“thesevenchampionsNOTofChristendom。”Asaresultofallthispressure，Sumner，ArchbishopofCanterbury，oneofthelastoftheold，kindly，bewiggedpluralistsoftheGeorgianperiod，headedadeclaration，whichwassignedbytheArchbishopofYorkandalonglistofbishops，expressingpainattheappearanceofthebook，butdoubtsastothepossibilityofanyeffectivedealingwithit。Thisletteronlymademattersworse。Theorthodoxdecrieditastimid，andtheliberalsdenounceditasirregular。Thesameinfluenceswereexertedinthesisterisland，andtheProtestantarchbishopsinIrelandissuedajointletterwarningthefaithfulagainstthe“disingenuousness“ofthebook。Everythingseemedtoincreasetheferment。AmeetingofclergyandlaityhavingbeenheldatOxfordinthematterofelectingaProfessorofSanscrit，theolderorthodoxparty，havingmadeeveryefforttodefeattheeminentscholarMaxMiller，andallinvain，foundreliefaftertheirdefeatinnewdenunciationsofEssaysandReviews。
Ofthetwoprelateswhomighthavebeenexpectedtobreastthestorm，Tait，BishopofLondon，afterwardArchbishopofCanterbury，benttoitforaperiod，thoughhesoonrecoveredhimselfanddidgoodservice；theother，Thirlwall，BishopofSt。
David’s，bidedhistime，and，whenthepropermomentcame，struckmosteffectiveblowsfortruthandjustice。
Tait，large-mindedandshrewd，oneofthemoststatesmanlikeofprelates，atfirstendeavouredtodetachTempleandJowettfromtheirassociates；but，thoughTemplewasbrokendownwithaloadofcare，andespeciallybythefactthathehaduponhisshoulderstheschoolatRugby，whosepatronshadbecomealarmedathisconnectionwiththebook，heshowedamostrefreshingcourageandmanliness。ApassagefromhisletterstotheBishopofLondonrunsasfollows：“WithregardtomyownconductIcanonlysaythatnothingonearthwillinducemetodowhatyoupropose。Idonotjudgeforothers，butinmeitwouldbebaseanduntrue。”OnanotheroccasionDr。Temple，whenpressedintheinterestoftheinstitutionoflearningunderhiscaretodetachhimselffromhisassociatesinwritingthebook，declaredtoameetingofthemastersoftheschoolthat，ifanystatementsweremadetotheeffectthathedisapprovedoftheotherwritersinthevolume，heshouldprobablyfindithisdutytocontradictthem。AnotheroftheseletterstotheBishopofLondoncontainssundrypassagesofgreatforce。Oneisasfollows：“ManyyearsagoyouurgedusfromtheuniversitypulpittoundertakethecriticalstudyoftheBible。Yousaidthatitwasadangerousstudy，butindispensable。Youdescribeditsdifficulties，andthosewholistenedmusthavefeltaconfidenceasIassuredlydid，forIwastherethatiftheytookyouradviceandenteredonthetask，you，atanyrate，wouldneverjoinintreatingthemunjustlyiftheirstudyhadbroughtwithitthedifficultiesyoudescribed。Suchastudy，sofullofdifficulties，imperativelydemandsfreedomforitscondition。Totellamantostudy，andyetbidhim，underheavypenalties，cometothesameconclusionswiththosewhohavenotstudied，istomockhim。Iftheconclusionsareprescribed，thestudyisprecluded。”Andagain，what，ascomingfromamanwhohassinceheldtwoofthemostimportantbishopricsintheEnglishChurch，isofgreatimportance：“Whatcanbeagrossersuperstitionthanthetheoryofliteralinspiration？Butbecausethathasaregularfootingitistobetreatedasagoodman’smistake，whilethecouragetospeakthetruthaboutthefirstchapterofGenesisisawantonpieceofwickedness。”
Thestormhowledon。IntheConvocationofCanterburyitwasespeciallyviolent。IntheLowerHouseArchdeaconDenisoninsistedonthegreatestseverity，ashesaid，“forthesakeoftheyoungwhoaretainted，andcorrupted，andthrustalmosttohellbytheactionofthisbook。”Atanothertimethesameeminentchurchmandeclared：“OfallbooksinanylanguagewhichI
everlaidmyhandson，thisisincomparablytheworst；itcontainsallthepoisonwhichistobefoundinTomPaine’sAgeofReason，whileithastheadditionaldisadvantageofhavingbeenwrittenbyclergymen。”
