ve faith in the efficacy of its
workings."

"We base our faith differently," retorted his Grace. "I have my
principles; you, as you have just boasted, have your opportunity. I do
not think that opportunities are of the same eternal character as
principles. To-morrow your opportunity which now seems to give you
power, may disappear. My principles will remain."

"I shall always respect them, in their proper place. As an adornment to
the Church I am sure they will continue to shine. In the State they have
become an excrescence and an impediment."

"You are pushing your definition of impediments rather far when you plan
a new thoroughfare, giving strangers the entree to church premises."

"It is really your definition of 'premises,'" said the Prime Minister,
"over which we are chiefly at issue. What right has the Church to regard
as strangers any who are baptized Christians?"

The Archbishop seized his advantage exultingly. "I will only remind
you," said he, "of the Church Government Act--a measure of no ancient
date--by which Parliament forced the Church to expel from benefice those
who would not accept her discipline in matters of outward observance.
You yourself voted for that measure."

The Prime Minister had to acknowledge the stroke; but he made light of
it. "I think that measure has already become obsolete. It was not put
very thoroughly into practice even at the beginning."

"Let Parliament, then, admit its error," said the Archbishop, "and
abolish the act and the principle which it enshrines before proceeding
with other acts diametrically opposed to it. While the law claims a hold
over the Church, the Church claims to hold by existing law."

"I may possibly, then, satisfy your Grace," insinuated the Premier, "if
presently I propose the restoration of certain Free Church ministers by
episcopal consecration to the fold from which they were expelled."

The Archbishop rose to his feet, and raising the presentation Bible high
over his head brought it down upon the table with a bang. Then
instantaneously conceiving his mistake, he laid his hands over it in the
act of blessing.

"Never!" he said firmly and solemnly, with ever deepening inflection of
tone, "never! never!"

"It is a measure that might be avoided," conceded the Prime Minister.
"The alternative is before you. We have made you our offer."

"You have offered," said the Archbishop, "an alternative which I am not
able to discuss. Roman Catholicism a