5 JUNE 1909, Page 19

[To TEN EDITOR Or TEM "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—To refuse to admit

a baptised Christian to Holy Communion is a serious thing ; to withdraw admission after twelve years of usage intensifies the seriousness, and your correspondent of May 22nd may well feel distressed. No doubt the new incumbent interpreted the rubric in a way that made him feel obliged to act as he did : he holds that it is his predecessor who was in error when twelve years ago he allowed this lady, brought up as a Congregationalist, but then married to a Churchman, to join her husband at Holy Communion without insisting upon her being confirmed, or being ready to be confirmed. It is highly important that the question you raise in your article as to the original intention of the rubric should be thoroughly investigated. Beyond question a large number of religious Englishmen and English- women regard Confirmation as belonging to the time of entry Upon years of discretion, and feel an irremovable objection to being so regarded themselves after they are far advanced in the religious life. And thus Confirmation stands as a barrier In the way to Communion for many thousands of Christian people to-day. May I say that some clergy who sympathise with the contention of your article, and are concerned that such an obstruction should exist unless it is absolutely and beyond all serious doubt an essential of Church order, are arranging to investigate the origin of this rubric, and after- wards hope to consider the situation in the light of the right of the Church continuously to legislate as to rites and ceremonies I' And if you can be so good as to permit me, I will write to you later on upon this grave matter.—I am, Sir, &a., A MEMBER OP THE CHURCHMEN'S UNION.