29 FEBRUARY 1896, Page 14

CANON GORE'S PROPOSAL.

[To saa EDITOR OP TUE "SPECTATOR.'] Sirt,—To disagree with Canon Gore is with me an unusual experience; but I do very earnestly hope that no direct action will ever be taken to force even the extremest men from full communion with us, when they feel they can honourably and conscientiously use our offices. I believe we shall best serve our high and hopeful destiny by making very broad, very low, and very high Churchmen more and more comfortable in their mother-Church ; such indeed has been the general drift of our policy, though we have, after our manner, rather slipped into it than made it.

Nothing very dangerous, I venture to think, would happen if the first Reformed Communion Service were allowed to be used in our churches, or if extempore prayer were autho- rised, at any rate in addition to our Prayer-book forms ; and why should not congregations which desired to do so, use the Apostles' Creed instead of the Athanasian hymn ? it is an exceedingly primitive substitute for it. Such a policy would strengthen the loyalty of Churchmen, and make more spiritual their prayers; and it would prove us to be a Church of the great Reconciliation, in sympathy with true compromise, which is in truth a divine thing.—I am, Sir, &c., The Rectory, Lainbeth, Feb. 25th. J. ANDREWES REEVE.