The establishment
of the Levites had been no doubt complete; but changes had been
effected as circumstances required. He was presumed to have alluded
to the order of Melchisedek, but he abstained from any mention of the
name. He roamed very wide, and gave many of his hearers an idea that
his erudition had carried him into regions in which it was impossible
to follow him. The gist of his argument was to show that audacity in
Reform was the very backbone of Conservatism. By a clearly pronounced
disunion of Church and State the theocracy of Thomas a Becket would
be restored, and the people of England would soon again become the
faithful flocks of faithful shepherds. By taking away the endowments
from the parishes, and giving them back in some complicated way to
the country, the parishes would be better able than ever to support
their clergymen. Bishops would be bishops indeed, when they were no
longer the creatures of a Minister's breath. As to the deans, not
seeing a clear way to satisfy aspirants for future vacancies in the
deaneries, he became more than usually vague, but seemed to imply
that the Bill which was now with the leave of the House to be read a
second time, contained no clause forbidding the appointment of deans,
though the special stipend of the office must be matter of
consideration with the new Church Synod.
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