Dr. Coplestone, the new Bishop of Colombo, a man of
thirty, selected for special ability by the Colonial Secretary, has become involved in an unfortunate quarrel with the Missionaries of the Church Miseionary Society working in the island. He tried to invest the chaplains with some power of supervision over the vaisaionaries and their native churches, which the Missionaries of
course resisted, deeming the chaplains wholly incompetent to undertake such work. The Bishop persisted, and formulated his demand in these words :—" I claim to be informed whenever I desire information of any appointment to any spiritual office, lay or clerical, in 'the Church, and to have a right of veto on the same ; to be informed, in all cases where the importance of the matter or my own desire makes it necessary, of all changes in the management, order of service, or place of worship of any congregation." As the Missionaries still resisted, the Bishop withdrew their licences, which, however, the acting Metropolitan of India, Dr. Gell, of Madras, directed him to restore. The correspondence leaves on our minds the impression that the Missionaries are a little too sensitive as to supervision, and the Bishop much too anxious to enforce his authority. The Mission- aries could not work if he really interfered with their selection of their own catechists, and they certainly will not work under the supervision of chaplains, whom they think drones.
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