The Pope has addressed a letter to the Roman Catholic
Archbishops and Bishops of Scotland reviewing the position of the Roman Church in that country, and exhorting the faithful to make every effort for the conversion of "the special daughter of the Holy See," a name by which the Scottish nation will hardly recognise itself. Great praise is due to the Scotch for their devotion to the Scriptures, but it is from the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church alone, and through her "unceasing care," that they have received the Bible "unscathed." "It is easy to perceive how unsafe, how inadequate, and how useless is the method propounded by those who think that the only way to interpret Scripture is by the help of Scripture itself. For on that principle the ultimate law of interpretation would rest with the individual judgment. But, as we have already stated, each one will undertake the reading of Scripture with entirely different feelings, views, and prepossessions, and will interpret God's written word accordingly. The result will be that those divergent inter- pretations will necessarily produce discussions and disputes, and thus turn what was intended as a source of union and peace into a source of contention and strife." Unless we are much mistaken, the able controversialists of the Scotch Church will find little difficulty in meeting the Pope on the ground he has here chosen. They must, however, we are sure, appreciate and sympathise with the charm and kindliness of the Pope's letter. There is something loveable in the very sim- plicity which appears to prevent him realising that those who differ from him do not adopt his premises. The most rigid Presbyterian may entertain a friendly feeling towards Leo XIII. when he reveals his own personality. It is so evident that he hates the heresy, nun the heretic.
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