LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often more read, and therefore more effective, than those which fin treble the space.]
THE HEREFORD CONTROVERSY.
Oro THE EDITOR OP THE " SpEcTiTon."] is notorious that the pressure which is being brought to bear upon the Archbishop of Canterbury to induce him to refuse to consecrate the Bishop-elect of Hereford is being reinforced by threats of sabotage and of overt schisms in case of failure. It is inconceivable, we may believe, that this wrecking policy should be successful. But Bishops are sensitive to "Church opinion," to the attacks of which they are peculiarly open; and, while those who represent this opinion are vociferous and energetic, sober Churchmen are silent and disinclined to move. They have no party organization, and seldom speak freely to clergymen—least of all to Bishops, who, though they do not always hear smooth things, see and hear through others, and "ge even as they are led." It would be unfair to the Archbish,op were he not told the facts plainly. For they are graver than he, probably, knows. The danger is not that a certain number of malcootents should agitate for Disestablishinent, or organize a schism, or secede to Rome. This would be to be regretted; but, if people will only remain in the Church on the condition of being allowed to exclude those who do not think as they do, it is difficult to see how some such solution of the matter can be avoided. The real danger—and it is an immi- pent one—is that the situation of Continental Catholicism should be reproduced in this country, and so an unbrisiga.ble gulf be opened between the National Church and the life, the mind, and the conscience of the nation. It is foolish to shut our eyes to the extent to which their union has been strained of late years. A little, a very little, more, and this strain will reach breaking- point : in proportion as the Church has been denominationalized, religious belief and observance have declined. Should the Bishop of Oxford and his allies of the English Church Union carry their point, the progress of this decline (which is confined to no one cla-ss) will be accelerated and extended. And those who are now working—it must be confessed, with little encouragement—for the larger mission and hope of Eeglish religion will feel, in bitterness of spirit, that its interests have been betrayed by those whose special calling it was to " feed the Church of God."—I am, Sir, PRESBrIER ANGLICANUEL
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