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LETTER OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT.

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circumstances, and appendances of varying practices or opinions, might without any difficulty be accorded. But if there must be a difference of judgment in these matters of outward policy, why should not our hearts be still one? why should such a diversity be of power to endanger the dissolving the bond of brotherhood? May we have the grace but to follow the Truth in love, we shall in these several tracts overtake her happily in the end; and find her embracing of peace and crowning us with blessedness.'

Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.-Eph. vi. 24.

This truly Christian action of Bishop McIlvaine illustrates well the argument of his work on 'The True Temple, or Holy Catholic Church and Communion of Saints.' And it will not be out of place to introduce here a most important letter, exhibiting the same Catholic spirit by one, for whom the Bishop ever entertained the warmest regard-a letter written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Tait, soon after the death of Bishop McIlvaine, and given to the Dean of Canterbury to be read to the Evangelical Conference at New York, which the Dean was about to attend. It was to be an expression of his 'good wishes and earnest hope, that his efforts to promote unity in Christ's Church may be blessed.'

Addington Park, Croydon, August, 1873

MY DEAR DEAN,

I cannot allow the Dean of my Cathedral to go to America to attend a general conference of Christians of all countries, without expressing my good wishes and earnest hope, that his efforts to promote unity in Christ's Church may be blessed. In 1870 (before the proposed conference was postponed, owing to the unhappy war between two great Christian nations), I wrote a letter to the late

lamented Bishop McIlvaine, which he kindly undertook to present to the Conference. I hope that you will on the present occasion be the bearer of my good wishes, in the place of one whose loss has been felt by Christian men, wherever the English language is spoken. You are aware that I have never been a member of the Evangelical Alliance, under the auspices of which the conference is to be convened. But it is not possible for me to hold the position, which God has assigned to me in that Church, which has generally been regarded as the bulwark of the Reformation, without praying for God's blessing on all earnest efforts to spread the great Gospel doctrines, which the Reformation vindicated. Never since the Reformation has it been more important, that Christian men should learn to understand and co-operate with one another, and that they should, by the manifestation of their union in faith and good works, offer an effectual opposition to the growing progress of superstition and infidelity. And never has this union been more earnestly longed for than in the present day. I trust that the Holy Spirit of God may guide all who take part in your discussions at New York, and that the solution of the great social and religious questions, which you propose to treat, may be advanced by the mutual intercourse of minds accustomed, many of them, to regard these questions in different aspects, according to the peculiarities of their several countries. That God may hasten the time, when the differences, which at present tend too much to keep Christians asunder, may be removed, and when all who love the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely may be able, without compromise of principle, to unite both outwardly and in spirit, is my heart's prayer.

Believe me to be, my dear Dean,

Yours very sincerely,

A. C. CANTUAR.

THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE.

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How would it have gladdened the heart of Bishop McIlvaine to have been the bearer of such a letter as this from the Primate of the Church of England to Christian brethren in America! and how would he have been encouraged to pray yet more earnestly, as he did in 1841 : 'Oh for a great revival of this mind of Christ in all that are called by His name!'

CHAPTER XV.

THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE.

THE year 1867 was memorable in the history of the Church of England from the assembling of the Bishops of the Anglican Communion, from all parts of the world, by invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to a Conference in Lambeth Palace on subjects, which were causing grave anxiety as affecting the common faith.

Bishop McIlvaine on receiving this invitation, in common with the other American Bishops, was doubtful about the effect of the proposed Conference, and hesitated whether to leave his diocese to attend it. But on the urgent desire of some of his brethren, he felt it his duty to be present; and it will be seen, by the following exracts from his letters, what an influential part he was able to take in the proceedings, and how his suggestions were valued.

ON THE INVITATION TO THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE. Oberlin, Ohio, April 18th, 1867.

TO REV. W. CARUS,

You mentioned the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury* to the American Bishops to what is called the 'Pan-Anglican Council' at Lambeth. Each *Archbishop Longley.

of us has received a lithographed letter with the Archbishop's signature, containing an earnest invitation for a meeting in September, limited to three days. You seem to count on my accepting it; and my kind friend Dr. Guest of Cambridge has written to me, as if confident I will go. But it does not seem probable. To go while Bishop Bedell is absent is a difficulty. To leave Mrs. McIlvaine, now that both of us are at a good old age, is a difficulty. Then the question, Cui bono? I do not suppose the Conference, of such a variety of minds, could get in three days to any very important conclusions. The usefulness would lie chiefly in the fact of coming together; and it is questionable whether the manifestation of an outward union, covering so much diversity and discordance, would be of much spiritual interest or benefit. I will keep the matter open for direction.

Bowness, Windermere, August 8th, 1867.

TO THE SAME,

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Am I again in England, and N-— with Have I again the expectation of seeing you and dear Mrs. C in a few days, and our dear Bishop? It seems almost incredible! I came off in such haste, after so short a notice, that I had not time to think more, than to make up my mind, before I was off to New York, and then on the ship. I was persuaded by the earnest representations of Bishops and Clergy of our views, as well as even some of not the same, who perhaps were as pressing as others, to come to the Lambeth Council. The 'Lateran' Council is famous; this will be known perhaps as the 'Lambeth.'

ON THE SUGGESTED RESOLUTIONS FOR THE

TO THE SAME,

CONFERENCE.

London, Aug. 17th, 1867. We had a very nice visit to Farnham. The dear Bishop all love and kindness. We had much talk about

ance.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE.

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the Council. He expects very little; and if nothing. shall be done beyond a 'Confidential' printed paper of 'Suggested Resolutions,' for three days, there will be very little done. I have said Confidential. It is so printed. But I do not regard that as preventing me from writing to you about it, when the object is to further the proper ends of the Council. The Resolution suggested for the first day is the only one intended to have any glance even at principles, or evils, or perils; and it is not even a glance. It is most empty, cold, timid, reserved. The Bishop entirely concurred with me in the miserableness of that; and what would be thought, if the whole of that paper were to be all our doings. I took the paper to my room, and to a great extent re-wrote the first resolution, going as far as I dare, with any hope of its acceptI submitted it to the Bishop, who thought it a very great improvement. I gave him a copy, and he proposed that he should try to get the Archbishop to adopt it as the suggested one, instead of that now set forth. We shall see. But even if that shall be accepted, can such a body meet in such times, and say nothing distinct, and pointed, and solemn, and faithful as to the two great dangers from Rationalism and Ritualism, with Popery in general. It would be better had the Council never been born. It seems to me, that there should be a paper presented, by all the force that can be gathered, for adoption, temperately but faithfully, and pointedly declaring against the present aggressions and conspiracies. The time when we shall have met will be too short to originate such a thing. It should be ready before we meet, in a form susceptible for amendment; and to be laid before a few, and according to circumstances presented to the Council; and to be put in the form of a protest if possible, in case nothing better can be done. Now, dear Carus, I want to do my duty, and all I can ; and perhaps shall want and try in vain, so far as any

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