The Bishop of London did great mischief: we fear, when
he declined so peremptorily to consecrate St. Michael's, till the Rev. C. Lyford and his dressy Puseyite brethren had taken off their showy robes and stripped the altar of its flowers. Weaker and less liberal men, like the Bishop of Manchester, are not merely following, but more than following, his example. The Bishop of London was only peremptory with his clergy like an old Rugby 'head master, while Dr. Prince Lee strikes at the livelihood of his curates,—his incumbents he cannot touch. On Monday, 25th September, there was a service at St. Stephen's, Salford, to celebrate the annual meeting of the English Church Union. There was early communion at seven and communion again at eleven, and on this latter occasion the Rev. H. D. Nihill, a Salford curate, acted as celebrant. The Salford paper repre- sented that "the Rev. H. D. Nihill, after consecrating the bread, knelt and bowed his head very low, and after consecrating the cup lifted it above his head as high as his arms could reach."
The Bishop sent for Mr. Nihill, read this account to him, and asked if it was a correct report, and ascertaining that it was, without further question or conversation revoked his licence, remarking drily on the prevalence of bronchial affections as he did so. Mr. Nihill has written to Dr. Prince Lee with the most duti- ful protestations of his wish to obey his " fatherin God," andremind, ing him that he had never been once warned or advised against such symbolic acts. Eleven hundred of his flock, to whom his earnest and toiling life is best known, have petitioned the Bishop to recon- sider his decision, and let their beloved pastor remain with them, but Dr. Prince Lee, for whose society eleven hundred persons certainly never wished, simultaneously or otherwise, sees nothing in fidelity and virtue to counterbalance symbolic follies, and recommends his friends to get him out of the diocese as fast as they can. The Apostles thought that charity covered a multitude of sins,—not merely follies or imprudences. The Bishop of Manchester has none of that Apostolic weakness. He thinks a single folly covers a multitude of charities.
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