Untitled - Electric Scotland

4 i6 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. x\.
and I should be ready myself to act on the rule, that where any
of his clergy intimate their readiness to be guided by the Ordinary
in matters of Ritual, the Ordinary should show himself willing to
give such guidance. But on the other hand, I do not think that
it is wise in a Bishop to undertake to offer advice where he is
made to understand that, unless what he says coincides with the
preconceived opinion of the person seeking advice,
treated as of no value. I have, of course, examined and con
sidered all or most of the questions now agitating the Church
it will be
respecting Ritual, and I fully believe that I am well qualified by
this fact, as well as by my office, to give proper guidance. If,
therefore, you or any other of the clergy will ask for such guid
ance with a bona fide intention of being guided, I am at your
service. But I do not think it would be well, by interfering
unduly, to run the risk of appearing to sanction practices which
there is no intention of altering whether I disapprove of them or
no. I shall be very glad indeed to hear that such guidance as I
have indicated is sought. Believe me to be, my dear Mr. ,
yours very truly,
A. C. LONDON."
These letters suggest some of the difficulties which beset
the Bishop s action in those disturbed years, but it is
important that the facts should be made quite clear, and
this can best be done by looking in detail at some typical
instances of his dealings with parishes in which an ad
vanced Ritual was in use. Something
has been said
in a former chapter about his relations to St. Paul s,
Knightsbridge, St. Mary Magdalene s, Munster Square,
and the old parish of St. George s in the East. 1 A few
other examples may now be given.
The Church of All Saints, Margaret Street, was con
secrated on May 28th, 1859. It na^ formerly, as a pro
prietary chapel, been under the charge of Mr. Frederick
Oakeley, Bishop Tait s old tutor and friend, who has left
a graphic picture of the character and circumstances of his
ministry, from 1839 to 1845, in this the first outpost of the
1 See pp. 215-249.