ThestormarousedbyEssaysandReviewshadnotyetsubsidedwhenafarmoreserioustempestburstupontheEnglishtheologicalworld。
In1862appearedaworkentitledThePentateuchandtheBookofJoshuaCriticallyExamineditsauthorbeingColenso，AnglicanBishopofNatal，inSouthAfrica。HehadformerlybeenhighlyesteemedasfellowandtutoratCambridge，masteratHarrow，authorofvariousvaluabletext-booksinmathematics；andaslongasheexercisedhispowerswithinthelimitsofpopularorthodoxyhewasevidentlyinthewaytothehighestpositionsintheChurch：buthechoseanotherpath。Histreatmentofhissubjectwasreverent，buthehadgraduallycometothoseconclusions，thensodaring，nowsowidespreadamongChristianscholars，thatthePentateuch，withmuchvaluablehistoricalmatter，containsmuchthatisunhistorical；thatalargeportionofitwastheworkofacomparativelylateperiodinJewishhistory；thatmanypassagesinDeuteronomycouldonlyhavebeenwrittenaftertheJewssettledinCanaan；thattheMosaiclawwasnotinforcebeforethecaptivity；thatthebooksofChronicleswereclearlywrittenasanafterthought，toenforcetheviewsofthepriestlycaste；andthatinallthebooksthereismuchthatismythicalandlegendary。
VeryjustlyhasagreatGermanscholarrecentlyadducedthisworkofachurchmanrelegatedtothemostpettyofbishopricsinoneofthemostremotecornersoftheworld，asaproof“thattheproblemsofbiblicalcriticismcannolongerbesuppressed；thattheyareintheairofourtime，sothattheologycouldnotescapethemevenifittookthewingsofthemorninganddweltintheuttermostpartsofthesea。”
Thebishop’sstatements，whichnowseemsomoderate，thenarousedhorror。Especialwrathwascausedbysomeofhisarithmeticalarguments，andamongthemthosewhichshowedthatanarmyofsixhundredthousandmencouldnothavebeenmobilizedinasinglenight；thatthreemillionsofpeople，withtheirflocksandherds，couldneitherhaveobtainedfoodonsosmallandaridadesertasthatoverwhichtheyweresaidtohavewanderedduringfortyyears，norwaterfromasinglewell；andthatthebutcheryoftwohundredthousandMidianitesbytwelvethousandIsraelites。”exceedinginfinitelyinatrocitythetragedyatCawnpore，hadhappilyonlybeencarriedoutonpaper。”Therewasnothingofthescofferinhim。Whilepreservinghisownindependence，hehadkeptintouchwiththemostearnestthoughtbothamongEuropeanscholarsandinthelittleflockintrustedtohiscare。HeevidentlyrememberedwhathadresultedfromtheattempttoholdtheworkingclassesinthetownsofFrance，Germany，andItalytooutwornbeliefs；hehadfoundeventheZulus，whomhethoughttoconvert，suspiciousofthelegendaryfeaturesoftheOldTestament，andwithhisclearpracticalmindherealizedthedangerwhichthreatenedtheEnglishChurchandChristianity——thedangeroftyingitsreligionandmoralitytointerpretationsandconceptionsofScripturemoreandmorewidelyseenandfelttobecontrarytofacts。Hesawtheespecialperilofshamexplanations，ofcoveringupfactswhichmustsoonbeknown，andwhich，whenrevealed，mustinevitablybringtheplainpeopleofEnglandtoregardtheirteachers，eventhemostdeserving，as“solemnlyconstitutedimpostors“——ecclesiasticswhosetenuredependsonassertionswhichtheyknowtobeuntrue。Thereforeitwasthat，whenhiscatechumensquestionedhimregardingsomeoftheOldTestamentlegends，thebishopdeterminedtotellthetruth。Hesays：“Myheartansweredinthewordsoftheprophet，`ShallamanspeakliesinthenameoftheLord？’Ideterminednottodoso。”
