least so it appears to me,) should be but brief, allowing, if it may be, several hours afterwards for the sole purpose of those actually present to sign the address before leaving the room. I cannot doubt myself that the largest room in London would be insufficient for the numbers who would make a point of coming, and each man as he went away might say, with a heart of thankfulness, “Liberavi animam meam,” and “God defend the Right.” Do not think in saying these things I am vain enough to suppose this must needs be the best plan to follow. I do but mention my own thought as a suggestion for others to consider, and I speak in some detail, because at any rate, by this means a practical character is given p. 20to what I say. What is best will be determined by others much more competent to decide, and I shall I trust be found ready to follow, wherever the path of duty shall be found to lead. He would be a bold man who should venture to say what the events of a few years, nay even of one, may bring: but I think those certainly are not mistaken who deem that we are in a great crisis of our Church’s lot, and that very much depends upon our faithfulness, our wisdom, and our courage now. I have therefore been anxious to lay before you and any others whose hearts are burdened with our present troubles some of the thoughts which have occurred to my mind. I have been more particularly anxious to ask whether I am wholly beside the mark of reason and sound sense, in thinking it possible to see a middle way “between accepting and acting upon the decision” of the Privy Council, “and repudiating it altogether as if it had never existed.” In a persuasion that such a middle course there is, I have endeavoured to show how far the Judicial Committee commits the Church of England by its decision, even allowing it to have jurisdiction in points of doctrine, and my conclusion has been that we may admit both the authority of the tribunal, and also the formal heresy involved in the judgment it may feel bound to deliver in its duty of interpretation, and yet allow no stigma of actual heresy to lie upon the Church, unless she acquiesce in, and adopt that judgment as her own: that is, no further stigma, no further evil than, (to use again your words) “in the one point comparatively unimportant and trivial of the institution of a certain person to a certain benefice.” I am glad to think I recognize in this sentence an admission, that if the Church can be freed p. 21from any further participation in the doctrine involved, and if she do her best to repudiate any implication with heresy which that judgment may seem to throw upon her, she may well wait the time (I do not say for ever, but at any rate for the present,) till she may be enabled to clear up all ambiguity by restoring the full catholic sense to her formularies, through the legitimate channel of her own assembly and convocation.