MODERN ENGLISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS ROMAN CATHOLICISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8354, 6 September 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

MODERN ENGLISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS ROMAN CATHOLICISM.

Commenting upon Cardinal Manning's estimate of Roman Catholic progress, tho Spectator adduces two reasons for England's less hostile attitude towards Romanists. One is the misfortunes of that church on the Continent. It is not politically feared as it used to be. " The second reason is the general decay of religion in England. Formerly such religion as England had was intimately associated with Protestantism, and as the latter has declined, ib has been replaced by a state of feeling which, whatever be its other advantages, is near akin to indifference to truth." It is this latter reason we would note, for it i? a Broad Church survey of the position. If we might shift the bearing of it a little, wo should not very seriously dispute the opinion. . Wherever there is a quickening of genuine religion there must be a sturdy Protestantism. A robust faith cannot surrender itself to sacerdotal dictation, or dissipate its energies in embroideries. We do not, however, believe there is either a decay of religion or less Protestantism, bub there is more of fashionable churchmanship. The Protestantism of the last century was of two sorts, political and Evangelical. The former has a good deal died out, because the danger of Papal aggression has seemed to bo less; the latter, however, has been steadily increasing, and is very little affected by tho question of the temporal power of" the Pope. It objects quite as much, nay, even more, to Romanism within our church as to Romanism without.— Rock.