NATIONAL DECADENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 269, 12 June 1880, Page 3

NATIONAL DECADENCE.

Preaching recently in Sc Paul's Cathedral from the first few verses uf,the 19fch chapter of Isaiah,-where the pro- "; phet speakh of the political and social ft' phenomena of the day, the Bishop of Manchester (Dr Fraser) said: ". uring recent years England had been parting more and. Jiore. with many of its traditions. "' Some ofthebe were merely corrupt remnants of feudalism. By losing "these we had undoubtedly gained: but i there; were otheis which we had lott, or fast losing, to the great detriment • . of the commonwealth —the hig. sense of duty o' the State; the measuring of the nation's gHatness not by its revenue in pounds sterling, but by its wealth in the sound bodies, honest hearts, and , pure; healthy-heroes, of its people; the temper of wi ling obedience to the law. i aiul! these who represent the law; and a strict commercial integrity—not thr -" tricks of trade which had been general < ! by an unwholesome competition, and, if the evidence could lie trusted, had more. to do than he liked' to think with the terrible Tay Bridge < disaster. These the things that made England * -great/.and th« loss.of whiclLmade-Eng-land small , 'He referred.with regret to ; .the fact 5 t.Hat so large a portion of re venue was raised from drink andtcba co ' ■ and quoted with' approval the closing •sentences of Lord Derby's recent ad dress, whero be declared that ws should have fighting enough f»r our time if we 'attacked the pauperism, drunkt nness, and squalor amongst «,ur lowercl...ss,s. ; -'Mr * Bright bad srated that the lead r ? national Church and had on n -occusicn on whicli the. eternal princip'eh of righteousness were involved in national oolicy siodd forth to guide and enlight-n ~'fl»e national conscience. The Bi.-;.»;j» •said he would not stay to exaniinwhether the charge was based on aie- ; quale inform* tion; but he felt sad to : . think that it o. uld ever have been made and if it were true in any measure every Churchman should make it his first ...'.. effort to wip away such » stain."