7 JANUARY 1888, Page 15

The Church Association is down upon the Bishop of London

for not interfering to prevent what it calls the violation "of the well-ascertained law of the Church," in the case of a Ritualist church. The Bishop of London is wise enough to do what he can to protect each party in the Church from the attack of other parties ; and if he has failed at all, it is only in not openly avowing, as he well might do, that all sections of the Church violate some part of this " well-aseertained law of the Church," and that the only chance of maintaining peace, pending the legislative recognition of a more comprehensive principle, is to tolerate deviations on all aides from the prescribed ritual with- out interference. If the law is to be enforced against ritual excess only, and not against ritual defect, the justice and common-sense of Englishmen will be outraged. Bishop Temple is wise in his action. He would be still wiser if he would speak out more plainly as to the principle which underlies that action.