Untitled - Electric Scotland

1 860-68] "TAKE OFF THESE RIBBONS" 439
It was not wonderful that,
in the excited state of
public opinion upon the Ritual question, many exagge
rated stories as to the Bishop s action obtained currency.
It is still commonly asserted, for example, that on one
occasion the Bishop, addressing a large body of clergy,
many of whom were wearing coloured stoles, bid them in
a stern voice
" Take off these ribbons, gentlemen." The
foundation for this story seems to be as follows l :
On August 24, 1865, the Church of St. Michael s,
Shoreditch, was consecrated by Bishop Tait There was
a large gathering of clergy in the Vestry. Most of them
belonged to the advanced school in Ritual matters, and
the occasion was taken for wearing the then very unusual
coloured stoles, as well as other ornaments. Twice during
the previous year the Bishop had been told, on remon
strating with clergy for Ritual innovations, that it was
unfair to find such fault, seeing that he had consecrated
such and such a Church without objecting to the then
use of these accessories. The Bishop, as he said to a
friend, felt bound on this occasion to bear these facts in
mind :
"
One of the clergy at the St. Michael s consecration," says a
gentleman who was present, "had on a very narrow stole which
he said was copied from that of the Venerable Bede. It looked
exactly like a strip of ribbon. The Bishop noticed it, and said to
him, Oh, Mr. , do take this off. He did so, and the
Bishop then added, I must ask the clergy of my diocese who
are here to-day, to wear the simple dress of clergymen of the
Church of England. Thereupon, those of the clergy present
who were wearing coloured stoles took them off and laid them in
the Vestry, replacing them by black stoles, which they wore
during the service. While the service was proceeding, a news
paper reporter was admitted to the Vestry, and on inquiring, note
book in hand, what the stoles lying there were, was told by a very
The facts are communicated by a very careful witness, who was present
on the occasion.