The Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England -(with
the exception of the Bishop of Worcester) have signed a protest against Mr. Asquith's Bill for Disestablishing and Disendowing the Welsh Church, which is very moderate in -tone, and directed more against the Disendowment than the Disestablishment; but instead of escaping hostile comment on account of its moderation, it is assailed with all the more irritation on account of that moderation. "It was antici- pated, it has been discounted, and will be forgotten," says yesterday's Daily Chronicle. "From an electioneering point of view, it is too dull ; and as a Church Defence leaflet, it will be found uninspiring. Even as a deliverance ex -cathedra, it lacks the familiar beat of the drum ecclesiastic. In short, Welsh Churchmen have good reason to complain that as a trumpet-blast summoning the faithful to the defence of Mother Church, it is a dismal failure. On the other hand, Welshmen who desire a stimulus to their ardour on behalf -of religious equality, would desire nothing better than this frank, disingenuous document." We should like to have had the disingenuousness demonstrated. It appears to us per- *oily- ingenuous; nor do we see how, if it is, as our contem- porary admits, "frank," it could be also disingenuous. In fact, we believe its real shortcoming in the eyes of the Daily Chronicle is that it does not supply the party of Disestablish. ment with any new ground of offence, that it is too moderate and too sincere.
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