Hystericalasallthiswas，theUpperHousewaslittlemoreself-contained。BothTaitandThirlwall，tryingtomakesomeheadwayagainsttheswellingtide，wereforatimebeatenbackbyWilberforce，whoinsistedonthedutyoftheChurchtoclearitselfpubliclyfromcomplicitywithmenwho，ashesaid，“gaveupGod’sWord，Creation，redemption，andtheworkoftheHolyGhost。”
Thematterwasbroughttoacuriousissuebytwoprosecutions——oneagainsttheRev。Dr。WilliamsbytheBishopofSalisbury，theotheragainsttheRev。Mr。Wilsonbyoneofhisclericalbrethren。Thefirstresultwasthatboththeseauthorsweresentencedtosuspensionfromtheirofficesforayear。AtthisthetwocondemnedclergymenappealedtotheQueeninCouncil。Uponthejudicialcommitteetotrythecaseinlastresortsatthelordchancellor，thetwoarchbishops，andtheBishopofLondon；andoneoccurrencenowbroughtintoespecialreliefthepoweroftheoldertheologicalreasoningandecclesiasticalzealtoclosethemindsofthebestofmentothesimplestprinciplesofrightandjustice。Amongthemenofhistimemostdeservedlyhonouredforloftycharacter，thoroughscholarship，andkeenperceptionofrightandjusticewasDr。
Pusey。Noonedoubtedthen，andnoonedoubtsnow，thathewouldhavegonetothestakesoonerthanknowinglycountenancewrongorinjustice；andyetwefindhimatthistimewritingaseriesoflongandearnestletterstotheBishopofLondon，who，asajudge，washearingthiscase，whichinvolvedthelivelihoodandeventhegoodnameofthemenontrial，pointingouttothebishoptheevilconsequenceswhichmustfollowshouldtheauthorsofEssaysandReviewsbeacquitted，andvirtuallybeseechingthejudges，ongroundsofexpediency，toconvictthem。Happily，BishopTaitwastoojustamantobethrownoffhisbearingsbyappealssuchasthis。
Thedecisionofthecourt，asfinallyrenderedbythelordchancellor，virtuallydeclaredittobenopartofthedutyofthetribunaltopronounceanyopinionuponthebook；thatthecourtonlyhadtodowithcertainextractswhichhadbeenpresented。AmongthesewasoneadducedinsupportofachargeagainstMr。Wilson——thathedeniedthedoctrineofeternalpunishment。Onthisthecourtdecidedthatitdid“notfindintheformulariesoftheEnglishChurchanysuchdistinctdeclarationuponthesubjectastorequireittopunishtheexpressionofahopebyaclergymanthateventheultimatepardonofthewickedwhoarecondemnedinthedayofjudgmentmaybeconsistentwiththewillofAlmightyGod。”Whilethearchbishopsdissentedfromthisjudgment，BishopTaitunitedinitwiththelordchancellorandthelayjudges。
Andnowthepanicbrokeoutmoreseverelythanever。Confusionbecameworseconfounded。Theearnest-mindedinsistedthatthetribunalhadvirtuallyapprovedEssaysandReviews；thecynicalremarkedthatithad“dismissedhellwithcosts。”AnalliancewasmadeatoncebetweenthemorezealousHighandLowChurchmen，andOxfordbecameitsheadquarters：Dr。PuseyandArchdeaconDenisonwereamongtheleaders，andanimpassioneddeclarationwaspostedtoeveryclergymaninEnglandandIreland，withaletterbegginghim，“fortheloveofGod。”tosignit。Thusitwasthatinaveryshorttimeeleventhousandsignatureswereobtained。Besidesthis，deputationsclaimingtorepresentonehundredandthirty-seventhousandlaymenwaitedonthearchbishopstothankthemfordissentingfromthejudgment。TheConvocationofCanterburyalsoplungedintothefray，BishopWilberforcebeingthechampionoftheolderorthodoxy，andBishopTaitofthenew。CausticwasthespeechmadebyBishopThirlwall，inwhichhedeclaredthatheconsideredtheeleventhousandnames，headedbythatofPusey，attachedtotheOxforddeclaration“inthelightofarowoffiguresprecededbyadecimalpoint，sothat，howeverfartheseriesmaybeadvanced，itnevercanrisetothevalueofasingleunit。”
Inspiteofallthatcouldbedone，theactofcondemnationwascarriedinConvocation。
Thelastmainechoofthiswholestruggleagainstthenewermodeofinterpretationwasheardwhenthechancellor，referringtothematterintheHouseofLords，characterizedtheecclesiasticalactas“simplyaseriesofwell-lubricatedterms——asentencesooilyandsaponaceousthatnoonecangraspit；likeaneel，itslipsthroughyourfingers，andissimplynothing。”
