Pusey had, of course, entire sympathy, but the terms in which it was drawn up were too largely due to the heated controversy and panic of the time to be welcome to him.

The clergy were too tired and hungry to do more than agree that there should be an address, while its terms were left open for further discussion.

Pusey's Sermon in the Evening.

497

At the evening service Pusey preached to a very crowded congregation. His subject was the loving penitence of St. Mary Magdalen, with whom he associates himself, both in her sin and her repentance. He reminds his audience more than once that the church was the offering of a penitent; he assures them that 'as yet this stray sheep is not laid up in the everlasting fold,' and that it was a joy to him that his penitent love had called forth that of others.' All that his hearers knew was that Pusey knew who this penitent was, and they might further have inferred that Pusey knew him intimately. But that the penitent was himself, the preacher, was more than any would have surmised; although this circumstance added greatly to the power of the sermon. It was sufficient for Pusey that God knew his singleness of purpose, his lowly penitence, his hopeful perseverance in spite of all hindrances, his sincere concern for the souls of his fellow-men. Unaffected by general suspicion, by the hesitancy and changeableness of Hook's support, or by the scarcely concealed distrust of the Bishop, he was able thus quietly, without the knowledge or appreciation of men, to dedicate his noble offering to God.

During the octave of the consecration, nineteen sermons were preached besides that of the Bishop; three sermons on four of the days and two on the others. Of these sermons Pusey delivered no less than seventeen1; ten were entirely written by him; the others he preached for their respective writers; but he appears to have added to each some of his own thoughts. He seems to have broken down when attempting to utter one of the most solemn passages in Keble's sermon on 'the Last Judgment 2. This sermon is probably the finest in the series, but Pusey's own contributions to the course were not unworthy of the occasion. These sermons illustrate, as well as any he has published, the two governing characteristics of his religious mind—the vivid intensity with which he grasped the realities of the unseen

1 The Rev. W. U. Richards and the Rev. W. Dodsworth were able to be present to preach their sermons. 2 Leeds Sermons,' p. 84. K k

VOL. II.

world, and the hopefulness which animated his whole conception of the relations between the soul and its Maker and Redeemer. The penitent is conducted from the abyss of humiliation and defilement, but without any compromise of moral truth, to the Presence Chamber of heaven.

Pusey was much cheered by the spiritual results of this effort, so far as they could be measured.

'The sermons,' he wrote to Keble, 'became a sort of "retreat" for people to think in stillness over very solemn subjects. And yours impressed persons much. It was a very blessed time. God's blessing seemed visibly settled there. People came, day after day, to the three sermons (mostly), listened very earnestly, and returned home with a deepened sense of responsibility. This was expressed very affectingly. It was a very cheering week. There seemed such a much deeper spirit among the clergy, a greater sense of the need of intercession.'

Meanwhile Hook became very uneasy, and false rumours increased his discomfort. He therefore wrote to Pusey expressing his conviction that Newman's sccession made a strong anti-Roman declaration necessary, if he was to hold his own in Leeds against Puritanism no less than against Rome. He probably overrated the value of such documents; he certainly attached to vehement language about Popery a value which it does not possess for any except the impetuous or half-educated. But it is difficult at this date to do full justice to the anxieties of the position.

Pusey received this renewed appeal just as he was preparing to preach on the Eve of All Saints. But he lost no time in answering it in terms of characteristic mildness and discretion.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Vigil of All Saints, 1845.

The

I am looking over my sermon for 7.30, but I wish just to relieve you of your anxiety: first, there is no new clergyman come to St. Saviour's; secondly, I do not know any Romanizers with me. only persons whose sermons have been preached are C. Marriott's, J. Keble's, Is. Williams', with Richards and Dodsworth, all of whom you knew of.

You really have no reason to dread St. Saviour's: there has been no reserve with the Bishop. Ward is no Romanizer but devoted to his Master's work simply. He has told the Bishop all he wishes; pray do not mistrust him, nor think that I am going to make any instrument

The Address to the Bishop.

499 of St. Saviour's. I do not wish to meddle. And I am sure W[ard] needs no advice of mine, although I would say to him what you say.

