Memoir of William McKerrow,,D.D. By his Son, J. M. McKerrow,
B.A. (Hodder and Stoughton.)—Dr. McKerrow was pre.eminently what used to be called a "political Dissenter," a term which, in days not long past, conveyed to many minds, oven among the Dissenting communities, a strong reproach. His most prominent action was in connection with the Anti-Corn-Law League, to which ho rendered good service. Ho took also decided action with regard to the Government proposals about the education of factory children, and about the Maynooth Grant. As to this last, surely the biographer's comment is somewhat absurd. " That which could not be pre- vented in 1845 was overturned in 1869. By the Irish Church Act of that year, the annual Maynooth allowance was discontinued after January 1st, 1871, a capital sum being paid in lieu of the grant." It would not be difficult to obtain the disendowment of the Church of England in this way. To pay a capital sum in lieu of the tithes and globes would be an easily-accepted compromise. Dr. McKerrow offered what seems to us an unreasoning hostility to measures affecting the defence of the country. On the education question generally he accepted a compromise which has become the general rule of the Board schools throughout the country. Disestablishment was, of course, a lifmlting aim. It is somewhat strange, after all those years of controversy, to note what may be called the simplicity with which Dr. McKerrow and his friends presented a petition to Parliament, praying for the immediate disestablishment of the Church of Eng- land. This is an interesting biography of a man who, if wo may judge from numerous testimonies here given, did not permit his political activity to interfere with the performance of his spiritual functions.
Previous page
