SYMPATHY WITH HAMPDEN 83 excitement. Baron Bunsen was on a visit there at the time, and in a letter to his wife described what took place on the reception of the news: "Yesterday," he wrote, "was a day of satisfaction for the house of Russell, the news having arrived of Dr. Hampden's election. Lord John had been much vexed in the latter days by the unreasonableness of the people he had to deal with-but yesterday at three o'clock, when we were collected in expectation, and talking against time, in came little Johnny [Viscount Amberley], escorted by his aunt-like sister, and stationed himself at the entrance of the library, distinctly proclaiming, like a herald, Dr. Hampden,-a Bishop!' We cheered him, and some one asked him whether he liked Dr. H—. 'I don't mind (was his answer) for I don't know him.' His father came in afterwards, radiant with satisfaction. After dinner, I suggested as a toast, 'The Chapter of Hereford,' adding sotto voce to Lord John, 'and he who has managed them.' Milnes and Stafford gave 'The Dean,' in opposition, and we were just divided, like the Chapter, two against fifteen. Lord John took all very kindly."1 Dr. Hampden received many addresses of sympathy from both clergy and laity. His fellow-citizens in Oxford presented him with a public address, expressing confidence in him as one who had set forth and enforced "the great cardinal doctrines of a religion based on the Word of God." He received also a general address from friends throughout the country, chiefly signed by the clergy, but including the names of members of both Houses of Parliament; and other addresses from members of Oxford Convocation, and the Chapters of York and Gloucester. His daughter states that, in connection with these addresses, "the point to which he attached the greatest importance was, that this support was offered to him on account of his teaching and defence of the principles of the Church of England as established by the Reformation." " Of these addresses perhaps the most important and significant was that which was signed by no fewer than 1 Memoirs of Baron Bunsen, vol. ii. p. 155. fifteen out of the twenty-two Heads of Houses. as follows: It was "TO THE REV. DR. HAMPDEN, REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY, &c. "We, the undersigned Heads of Houses in the University of Oxford, have seen with great concern the report of proceedings in various parts of the country upon your proposed appointment to the See of Hereford, tending to injure your reputation, impede your future usefulness, and even create a general distrust of the soundness of your faith in our Blessed Lord. Under such circumstances, although we only declare the sentiments which many of us have expressed before, and particularly upon the enactment in 1842 of the new statute concerning theological instruction, we desire to assure you, that having for years enjoyed ample opportunities of learning the tenor of your public teaching, and hearing your discourses from the pulpit of the University, we are not only satisfied that your religious belief is sound, but we look forward with confidence to your endeavours to preach the Gospel of Christ in its integrity. "B. P. Symons, Warden of Wadham, and Vice-Chancellor. Edward Hawkins, Provost of Oriel. James Ingram, President of Trinity. Philip Wynter, President of St. John's. John Radford, Rector of Lincoln. Henry Foulkes, Principal of Jesus College. Thomas Gaisford, Dean of Christ Church. John David Macbride, Principal of Magdalene Hall. David Williams, Warden of New College. Frederick Charles Plumptre, Master of University College. R. Bullock Marsham, Warden of Merton. William Thompson, Principal of St. Edmund Hall. The history of the Hampden Case throws a great deal of light on the early tactics of the Tractarian party. In reality, as I have already said, I believe, Dr. Hampden's latitudinarian views were only the ostensible cause of the furious attacks made upon him. The real cause of 1 English Churchman, January 6, 1848, p. 6. TRACTARIANS AS PROSECUTORS 85 offence was his outspoken Protestantism, though it must be admitted that the early Tractarians were sincerely opposed to his latitudinarian tendencies. But they could not bear that the "Traditions" of the Church, her decrees and Creeds, should be thought of less importance than the written Word of God. Dr. Hampden's vigorous attacks upon the sacerdotal teaching, ever so dear to the hearts of the enemies of the Gospel and the friends of priestcraft, made the Tractarians almost wild with rage. But, as far as possible, they carefully concealed from the public gaze the real cause of offence, and in this way they gained the support of many Evangelicals, who were at least quite as zealous for the Orthodox Faith, as any of the Tractarians. And is it not a remarkable fact that Rationalistic views as to the inspiration and truth of the Bible, far more objectionable than were ever taught by Dr. Hampden, are now openly avowed by many leading members of the Ritualistic party, the successors of the Tractarians? The Hampden Crusade was conducted by the real wirepullers as a part of a deeply laid scheme to banish UltraProtestantism, as held by the Reformers in the sixteenth century, out of the Church of England. All opponents were to be removed out of the way, and Dr. Hampden, as Regius Professor, and