehes. The cumbrous machinery of the Convocation and the Ecclesiastical Courts is contrasted with the constitution of Church Courts as laid down in Sciipture. The mode of settling paslors secures neither piety and efficiency, nor the good will of the people. It results from the Union that a majority of the parochial ministers are worldly men who do not know how to guide their people to salvation ; and then, having cursed these parish en with spiritu il daikness, it prohibits the evangelical minotity from enlightening them. Children are baptized without reference to the character of their parents, and are declared to be regenerated ; and, after confirmation, though still unconverted and ungodly, they have a right to attend the Lord's Suppei ; and, after death, though " the lost soul is gone to perdition, the minister thanks God that he is gone to God.'' Chuich censures and penalties are useless for all beneficial pui poses, being efficacious only for the harassing of good men. (6.) On the Evangelisation of the Country " The parochial system has bunedall in slumber, and, in yicw of dung mjiiads,each minister of the Establishment seems to have adopted the defence of Cain, — Am I my brother's keepei ?" "Out of sixteen thousand ministcis of the Establishment, if three thousand are erangelical and earneit men, these three thousand by a well-organised home mission would brin<j the gospel to almost the whole country. The parishes of England and Waltb are not twelve thousand ; and how en<.y it would be for each evangelical minister to preach once a month to each of three parishes, coutiguous to his own ! Assuming, then, that there are three thousand evangelical ministers in the EstabliBhmpnt, these might easily preach the Gospel once a month to nine thousand parishes besides their own. Surh extra official efforts would prove new life to their own congregations ; and j each church, emu'ating the earnestness o( its pastoi, i would become a centre of evangelisation to all its neighbourhood. What the evangclic.il chuich of Lynns has done of late years under its | i"n r ' pastors, enlightening and blesning n>»ny neighbouunj villages,

*(ic tlircc thousand Anglican churches, with evangelical pastirs, could do likewise. Were cood men un'ettered, there are cnonjrh of them in the Establishment to make the Gospi 1 known throughout the la ad to every one willing; to listen." "In the separation of the Churches from the Stale, all the woild is essentially interested. Fur if the strongest thinkers of Europe, and the most devoted Christians, h.ive contended. The pnic-t Churches of Europe have lonu illustrated it) working ; it h-is been put to the test by a great nation across the Atlantic with extraordinary success ; the events of Europe are hi >pily hastening it on ; and may England be among the earliest of European nations to fulfil the duty and to reap the advantages!" (7.) On the Union of Christians. The canons shut out Ul2 most holy men, and Episcopal Charges too frequently harmonise with them, and condemn the purest churches and the best men as schismatics. Out of the 13,000 clergy, are there GO in habits of friendly intoi course with Dissenting Pastors at their own homes ? "Of the numeious disciples of Christ, regenerated by the Spirit, justified by faith, and living in obedience to the commands of Christ in the British Hands, nnny are to be found in the Established Churches of Ens;land and Scotland ; and i much greater number in the free Churches, in the Independent, Baptist, Wealcyan, and Presbyteiian Churches of England, in the Presbyterian and other fice Churches of Scotland and Ireland. All these are bound by many obligations to be united in heart and in effort for the promotion of the kingdom of Christ. * * * The truths on which they agree arc incomparably greater than those on which they differ : their common interests are much more import nit thm their rival interests: their own welfare, and the wtlfara of the world, is essentially connected with their union, and their union is so important that the Lord Jesus Christ and Ilis apostles have declared it to be a mirk of discipleship to Him, a prelude to the woild's licli- f, and therefore Uieir necessary duty. * * * Whatever hinders this union and encourages schism, both corrupts the Churches and prevents the progrcs3 of religion in the world." (8.) On the reformation of the Churches. With ruinous penalties hanging over them, there can be no free inquiry on the p it of the clergy, who, being yoked {to the car of the Establishment, must 'idiagit along the ruts which centuries