Untitled - Electric Scotland

1863-68] THE BISHOP S REPLY 519
pected in some unknown and irresponsible writer attempting to
inflame the passions of the ignorant, but is unworthy of a scholar
and a divine, who must know the difficulty of the subject on
which he is writing, which is indeed none other than the intricate
question as to the line to be drawn between the Divine and
human elements in the Scriptures of truth a subject which, if it
is to be entered on at all, requires almost above all others to be
treated by theologians with calm exactness, and with a scrupulous
regard to well-weighed and explicit arguments.
"Perhaps, however, it will be even more difficult for those
who wish you well to defend the latter part of your pamphlet.
The words in wrhich you have insinuated, respecting a man of the
highest character, that he cannot consistently or conscientiously
sign the declarations which he has already made repeatedly at
each successive step of his honourable career, and in virtue ot
adherence to which the office which he is about to vacate, as well
as that to which he is promoted, is held, these words are, I
think, sure to be looked upon as unsuitable to the high Christian
character which you have hitherto maintained.
" You will, I trust, my dear Dr. Wordsworth, excuse me for
speaking thus plainly. It is often the misfortune of good men,
highly respected, that when they make a great mistake, they have
no one about them to point out their error. Your note gives me
an opportunity, of which perhaps few but myself could appropri
ately avail themselves, of telling you what is in the minds of a
great body both of your brother clergy and of the laity. You will
not suppose because I speak plainly that I fail in the personal
esteem and respect with which I have ever regarded you.-
Believe me, yours very truly,
A. C. LONDON
In his letters to Dr. Stanley himself the Bishop makes
no allusion whatever to Dr. Wordsworth s pamphlet, but
he takes occasion to impress upon the new Dean some of
his more strictly ecclesiastical responsibilities.
"
I hope we may have full time next week," he says,
"
to talk
over the future, and I daresay you will let me advise you as to
the nature of your new post. The distinctly clerical, as distin
guished from the literary, life is somewhat new to you. Milman
has much less influence than he ought to have, from ignoring this
distinctly clerical side. The Ecclesiastical Commission, the great