THE KING AS PRESBYTERIAN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In last week's " Notebook " Janus remarks that His Majesty "becomes a Presbyterian" when he crosses the Tweed. What is the authority for this statement ? The King is the legal head of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland : and as such, apart from any question of courtesy, from time to time he attends Presbyterian service. But how does this civic and legal obligation turn a man who was baptized, confirmed, communicated and consecrated according to the rites of the Church of England into a Presbyterian ?—Yours, &c.,
[Janus writes : " This is a nice point. Membership of the Church of England and of the Church of Scotland is not mutually exclusive, as is shown by the fact that Queen Victoria was a member of both and regularly called herself a Presbyterian when in Scotland. King George himself, although there is an Episcopalian Church in Scotland, invariably worships as a Presbyterian when he crosses the Tweed, and when in Scotland has Presbyterian chaplains. I do not think, therefore, that my statement is far wrong. But is the King the legal head of the Church of Scotland ? "]
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