VOTING ON THE REVISED PRAYER BOOK

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—As most of the Diocesan Conferences have now voted on the proposed Revision of the Prayer Book, it may interest your readers to see the complete figures

Diocese

For Against Diocese

For Against Winchester • . 218 17 Edmundsbury

150

Southwell

234 23 Manchester

500 161 Blackburn • • 218 105 Salisbury

233 17 Coventry

327 16 Sheffield ..

303 58 Southivark

211 61 Lincoln ..

202 19 Bradford

197 37 Canterbury .. 382 52 York .. • 221 19 Bath and Wells

315 22 Durham • • 248 30 London ..

324 261 Chester

366 152 Lichfield ..

218 44 Newcastle .. 213 23 Oxford . • -

303 55 Peterborough .. 100

Leicester

223 56 Rochester .. 350 121 Birmingham • • 236 147 Norwich.. .. 199 114 Worcester • •

162 31-

Ely

168 54 Truro .. • • 246 83 Chelmsford .. 161 11 Hereford - • • 227 20 Gloucester .. 423 51 Carlisle .. • • 163 13

Exeter, Ripon, St. Albans and Chichester did not take a formal vote, but were in favour ; e.g., at Ripon a mass meeting was held after the Conference at which the voting was :—for, 1,500 ; against, 23.

The idea that the laity have not voted in favour of the New Prayer Book is shown to be false by the figures of all conferences. The following figures are typical of the voting throughout the country : they include the two exceptions in which there was a large adverse lay vote :—

For Against

London Laity 186 178 Liverpool Laity (meeting sepa- rately) .. 126 186 Hereford Laity 103 12 Carlisle Laity 72 10

—I am, Sir, &c.,

Gloucester Laity Southwark Laity Ely Laity Chelmsford Laity Manchester Laity Truro Laity For Against 228 33 118 49 136 30 73 7 210 110 105 20

Ring's College, London.

PERCY DEARMER.