"
"Well," sais he, "I have inquired of you what you think of state
affairs; will you tell me what you think about the Church? I see you
belong to what we call the Establishment, and what you denominate the
American Episcopal Church, which is very nearly the same thing. What
is your opinion, now, of the Evangelical and Puseyite parties? Which
is right and which is wrong?"
"Well," sais I, "coming to me about theology is like going to a goat's
house for wool. It is out of my line. My views on all subjects are
practical, and not theoretical. But first and foremost, I must tell
you, I hate all nick-names. In general, they are all a critter knows
of his own side, or the other either. As you have asked me my opinion,
though, I will give it. I think both parties are wrong, because both
go to extremes, and therefore are to be equally avoided. Our Articles,
as dear old Minister used to say, are very wisely so worded as to
admit of some considerable latitude of opinion; but that very latitude
naturally excludes anything ultra. The Puritanical section, and the
Newmanites (for Pusey, so far, is stedfast), are not, in fact, real
churchmen, and ought to leave us. One are Dissenters and the other
Romanists. The ground they severally stand on is slippery. A false
step takes one to the conventicle and the other to the chapel. If I
was an Evangelical, as an honest man, I would quit the Establishment
as Baptist Noel did, and so I would if I were a Newmanite.
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