He referred to (1) his deep appreciation of the sincerity of the
deputation; (2) his own sense of responsibility in regard to the
feelings of the weaker brethren; (3) his appreciation of the value of
the counsel of practical men in many affairs of the Church; (4) the
existing position of the Church in regard to the laity; (5) the friendly
relations that had always existed between himself personally and the
clergy of his extensive diocese; (6) his earnest and prayerful desire
that these relations might be strengthened; (7) the insecurity of a
house divided against itself; (8) the progress of socialism; (9) the
impossibility of socialism commending itself to Englishmen; (10) the
recent anarchist outrages; (11) the purity of the Court of her
Majesty the Queen; (12) the union of all Christian Churches; (13) the
impossibility of such union ever becoming permanent; (14) the value of
Holy Scripture in daily life; (15) his firm belief in the achievement
of England’s greatness by means of the open Bible; (16) the note of
pessimism in modern life; (17) the necessity for the Church’s combating
modern pessimism; (18) the Church’s position as a purveyor of healthy
literature for the young; (19) his reluctance to take up any more of
their valuable time, and (20) his assurance that the remarks of their
spokesman would have his earnest and prayerful attention.
The deputation then thanked his lordship and withdrew.
But still the bishop made no move in the matter, and the friends of the
Rev. George Holland felt grievously disappointed. They had counted on
the bishop’s at least writing a letter of remonstrance to the rector of
St. Chad’s, and upon the publication of the letter, with the rector’s
reply in the newspapers; but now quite two months had passed since
the appearance of “Revised Versions,” the bishop had returned from the
Engadine, and still there were no indications of his intention to make
the Rev. George Holland responsible to the right tribunal--whatever that
was--for his doctrines. They counted on his martyrdom within six months;
and, consequently, upon his election to a position of distinction in the
eyes of his fellow-country-men--or, at least, of his country-women. But
the bishop they found to be a poor thing after all. They felt sure that
what the people said about his being quite humble in the presence of his
wife was not without some foundation; and they thought that, after all,
there was a great deal to be said in favor of the celibacy of priests
compulsory in the Church of Rome. If the bishops of the Church of
England were not very careful, they might be the means of such a going
over to Rome as had never previously been witnessed in England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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