He hated the frenzies of sectarianism even more than the mummeries of Rome

Now nothing is more notable about the generous and joyful impatience of Sydney Smith, than the fact that he hated the frenzies of sectarianism even more than the mummeries of Rome. For him the Methodists were simply madmen; and he said so; which is the ringing note of reality in all his record. He would have said that he was a loyal Anglican parson; his opponents might say he was a Pagan; but he was not only not a Puritan, but he was not a subconscious or submerged or secret Puritan.

G.K. Chesterton, 'Introduction', H. Pearson, The Smith of Smiths (1934), 10 

I am for the Established Church. ... And if you can get your damned religion established, I'll be for that too!

Edward Thurlow, the crusty Lord Chancellor under George III, thus addressed himself to a deputation of Nonconformists:

I'm against you, by God. I am for the Established Church, damme! Not that I have any more regard for the Established Church than for any other church , but because it is established. And if you can get your damned religion established, I'll be for that too!

The Reverend Sydney Smith showed the same spirit. On his deathbed he complained of being so weak that 'I verily believe, if the knife were put into my hand, I should not have the strength or energy enough to stick it into a Dissenter.'

C. Elliott, 'Great gossips', Slightly Foxed 64 (2019), 75

 

It is absurd to be merely gentlemanly about it, like the Church of England, or drab and respectable, like the Nonconformists

I stayed there a few minutes [listening to the Salvation Army band], and came to the conclusion that if I could persuade myself to believe in the Christian account of this life - and the essence of it, the self-sacrifice of a god for men, seems to good to be true, and the rest of it, the theological jugglery lit by hell-fire, not worth having - I should either join the Catholic church or fall in with the Salvation Army. Both have the right religious attitude; that is, they are not afraid of being thought noisy and vulgar; to take the thing out into the street. After all, if you really believe that the gates of heaven are swinging open above you and the pit of Hell yawning below, it is absurd to be merely gentlemanly about it, like the Church of England, or drab and respectable, like the Nonconformists.

J.B. Priestley, English Journey (1934), 172