Untitled - Electric Scotland

.866-68] THE BISHOP S NOTES 379
two reporters, who would make out a fair copy of their short
hand notes, and place them in the Archbishop s custody, to be
deposited in Lambeth Library. The Pastoral and the resolutions
adopted are alone published. The great discussions were, as
might naturally be expected, on the following points : ist,
Whether or no the Natal question was to be introduced. Its
introduction most strongly opposed by St. David s, who declared
that he came there on the faith of the Archbishop s programme,
and ended his appeal, I throw myself on your Grace s honour
and good faith. I wish I could have had a photograph of the
old man as he pronounced these words with the utmost
vehemence and solemnity of manner and voice. Old Vermont
proposed a very strong resolution pronouncing Colenso ex
communicated, but he got no backers. New Zealand committed
the great mistake of attacking the Bishop of St. David s for his
charge reflecting on Capetown. This produced a storm, and let
the Americans and Colonials understand that St. David s was
looked on as a sacro-sanct. I first rose to the rescue, and then
the Bishop of Ely (Harold Browne) in great emotion reproved
New Zealand, declaring St. David s to be not only the most
learned prelate in Europe, but probably the most learned prelate
who had ever presided over any See. The Archbishop ended
the matter by declaring that he did not think it competent to
introduce the Natal question except in the guarded way adopted
in a resolution which appointed a committee to go into the
question of the scandal existing in that diocese. But this
decision was very much against the feelings of the more ardent
spirits, and attempts were made each day to reintroduce the
dangerous subject. A paper was drawn up by the Bishop of
Oxford, and circulated privately for signatures, declaring that
those who subscribed acknowledged the spiritual force of Bishop
Gray s sentence against Colenso. I of course refused to sign
this, on the ground that I believed the sentence had been pro
nounced null and void by the highest Court of the realm.
Harold Browne of Ely refused, on the ground that a Metropolitan
had not power to depose a Bishop in the way Bishop Gray had
done, even by the purely ecclesiastical law. It was insisted on
that this paper, if it did receive signatures, should in no way be
connected with the Lambeth Conference, but be considered
the private act of those who signed it.
"To the Bishop of New Zealand we were indebted for a