have wrought in its road, and though tlioy see a precipice before them, they can neither stop nor iun." Few even wish it to be icfonncd. The errors will last as long as the system. (9.) On the Progress of Religion This seclion contains little more than a repetition of what is to'be found in other paits of the volume. (10.) On 'the Government. The clergy have their rights to maintain, and their party to keep in power, and Parliament is the battle-field. Thus, Ministers of Christ, who should know no political party, are marshalled in hostility as Whigs or Tories, and Dissenteis are also brought into the arena of political stnfe. The Union u disfigures our constitution, distuibs our social peace, tevolts our sense of justice, is condemned by religion, and iniuies millions against the social system undei which the) live." " It is oft n mgu°d that the resumption of Church property by the Stile wou'd be spoliation: tint piojieity belo -gs, it is said, to the Church of Englan !, and the sacrilegious hinds which would rob her of it might with equal ju tice confiscate the properties of the landlords, or sell the manuf-ictones of Lancashire and Yorkshire for purposes of State. Bij word", but with little in them 1 Who gave the Church property to the clergy, and for wha end was it civen ? It was the Legislature, which justly took it from the Roman priesta, bcciuss their ministry sva* judged noxious to the country, and which gave it to tlic Protestant clergy for the good of the whole community. As justly might they take it from the episcopal clingy, eristing inter* cits bein r ) respected, and give it to Presbyterian or Independent ministers, if the} judged it beneficial to the counir . It «a, given by the mtion to its pastors for its own use, and the nation must still be judge how f>r its present application an wers that end. As it was justly taken from the Catholic trustees when th ir tenure of if- was proved to be mischievous ; so may it justly be 'aken from the Prot'slant trustees when their tenure is likewise proved to be mischievous. Church pi operfy exists by Act of Pailiamcnt for the good of the na ion, and Puliaraent mus 1 be the supr me jud^e whether it is for the good o p tha nation that it should cease to rxisr. Ang ie ns maintain that the int -rests of religi-m depend on its rem lining in their Innds: Dissenters, with much rao c reason, contend that re'igion woul 1 flouii.h more if it were applied to other purposes. Both appeal to Parliament, and Par liament alone must judge. Who, in fact, will sufLr if this propeity is resu ne-1 by tin State? Not the people, for they will he bitter taught without it : not the patrons, for they ought to receive a competition for the loss of their adv >w3ons— «not the pastors, for they ought to enjoy the income till their dea hs — not thcii successors, for they do not exist. All classes would bs b;n fi>ed, and none would suffer, if Cliurch property, being resumed by the State, were employed for schools, village libraries, hospitals, or other purposes, any which would serve the interests ol all." The Third and Concluding Part treats of The Mean? of Promoting a Revival in the Churches. It is very brief, occupying only a few pages. Mr. Noel urges, as such means, the combined action of levived churches} h\s agency; pastoral devotedness; and the mulual co-operation of various denominations for objects common to all. Lie further suggests the offering of Prizes, amounting to £10,800, for the best Essa)s (in English, French, or German), on the Being and Attributes of God : the Person and Woik of our Lord Jesus Ghiist: the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit : and the Authority, Inspiration, and Clia racter of the Books of the Bible. We have thus completed, so far as the limits (o which we \\ ere obliged to rest rictom selves would allow, our anal)tical review of this — we may now say celebrated— work. The critical leader will discover in the book, some defects in st\lc, not a few lepetilions, and frequent maiks of' haste m composition, winch may be accounted for b\ — what we believe is the fact —the author's having intended to postpone the publication until (lie period vhich lie had himself fixed on for h:s withdrawal fiom the ministry of the EublMiment—(about the date at which we unto, the end of July). But his decision was hastened by certain summaiy pioceodings taken by the Bishop of London in his case, and he judged it due to his convictions and to Impersonal chara<-tiM, to lose no tune in laying l.efuie tiio world Ins reasons for the important step. The h^t.-, lion--

