The Bishop of London has forwarded a letter to all
incum- bents under his jurisdiction, warning them that there must be limitations to the "tendency to make new experiments," which in a diocese like London must always be visible. Nothing should be done which is inconsistent with the spirit and intention of the Prayer-book. There "must be no opportunity for personal eccentricities to invade the system of the Church." He "directs," therefore, that morning and evening prayer should be said, and the Communion should be celebrated, at hours convenient to the congregation. Additional services when used should be separated from the regular services by a distinct interval of time, and moreover should previously have been submitted to the Bishop for sanction. The Bishop has the deepest sympathy with the arduous work of his clergy, but it is his "duty to see that permissible liberty is not unduly extended so as to impair the distinctive characteristics of the services of our Church." That is a very judicious letter, though perhaps, like most episcopal letters, a little wanting in frankness, the evils in- tended to be met not being plainly described ; but the point is, what effect it will produce. Dr. Creighton will hardly prosecute an incumbent for administering the Communion at such an hour as to insure its being taken fasting, and the incumbent who makes much of that idea, or who desires to introduce risky additional services, will not, as a rule, be greatly moved by his canonical relation to his Bishop. The letter, in fact, if resisted, becomes a letter of advice only, good advice no doubt, but still lacking in the authority which those who appeal to the Bishop fondly believe that he is able to exercise.
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