With regard to the address to the Bishop, I think it would do good: I do believe much good has been done by this meeting: people, as far as I have seen, are going back to their work more cheerfully and devotedly, with hearts warmed by those fervent responses at the day of the consecration. I have heard nothing which has cheered me so much this long time. With devotion in our Church all will be right in the end. Pray do not make use of the declaration without seeing me. It would be cruel to me to make what is in fact my gift to Leeds (since but for me it would not have been given) an occasion of fresh suspicion against me, by putting out a document which I cannot sign. My dear friend, no one can suspect you of Romanizing, except such as object to what the Church really teaches, as Romanizing, which you know many do.

Nothing can really have been quieter than the services at St. Saviour's. There has not been a word Romanizing. And they have, by God's blessing, done good, I know, to some consciences.

Pray have confidence in me that I mean all I say, and say to you all I mean. God bless you. Your very affectionate friend,

E. B. P.

It would have been a great misfortune if Pusey and Hook had been unable at this juncture to unite in some expression of hopeful loyalty to the Church of England, although it was plain that Pusey could not assent to the ultra-Protestant kind of manifesto which for the moment Hook was advocating. In the end Hook, as generous as he was impulsive, gave way, and the subjoined document, which had been written by Pusey, was forwarded to the Bishop of Ripon :

MY LORD,

:

The late occasion of the consecration of St. Saviour's Church having united together many, whose office lies out of your Lordship's diocese, with those over whom you are set in the Lord; it will not, we trust, seem out of place, if we take this occasion of expressing in common our respectful sympathy with your Lordship amid the great and sorrowful distresses of this time. Yet amid our deep sorrow for the departure of those who have left our Communion, we trust, that by the mercy of God, there is no ground for discouragement, even in our present manifold distresses, but that His Fatherly Hand which has been over our Church, hitherto preserving and guiding her so mercifully, will be with her to the end. In reliance upon His gracious aid, we earnestly desire to give ourselves the more devotedly to those duties to which He has been pleased to call us in this portion of His vineyard,

in thankful acknowledgement of His great and undeserved mercies vouchsafed to us in it. And since every good gift is from God, we humbly commend ourselves to your Lordship's prayers, as we ourselves hope to offer more fervently henceforth our own imperfect prayers for your Lordship, and other Bishops of our Church.

(Signed)

W. F. HOOK, D.D., Vicar of Leeds.

E. B. PUSEY, D.D.

EDW. CHURTON, M.A., Vicar of Crayke, and 156 others.

How completely Hook had recovered the feelings towards Pusey which were natural to him will appear from the letter which Pusey received soon after his return to Oxford.

REV. DR. HOOK TO E. B. P.

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,

Vicarage, Leeds, November 11, 1845.

I wish much to hear how you are after all your exertions last week, and to tell you how entirely to my satisfaction all things were done. The dear clergy of St. Saviour's seem to be setting to work in good earnest. Ward will preach at the parish church on Sunday, D.V., and I at St. Saviour's. My own flock, who are devoted to the Via Media like their pastor, and who were alarmed at first lest I should be wishing to introduce a Romanizing system, seem to be quite contented with things as they are. I hear from all quarters that much good has been done to the strangers who attended, especially to some wrongheaded but right-hearted young men.

With reference to your plate, I intend always to remember Her in my commemoration of the Departed, that is, once every day and especially at the Holy Communion. I feel that from my friendship for you I may have the privilege of doing this.

If in anything relating to the late transactions I have hurt your feelings or expressed my own too strongly, I should ask your forgiveness if I did not feel sure that I have obtained it already. I have been much perplexed and worked upon by opposite parties, and had many troubles, and my nerves are so thoroughly shaken that I mean to go away for a week or ten days. This is very wrong, but I cannot help it : you know not all I have to go through: I mention it now that you may pray for me the more earnestly.

I think in a preface or dedication of your sermons, it might be expedient to mention the fact that a stronger address was at first designed, but that all hard words were softened that all might unite in expressing devotion to the Church of England. I am afraid when the address goes to the Bishop he will take the opportunity to administer a reproof: I doubt the policy of the measure. I also think you should turn the matter well over in your mind before you dedicate the sermons