Butnoneoftheseconsiderationsavailedinhisbehalfatfirst。
Theoutcryagainsttheworkwasdeafening：churchmenanddissentersrushedforwardtoattackit。ArchdeaconDenison，chairmanofthecommitteeofConvocationappointedtoexamineit，utteredanoisyanathema。Convocationsolemnlycondemnedit；andazealouscolonialbishop，relyinguponanominalsupremacy，deposedandexcommunicateditsauthor，declaringhim“givenovertoSatan。”OnbothsidesoftheAtlanticthepressgroanedwith“answers。”someofthesebeingespeciallyinjurioustothecausetheywereintendedtoserve，andnonemoresothansundryeffortsbythebishopsthemselves。OneofthepointsuponwhichtheyattackedhimwashisassertionthatthereferenceinLeviticustotheharechewingitscudcontainsanerror。UponthisProf。
Hitzig，ofLeipsic，oneofthebestHebrewscholarsofhistime，remarked：“Yourbishopsaremakingthemselvesthelaughing-stockofEurope。EveryHebraistknowsthattheanimalmentionedinLeviticusisreallythehare；……everyzoologistknowsthatitdoesnotchewthecud。”[482]
[482]Forthecitationreferredto，seePfleiderer，asabove，bookiv，chap。ii。Forthepassagesreferredtoasprovokingespecialwrath，seeColenso，LecturesonthePentateuchandtheMoabiteStone，1876，p。217。Fortheepisoderegardingtheharechewingthecud，seeCox，LifeofColenso，vol。i，p。240。Thefollowingepigramwenttherounds：
“ThebishopsallhavesworntoshedtheirbloodToprove’tistruethattheharedothchewthecud。
Obishops，doctors，anddivines，beware——
WeakisthefaiththathangsuponaHAIR！”
OnColenso’sreturntoNatal，wheremanyoftheclergyandlaitywhofeltgratefulforhisyearsofdevotiontothemreceivedhimwithsignsofaffection，anattemptwasmadetoruintheseclergymenbydeprivingthemoftheirlittlestipends，andtoterrifythesimple-mindedlaitybythreateningthemwiththesame“greaterexcommunication“whichhadbeeninflictedupontheirbishop。Tomakethemeaningofthismoreevident，thevicar-generaloftheBishopofCapeTownmetColensoatthedoorofhisowncathedral，andsolemnlybadehim“departfromthehouseofGodasonewhohasbeenhandedovertotheEvilOne。”
Thesentenceofexcommunicationwasreadbeforetheassembledfaithful，andtheywereenjoinedtotreattheirbishopas“aheathenmanandapublican。”Buttheseandalongseriesofotherpersecutionscreatedareactioninhisfavour。
ThereremainedtoColensoonebulwarkwhichhisenemiesfoundstrongerthantheyhadimagined——theBritishcourtsofjustice。
Thegreatesteffortswerenowmadetogainthedaybeforethesecourts，tohumiliateColenso，andtoreducetobeggarytheclergywhoremainedfaithfultohim；anditisworthyofnotethatoneoftheleadersinpreparingthelegalpleaofthecommitteeagainsthimwasMr。Gladstone。
Butthisbulwarkprovedimpregnable：boththeJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncilandtheRollsCourtdecidedinColenso’sfavour。Notonlywerehisenemiesthusforbiddentodeprivehimofhissalary，buttheirexcommunicationofhimwasmadenullandvoid；itbecame，indeed，asubjectofridicule，andevenamansonurturedinreligioussentimentasJohnKebleconfessedandlamentedthattheEnglishpeoplenolongerbelievedinexcommunication。ThebitternessofthedefeatedfoundventintheutterancesofthecolonialmetropolitanwhohadexcommunicatedColenso——BishopGray，“theLionofCapeTown“——whodenouncedthejudgmentas“awfulandprofane。”andthePrivyCouncilas“amasterpieceofSatan“and“thegreatdragonoftheEnglishChurch。”EvenWilberforce，carefulashewastoavoidattackinganythingestablished，alludedwithdeepregretto“thedevotionoftheEnglishpeopletothelawinmattersofthissort。”
