During the period just described a school of divines w IS formed who, in seeking to avoid Puritanism on the one hand, and Romanism on the other, became Latitudiuarians. "They became Christian philoso- phers rather than divines ; and, except an occasional dissertation on the Trinity or a AVhitsunday sermon, in which the work of the Holy Spirit was carefully guai-ded against fanatical abuses, thev scarcely inter- fered with matters of Christian doctrine. Still they were men of blameless lives, and in a slothful age re- markable for pastoral diligence. Amongst the lead- ers were Whitchcote, Cudworth, Wilkins, and AVorth- ington ; some of these Avere known to be men of emi- nent piety, but it was more apparent in their lives (and, since their deaths, bj- their private diaries) than in their preaching. They were equally afraid of su- perstition on the one hand, and enthusiasm on the
other. They loved the constitution of the Church, and were well satisfied with the liturgy ; but they did not think all otiier forms unlawful. The}' wished to see a spirit of greater moderation. They continued on good terms with Nonconformists, and allowed great freedoms, not only in philosophical speculations, but in religion ; and the boldness of their inquiries into the reasonableness, rather than the scriptural warrant of the truths of religion, led them to be regarded as Socinians. They were all zealous against Poperj' ; and the Papists cried them down, in return, as Athe- ists, Deists, or, at best, Socinians, and men of no prin- ciples at all. In the society of these men, Tillotson, Patrick, Lloyd, and Stillingfleet were trained — the greatest divines of the next generation, but still with the faults of the school in which thej' had been edu- cated. The}' received, and long bore, the title of the Latitudinarian divines ; and, in the sense in which we have explained it, the charge was just. Thej' attempt- ed a divorce between evangelical doctrine and Chris- tian practice. The former they at first neglected, and at length lost out of sight ; the latter the}' displayed with admirable clearness, and, if any other principles than those of the Gospel could possibly have enforced it, they would not have so completely failed. But the founders of the school made no deep impression in the days of Charles II, and their still more gifted pupils saw religion in the Church of England almost expiring in spite of all their efforts" (Marsden, Churches and Sects, i, 286). "In 1698 the Church of England gave birth to two noble philanthropic schemes — the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, which cir- culates Bibles, Prayer-books, and Tracts ; and in 1701 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in For- eign Parts was chartered." In 1747 Convocation was dissolved. See Coxvocatk>x.
"That the Church of England, after fighting for its very existence against Popery on the one hand, and against Puritanism on the other, should have sub- sided into inactivity during the dull reigns of the Georges, is less a matter of surprise than of regret. The peaceful enjoyment of her temporalities in a dull, irreligious, not to say infidel age, may easily account for, though it cannot excuse, her idleness. But that in the rise of John Wesley, 1730, she should have fail- ed to sec a grand opportunity for herself, is a matter of both surprise and regret ; she, however, let it pass ; nor can she hope that such another will ever again present itself. See Methodism ; Wesley. The ut- most that can be hoped is that she has seen her error.
"The next important event in the history of the Church is the Act of Union, which came into effect on the 1st of January, 1801, and united the churches of England and Ireland in all matters of doctrine, wor- ship, and discipline. The Reformation had made some progress in Ireland under Edward YI. Five Protes- tant bishops were appointed in 1560, and the English Bible and Liturgy were introduced in 1551 ; but, from a variety of causes, the Reformed doctrines have never found much acceptance with the native population, and, although a Protestant Church was established by law, it was and is the Church of the minority. Sec Ireland. In 1635 the English Articles were received, and in 1662 the English Book of Common Prayer was adopted by Convocation. Before the political union of the countries, the two churches were in full com- munion. B}' an act of the imperial Parliament in 1833, ten of the Irish bishoprics were suppressed, and the funds thus obtained were applied to the augmen- tation of small livings, and the building and repair of churches" (Chambers, C'/cloperdia, s. v.). It is now proposed (1868) to " dises'talilish" the Episcopal Church in Ireland, and the proposal will doubtless be carried into effect.
In the progress of the 10th centur}' groat changes have passed over the Church of England. The for- mation of the Church Missionary Society (see Mis-
ENGLAND, CHURCH OF 202 ENGLAND, CHURCH OF
sioNART Societies), of the Bible Society, etc., and especially the influence of Methodism, awakened the long dormant spirit of aggressive Christianity'. Since 180U more than oOOO churches have been erected. About 1^30 several earnest j'oung men in the Univers- it}' of Oxford gave signs of profound theological studj', and of deep interest in Church (luostions. In reaction, perhaps, from the latitudinarianisni of the 18th cen- tury, their studies laj' chiefly in the fathers and medi- a;val writers, and in 1833 they began the publication of the Oxford tracts, calling for a revival of obsolete usages, and bringing up again Romanist or quasi-Ro- manist views in theology. A brief history o- this movement is given under Puseyisji ; it must suffice to sa}' here that many j'oung clergj'men, as the result of'the movement, went over to Rome ; and those of the school who remained gave rise to the modern Ritual- ISJI (q. v.), which tends to import the spirit, doctrines, and practices of tlie Church of Rome into the Church of England. In the autumn of 1867 a conference of bishops of the Cliurch of England, and of the churches in communion with the English, was held at Lambeth. The chief object of this synod was to promote a closer union between all branches of the Anglican Church. A resolution censuring bishop Colenso, of Natal, for his deviation from the doctrine of the Church, was adopted bj' all save three votes. The pastoral let- ter, signed by the bishops, warned the people against Romanizing tendencies, but made no reference to con- troversies within the Church. A Greek translation of the pastoral letter was officially transmitted bj' the archbishop of Canterbury to all the patriarchs and bishops of the Greek Church. See Pax-Anglican Synod. In order to promote th? interest of intelli- gent laymen in the affairs of the Ciiurch, a "Church Congress" was called in 1860, which from that time has held annual sessions. See Church Congress. Several attempts were made bj^ tlie High-Church party to introduce monastic institutions. Thus the Ilcv. Mr. Lyne, assuming the name of father Ignatius, endeavored to establish an Anglican branch of the Bonedictine order, but the first monaster}' of the order at Norwich had, after a trial of a few years, to be aban- doned. At Bristol a conmiunity of the Tliird Order of St. Benedict was organized. The Rev. Mr. Mac- konochie, in 18G7, established a Society of the Holy Cross, of which he was the first master. But thus far (1868) all these attempts have met with but little suc- cess. See MoNASTicisM. The High-Church party exhibited a great desire to bring on a closer union with the Eastern churches. A special society, the E istern Church Association (see below, Slaiistics), was established to promote the cause, and the Convocations of Canterbury and York gave their official approval of the scheme. See Eastern Churches, Greek Church, and Protestant Ei'iscopal Church. Of- ficial communications for the same purpose were also opened with the Church of Sweden, but this step was strenuously opposed bj' one portion of the High-Church party on the ground that the Swedish Church held some heretical doctrines.