afterwards as a Bishop, was very much in the way of the success of their schemes. They tried to get rid of him, and failed. And in their prosecution of their Crusade they did not despise the strong arm of the law. The existing Courts of Law, now so much reviled and abused, were then thought good enough to decide the law as to the highest Christian doctrines. The chief leaders of the party, Dr. Pusey and Keble, were, as we have seen, the most zealous, and the leading workers in the proposed prosecution of Dr. Hampden, thirty years before the Church Association came into existence. Ecclesiastical prosecutions were not abused then by the leaders of the Oxford Movement. On the contrary, they were in high favour, and if they had only succeeded in their hands all our present troubles about Ecclesiastical Courts would have been unknown. CHAPTER IV Dr. Pusey's early Protestantism-Extracts from his Historical Enquiry -His Theological Society-" The young Monks "-The Library of the Fathers-Mr. Bickersteth approves of the Library-Lord Selborne on the Fathers-Richard Hurrell Froude-His influence on Newman-His admiration of Rome, and dislike of the Reformation —Newman's early love of Rome-His mind essentially Jesuitical" -Froude's Remains-Extracts from the Remains, showing his Romanising principles — Professor Faussett's University sermon against the Tractarians—The Rev. Peter Maurice's Popery in Oxford -Dr. Pusey insults Mr. Maurice-Newman's reply to FaussettDr. Hook's Call to Union--Bishop of Oxford's Visitation Charge-The Oxford Martyrs' Memorial-Pusey thinks it "unkind to the Church of Rome"-Keble thinks Cranmer a Heretic-" Cranmer burnt well "-Tractarian opposition to the Memorial-The inscription on the Oxford Martyrs' Memorial. THE leaders of the Oxford Movement were wise in their day and generation. They realised the vast importance of influencing those who were destined to be the teachers and leaders of the rising generation. At first, the movement was mainly confined to the educated classes, the poor were only thought of afterwards. I do not say they were wise in making, even for a time, the poor a secondary consideration; but they certainly realised from the commencement, in a way the Evangelicals never have done yet (to anything like a sufficient extent), that if the laity are to be instructed and influenced, their clergy must first of all have been educated sufficiently in their faith. The formation by Dr. Pusey of a Theological Society, in 1835, greatly assisted the Tractarians in this direction. Dr. Pusey was much slower in imbibing Roman doctrine than Newman. As recently as 1828 he had published the first part of An Historical Enquiry into the Rationalist Character of the Theology of Germany, the second part of which appeared in 1830, containing many opinions which 86 PUSEY'S EARLY PROTESTANTISM 87 in after life he ceased to hold. Its strong praise of Martin Luther, and its declaration that Scripture is its own interpreter, instead of being interpreted by the Church, show that at that early period Pusey was in full sympathy with much that is held dear by Lutheran Protestants. "The fruitless attempts," wrote Pusey, "to satisfy an uneasy and active conscience by the meritorious performances of a Romish Convent had opened his [Luther's] eyes to the right understanding of Scripture, in whose doctrines alone it could find rest; and the clear and discerning faith which this correspondence of Scripture with his own experience strengthened in him, gave him that intuitive insight into the nature of Christianity, which enabled him for the most part unfailingly to discriminate between essentials and non-essentials, and raised him not only above the assumed authority of the Church and above the might of Tradition, but above the influence of hereditary scholastic opinions, the power of prejudices, and the dominion of the letter. Unfortunately, however, the further expansion of his views necessarily yielded to the then yet more important practical employments, to which this Great Apostle of Evangelical Truth dedicated the most of his exertions." 1 The following statement of Pusey as to the right method of interpreting the Bible, would certainly not be accepted by his followers of the present day : "The Reformers, in consistency with their great tenet, that Scripture is the only authoritative source of Christian knowledge, had laid the study of the sacred volume as the foundation of all Theological science. In the pursuance of this principle they had established as the rule of interpretation one which, when correctly developed, contains all the elements of right exposition, which have since been gradually vindicated by the combination of several partial efforts. Their, or rather the Biblical, rule that 'Scripture is its own interpreter,' includes in itself the religious, historical, grammatical elements which were imperfectly, because separately, brought forward by Spener, Semler, and Ernesti. For it is obvious that if Scripture is to be understood from itself, those only can rightly and fully understand it who have a mind kindred to that of its author; and as any human production, upon which the mind of its author is impressed, An Historical Enquiry into the Probable Causes of the Rationalist Character of the Theology of Germany. By E. B. Pusey, M.A. Part I. p. 8. London: 1882. |