Untitled - Electric Scotland

1841] SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH 101
of his friends, who, even after the episode of the Glasgow
professorship, had apparently failed to realise the strength
of his Churchmanship), Tait was in 1842 a prominent
subscriber to the foundation of Trinity College, Glen-
almond, as a seminary for the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Some important correspondence passed on this occasion
between Bishop Terrot of Edinburgh and himself, in which
Tait urged upon the Bishop the importance of securing the
co-operation of others besides the High Churchmen, on
whose support the promoters of the scheme had too
exclusively relied.
The Rev. A. C. Tait to the Right Rev. Bishop Terrot.
*
" You will not misunderstand me when I say that I feel con
fident the great obstacle to the success of your appeal to England,
under existing circumstances, is the fear lest in any way your
scheme should fall into the hands of what is now very generally
regarded amongst moderate men as a dangerous and revolutionary
party, who are striving to break down the barriers which separate
us from Rome in her fallen state. The only way to allay this
apprehension must be by endeavouring to get influential names of
persons of all shades of opinion in our Church, . . . and so to
give the plan a more truly Catholic air. I wish it were in my
power to make a large subscription, but I must be content to give
what I can afford, and I trust your plan may be blest for the
three great objects which it seems to me so likely to promote
the sound theological instruction of your clergy the strict and
systematic religious education of the boys who must necessarily
be sent from home to attend school and though last, still very
important, the revival of a general taste for classical literature, by
prolonging that study of the Greek and Latin authors which in
Scotland is rendered almost useless by being generally brought at
the age of 14 or 15 to a premature close. I trust that if you can
suggest any way in which I may be of use in making the claims
of your place more generally known, you will not scruple to apply
to me. -With many apologies for having so freely spoken my mind
to you, I remain yours most faithfully,
A. C. TAIT."