Ought, or ought not the Church of Rome in Ireland to be established? The question considered in a letter to ... Sir R. Peel ..

^

*ftawMMf

RH?fws!*

OUGHT, OR OUGHT NOT

THE

CHURCH OF ROME IN IRELAND

TO BE ESTABLISHED?

THE QUESTION CONSIDERED
IN A LETTER

TO THE

RIGHT HON. SIR R. PEEL, BART,

FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY, &C. &C.

BY A.M. OXONIENSIS.

LONDON:

JOHN OLLIVIER, 59, PALL MALL,
1843.

A LETTER,

SIR,

THE question is now so frequently agitated
in the upper classes in society, and by the public
press, that it becomes every British subject, who has
Parliamentary influence, to consider, whether the
Church of Rome in Ireland ought to be established
or not ?

You, Sir Robert, I am convinced, have deli-
berated upon this question, and know so well the
difficulties which beset it, when viewed either in
the affirmative or — as many think — even in the
negative, that you will not refuse to listen to an
expression of opinion on the part of a brother mem-
ber of your own University. He asks simply, what
he knows you are willing to give to any reasonable

statement affecting the public welfare, a candid and
impartial attention to a few of the arguments which
have weighed with his own mind.

Regarded as a religious question, there can he no
doubt that the establishment of its opponent is not
likely to encourage any system of religion. A
weight is thrown into the scale which, in any age,
will preponderate over much that may be adverse.
Establish a Church and you add to it the influential
support and advocacy of the State. In the instance
of a State powerful as our own this is the addition
of no small momentum. Besides, in establishing a
Church the State at once recognizes what that
Church teaches as not being altogether erroneous.
It stamps upon the doctrine, if not the seal of its
complete approbation, at least the mark of its favor.
The wealth also and thereby the influence of the
Church are in a measure increased. Take, as an in-
stance, the American Episcopal Church. Possessed of
the same advantage of a well ordered machinery, and
exposed to less rancorous attacks, how is it that the
American Episcopal Church has acquired so little
influence over the population of the States, in com-
parison with the influence enjoyed by the Episcopal

Church in this country ? Simply, as I apprehend,
because it has not the advantage of the exclusive
support of the State. Now, of course, it will be said
that the case is not parallel, because the American
Church is not only not exclusively supported, but is
altogether unsupported by the State ; whereas, if the
Roman Church in Ireland were to be established, it
would be only a joint establishment with that already
existing. But, on the other hand, it is the exclusive
support given by a State which adds strength to a
Church, as evincing the perfect confidence felt by
the State in the teaching of that Church. Let
another Church be also established, the confidence
of the State is supposed to be shaken, and the
affection of the people is shaken with it. Indirectly
a slur is cast upon the previously established Church.
Again, in Ireland there is a peculiar difficulty
attending the co-establishment of the Roman Church,
because the Established Church of Ireland main-
tains that the Roman Church teaches error, that some
of her doctrines are " blasphemous fables and dan-
gerous deceits," "and that the Church has erred not
only in her living and manner of ceremonies but also
in matters of faith." Articles XXXI. XIX. Whether
these expressions be defensible or not is another

6

question, but whilst they remain in her Articles of
faith, as being the deliberate dicta of the Church of
Ireland, they form, as it seems to me, an insuperable
barrier against the co-establishment of a Church,
which is thus condemned by the Church already
established.

It has been alleged by persons, whose knowledge
of history is competent, that Almighty God has
blessed or withdrawn his blessing from this country,
since the Reformation, in the exact ratio of her
efforts in opposition to or in behalf of the Church of
Rome. I know not how far this assertion is sup-
ported in every instance by the fact ; yet, if the
Reformation be, as we believe it to be, a Divine
interference for the purifying and benefiting of God's
Church, it might be expected, from the analogy of
His dealings with nations, that He would give His
blessing, wherever His plan should be carried out
by human agency, and withdraw that blessing,
wherever it should be wilfully thwarted.

But you, Sir, must already have viewed this
question in the light of religion, and therefore
it is not needful for me to add more. That you
perceive the importance of regarding it in this point

of view, I have no doubt. A man, whose private
life is regulated by the pure principles of Christianity,
knows too well the duty of weighing public affairs
in the scale of religion to hesitate in applying the
same test to the conduct of governments, which he
applies to the actions of individuals.

