Untitled - Electric Scotland

1866-68] BISHOP TAIT S REMONSTRANCE 387
and myself, with others, deliberately not approved, but only
received.
"
3. That many of the English Bishops, feeling strongly, like
myself, how dangerous is the teaching of Bishop Colenso, still
hold that his See is not vacant, since his deposition has been
pronounced null and void in law by the realm.
highest Courts of the
"
4. That some also of our body, whose authority is very great
in such matters, believe that (quite independently of questions of
English law) the deposition
" You will remember also-
is uncanonical.
"5. That, whereas the words of 26 George in. cap. 84,
declare that by the laws of this realm no person can be conse
crated to the office of Bishop without the Royal authority, if any
doubt exists as to the applicability of these words to your case,
that Consecration Service which alone can be lawfully used
within the Church of England prescribes that the Royal mandate
shall be produced before the consecration is proceeded with ;
and, moreover, the Bishop-elect is called upon to declare, in the
face of the congregation, that he is persuaded he is truly called
to his ministration in the office of a Bishop, not only according
to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also according to the
order of this realm.
" To many it seems inconceivable that any man will be found
to make this solemn declaration, in the midst of all these doubts,
before the legality of his consecration has been publicly estab
lished by some competent authority.
"
Under these circumstances I venture to call upon you, my
dear Lord, not to go further without the most perfect openness,
and the most complete examination by the authorities of Church
and State as to the legality and propriety of what you are doing.
You surely will allow that you ought not otherwise to proceed to
a step which must be fraught with the gravest consequences for
the Church, both at home and in the Colonies, and for which
certainly there is no precedent since the schism of the Non-jurors.
"
Let me remind you that what I ask implies no long delay as
to the authoritative settlement of whether or no you are right in
your view of your duty.
Parliament and Convocation both meet
early next month ; and it surely would be unbecoming, in the
face of statutes and of ecclesiastical precedent, to hurry on this
step before either authority has had an opportunity of expressing