The Bishop of Peterborough made a striking address on Wednesday
at the Diocesan Conference at Northampton. After dealing with the education question and speaking of the evils that spring from international jealousies a propos of Armenia, he went on to deal with the Pope's letter on Anglican Orders. We can only express our surprise, said the Bishop, that the Pope had thought it worth while to take so- much trouble for so little result. It seemed odd that a Pope moved by a desire for unity should take so much pains to assure us that the incapacity of the Roman Church to learn by experience or to recognise established facts was chronic. "It was because the Roman jurisdiction rested mainly on ignorance and arrogance that our forefathers abolished it. It is no satisfaction to us to be assured that it rests on the same basis still." The Bishop went on to point out that "the maintenance of the unhistorical theory of the Papal Monarchy- had cost the Roman Church much in the past and is likely te be no less costly in the future." It endangers among other things the practice of Christian courtesy. That is strongly put, but doubtless represents the feeling of the majority of English Churchmen. No doubt the Pope meant well, but he was badly advised if he thought his letter would be anything- but an irritant. He would have done a wise thing had he left the matter still vague and undecided.
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