Untitled - Electric Scotland

1863-67] SUGGESTED BROTHERHOODS 501
Provided men do not carry out their peculiar doctrines to these
logical consequences, we rejoice that they should be able to act
with us in the spirit of the Gospel with the love of the Lord
Jesus Christ in their hearts. This is the principle on which the
Church of England is comprehensive, and in the truest sense
catholic, as a real representative of the Church of Christ.
"
I have written at length, not with a hope of altering your
opinion, but that you may understand our principles. I have
long thought that each man will best serve God by acting as in
dod s sight on his own strong convictions, and I rejoice and trust
that there are many ways in which you will still be able to co
operate with us, even though you cannot follow the course which
we believe to be right, doing what we can in the midst of weak
ness and fallibility for the souls for which Christ died, and leaving
results to God."
At a time when the possibility or advantage of reviv
ing some system of lay Brotherhoods in the Church of
England is under general discussion,
it is not without
interest to notice that such a proposal was definitely
made in the Diocese of London so long ago as 1861.
A thoughtful lay Churchman wrote to the Bishop of
London upon the subject, enclosing for his consideration
a series of extracts from the opinions which he had
privately elicited from London clergymen of all schools.
These written opinions were couched for the most part in
general terms, and the names of the writers were not
given. It might have been supposed that in face of the
almost universal dislike at that period to any suggestion
of the kind, the Bishop would at once have announced
his disapproval of such a plan. His answer, however,
was as follows :
u \lth October 1861.
"MY DEAR SIR, I beg to acknowledge your letter of the
i5th, accompanied by extracts from various letters written by
clergy of the diocese on the subject of your proposed plan for a
better organisation of voluntary lay assistance in aid of the efforts