y laborious, in an eminently exemplary fashion. Their
stipends are ridiculously poor, and the scene of their labours is
frequently the reverse of lively. Very often, in the bleak moors and
glens of north-east Scotland, I have spent pleasant and memorable
evenings in the village rectory. The modes of speech and general
atmosphere of a Scotch rectory differ piquantly from those of the manse.
It is certain that a clergyman who is in constant touch with the
Anglican ritual, develops a special turn of talk and a characteristic
set of mannerisms.

I am convinced that, in learning and culture, the Episcopal clergy
compare very favourably with those of the other Churches. Some of them
have written, both in the departments of theology and general
literature, works of outstanding and permanent value. In spite of all
that, however, it does not seem probable that they will make many
converts to their creed. Presbyterianism has a firm grip on the
country: symbol and ritual do not thrive well in the cold air of the
North. Once upon a time, in the Black Isle, as the records of the
Arpafeelie Episcopal Church show, there was a strong feeling of
antagonism to Presbyterianism; but that was in 1711, and was probably
more political than religious.

It is a well-known fact that a large proportion of the aristocracy and
landed-gentry of Scotland are Episcopalians. This is due, not so much to
the leisure they have for studying theological problems, as to the fact
that most of them have been educated in English public schools.

How pleasant it is to contemplate the broad-mindedness of the greatest
of our Scotch Episcopalians, Sir Walter Scott, as seen in the
thirty-seventh chapter of _Guy Mannering_! Speaking of religious
differences, he makes Pleydell say: "_A plain man may go to heaven
without thinking about them at all_." Even at the present day, there is
a most regrettable lack of such urbanity in the disputes of educated
theologians. I picked up a book not long since, which amused as well as
shocked me greatly. It purported to be a history of _the_ Church in
Scotland. The author was a facetious Episcopalian, for his history made
no mention of either the Free, the Established, or the United
Presbyterian denominations. The Episcopal sect alone had the honour of
being dubbed a Church. Now, if a writer ever took it on him to write a
history of the Church in England, he ought to devote space to _all_ the
bodies, and be careful not to omit m