POLITICAL PARSONS IN THE OLD COUNTRY.

West Coast Times, Issue 6143, 18 February 1886, Page 4

POLITICAL PARSONS IN THE OLD COUNTRY.

The R*T. W. Taokwell, vuar of Stockton, Warwickshire, and brother-in-law to Sir Charles Dilke, made a most extraordinary speech at a Bkdioal demonstration at Leamington, in wbich he laid they most remember it was the duty of good Christians and good men to not only send B«dxals into Parliament, but to ktep Conservatives out. He believed that the Parliament of England would never be in tbe truest sense of the word the representative of the nation's mind, or an* effective oponent of its interests, *o long at a single Conservative wa« per* altted to sit within its walls. They mast have no mercy on Mr Nelson, who was opposing the speaker, but attend all his meetings, press him with questions about the House of Lords, the oountiy magistrate?, free education, the reformed Church and the alterations of the land laws', and convince themselves that a man who called himself a Conservative could notposslbly be a Christian. The rector of Wychliog, the Bey. Thomas Norton,htß delivered a speech of an unusual character at Ashford, in which he said :— " The great Gnns of the Church are opposed to Liberalism ; bat bignaroes are not of much use. They don't represent the Church ; at least they dou't represent me. I don't see the reason why there should b» snch a difference between tbe Chirch and other denominations'. I say that if yon can't stand on your own base, yon have no right to stand at all. As to extraordinary tithes, I would abolish them •• downright robbery. We were talking about great guns just now. Well, I will give jou something rather spicy about the Archbishop of Canterbury. A living in Ea«t Kent— l won't mention numes— fell vacant, and the Archbishop sent down a manSwho was a disgrace to any respectaWeJjody. Was thit right ? What voice have you in electing tbe Vicar of Ashford ? Why, none at all. As a Liberal, I think we ought to disestablish and, if necessary, : disendow the Church.. I don't think the j Church requires money, in thst ronse to ensure good spiritual teach ng. Why, the commonest savage could put us to shame that way."