THE ENABLING BILL.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTLTOR."3 SIR,—I have found it the greatest possible advantage, both as an English incumbent and a Colonial Archdeacon, to be able to take the definite line that every British subject who wishes to be looked on as a member of the Christian Church is a member of the Church of England. I took this line when appointed to my first living in 1881, and as a consequence ran my parish for five years with a Nonconformist as churchwarden, greatly to the advantage of every one concerned. Many years after I left I received a letter of thanks from the incumbent who succeeded me for the excellent results which followed that policy. If the Church of England is a veritable branch of the Catholic Church, then surely every Englishman, or Briton, being a Christian, is a member of that Church. If you deny him that privilege, you are practically asserting that our Church is not catholic. In Colonies, it is an immense advan- tage to ignore all sectarian distinctions, and insist on our catholicity; in fact, adopt the principle that the Church of England is open to all English-speaking Christians. Such a policy is not likely to endanger our Governmental policy, because that is pretty well safeguarded by our episcopal system. The Bishop is head of clergy and laity, and is the supreme referee for both.—I am, Sir, &e., BERESFORD POTTER. Union Club, Trafalgar Square, S.W. 1.
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