[TO TRR EDITOR or TITR "SPROTA.TOR."] Sin,--I have read carefully
and with deep interest " E. M. L's " letter and the article on "Nonconformists end the Communion." in the last issue of the Spectator. wish with all my heart that it were possible to agree with you "that worship in the National Church is free to all members of the nation, and that such participation in its services includes the resort to the Communion for all baptised persons, provided pulp that they are not excluded by the rubric which forbids resort to the Lord's Table tq ' open and notorious evil livers.'" But it is hard to do so in the face of facts. Last year a Conference was convened of a Christian Society, and about seventy, the great majority of whom were members of the Church of England, attended it. We spent seven days in united Bible study, prayer, intercession, and fellowship. Our chaplain was an ordained priest of the Church of England, and a strong Churchman. Our custom is to close such Conferences with a united Communion Service in the Church of England. The chaplain was perfectly willing for this, but felt it necessary tp cpmr municate first with his Bishop and get permission. This permission was withheld. Eighty per cent. of the Con- ference were members of the Chi rch of England (the Bishop was informed of this fact), and not one who had not been baptised. The result was that a united Communion Service was held by a Nonconformist minister in a room uncoil,. secreted by a Bishop it is true, but which had been hallowed by seven days of united prayer and fellowship. The chaplain, though keenly di:lap/minted, was compelled to obey his Bishop, and the one or two who, with me, explained the situation to the Nonconformist minister did so with a feeling of ,distress and shame at the action our Church bad t;ken.—I am,
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