Theological Essays and Other Papers, vol 2

Theological Essays and Other
Papers, vol 2

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Theological Essays and Other Papers
v2
by Thomas de Quincey (#9 in our series by Thomas de Quincey)
Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how
the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since
1971**
*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of
Volunteers!*****
Title: Theological Essays and Other Papers v2
Author: Thomas de Quincey
Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6660] [Yes, we are more than

one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on January 10,
2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK,
THEOLOGICAL ESSAYS AND OTHER PAPERS V2 ***

Joshua Hutchinson, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.

THEOLOGICAL ESSAYS AND OTHER PAPERS
By THOMAS DE QUINCEY, AUTHOR OF
_'CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM-EATER,' ETC. ETC._
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.

CONTENTS

SECESSION FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND TOILETTE OF
THE HEBREW LADY MILTON CHARLEMAGNE MODERN
GREECE LORD CARLISLE ON POPE

SECESSION FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
[1844.]

A great revolution has taken place in Scotland. A greater has been
threatened. Nor is that danger even yet certainly gone by. Upon the
accidents of such events as may arise for the next five years, whether
fitted or not fitted to revive discussions in which many of the
Non-seceders went in various degrees along with the Seceders, depends
the final (and, in a strict sense, the very awful) question, What is to be

the fate of the Scottish church? Lord Aberdeen's Act is well qualified to
tranquillize the agitations of that body; and at an earlier stage, if not
intercepted by Lord Melbourne, might have prevented them in part. But
Lord Aberdeen has no power to stifle a conflagration once thoroughly
kindled. That must depend in a great degree upon the favorable aspect
of events yet in the rear.
Meantime these great disturbances are not understood in England; and
chiefly from the differences between the two nations as to the language
of their several churches and law courts. The process of ordination and
induction is totally different under the different ecclesiastical
administrations of the two kingdoms. And the church courts of
Scotland do not exist in England. We write, therefore, with an express
view to the better information of England proper. And, with this
purpose, we shall lead the discussion through four capital questions:--
I. What is it that has been done by the moving party?
II. How was it done? By what agencies and influence?
III. What were the immediate results of these acts?
IV. What are the remote results yet to be apprehended?
I. First, then, WHAT _is it that has been done?_ Up to the month of
May in 1834, the fathers and brothers of the 'Kirk' were in harmony as
great as humanity can hope to see. Since May, 1834, the church has
been a fierce crater of volcanic agencies, throwing out of her bosom
one-third of her children; and these children are no sooner born into
their earthly atmosphere, than they turn, with unnatural passions, to the
destruction of their brethren. What can be the grounds upon which an
acharnement so deadly has arisen?
It will read to the ears of a stranger almost as an experiment upon his
credulity, if we tell the simple truth. Being incredible, however, it is not
the less true; and, being monstrous, it will yet be recorded in history,
that the Scottish church has split into mortal feuds upon two points
absolutely without interest to the nation; first, upon a demand for
creating clergymen by a new process; secondly, upon a demand for
Papal latitude of jurisdiction. Even the order of succession in these
things is not without meaning. Had the second demand stood first, it
would have seemed possible that the two demands might have grown
up independently, and so far conscientiously. But, according to the
realities of the case, this is not possible; the second demand grew out of

the first. The interest of the Seceders, as locked up in their