Canon Duckworth has been much condemned for not accepting the
urgent recommendations of the people who wished to have the Curate in charge appointed to the vicarage of St. Botolph, Aldersgate Street. But he did not base his refusal clearly enough on the only solid ground. He should have said plainly that if private and official patronage is to survive at all in the appointment to livings in the Anglican Church, it is very undesirable to let the principle of letting the people choose their Vicar creep in, and that if it does creep in, it will extinguish episcopal and private patronage before long. Of course, it may be contended that the principle of the Congregationalists is right, and that of private or official patronage wrong. But that is a very much disputed question, and for our own parts we think that choice by the congregation has many disadvantages, as well as some advantages, and is especially unfitted for an Episcopal Church. But be that as it may, if once the practice of accepting the nomination of the people is to become habitual, it will be impossible long to retain that control over their wishes which either Episcopal or official or private patronage is intended to secure.
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