366 DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN
men who have posed as martyrs in fact, the Association introduced into Parliament a Bill which, if it had had the good fortune to pass, would have substituted deprivation for imprison ment. All along the Association has displayed an unflinching attitude towards what are considered to be improper proceedings in connection with the Church. Its career of the last ten years has been one of increasing importance, and the income, I believe, has doubled, in spite of the fact that it is practically deserted by the dignitaries of the Church. I am not aware that there is a single man who has a handle to his name belonging to it. The members are mostly rectors, vicars and lay men. You know, of course, that Lord Salisbury has been showing a marked preference for High Churchmen in appointing to vacant Bishoprics, and the obvious result is that the Church Associ ation is not the way to preferment. Its clerical and lay members, however, are determined and competent men in what they believe to be a righteous cause. In the present day, I believe, the Church Association is the most powerful organisation in the Church of England for dealing with the Romeward movement. It has vindicated the Protestant character of the Church, and it has a literature on the subject such as few societies could produce."
Dr Taylor proceeded to refer to the action taken by the Church Association with reference to the
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