THE CHURCH REFORM BILL.
ITO VIZ EDITOR OF TRH " SFICCTATOR.".1
Sea.—Your admirable article under the above heading in the Spectator of March 7th leaves little more to say for the merits of the Bill now before Parliament But I think it is a trifle hard upon the poor lay patron if he is assumed to be the only administrator of patronage that needs being kept in cheek, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes 1 Is there never to be any power, except that of public opinion, to prevent improper appointments to Church offices at the hands of patrons of much higher degree, who are at present absolutely irree eponsible P I would ask whether it is not within the knowledge of all Churchmen, irrespective of party, that appointment* to high office in the Church have been made within recent memory, based apparently upon political or other inadequate grounds, seeing that the persons thus appointed had been the reverse of successful in positions previously held. Is there never to be an opportunity, episcopal or other, of reviewing such exercise of patronage before it is too late ? Of course this is Utopian, but the danger I have referred to is not an imaginary one, and the Church is the weaker for its presence. As it may easily be supposed that I am one of those who have been passed over in the struggle for preferment, I will sign myself, yours faithfully, A CANON RESIDENTIARY.
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