ever, was evidently only in the litoiary prepaid' lion of his volume. His aigmnents had lieen long ami '■aiefully studied, and the conclusions (o u Inch that argument conducted him, had been ai rived at wilh deep conscientiousness, solemn delibeiation, and a full counting of the cost of the step winch they demanded. We do not Know that we cm close more nppmpi i,it(.'!> than {..»• quoting the following extinct fiom a letter published in the C/mrrh ami Slate (Jnzdlc,b\ one of the ornaments of the Church of England, 'who, though unconvneed by Mr. Noel's niyuments, yet can appreciate hit motives and admi'O his disinterested and self-sacnficing adherence to what he believed to be truth. The Uev. Cbn*topher Benson, the able and venerable ex- Millet of the Temple, sajs,— " I trust I have said enough to show tint F Jo ,\ >' agree with Mr. Noel in his condemnation of \\\r m-uiv between Church nn-l State. But nc t'\cr can T a-*,) •- with those who condemn him for acting upon fn.ir opinion, when it had been once dohbeintel;' fotn?<<. The rule of Scripture upon points which, li] z \\v , aie not formally laid down it its pages, uppers to :;jp to bo contained in the following passage of Si. lai.l " Let eveiy man be fully persuaded in his ov,.i p.j'h'l" Let him be persuaded that he h a capa'ols ri 1 ww } -\- tial judge of the question in debitc — pfi^'urir 1 tV,, he has thoroughly and diligently invrsiij,,i'"il ih n r /* ject in ils va'ious bearings — that he has aopilo.l <o r.U the available sources of information on- 1 .n-^vs -"C, guidance within his reach — to bo As for then km inn to wise friends for their connscl, and by p-aycr to tho Fountnin of all wisdom for the enlightening and purifying influences of the Holy Spirit to give him at oic? a heait and a right understanding: if, ,i r tT \>r ha 1 . done this, he thinks that he clearly perceive*? which i) the proper conclusion to be formed — if Lh rnuviencs with its still, strong, voice, calls him, not one but often, to a particular line of conduct, 33 the neccMiy refiult of his conviction*; — if he doca not hpslih, but after due deliberation and delay, resolve ti foiln"^ tb? C'mne prescribed and if, after he Ima adopted it. be feels no misgivings, no rebulses froia wUlnn — then, I cannot but believe that such a man bas done that which he ought to have done. His heart and reason condemn him not, and therefore he mny have r becoming confidence in the propriety of Uh proceeding. Now, I presume, and so do your c i.espondenls, that this is the present state of Mr. Noel's mind. They censure him, not because ho does not actually feel the union of Church and State to bo so uu'awfu! Hint for him, wilh such views, to continue in the Church would be a fcin ; but, admitting that he so feds, they urge his return by a vai iety of other considerations. Tiiey recall to Ins mind the sphere of usefulness he has lost —the pious friends he has l;ft behind — the excclLnn' < f the Church he has quitted — Hu h.'nest, learned, and judicious divines who uphold what bo condemn — the repr<#iab. he casts upon their conc'uet for adhering to their ministry in spite of the rcacons he has assigned for withdrawing from it, and the encouiagcment ho has afforded to the Church' 0 enemies to labour Btili more zealously and hopeMly for ita destruction ■ AH the?e things aic weighty and true ; but they are trhh and porrowa which every ore hf.s fco encounter who dec inca from following a mnUi'uds i>» j dohu wlnt he conbidera essentially fiin'nl. They pic ; thoughts a 1 so viliich mnet smHy ha-v* enlccd Mr. N el'h coasideration before he deserted Ins roigi elation ; but ought they to have prevented it ? They must have grieved bis spii it; butouph they, unVrhin present impressions, to have changed thepaipode o£ hiamind? Would not his answer be this — "I ca.inot coi^snnt to do wliat I am persindcd h p^itiveiy e\l\ for the sike of a>iy i;ood, c'ther (r myEcif or oiheis, th'it may arise — I mint make wh.it ij lav.'ful P and not wh t is expedient, the mle of my conduct ; and, whilst in so doing I condemn not myself I mny hold it a smill mttter to be judged of man's judgment. He llint judgeth me is the Lord," In such srntiments I should agree, and I must add nvi belief that far less injury is likely to be done to the Chvrch by those who leave itf) om conscientious though crro-icous scruples, than hy those who (jet over their objection to remaiiivtg in it, either by pitting a non-na'ural sense upon the language of its foi mularia , or by adopting &uch schemes of subscription as Powell and Pa?ry haic proposed."

