DEMOCRATIC BISHOPS

Evening Star, Issue 22637, 1 May 1937, Page 2

DEMOCRATIC BISHOPS

The news that the lately appointed \ Anglican Bishop of Stepney has aiked J workers in his diocese not to address " him as My Lord " carries * step flu* ' ther the slow demoeratisation ol 1 th« English Episcopate. It is quite com- ' mon now for bishops to object U\ th« word " palace " when applied to Hieip residences, and it may be doubted; • whether even an archbishop ever expects to receive letters on gUtodgedi ' paper as was considered proper not so very many years ago: We may be quite) sure that the present Archbishop of; York (though he may employ a greater "horse power") does not drive abouti his diocese in a "chariot" behind fix horses as hie predecessor Harcourt used! \ to do a century ago. It is true that some slightly earlier bishops forestalled the modern movement towards J democracy. In the latter part of th» i nineteenth century it used to be saidl \ that one bishop addressed his clergy I largely by postcard with one of hi* " many daughters as secretary, and thafe j nothing like "His Lordship askn tarn i to say " was ever used. Indeed,, ■-! a common form was. reputed to ba ■ "Pa says you mustn't." Bishop Stubb* A about the eame period was told that J the Bish6p of Norwich kept no car- J riage (one believes that he bicycled). I So Stubbs sat down and sent his righf 1 reverend brother this little poem: J The bishop once in days of yore s Would drive about in coach and four* m And when the bishops dropped theif 1 ' wigs They drove about in single gigs. But now so handy have we got That if you want us on the epof .-j Just drop a penny in the slot. That (says the * Manchester Guard. . ian ') was before "on the spot' 5 be* J came an ominous phrase. "■