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number of persons。 In the first place； there was the question of
Baptismal Regeneration itself。 This is by no means an easy one to
disentangle； but it may be noted that the doctrine of Baptism
includes： （1） God's intention； that is to say； His purpose in
electing certain persons to eternal lifean abstruse and greatly
controverted subject； upon which the Church of England abstains
from strict definition； （2） God's action； whether by means of
sacraments or otherwiseconcerning which the Church of England
maintains the efficacy of sacraments；' but does not formally deny
that grace may be given by other means； repentance and faith
being present； and （3） the question whether sacramental grace is
given instrumentally； by and at the moment of the act of baptism；
or in consequence of an act of prevenient grace rendering the
receiver worthythat is to say； whether sacramental grace in
baptism is given absolutely or conditionally。
It was over this last question that the dispute raged hottest in
the Gorham Case。 The High Church party； represented by Dr。
Phillpotts； asserted that the mere act of baptism conferred
regeneration upon the recipient and washed away his original sin。
To this the Evangelicals； headed by Mr。 Gorham； replied that；
according to the Articles； regeneration would not follow unless
baptism was RIGHTLY received。 What； then； was the meaning of
'rightly'？ Clearly it implied not merely lawful administration；
but worthy reception； worthiness； therefore； is the essence of
the sacrament； and worthiness means faith and repentance。 Now；
two propositions were accepted by both partiesthat all infants
are born in original sin； and that original sin could be washed
away by baptism。 But how could both these propositions be true；
argued Mr。 Gorham； if it was also true that faith and repentance
were necessary before baptism could come into operation at all？
How could an infant in arms be said to be in a state of faith and
repentance？ How； therefore； could its original sin be washed away
by baptism？ And yet； as every one agreed； washed away it was。
The only solution of the difficulty lay in the doctrine of
prevenient grace； and Mr。 Gorham maintained that unless God
performed an act of prevenient grace by which the infant was
endowed with faith and repentance； no act of baptism could be
effectual； though to whom； and under what conditions； prevenient
grace was given； Mr。 Gorham confessed himself unable to decide。
The light thrown by the Bible upon the whole matter seemed
somewhat dubious； for whereas the baptism of St。 Peter's
disciples at Jerusalem and St。 Philip's at Samaria was followed
by the gift of the Spirit； in the case of Cornelius the sacrament
succeeded the gift。 St。 Paul also was baptised； and as for the
language of St。 John iii 5； Rom。 vi 3； 4； I Peter iii 21； it
admits of more than one interpretation。 There could； however； be
no doubt that the Church of England assented to Dr。 Phillpotts'
opinion； the question was whether or not she excluded Mr。
Gorham's。 If it was decided that she did； it was clear that
henceforward； there would be very little peace for Evangelicals
within her fold。
But there was another issue； even more fundamental than that of
Baptismal Regeneration itself； involved in the Gorham trial。 An
Act passed in 1833 had constituted the Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council the supreme court of appeal for such cases； and
this Committee was a body composed entirely of laymen。 It was
thus obvious that the Royal Supremacy was still a fact； and that
a collection of lawyers appointed by the Crown had the legal
right to formulate the religious doctrine of the Church of
England。 In 1850 their judgment was delivered； they reversed the
decision of the Court of Arches； and upheld the position of Mr。
Gorham。 Whether his views were theologically correct or not； they
said； was not their business； it was their business to decide
whether the opinions under consideration were contrary or
repugnant to the doctrine of the Church of England as enjoined
upon the clergy by its Articles； Formularies； and Rubrics； and
they had come to the conclusion that they were not。 The judgement
still holds good； and to this day； a clergyman of the Church of
England is quite at liberty to believe that Regeneration does not
invariably take place when an infant is baptised。
The blow fell upon no one with greater violence than upon