Theword“saponaceous“necessarilyelicitedabitterretortfromBishopWilberforce；butperhapsthemostvaluablejudgmentonthewholematterwasrenderedbyBishopTait，whodeclared，“ThesethingshavesoeffectuallyfrightenedtheclergythatIthinkthereisscarcelyabishoponthebench，unlessitbetheBishopofSt。David’s[Thirlwall]，thatisnotuselessforthepurposeofpreventingthewidespreadalienationofintelligentmen。”
Duringthewholecontroversy，andforsometimeafterward，thepresswasburdenedwithreplies，ponderousandpithy，luridandvapid，vitriolicandunctuous，butinthemainbearingtheinevitablecharacteristicsofpleasforinheritedopinionsstimulatedbyampleendowments。
TheauthorsofthebookseemedforatimelikelytobesweptoutoftheChurch。Oneoftheleastdaringbutmosteminent，findinghimselfapparentlyforsaken，seemed，thoughamanofverytoughfibre，abouttodieofabrokenheart；butsturdyEnglishsenseatlastprevailed。Thestormpassed，andafterwardcamethestill，smallvoice。ReallysoundthinkersthroughoutEngland，especiallythosewhoheldnobriefsforconventionalorthodoxy，recognisedtheservicerenderedbythebook。Itwasfoundthat，afterall，thereexistedevenamongchurchmenagreatmassofpublicopinioninfavourofgivingafullhearingtothereverentexpressionofhonestthought，andinclinedtodistrustanycausewhichsubjectedfairplaytozeal。
TheauthorsoftheworknotonlyremainedintheChurchofEngland，butsomeofthemhavesincerepresentedthebroaderviews，thoughnotalwayswiththeirearlycourage，inthehighestandmostinfluentialpositionsintheAnglicanChurch。[481]
[481]FortheoriginofEssaysandReviews，seeEdinburghReview，April，1861，p。463。Forthereceptionofthebook，seetheWestminsterReview，October，1860。FortheattackonitbyBishopWilberforce，seehisarticleintheQuarterlyReview，January，1861；foradditionalfacts，EdinburghReview，April，1861，pp。461etseq。ForactiononthebookbyConvocation，seeDublinReview，May，1861，citingJelfetal。；alsoDavidson’sLifeofArchbishopTate，vol。i，chap。xii。FortheArchepiscopalLetter，seeDublinReview，asabove；alsoLifeofBishopWilberforce，byhisson，London，1882，vol。iii，pp。4，5；
itistherestatedthatWilberforcedrewupontheletter。ForcuriousinsideviewsoftheEssaysandReviewscontroversy，includingthecourseofBishopHampden，Tait，etal。，seeLifeofBishopWilberforce，byhisson，asabove，pp。3-11；alsopp。
141-149。ForthedenunciationofthepresentBishopofLondonTempleasa“leper。”etc。，seeibid。，pp。319，320。ForgeneraltreatmentofTemple，seeFraser’sMagazine，December，1869。Forveryinterestingcorrespondence，seeDavidson’sLifeofArchbishopTait，asabove。ForArchdeaconDenison’sspeeches，seeibid，vol。i，p。302。ForDr。Pusey’slettertoBishopTait，urgingconvictionoftheEssayistsandReviewers，ibid，p。314。
ForthestrikinglettersofDr。Temple，ibid。，pp。290etseq。；
alsoTheLifeandLettersofDeanStanley。Forreplies，seeChargeoftheBishopofOxford，1863；alsoRepliestoEssaysandReviews，Parker，London，withprefacebyWilberforce；alsoAidstoFaith，editedbytheBishopofGloucester，London，1861；alsothosebyJelf，Burgon，etal。Forthelegalproceedings，seeQuarterlyReview，April，1864；alsoDavidson，asabove。ForBishopThirlwall’sspeech，seeChronicleofConvocation，quotedinLifeofTait，vol。i，p。320。ForTait’stributetoThirlwall，seeLifeofTait，vol。i，p。325。Foraremarkableablereview，andinmostcharmingform，oftheideasofBishopWilberforceandLordChancellorWestbury，seeH。D。Traill，TheNewLucian，firstdialogue。Forthecynicalphrasereferredto，seeNash，LifeofLordWestbury，vol。ii，p。78，wherethenotedepitaphisgiven，asfollows：
“RICHARDBARONWESTBURY
LordHighChancellorofEngland，HewasaneminentChristian，AnenergeticandmercifulStatesman，AndastillmoreeminentandmercifulJudge。
Duringhisthreeyears’tenureofofficeHeabolishedtheancientmethodofconveyingland，Thetime-honouredinstitutionoftheInsolvent’sCourt，AndTheEternityofPunishment。
Towardthecloseofhisearlycareer，IntheJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncil，HedismissedHellwithcosts，AndtookawayfromtheOrthodoxmembersoftheChurchofEnglandTheirlasthopeofeverlastingdamnation。”