Theirfailureinthecourtsonlyseemedtoincreasetheviolenceoftheattackingparty。TheAnglicancommunion，bothinEnglandandAmerica，wasstirredtoitsdepthsagainsttheheretic，andvariousdissentingbodiesstrovetoshowequalzeal。Greatpainsweretakentorootouthisreputation：itwasdeclaredthathehadmerelystolentheideasofrationalistsontheContinentbywholesale，andpeddledthemoutinEnglandatretail；thefactbeingthat，whileheusedallthesourcesofinformationathiscommand，andwaslarge-mindedenoughtoputhimselfintorelationswiththebestbiblicalscholarshipoftheContinent，hewassingularlyindependentinhisjudgment，andthathisinvestigationswereoflastingvalueinmodifyingContinentalthought。Kuenen，themostdistinguishedofallhiscontemporariesinthisfield，modified，ashehimselfdeclared，oneofhisownleadingtheoriesafterreadingColenso’sargument；andotherContinentalscholarsscarcelylesseminentacknowledgedtheirgreatindebtednesstotheEnglishscholarfororiginalsuggestions。[483]
[483]ForinterestingdetailsoftheColensopersecution，seeDavidson’sLifeofTait，chaps。xiiandxiv；alsotheLivesofBishopsWilberforceandGray。Forfullaccountsofthestruggle，seeCox，LifeofBishopColenso，London，1888，especiallyvol。i，chap。v。ForthedramaticperformanceatColenso’scathedral，seevol。ii，pp。14-25。ForaveryimpartialandappreciativestatementregardingColenso’swork，seeCheyne，FoundersofOldTestamentCriticism，London，1893，chap。ix。FortestimonytotheoriginalityandvalueofColenso’scontributions，seeKuenen，OriginandCompositionoftheHexateuch，Introduction，pp。xx，asfollows：“ColensodirectedmyattentiontodifficultieswhichI
hadhithertofailedtoobserveoradequatelytoreckonwith；andastotheopinionofhislabourscurrentinGermany，Ineedonlysaythat，inasmuchasEwald，Bunsen，Bleek，andKnabelwereeveryoneofthemlogicallyforcedtorevisetheirtheoriesinthelightoftheEnglishbishop’sresearch，therewassmallreasoninthecrythathismethodswereantiquatedandhisobjectionsstale。”ForaverybriefbuteffectivetributetoColensoasanindependentthinkerwhosemeritsarenowacknowledgedbyContinentalscholars，seePfleiderer，DevelopmentofTheory，asabove。
Butthezealofthebishop’senemiesdidnotendwithcalumny。
Hewassociallyostracized——morecompletelyeventhanLyellhadbeenafterthepublicationofhisPrinciplesofGeologythirtyyearsbefore。Evenoldfriendslefthim，amongthemFrederickDenisonMaurice，who，whenhimselfunderthebanofheresy，hadbeendefendedbyColenso。NorwasMauricetheonlyhereticwhoturnedagainsthim；MatthewArnoldattackedhim，andsetup，asatrueidealoftheworkneededtoimprovetheEnglishChurchandpeople，ofallbooksintheworld，Spinoza’sTractatus。AlargepartoftheEnglishpopulacewasledtoregardhimasan“infidel。”a“traitor。”an“apostate。”andevenas“anuncleanbeing“；servantslefthishouseinhorror；“Tray，Blanche，andSweetheartwereletlooseuponhim“；andoneofthefavouriteamusementsoftheperiodamongmenofpettywitandnoconvictionswasthedevisingoflightribaldryagainsthim。[484]
