[TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—What is happening at St. Peter's, Bournemouth, has an interest for many other places. At St. John's, Richmond, the
Vicar, a Low Churchman, died last year, and the patron ap- pointed an ultra High Churchman, who at once drove the old congregation away. As there was no room for them in the
nearest Low Church, they immediately subscribed to build a new church, but the Bishop of Rochester declined to license a church without a district attached to it. A district was selected, but a Commission decided against it, on the ground that Church accommodation was not required in it, which was perfectly true, there being plenty of room in the parish church, did the parishioners choose to go there. The Bishop then, with the consent of the vicar, licensed a temporary iron church for four years, doubtless hoping that in that time matters might settle down, or, to use a common ex- pression, "something would turn up," to make the church un- necessary, but of this there seems no prospect. The committee of the new church are still raising money for the proposed per- manent church, to which permanent church the present vicar says he never will consent. The suggestion made by Mr. Portal, in the Spectator of last Saturday, seems the only real way to meet the difficulty in such cases; but as the High- Church party are usually more ingenious than their brethren of the Low Church, they may, perhaps, discover a mode of establishing a church of their own at Bournemouth, in spite of their vicar, which the other party can avail themselves of at Richmond.—I am, Sir, ttc., Richmond, Surrey, July 26th. ARTHUR BREWIN.
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