SIR,—The Bishop of Chichester, in his article The Church and
the State, writes: " A national Church ought to have the right to order its own services and to determine- its own doctrine," when these are " allowed by the two Convocations, provided they are not contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England," and " provided there is full consultation with the laity." He adds: "It is far better to proceed by agreement." In the Prayer Book crisis of 1928 the Revised Prayer Book was twice rejected by the House of, Commons. Why? The _House of Commons in 1928 would have approved of the Revised Prayer Book had the Church authorities agreed to omit from it permission for reservation of the sacra- ment for the sick. The House of Commons, representing the general lay opinion of the Church of England, had every right to reject this innovation of the centuries-old traditions of the Church of England. It would have been far better to have " proceeded by agreement," and so to have preserved the fine Revised Prayer Book, and not to have imperilled the discipline tf the Church of England.—Yours, &c., J. R. MCDONALD.
Shankill Rectory, 51 Ballygomartin Road. (Archdeacon) Belfast, N. Ireland.
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