dear to the hearts of all true members. About the publicity of ideas there is this one great advantage—it tends to make them common property; they, in fact, get put into operation by the many instead of the few or the individual, and the outcome is the more pleasingly abundant.
In the preparation of the present volume the object has been to deal, in language readily understood by all, with some distinguished Churchmen of the day and the particular phase of the work with which each has prominently identified himself. There is no assumption that the volume is so comprehensive as to embody all the distinguished men of our time; nor is it to be supposed that all phases of the work have been brought under review. There is a limit to all things, especially to a volume. To avoid misunderstanding, however, explanation of one or two points is necessary. In the first place, the collection has purposely been restricted to men in Orders; and in the second place, there has been a serious endeavour to give balance to the book and to avoid favour towards members of any particular party. The responsibility attaching to the narratives, let it be made clear, belongs to myself; but, with regard to the dialogues, I gratefully acknowledge the valuable help afforded, at my solicitation, by the gentlemen through whose mouths the different stories of the work—promoted and sustained as it is in many lands—come with far greater weight than would have
