A Plea For Conservatism

Editor Kbqistek: The confirmation of the election of Phillips Brooks as bishop of Massachusette, which is now assured, will be good news to the public at large and also to most of the membere of the Episcopal chureh itself. The opposition to him has been bitter, perhaps in some cases even vindictive, but, like the opposition to Briggs, it has been severely logical. It ie not to be wondered at, that those who give a mystical significance to the historie episcopate should oppose a man who has many a time spoken slightingly and even contemptously of it. Again, it is not to be wondered at, in general, that in the midst of the growing materialism and mammou-worship of the age, peeple of religious nature should hesitate to advance to honorable positions in the church, men who, like Briggs, Brooks, Mac Queary and Newton, are slowly undermining the props of revealed religión or churchly authority, and thus launching the whole human race into the uncertain sea of philosophical speculation. Advanced thinkers should remember that there, mav be not oniy a bigoted conservatisni but a bigoted iconoclasm as well. It is not a whit more unreason able for one to cry out, " Down with all that is new" than it is to cry out, "Down with all that is oíd." Those who sneer atCalvinism and ecclesiasticisin are not, as a general rule, more liberal than those who sneer at agnosticistn and natural religión. Tolerance is a good thing, but tolerance should not be demanded of one party alone.