Manning。 Not only was the supreme efficacy of the sign of the
cross upon a baby's forehead one of his favourite doctrines； but
up to that moment he had been convinced that the Royal Supremacy
was a mere accidenta temporary usurpation which left the
spiritual dominion of the Church essentially untouched。 But now
the horrid reality rose up before him； crowned and triumphant； it
was all too clear that an Act of Parliament； passed by Jews；
Roman Catholics； and Dissenters； was the ultimate authority which
decided upon the momentous niceties of the Anglican faith。 Mr。
Gladstone also； was deeply perturbed。 It was absolutely
necessary； he wrote； to 'rescue and defend the conscience of the
Church from the present hideous system'。 An agitation was set on
foot； and several influential Anglicans； with Manning at their
head； drew up and signed a formal protest against the Gorham
judgment。 Mr。 Gladstone however； proposed another method of
procedure： precipitate action； he declared； must be avoided at
all costs； and he elaborated a scheme for securing
procrastination； by which a covenant was to bind all those who
believed that an article of the creed had been abolished by Act
of Parliament to take no steps in any direction； nor to announce
their intention of doing so； until a given space of time had
elapsed。 Mr。 Gladstone was hopeful that some good might come of
thisthough indeed he could not be sure。 'Among others；' he
wrote to Manning； 'I have consulted Robert Wilberforce and Wegg…
Prosser； and they seemed inclined to favour my proposal。 It
might； perhaps； have kept back Lord Feilding。 But he is like a
cork。'
The proposal was certainly not favoured by Manning。 Protests and
procrastinations； approving Wegg…Prossers and cork…like Lord
Feildingsall this was feeding the wind and folly； the time for
action had come。 'I can no longer continue；' he wrote to Robert
Wilberforce； 'under oath and subscription binding me to the Royal
Supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes； being convinced：
（1） That it is a violation of the Divine Office of the Church。
（2） That it has involved the Church of England in a separation
from the Universal Church； which separation I cannot clear of the
character of schism。
（3） That it has thereby suspended and prevented the functions of
the Church of England。'
It was in vain that Robert Wilberforce pleaded； in vain that Mr。
Gladstone urged upon his mind the significance of John iii 8。
＇'The wind bloweth where it listeth； and thou hearest the sound
thereof； but canst not tell whence it cometh； and whither it
goeth； so is everyone that is born of the Spirit。'＇ 'I admit；'
Mr。 Gladstone wrote； 'that the words might in some way be
satisfied by supposing our Lord simply to mean 〃the facts of
nature are unintelligible； therefore； be not afraid if revealed
truths be likewise beyond the compass of the understanding〃； but
this seems to me a meagre meaning。' Such considerations could
hold him no longer； and Manning executed the resignation of his
office and benefice before a public notary。 Soon afterwards； in
the little Chapel off Buckingham Palace Road； kneeling beside Mr。
Gladstone； he worshipped for the last time as an Anglican。 Thirty
years later the Cardinal told how； just before the Communion
service commenced； he turned to his friends with the words： 'I
can no longer take the Communion in the Church of England。' 'I
rose up； and laying my hand on Mr。 Gladstone's shoulder； said
〃Come〃。 It was the parting of the ways。 Mr。 Gladstone remained；
and I went my way。 Mr。 Gladstone still remains where I left him。'
On April 6th； 1851； the final step was taken： Manning was
received into the Roman Catholic Church。 Now at last； after the
long struggle； his mind was at rest。 'I know what you mean；' he
wrote to Robert Wilberforce； 'by saying that one sometimes feels
as if all this might turn out to be only another 〃Land of
Shadows〃。 I have felt it in time past； but not now。 The theologia
from Nice to St。 Thomas Aquinas； and the undivided unity suffused
throughout the world； of which the Cathedra Petri is the centre；
isnow 1800 years old； and mightier in every power now than ever
in intellect； in science； in separation from the world； and purer
too； refined by 300 years of conflict with the modern infidel
civilisationall of this is a fact more solid than the earth。'
V。
WHEN Manning joined the Church of Rome； he acted under the
combined impulse of the two dominating forces in his nature。