138 DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN
such a case appears to me to be absurd. The second fact is that this sum of money was not offered to the Archbishop of York in order to induce him to prosecute Mr Voysey. It was known known with absolute certainty that the Archbishop of York was about to take proceedings. Representations had been made to the Council that these proceedings would involve His Grace in very heavy expenses. Upon that representation the E.G. U. proposed to the Church Association that each society should contribute ^500, not to initi ate a prosecution, but in order to help the Archbishop of York to meet the very heavy ex penses which would be incurred by him, particularly if, after the proceedings canonically taken by His Grace in his consistory court, Mr Voysey like Dr Colenso should appeal to the secular tribunal of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Church Association refused to co-operate with the E.C.U., and the latter then made the offer to the Archbishop of York, which His Grace felt compelled to decline, although he characterised it as a liberal proposal.
" What evidence can be adduced in proof of the E.C.U. s past achievements ?"
" Well, in the first place, I think the Union has dealt a death-blow to that rampant Erastianism which has been so harmful to the Church of England in the past. It has taught Churchmen generally that the Privy Council has no authority
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