Ever yours affectionately,
JOHN H. NEWMAN,
Congr. Orat.
CHAPTER XXI.
1845-1851.
Mr. Hope's Doubts of Anglicanism—Correspondence with Mr. Gladstone—
Correspondence of J. R. Hope and Mr. Gladstone continued—Mr. Gladstone
advises Active Works of Charity—Bishop Philpotts advises Mr. Hope to go
into Parliament—Mr. Hope and Mr. Gladstone in Society—Mr. Hope on the
Church Affairs of Canada—Dr. Hampden, Bishop of Hereford—The Troubles at
Leeds—Mr. Hope on the Jewish Question, &c.—The Gorham Case—The Curzon
Street Resolutions—The 'Papal Aggression' Commotion—Correspondence of Mr.
Hope and Mr. Manning—Their Conversion—Opinions of Friends on Mr. Hope's
Conversion—Mr. Gladstone—Father Roothaan, F.G. Soc. Jes., to Count
Senfft—Dr. Döllinger—Mr. Hope to Mr. Badeley—Conversion of Mr. W.
Palmer.
To return to the Gladstone correspondence which we quitted some pages back. In a letter dated Baden-Baden, October 30, 1845, Mr. Gladstone, after mentioning his having been at Munich, where, through an introduction from Mr. Hope, he had made the acquaintance of Dr. Döllinger, criticises at some length Möhler's 'Symbolik,' which he had been reading on Mr. Hope's recommendation. I must quote the conclusion of the letter in his own words:—
No religion and no politics until we meet, and that more than ever uncertain. Hard terms, my dear Hope; do not complain if I devote to them the scraps or ends of my fourth page. But now let me rebuke myself, and say, no levity about great and solemn things. There are degrees of pressure from within that it is impossible to resist. The Church in which our lot has been cast has come to the birth, and the question is, will she have strength to bring forth? I am persuaded it is written in God's decrees that she shall; and that after deep repentance and deep suffering a high and peculiar part remains for her in healing the wounds of Christendom. [Nor] is there any man, I cannot be silent, whose portion in her work is more clearly marked out for him than yours. But you have, if not your revenge, your security. I must keep my word. God bless and guide you.
Yours affectionately,