The Government has made an admirable selection for the Deanery
of Winchester. The Rev. John Bramston, the Vicar of Witham, Essex, besides enjoying a high local reputation as a parish priest and preacher, has been distinguished for some years as one of the few Broad-Church clergymen who are at once sincerely liberal and sincerely orthodox. He was almost the only clergyman of his standing in England who spoke publicly and powerfully in favour of disestablishing the Irish Church, an offence in the eyes of his brethren for which he lost his seat in Convocation. He recently created some excitement by a public and peremptory refusal to read the damnatory clauses of the Athanasian Creed, while read- ing with emphatic assent all the believing clauses, and rumours were afloat of an intention to bring him into an Ecclesiastical Court for his refusal. As, however, his conduct was heartily approved by his congregation, and was in fall accordance with the recorded opinions of the Archbishops, no steps were taken ii. the matter, and the people of Witham continued to state their belief, without adding words they did not believe at all.
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