ENGLISH NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 19 April 1851, Page 2

ENGLISH NEWS.

Looking over the columns of the English newspapers brought by the " Travancore," we iind them almost entirely occupied by the proceeding's to which the " Popish Invasion " has given vise. Monster meetings and violent declamations are the order of the day. Bishops, clergy, and laity seem to vie with each other in eagerness to oppose the insult which the Pope has offered to England. If the Roman Catholic Church were like the Wesleyan, Presbyterian, or any other dissenting sect, one would lament this outbreak by a sober and thinking people, as a fit of temporary national insanity. At first sight it is so. It will make no real difference whether the bishops of the Roman Catholic sect are called by one nick-name or by another. There will be no move bishops, nor will they really have any more power in the one case than in the other. John Bull, however, is not usually frightened out of his propriety without some reason. And his reason now is supplied by his memory. He recollects bulls issued by the bishop of Rome, by the infallible voice of the Church of God, such is the profession, absolving the subjects of the King of England from their allegiance to their Sovereign ; he knows that those bulls are still unrecalled, that according to the principles of the Church of Rome they would, if they could, be again acted upon. They remember proud pretensions, and bitter persecutions, and their feelings are awakened by every historic tradition, to dread and to hate the supremacy of Rome. Still they have a guardian angel, more powerful than all popular excitement, than all loud declamations, than all hard names, to which they should look as their safeguard from the impositions of a foreign ecclesiastical yoke. It is the dominance of the laiv, and its independance of royal or popular, of political or ecclesiastical influence. A few years ago, a miller in the north of Ireland, who was a papist, displeased the priest. The priest excommunicated him, publicly cursing him from the altar. The man suftered materially in his business, all his customers leaving him. He brought an action in the Queen's Bench against the priest for damages, and he gained his action, and obtained considerable compensation. This is an instance of how the law may interfere to prevent persecution.

Cardinal Wiseman is not Cardinal Wolsey ; nor until the British Isles are converted to the Church of Rome, do we entertain any fear of her power. But what guarantee have we that the English people will not return,to the old heresies ? None but the deep love of truth which enabled the English Church, under God, to discard those errors. And we had rather see this spirit cherished by the prayers of the Church, than by the agitation of the populace, "If this work be of men, it will come to nought, but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found to fight against God." But what will most certainly and powerfully farther the cause of the Bishop of Rome, are such scenes as have disgraced the population of Belgravia. Mr Bennet is a clergyman holding extremely high church views. The great majority of the English clergy and people differ "with him in opinion, and think that his opinions too nearly approach to the doctrines of Borne ; "but he is an earnest, devoted, hardworking man, and has done more good in regaining the poor around him from heathenism, than any other man in London. This is known by hundreds who entirely differ with him in his doctrinal views. Mr. Bennet's church was for several Sundays invaded by a brutal mob, who disturbed the congregation, and endeavoured to break down the gates in front of the church. Many such scenes as this will do more to enlarge the power of the Bishop of Rome by disgusting all good men with the party in whose cause they are wrought, than if a whole college of cardinals were inflicted on the country.