The Bishop of Lincoln (Dr. Wordsworth), moved by the anxiety
of his clergy, has made another effort to obtain from D. Temple a repudiation of the general doctrine of Essays and Reviews, urging the rather inconclusive consideration that he (Dr. Temple) was elected on the day dedicated to the memory of St. Martin of Tours, who was so "delicate and tender-hearted, that ho shrank from giving offence even to the weakest of Christ's members," declining the diaconate for a time, " and holding back from the episcopate lest he should be a scandal to any." Dr. Wordsworth also urged the example of St. Paul, who was so anxious to avoid offending the weakness of a brother. Dr. Temple was, however, firm, and in an exceedingly manly letter states that he cannot consent to be guided by any rule but that of the law of the Church of England. While he neither refuses to do anything that that law requires, nor does anything which that law for- bids, he is safe ; but otherwise he will be setting a precedent for annexing to the acceptance of an English bishopric new conditions that are wholly illegal, and may become very mischievous and onerous. He reminds Dr. Wordsworth that St. gaul, when his conduct must have given the deepest pain to many devout Christians, and probably have kept many religious Jews out of the Church altogether, yet "gave place by sub- jection, no, not for an hour." Cannot these worthy but fidgetty ecclesiastics wait till Dr. Temple delivers his primary charge ? On that, probably, he will really, and most frankly, stamp his own personal theology. What good would they gain by hearing it sooner,—if, indeed, his volume of sermons does not satisfy them ? He is already Bishop (elect), though not yet consecrated. Are they afraid that the consecration will leak out and overflow over his brother essayists, as it used to be asserted that it did from a Church burial-ground in a cemetery over the Dissenters' neigh bouring piece, unless a wall dug several feet deep into the ground were interposed ?
