LECTURE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 390, 3 August 1889, Page 2

LECTURE.

On Wednesday evening last Rev S. Lawiy gave the second of a series of winter lectures in the Wesleyan Church. Tho subject was " How did England becomeProtest.uit?" The lecturer begun by reminding the audierce that this was a continuation of the subject dealt with on a former occasion, when he had tried to show why this great ecclesiastio.il ana political change took place. A-< a help to. the consideration of the menus adop.Nul to effect this change it might bo well to ask " When did England become Piote-.tant?'" Tt was not the woik of a day, nor even of; one generation, but extended over a longcourse of 3'eurs, and embiaced several distinct movement** The English Church protested against papal rule as early as the 7th century, lvi+ failed to retain its freedonv and independence* Duiinsr tfie reign of Edward 111, and Kichanl 11, John Wycliffeled the way in a veiy widespread protect against prevailing errors and abuses. Hebegan hi.s work 150 yeaia before Luther entered on the great work of reform in German}'. Wycliffe's work wos carried) on by the Lollaid^, but no great headway was made till the time of Henry VII I* when the authority of the Pope was set. aside, and Henry prnclamed himself head of the English Church. During therei&n of Edward VI, the Reformed or Protestant religion was established in England by* law. Mary followed, and tried to undoall that had been done during 1 the reign of her brother; and after six years she was succeeded by Elizabeth, under whom, theProtect mt religion was again established as the recognised Church in England, From that time to this it has never been displaced. The following was given, as an outHne of the principal means by which England was led to throw off the authority of the Roman Church in favour of, Protestantism :—: — 1. There was an open and organised revolt against the undisguised immoralities of the clergy, the impositions of the monks, and the assumptions of the Pope.. Foiemost among the leaders of this movement was Wycliffe. He did not live to see the complete triumph of his cause ; but during long years of strife and patient waiting, and with various degrees of success, the work was carried on by those who came after him, till it prevailed in the senate-halls of the nation, in the councils of the church, arid in the homes of the people. ' 2. The circulation of the Scripture in the common langnago of the people. Heroa^ain the place of honour belongs to Wycliffe, who was the first to give to the English people the whole of the Bible in their own tongue. In later daysthiß work waa takon up by "W. Tyndale, who, in spite of opposition and difficulty, gave himself to the great work of giving the English people the oppoitunity of reading, the iScriptuies. The Reformation in England was emphatically the work of the Scriptuies. 3. The faithful preaching of the Gospel was a powerful factor in the work of reform. Wycliffe both preached himself and sent others out .on- the same errand. In later days preachers like Bilnej 7 , Latimer, Barnes, Rogeis, and others did a great work in spreading the doctines of the Gospel . Their influence \vas acknowledged in the efforts made to silence thorn, many of them falling victims to persecuting zeal. 4. The revival of learning also helped on the work of Protestantism, This was felt first by people of learning, and from them it found its way to every class of society. The rev : sed test of the Greek Testament, with new Latin translation by Erasmus, was welcomed in the Universities, and eagerly studied by both professors and students. Many of these became able and zealous advocates of the Gospel;^ mid) some of them greatly helped the cau*«e by their work as translators. This revival of: learning stimulated ths spirit of enquiry among the people generally ; and~To give the greater impetus tho invention of printing press occur* ed about §\\%