10 SEPTEMBER 1904, Page 3

The Bishop of Worcester contributes a letter to the Times

of Tuesday which is in many respects the ablest and most clear-sighted utterance on the Scottish Church dispute. He defines his position clearly as a strong Churchman, and one who believes that certain formulae express as well as human language can the eternal truths of Christianity. But at the same time he sees plainly that any religious community must be allowed reasonable liberty of growth. "The standards of most creeds being what they are, growth will mean con- siderable change in opinion, and ought to mean in due course (if standards are to express real convictions) change in authoritative standards and constitutions." The law should, therefore, be so amended as to endow a Church with the right of progress, though at the same time a community must be secured against "passing waves of feeling." We have dealt with this point elsewhere, and need only note that it is a vital matter, not only for the United Free Church, but for all Churches, that this principle should be finally settled.