[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—All who cherish the
noble ideal of a National Church sufficiently comprehensive to represent the religious views of the average Christian man, and at the same time sufficiently homogeneous to have a mind and a discipline of its own, will be truly thankful to the Bishop of Norwich for writing, and to you for publishing, his two valuable articles on " The English- man's Prayer-Book." No doubt revision is overdue. But the revision upon which all could agree is not being carried out. Instead of that, the most contentious questions have been raised, and the essential structure of the central portion of our delicately balanced Communion Office is being threat. ened. It is true that the threat is not direct. It comes via Alternatives. But the great bulk of the laity—those whose opinion the Bishop so eloquently articulates—do not want alternatives, and have not asked for them. The present confusion and dissatisfaction is in no small measure due to - the unrepresentative character of the Lay House. In many cases at the last election to that House, members were returned by an electorate who knew nothing whatever about the views of the candidates on these crucial matters. The election was, moreover, carried through with such unseemly haste that there was no opportunity of finding out. Your correspondent, " Don't Delay," is quite right in his demand for full knowledge of what each candidate stands for, and it is to be hoped that next year the lay electors will insist upon it.
It is intensely sad that the present Communion Office should not be deemed satisfactory for us all. It does what nothing else can do : it affords common ground for all loyal Churchmen. Is it too late to hope that for the sake of the Church as a whole this common ground may still be regarded as holy ground— at least until some acceptable substitute (not alternative) can be carefully and calmly fashioned ?—I am, Sir, &c., HAROLD DROWN.
P.S.—It is good to know that the articles by the Bishop of Norwich may be obtained in pamphlet form at 2s. 6d. per 100. from Messrs. Goose, Haymarket, Norwich.
Previous page
