[TO THE EDITOR OP TEE "SPECTATOR.]
SIB,—Your correspondent in the Spectator of November 2.4tik who signs himself "G. L." seems to think that if only a man works hard, and acts courageously, and, it may be, success- fully, in any post of difficulty, he is therefore to be set down as wise in every respect, and that it is sad injustice to call him "foolish." Has he never come across men and women, hard workers and God-fearing, who through overzeal have not conducted themselves with exact prudence, and who through lack of judgment have injured the cause which they had in hand ? "G. L.," however, does not stand alone in this opinion, for, unless I am mistaken, I have heard of some of those in authority who extenuate, and plead excuse for, the conduct of clergymen whose ultra-ritualistic tendencies are causing dis- turbance, saying: " Oh ! he is such a real man, such a hard worker, doing much good; he ought to be left alone." Such reasoning puts out of sight the grave offence which is given to the large majority of Church people by practices of which complaint is made. The weaker these poor brethren are the more surely ought their scruples to be taken into account. But beyond the offence, those who indulge in these prac- tices display a spirit of self-assertion, of absolute inde- pendence, of denial of any control, of insolent refusal to obey constituted authority, conduct for which " folly " is all too mild a term. Yet it is to go unnoticed, or rather, to be applauded, because the doers of it are in earnest. God forbid we should have any more prosecutions, if only for the reason that they help forward the practices against which they are levelled. But if they are forced upon us there is no question at whose door the mischief will lie. Your correspondent has a fling at Lord Portsmouth (with whose vagaries I have not the slightest sympathy) and the "comfortable laity of the West End." No one, it would seem, except those of a certain stratum in society, such as abounds in the Eastern part of London, is to be considered in the grave questions which are pulling the Church to pieces.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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