[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sur,—In referring to Mr. Shee's letter to the Times on this case, you appear to assume that he is right in stating that the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominion is "not a body of religionists receiving neither aid nor recognition from the State in their corporate ecclesiastical capacity, but an established and endowed religion, with acknowledged legal rights, and co-relative duties."
This is distinctly contrary to the belief prevailing in this country, which is that when the "Clergy reserves" were secularised, the Roman Catholic Church, and the other bodies which had previously had the benefit of the clergy lands, were placed in the position of unendowed and voluntary Churches. If that is so, Mr. Shee is as wrong in his facts as, I have no doubt, he is in his law.
I may add that the view which you take of the question at issue, viz, that the Courts of Law may, in certain eases, take cognisance of the contracts entered into by Nonconformist, as well as by established Churches, is one which would be endorsed by most English Nonconformists, though I imagme that it would be ob- jected to by Free Churchmen, as well as by Iltramontanes.—I
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