[484]Oneofthenonsenseversesinvogueatthetimesummedupthecontoversyasfollows：
“AbishoptherewasofNatal，WhohadaZuluforhispal；
SaidtheZulu，’Mydear，Don’tyouthinkGenesisqueer？’
WhichcovertedmylordofNatal。”
Butversesquiteasgoodappearedontheotherside，oneofthembeingasfollows：
“Isthis，then，thegreatColenso，Whoallthebishopsoffendsso？
SaidSamoftheSoap，Bringfagotsandrope，Foroh！he’sgotnofriends，oh！”
ForMatthewArnold’sattackonColenso，seeMacmillan’sMagazine，January，1863。ForMaurice，seethereferencesalreadygiven。
Inthemidstofallthiscontroversystoodthreemen，eachofwhomhasconnectedhisnamewithitpermanently。
FirstofthesewasSamuelWilberforce，atthattimeBishopofOxford。ThegiftedsonofWilliamWilberforce，whohadbeenhonouredthroughouttheworldforhiseffortsinthesuppressionoftheslavetrade，hehadbeenrapidlyadvancedintheEnglishChurch，andwasatthistimeaprelateofwideinfluence。Hewaseloquentanddiplomatic，wittyandamiable，alwayssuretobewithhisfellow-churchmenandpolitesocietyagainstuncomfortablechanges。WhetherthestrugglewasagainsttheslavepowerintheUnitedStates，orthesquirearchyinGreatBritain，ortheevolutiontheoryofDarwin，orthenewviewspromulgatedbytheEssayistsandReviewers，hewasalwaysthesuavespokesmanofthosewhoopposedeveryinnovatorand“besoughthimtodepartoutoftheircoasts。”Minglingincuriousproportionsatrulyreligiousfeelingwithcareforhisownadvancement，hisremarkablepowerinthepulpitgavehimgreatstrengthtocarryouthispurposes，andhischarmingfacilityinbeingallthingstoallmen，aswellashisskillinevadingtheconsequencesofhismanymistakes，gainedhimthesobriquetof“SoapySam。”IfsuchbrethrenofhisintheepiscopateasThirlwallandSelwynandTaitmightclaimtobeintheapostolicsuccession，WilberforcewasnolesssurelyinthesuccessionfromthemostgiftedandeminentlyrespectableSadduceeswhoheldhighprefermentunderPontiusPilate。
ByacuriouscoincidencehehadonlyafewyearsbeforepreachedthesermonwhenColensowasconsecratedinWestminsterAbbey，andonepassageinitmaybecitedasshowingthepreacher’sgiftofprophecybothhortatoryandpredictive。WilberforcethensaidtoColenso：“YouneedboldnesstoriskallforGod——tostandbythetruthanditssupportersagainstmen’sthreateningsandthedevil’swrath；……youneedapatientmeeknesstobearthegallingcalumniesandfalsesurmiseswithwhich，ifyouarefaithful，thatsameSatanicworking，which，ifitcould，wouldburnyourbody，willassuredlyassailyoudailythroughthepensandtonguesofdeceiversanddeceived，who，underasemblanceofazealforChrist，willevermoredistortyourwords，misrepresentyourmotives，rejoiceinyourfailings，exaggerateyourerrors，andseekbyeverypoisonedbreathofslandertodestroyyourpowersofservice。”[485]
[485]ForthesocialostracismofColenso，seeworksalreadycited；alsoCox’sLifeofColenso。ForthepassagefromWilberforce’ssermonattheconsecrationofColenso，seeRev。SirG。W。Cox，TheChurchofEnglandandtheTeachingofBishopColenso。ForWilberforce’srelationstotheColensocaseingeneral，seehisLife，byhisson，vol。iii，especiallypp。113-
126，229-231。ForKeble’savowalthatnoEnglishmanbelievesinexcommunication，ibid。，p。128。ForaguardedstatementofDeanStanley’sopinionregardingWilberforceandNewman，seealetterfromDeanChurchtotheWardenofKeble，inLifeandLettersofDeanChurch，p。293。