Untitled - Electric Scotland

312 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. XH.
Men feel that there are great principles at stake and that there
is a very important difference between their way of thinking and
feeling about many of the highest Christian truths, and the
method, say, of Jowett s theology, and they are greatly irritated
by being continually told by you that they all mean the same
thing. They feel sure that Jovvett would disclaim an identity of
sentiment in such matters, say with Bishop Pearson, and they are
irritated by what they suppose to be your attempts
to show that
they are fools for supposing they differ from the so-called negative
theology, when they, according to your showing, in truth with it.
agree
"
My belief is that a great deal of bitterness was infused into
the controversy in this way (quite unintentionally on your part)
by the article in the Edinburgh^ and, if I may venture to say so,
I think the same sort of irritation is kept alive by your quietly
quoting, in the preface of your sermons, Jowett and Temple
(without any sort of expression of the possibility of other people
disagreeing from your estimate) as two of our best divines.
"
People are always made angry when their feelings on im
portant matters are ignored or passed over as childish and not
worth considering. I wish you would take this matter into your
thoughts. Nothing can be more desirable than the attempt to
show, by a straightforward sound argument, how much more of
real agreement there is than people suppose in those who materi
ally differ : but the proof of this is not helped by ignoring the
real points of difference. I know you wish to know my real
feelings on these matters, and so I write freely. Again let me
say how thankful I am for all your friendship, and how earnestly I
trust that all the bitterness which late events have engendered
may pass away.- -Yours ever affectionately, A. C. LONDON."
It is not necessary, for the purposes of this book, to
give the history of the prosecution and trial of the two
Essayists, Dr. Williams and Mr. Wilson. The former was
prosecuted by his Diocesan, the Bishop of Salisbury, the
latter by a private clergyman, the Rev. James Fendall.
After prolonged and elaborate consideration, and many
wearisome adjournments, the Dean of Arches (Dr. Lushing-
ton) pronounced judgment on December 15, 1862, holding