I would then simply regard the question as one
affecting the civil interests of the community.

The object proposed in the payment of the Roman
Priests in Ireland is, as I suppose, threefold — tore-
move the seeming anomaly of a large majority being
taxed to support a Church which belongs to the
minority — to lessen the authority which the Roman
Priesthood possess over their flocks, and to bring
the former more under the control of the government
— and lastly, to lighten, in a measure, the burden
under which the Roman Catholic population of
Ireland now labours, in the heavy taxation of fees
for the performance of ecclesiastical rites.

With reference to the first object, may not it be
more plausible than real ? The population of Ire-
land is not to be alone regarded. By the Union the
two countries have become one. The Churches

8

are now the United Church of England and Ireland.
The population, therefore, of the united country is to
he the standard, and this amounts, in round numbers,
exclusive of Scotland, to 24,000,000. Of English Dis-
senters there are ahout 2,200,000, of Irish, including
the Presbyterians, 660,000 ; and estimating the Ro-
manist population of England and Ireland at
7,500,000, which is rather more than their actual
number, we leave a proportion of 7> 500, 000 Roman-
ists to upwards of 13,500,000, who are members of
the United Church, a proportion of not much more
than one-half. In these days, when the proverb is
almost realised in respect of theology, " Quot
homines tot sententiaB," this preponderance of the
members of the State Church, is as large as it could
reasonably be expected to be ; and, therefore, the
seeming hardship, of which the Irish Romanists
complain, is not such in reality.

But I would suggest a further question, viz.
Whether the Romanist majority in Ireland, can be
said, with truth, to be taxed for the payment of the
Protestant clergy ? The tithe is a land-tax, and it
is the landlord, in fact, who pays it. Under the

old law, the Irish tenant calculated the outgoings of
tithe in the valuation of the land, which he was
ahout to take on lease, and deducted accordingly.
Under the new law, the rent charge falls upon the
landlord, who may indeed charge it again upon the
tenant ; but the tenant will have the opportunity,
in turn, when he renews his lease, of charging it
back upon his landlord, who, in the issue, must pay.
Now, as the Protestant landlords are to the Romanist
as fifteen to one, the far greater proportion of the
tithe paid to the Protestant clergy in Ireland, comes
from the Protestant gentry, so that the majority of the
Romanist population have no right to complain.
And again, the permanent residence of a gentleman
of some property amongst them, in the person of the
clergyman of the parish, must obviously be produc-
tive of great advantage to the Romanist population,
who will benefit by the expenditure of his income,
and by the increased inducement held out, by his
society and ministrations, to other opulent families
to settle in the neighbourhood.

In reference to the second object proposed, I
would suggest, that it is not so easy to restrain

10

under secular authority the priesthood of the
Roman Church. Past experience and history
prove that the civil power has never been able to
soothe them into quiet submission, when, in fun-
damental principles, it has differed from them. I
would instance Prussia. You, Sir Robert, well
know that the system adopted in Rhenish Prussia,
of a Government provision for the Roman clergy,
has not freed the Prussian government from unplea-
sant interference, and even determined opposition
on the part of the stipendiary priesthood. The ex-
periment has proved any thing but successful there.
Why should it be more likely to prove successful in
Ireland ?

Again : Where is the money to be obtained ?
The funds of the Irish Church are not in a con-
dition to supply the required amount, nor would a
Conservative administration advise that, if super-
abundant, they should be appropriated to such a pur-
pose. The British exchequer exhibits no surplus.
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is unable,
in consequence of the poverty of the country, to vote
even a small grant out of the public monies for the

11

important object of Church extension, of a provision
for the spiritual wants of an ignorant popula-
tion rising around us, to the peril of our safety as a
nation.

The Roman priests in Ireland, are in number
four thousand. Suppose that £200. per annum
were assigned to each. From whence are the
£800,000. to be procured ? Suppose that less be
offered. The present incomes of the Roman clergy
in Ireland are estimated, at the very lowest compu-
tation, at £300. per annum for each priest. Will
£100. per annum satisfy ?— Will £200 ?— Must not
the Government stipend overmatch the income de-
rived from fees, either to make it worthy the priest's
acceptance, or to enable the Government to retain
control ?

