Untitled - Electric Scotland

220 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. x.
" MY
The Bishop of London to the Rcr. II. Stuart.
" FULHAM PALACE, ^th March 1858.
DEAR SIR, I have very carefully considered what passed
at my interview with you yesterday in London House, and I feel
myself obliged to adhere to the opinion I then expressed. I
must, therefore, lay my commands upon you to discontinue the
practice you have introduced without any authority in St. Mary
Magdalene, Munster Square, of lighting the candles on the Com
munion Table in broad daylight, except when they may reasonably
be considered necessary or convenient for purpose of light.
I cannot hold it to be a gaod reason for lighting them at the
celebration of the Holy Communion in our Reformed Church,
that lighted candles were, in Roman Catholic times, or even dur
ing the short period of transition before the Reformation was
fully settled in England, placed before the Sacrament on the high
altar at the celebration of the Mass. I earnestly trust that on
reflection you will see the extreme impropriety of an individual
clergyman, on the authority of his own private judgment or that
of his friends, as to what he considers an admissible return to
ancient usage, disregarding the distinct commands of those who
are set over him in the Lord. To a person like yourself, I need
not urge further that this obligation is rendered if possible stronger
by the oath you have taken to obey your Diocesan in all lawful and honest.
things
" You will, I am sure, believe that I fully sympathise in the
self-denying efforts which I know you have made and are making
for the flock committed to vou. And I think our conversation
9
yesterday must have convinced you that I am anxious to allow
you as great liberty as possible in so applying the services of our
Church as you deem most likely to affect your people s
but you will grant that a heavy responsibility devolves
hearts,
on me
not to sanction the introduction of innovations or returns to old
usages of the unreformed Church which I believe likely to break
down the barriers which mark in the minds of simple people the
distinction between our worship and that of Rome. The point
beyond which a private clergyman must not go, in following his
own private judgment in the forms of public worship must surely,
in the very lowest view of Episcopal authority, be settled by the
Bishop, and I cannot but hope that when your Diocesan, having
given his best attention to the law and customs of the Church,