The Bishop of St. Albans has forbidden a service of
Holy Communion at Watford this week at which members of a reunion conference, Churchmen and Nonconformists, were to have taken part. It may be that the Bishop prevented a disagreeable controversy which would have reversed the whole purpose of the conference, for he had been informed that strong objection would be taken to the joint service ; but he was wrong if he believed that such a service was in any sense illegal. Some years ago the Spectator sought the highest legal opinion on this subject, having been moved to do so by the piteous appeals of certain devout Nonconformists who had been refused the Holy Communion by Church of England clergy. They were refused although they had no normal opportunity of communicating elsewhere. The opinion we were given left us in no doubt that the only legal cause for refusing the Holy Communion to an uncon- firmed person is notorious evil-living.
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