SIR, — It is certainly not fair to call the English Bishops
"indifferent and timid" (Spectator, August 20th, p. 248) because they did not consecrate Dr. Seabury as Bishop of Connecticut in 1783. The facts are these. Dr. Seabury was elected as Bishop of that diocese at a meeting of the clergy in that State on March 25th, 1783, and came to England for consecration ; but by the law as it then stood every person who should be admitted to Holy Orders was obliged to take the oath of allegiance. This, of course, Dr. Seabury could not do; and turning to the Scottish Bishops, he was consecrated at Aberdeen on November 14th, 1784. In 1786, however, an Act was passed to empower the Archbishops to consecrate to the office of a Bishop persona who were subjects or citizens of countries out of his Majesty's dominions ; and on February 4th, 1787, at Lambeth, William White was consecrated Bishop of Pennsylvania, and Samuel Provoost Bishop of New York, by the two Archbishops and the Bishops of Bath and Wells and Peterborough. On September 19th, 1790, James Madison was consecrated at Lambeth Bishop of Virginia by the Archbishop of Canter- bury and the Bishops of London and Rochester; and as the Canonical number of Bishops in America was now complete, two years later Thomas John Claggett was consecrated by them first Bishop of Maryland. It is interesting to note that Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, took part in the consecration of Archbishop Davidson, who will find much that may be helpful in the strong and vigorous life of the Protestant Episcopal Church of America.—I am, Sir, &c., Banwell. C. S. TAYLOR.
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