20 APRIL 1901, Page 3

The election of the Bishop of London was " confirmed

" in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, on Wednesday. After the Litany had been said by the rector, the Vicar- General, Sir J. Parker Deane, K.C., opened his Court, and the identity of the Bishop having been certified, protests were made by the Rev. R. C. Fillingham, Mr. Tricker, and Mr. Kensit. The language used by the last-named—incidentally he is reported to have accused the Bishop of immorality —led to violent protests and scenes of disorder which reduced the proceedings of the Court to duMb show. Ultimately, the Vicar-General having overruled all the objec. tions, the ceremony was concluded by the Bishop taking the oaths, and the disorderly scenes were renewed outside the church, Mr. Kensit being escorted home by the police, while the Bishop was greeted with boisterous cordiality by the crowd. The objectors_were. undoubtedly _availing themselves ota. technical right, though the Vicar-General expressly stated that every objection which had been taken might be urged in a Court of Law. The only logical and proper solution of the problem is to transfer the scene of a legal formality to secular surround- ings, and secure the representation of the objectors by professional counsel who will observe the decencies of debate and abstain from inciting their partisans to demonstrations which would not be tolerated in a Court of Justice, and are disgraceful in a place of worship.