5 NOVEMBER 1887, Page 3

The first new cathedral built since the Reformation was con-

secrated on Thursday, at Truro, by the Bishop of the diocese, the Archbishop of Canterbury (who was formerly Bishop of Truro) preaching the sermon, and the Prince of Wales, who is also Duke of Cornwall, being present. The building is a very fine one, though no stained glass has yet been introduced into the windows, to soften and harmonise the effects. The Archbishop of Canterbury, in his sermon, referred to the rumours of Disestablishment, of which he had little fear, except that self- inflicted fears of it and timorous compromises might have a far more serious effect on the life of the Church by reducing its energy and self-confidence, than any attack on it, however alarming, could possibly have. "Precipitate nervousness," said the Archbishop, would, fragment by fragment, destroy all the resources and reserves of the Church, and "a dishonoured apologetic Church would be worse than an oppressed one." That is perfectly true. At the same time, there was no dis- honour in disestablishing the Church of Ireland, which was not the Church of the nation ; it was, on the contrary, a most honourable work which gave new life to the Irish Protestant Church. And we do not see that if it should prove that Wales is in a position at all resembling that of Ireland, we should be doing anything dishonouring to the Church, in diseetablishing the Welsh Church also.