WHILE these pages are passing through the press, the Government has
yielded the point at issue. It has yielded, against its own convictions.
It has yielded to pressure,—and to pressure from those whom it considers
wrong-headed, and unreasonable, and unjust.
The Government believed and declared that it was fair, and right, and
just, and necessary “for legislative purposes,” that the people of
England should _confess_ the religious profession which they make—each
man his own. The Government still believes in the fairness, and justice,
and necessity of such a declaration. But, because some persons object to
it, on the ground that no man ought to be asked what his religion is, or
whether he has any religion at all, and because those persons have
political influence, the Government has yielded its convictions to those
persons.
The Government loves its convictions a little. It loves political
influence much. And so, this has come out clear—whatever is just, and
fair, and right, and even necessary for “legislative purposes,” has no
chance of prevailing in the counsels of Government, unless, _first_, the
political influence of the Government shall be secured. If on the side
of injustice, and unfairness, and the entanglement and perversion of
legislation, there should be political influence, that will be the side
of the Government. Evil consequences in the future are nothing. Present
place and present power are everything.
I think this ought to be a lesson to Churchmen not to put faith in
Governments. The Church can never lose by any measures which are just,
and fair, and straightforward, and open. And, therefore, the Church had
nothing to lose from the “religious profession” clause of the Census
Bill. But as Governments do not bind themselves to keep their faith, and
are always ready to sacrifice their convictions of justice to their lust
of power, the Church must have no trust in Governments.
The object of this tract is not affected by the weak and pitiful conduct
of the Government. It never was my object to defend the “religious
profession” clause. I have said that, considering the religious
distractions of this country, I think it would be wiser for the
Government to leave the religious profession of the people alone. And I
say so still. Never to have proposed a Census of religious opinions at
all would have been wise. But, to have proposed it—to have stoutly
maintained the justice of it—to have asserted the necessity of it for
equitable legislation,—and then, to have withdrawn it to satisfy an
unreasoning handful of Dissenters, who make themselves heard in the House
of Commons, is not to be characterized by any negative form of judgment.
This is not simply want of wisdom. It is more like that moral imbecility
which, in men whom GOD has burdened with a high trust, is really a crime.
The object of this tract remains. And therefore, notwithstanding the
course which the Government has taken, I send it forth to effect that
object, as opportunity shall be found. I ask my countrymen and
countrywomen—Christian men and women—simply to consider, as in the
presence of GOD, these two appalling facts, which the discussion of the
Census Bill has forced to the surface, in this day of _Crisis_ for the
Truth.
1. That thousands of baptized souls in England are content to believe
nothing in particular.
2. That thousands more who protest that they _do_ believe something in
particular, protest also that they cannot “confess” that something
“before men.”
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