It may, however be said, " Let us try the experi-
ment ; the priests will refuse the offer, and then the
burden will be put off upon their shoulders. We
shall be exempted from seeming partiality in the
administration of the Government in Ireland, and
they will be silenced in their clamour on the score
of injustice."

12

But is not the experiment dangerous ? Will they
refuse ? Do men who intend to refuse a gift when
offered, generally refuse it before it be offered?
Usually men do not dislike the offer being made,
although they may afterwards reject it ; and even if
they have made up their minds, they wait till it
comes, and then refuse. This is the natural and
straightforward manner of acting. It avoids the
risk of refusing what may not be offered.

But mark the conduct of the Roman bishops in
Ireland. They call a meeting, and draw up formal
resolutions, indignantly rejecting what has never
been offered. Surely, Sir Robert, this conduct of
theirs is suspicious! I am convinced, that, as a man
of singular discernment, you must have seen, more
quickly than most men, through the disguise. It is
a mere "ruse de guerre" It reminds me much
of a well known beggar, who, although ever in cour-
teous and grateful terms, refused the alms, for
which she was, all the while, eagerly holding out
her hand.

The Church of Rome never yet rejected money.
From the days of Leo the Tenth, to our own day,

13

rapacity, the term is not too strong,* has marked
her character as a religious system. The love of
money has been one of the chief banes of that un-
happy church. I feel certain that the offer would
be accepted, and assuredly, upon the mere contin-
gency of its being accepted, the risk attending
the acceptance of the proposal should be duly
weighed.

I ask then, lastly, will the poor of Ireland be re-
lieved from the present burdensome taxation of
ecclesiastical fees ? and I contend, in reply, that
they will not be relieved ; for it will not be pos-
sible for the State to offer a sufficient stipend to the
Roman clergy, to prevent them from continuing to
take fees.

Suppose that a stipend of £200. per annum, each,
were granted to them, they will not be willing to
surrender £100. per annum, of their present in-
comes, nor would it be right to demand of them
such a sacrifice. They will continue to take fees,
for this no Government can prevent. At first, in-

* Professor Ranke's "Lives of the Popes," Book I. chap. ii.
passim.

14

deed, the scale of these fees may be moderated, but
we remember that quaint adage, " Crescit amor
nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit." And, that
the adage will, in this instance, prove true, I feel no
doubt. The Government stipend will be quietly
pocketed, and, in the end, the fees with it, so that
the poor of Ireland will not be benefited ; and a
considerable accession of wealth and of influence
will accrue to a Church which our own, Sir Robert,
declares to be teaching " blasphemous fables and
dangerous deceits;" and by whose teaching the
souls of our fellow-countrymen in Ireland are already
sufficiently endangered.

Let me request you to consider also the influence
which the seeming encouragement of Romanism
will give to Tractarianism within the pale of our
own Church. It will refine away a portion of the
line of distinction at present existing between the
Churches. A clergyman maintaining Romanist
sentiments, and continuing in the Anglican or the
Hibernian Church will be but holding the opinions
of a Church acknowledged equally and established
by the State ; and in passing from the one to the

15

other, no difficulty upon the score of appearances,
or of pecuniary loss, will interfere to prevent. In
fact, few measures could be proposed which would
more facilitate the plans, further the efforts, and
strengthen the hands of the Tractarian party, which,
as the laity of our Church as well as the clergy, are
now aware, is already too strong for the welfare of
the State, or the peace of the Church.

I have the honour to be,

SIR ROBERT,
Your very faithful servant,

A MASTER OF ARTS OF

THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

Dec. \3th.

JOHN OI.MVIKH, I'RIMER,59, PAI.I. MAM..

14 DAY USE

RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED

LOAN DEPT.

This book is due on the last date stamped below, or

on the date to which renewed.
Renewed books are subject to immediate recall.

MAR 20

LOAN Dl

071937

REC.HOFFIT? «ov

UOAN

LD 21A-60m-7,'66
(G4427slO)476B

H

General Library

University of California

Berkeley

U. C BERKELEY LIBRARIES

871786

7

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY