[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:]
SIR,-Mr Ellis's letter is indeed painful reeding That a priest of the Church should so undervalue his own sacred commission is nothing short of deplorable. Certainly he never learnt from the Oxford Movement that "the clergyman's chief occupation" is " the work of almoner," or that his duties could be amply fulfilled by " a decent layman " appointed " to read service and sermon," and by a celebration of Holy Communion once in three months. If our younger clergy took no higher view of their office they had certainly better enlist by the thousand. The popular view, no doubt, is that Holy Orders is a mere profession like any other; but, thank God, this is not the theory of the Church of England. It is only necessary -to refer your readers to the Ordination Service with its solemn declarations as to the office and charge than undertaken by priests in the Church of Christ. Hero is described the great commission laid input priests as their life-long obligation; and as long as the Devil, tlo world, and the flesh are up in arms against Christ, so long aril His priests called to that spiritual warfare. Would Mr. Ellie maintain that the war has minimized these forces of evil? Are they not, on the contrary, owing to war conditions an increasing menace at home? (See Dr. Holland's terrible indictment in the current number of the Commonwealth.) How are we to cope with all this if all spiritual work is to be left to "decent laymen "? (Query: Where are leisured laymen to be found?) Any one can understand the natural longings of every able- bodied young man to join the fighting forces, and that the preparation for Holy Orders has by no means quenched their spirit is proved by the entire closing of most Theological Colleges —this, by the way, with the hearty approval of the Bishops. Goal bless these students who have taken up arms at much sacrifice. and God speed our Chaplains at the front who volunteer by the hundred; but God forbid that peace should find us at home spiritually unprepared for the awful dangers that it must needs bring with it. We need the Sword of the Spirit at least as much as earthly weapons if we are to come, not only victorious, but clean and strong in soul and body, out of this terrible war. If a young priest who does his duty to God and his country at home is to be scouted, " 80 persecuted they the prophets which were before Him." The Continental clergy take up arms against the rules of the Church under protest, being compelled by the State. All honour to them for the noble way they bring gocd out of evil! But evil
it remains.—I am, Sir, doe,
L. C. F. C.'
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