Untitled - Electric Scotland

3 04 LIKE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. xn.
The animadversions which this speech drew upon
Bishop Tait are significant of the tone and temper
in which
the controversy was carried on. He was accused of having
"
compromised and even vilified the faith he was appointed
to maintain," of having allowed his private friendship to
take the place of fidelity to truth, and of having
"
linked
himself without shame to the heresiarchs of the Church."
"
"
His uncertain and dangerous tone was contrasted with
the noble outspokenness of Bishop Wilberforce, who
"
without conferring with flesh and blood, or any personal
interest, real or supposed, has not hesitated to declare the
truth of God to be dearer than all personal affection."
The religious papers, both High-Church and Low-Church,
were full of such comments. On the other hand he
received such letters as the following, which came from
one now prominent in the Church :
"
Will you forgive me for writing a letter, which needs no
acknowledgment, to thank you very earnestly, and I think many
must be wishing to thank you, for what you said in Convocation
yesterday. I have been reading it in the Times, and it has been
a real relief to me. . . . To say even what you said yesterday
when public opinion is setting so very strongly in one direction,
and when, to a very great extent, one goes along with it, requires
a courage and an effort that few of us would be equal to. I
cannot help writing to thank you, not for saying what you felt it
to be your duty to say that would be impertinent in me but
for the relief that I personally have felt ever since I read the
report this morning."
All that had, so far, been done by Convocation was an
expression of the concurrence of the Lower House in what
the Bishops letter had declared. But a few weeks later,
when Convocation met again, the whole subject was re
opened, and after warm debate the Bishops resolved, by
eight votes to four, that a Committee of the Lower House
should examine the book and report whether there were