Untitled - Electric Scotland

344 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. xni.
Archdeacon Denison, requested the Upper House to
direct the appointment of a committee to examine the
obnoxious volumes. The suggestion was earnestly opposed
by Bishop Tait. In the course of a long speech, in which
he pointed out the legal and other complications which
surrounded the question,
" No
one," he said,
"
can over-estimate the difficulty of the
position of those who are called upon at this moment, as Bishops
of the Church, more or less to guide public opinion in these
matters. . . . The clergy consider themselves properly hound to
drive away all erroneous aiftl strange doctrine, and none, of
course, are more bound to do so than those who hold our office.
\Ve ourselves, with the great responsibility which falls upon us,
holding a position which is looked up to as a very important
one, not only by the Church, but by the whole country, may be
supposed to be likely to treat of such matters with great calm
ness, and after mature consideration. But the clergy generally,
some of them at least, may be not unlikely I say it with the
deepest respect to allow their zeal to get the better of their
discretion in their desire to drive away all erroneous and strange
doctrines. ... It was only yesterday that I received a packet
containing a number of advertisements selected from the news
papers, of sermons against Bishop Colenso s book, which were
to be had for a moderate sum, to be preached in the various
pulpits throughout the kingdom. Of course this is a mere insult
to the clergy, and very probably the advertisements were in
serted in the newspapers by some person who had no such
sermons to dispose of, but who wished to represent the clergy in
an invidious light. But still it points to an obvious danger, that
persons not well qualified for the office may think it necessary
to step forth from the ranks, when their strength is not equal to
the office of champion which they choose for themselves. . . .
I think we might find other means of expressing our calm feel
ings on the subject than by engaging in such discussions [as are
invited by the Lower House], and I feel confident, without
wishing in any degree to magnify the office which we hold, that
rather than
it is to us, in our capacity as Bishops of the Church,
to any discussions which shall be carried on in this or the other
House of Convocation, that the country looks for quiet guidance