Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/301

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THE REV. MONTAGUE FOWLER, M.A. 259

personal feelings are concerned, is by no means an enthusiastic promoter of the Bishopric ; but the spirit of tolerance and justice, which animates all Lord Cromer s policy, has led him, at the cost of a vast amount of labour and trouble, to guide rather than oppose a movement, which he realises is regarded by the Bishops at home as an important extension of the Church s work ; and it is due to his sense of fairness, and to his respect for Dr Temple s opinion on Church questions, that the scheme for the Egyptian Bishopric has been piloted through the difficulties that lay before it. The result of the negotiations has been that, instead of the establish ment of a Suffragan Bishopric to Bishop Blyth (which was the most that was hoped for in England), Lord Cromer, and through his influence the Govern ment, has practically agreed to the immediate ap pointment of a permanent Bishop for Egypt. The extension of Anglican Church influence in Egypt, and its beneficial effect in strengthening and con solidating the native churches, are eagerly looked forward to as the result of this latest development of the episcopate, which, in the opinion of the ecclesiastical authorities at home, is greatly needed." " Now, Mr Fowler, in addition to your interest in the Coptic Church, you have been closely associ ated with the work of the Anglican Church in connection with the down-trodden and persecuted Nestorian or East Syrian Church. Will you afford some information about that ? "

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