THE ARCHDEACON OF LIVERPOOL 363
tion of Romish vestments and ceremonies and doctrines, especially the sacrifice of the mass and the adoration of the Host. A motion was also carried expressing gratitude to Almighty God for the blessings of the Reformation, and earnestly appealing to the heads of the Church to take such steps as, in their wisdom, they might see fit for putting a stop to practices which interfered with the integrity of the liturgy and the purity of the faith. The simple object was really to maintain the Church of England faithful to its old lines, and to prevent, or resist, all attempts to assimilate the Church to the doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome."
" And now, please, something as to the early work of the Association ? "
" Well, the Evangelicals called upon the Bishops to enforce the law against the Ritualists, but, generally speaking, the Bishops pleaded that they were uncertain on the points at issue. Arch bishop Tait said if the law were made plain the Archbishops and Bishops would not be backward in the discharge of their duty. In due time the law was made plain, as many people thought, and then the cry was that there were great difficulties in enforcing it."
" Maybe you can recall some of the cases in which the Church Association has manifested an interest ? "
" From time to time the Church Association has promoted legal proceedings in order to test whether the law really was sufficient to put an end to the
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