t my object to learn from him the
general view of the ulterior section of the Oxford writers and
their friends. It is startling. They look not merely to the renewal
and development of the catholic idea within the pale of the church
of England, but seem to consider the main condition of that
development and of all health (some tending even to say of all
life) to be reunion with the church, of Rome as the see of Peter.
They recognise, however, authority in the church of England, and
abide in her without love specifically fixed upon her, to seek the
fulfilment of this work of reunion. It is, for example, he said,
the sole object of Oakeley's life. They do not look to any defined
order of proceedings in the way of means. They consider that the
end is to be reached through catholicising the mind of the members
of the church of England, but do not seem to feel that this can be
done to any great degree in working out and giving free scope to
her own rubrical system. They have no strong feeling of revulsion
from actual evils in the church of Rome, first, because they do not
wish to judge; secondly, especially not to judge the saints;
thirdly, they consider that infallibility is somewhere and nowhere
but there. They could not remain in the church of England if they
thought that she dogmatically condemned anything that the church of
Rome has defined _de fide_, but they do and will remain on the
basis of the argument of Tract 90; upon which, after mental
conflict, they have settled steadily down. They regret what Newman
has said strongly against the actual system of the church of Rome,
and they could not have affirmed, though neither do they positively
deny it. Wherever Roman doctrine _de fide_ is oppugned they must
protest; but short of this they render absolute obedience to their
ecclesiastical superiors in the church of England. They expect to
work on in practical harmony with those who look mainly to the
restoration of catholic ideas on the foundation laid by the church
of England as reformed, and who take a different view as to reunion
with Rome in particular, though of course desiring the reunion of
the whole body of Christ. All this is matter for very serious
consideration. In the meantime I was anxious to put it down while
fresh.