Value of Steam in WARrAnn.— EUnct of a letter dated on board Her M 'jetty's s t eara aloop InfldxibL', Tiinronialee, Deceit bcr 9, 1848:— "Oar captain ofl'erod to move an on' ire regiment, by taking 100 men on botrd the Inflexible, and tow at tl'c same time -any larj;e merchant ship wuh the remainder, wliitli vessel could also Uke all their ba^age and tent Lquijn^e in hrr hold. This «fiev >-nad-3 in consrquen<e of an urgent requisition dona the Government at CalruMa for two native re;>i'flcu'«. The enp'ain's offer was accepttd immediately, nnil lliu (Jiaudine barque was freighted. As the Clnudine had not good! aecorampd'i'iofis, and theie bong up-varda of 200 (amp foil .we 1 "", 'ho Fire Quern h. dto n portion. We started with the Claudino in tow, nh'wt I hive liokik and a qn<irt< r after the Fire Qace^i slio leovi"^ «t a qu.irtei-past 9 o'clock, a. m. of the 17lh October, the Inflexible at half-past 12 o'clock. The Fire Quern was out of sight when wi" got away, yet by 1 1 that nigh. we were a.beam of licr. At diy'i^lit ne\fc morning nothing but her smoke could be seen, and i-t SO a.m. of the 18ih in<it. smolce and all wig oiU of si^hi. Wr anchortd in the harbour of Khyouk Phyow, on the Ai - racan coast, just 2 1 hours bcfoie the tknga! cfcanici Fire Queen, thus beating her, with a ves>si,l of SGO ton« (new measurement) in tow, by 27 houn on the t;i» Our average velo«ity, per patent loj-, w'Jl' t-te r )i»in' was 8^ knots per hour. We anchoicd ;i f u)on (,\ Vio 22nd in Khyjuh I'hyoo, l.indul the 21i.1i Ma-lnsNifivc Infantry there, and cmbiuked tlu> 10o!' n >^_ >1 X ij ire Infantry for Calcu-ta ; gaile 1 fi-->m Ibo Wjp> „t ? m.v". ofthe2G'h, and ancliorcd oiTFnil \\ jPmm c.l '■ ...-tof the 291h; thus moving about 1,/500 men l-'Ci; i'v.lc in 12 days, out of which time fou> d.i} 1 , v\'i« ("ktri up in embaiking and dUombaiking tho troop r , tlicii bnj<fage and tent equipage. We roust hsve ? iepmcl, vv'lh the Claudiiip in Idw, ncajiy tw < Ki< )ts t>n h'>.;i fi-,u,r than tlie Fire Quern. After bivimj ceiLi 1 ot Caltutti wo sailed, and arrived at Tritieoirulut 1 on \'uc ,»t c t oi last month. We nrc now co led, jiiovl^ioti'd, r.nJ have vatrr on boaid, and are rrady to s'-ut wh^v thy (J.'itnhiian ariive. vuh am- orders. Itc.ir-^ dmir.il Sm F. C I'lier is c«»;ic( ti i«; all b 1 . 13 squadron Im crs of „ny disturbance bieilnir; ou'. \/hen the ffiUs oi (\»n'on aie opeucC, a iou-, i learn, is expired.

M. Misson, \b* head g.irdeuc at the Lmenibouig, has 1 ik'ly grown j^neu root. calVi 1 t!ie ulluco, whicli cmveiy well, it is though', rejil ice tiu p<>uto. It origin uij cunp liom Pern, an 1 grow, ;ilv well in t'le open an ; tlie Hwoitrii very uouly the -ii».e us tliat of tli-j pjifUO. In a tdit-^n uiu | a.t u(>uvc & ioimd furni-hes a very agreeab'e vcg^ta^le, something like the bean m ihvour. Tli" cops of flic grten part can be obtained vi tlic sum'- acaboj.— -P«ris ll J aj)f>\