Transcribed from the 1850 William Pickering edition by DavidPrice,
A LETTER
TO THE
REV. WILLIAM MASKELL, A.M.
BY
THE REV. MAYOW WYNELL MAYOW,A.M.
VICAR OF MARKET LAVINGTON,WILTS,
AND LATE STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH,OXFORD.
HOW FAR THEJUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL
COMMITS THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND BY ITSDECISION,
EVEN ALLOWING IT TO HAVE
JURISDICTION IN POINTS
OF DOCTRINE.
Second Edition.
LONDON:
WILLIAM PICKERING.
1850.
In these “last days,”in which “perilous times” have “come,” itseems a duty, to be somewhat less nice and scrupulous as to anycharge of presumption or lack of modesty to which a man may layhimself open by making known his thoughts upon the great matterswhich now agitate us, than would be the case at anothertime. One whose name will add no weight to any thing he maysay, might well shrink under ordinary circumstances fromcommenting upon your recent letter, and appear, even to himself,over-bold in supposing he can add any thing to the views thereinexpounded. But the very pain with which we approach thesetopics is some warrant to express our thoughts; inasmuch as itis, I think, something of a guarantee that whatever is said, willbe, at any rate, not said lightly. Most heartily do Idesire to adopt and echo your words “that the enquiry onwhich we are all engaged is far too great to admit of anypersonal consideration; and our aim is not to win a victory, orto prove that we ourselves are in the right, but to discover thetruth, and point it out to others.”
If then I imagine a line of argument tending to elucidate thistruth, has been partially overlooked in the expression of yourviews, I trust I shall stand excused, both by yourself and anyothers who may read p.4this letter, from the charge of a too great boldness inwriting it. The crisis and exigence of the time is, as itappears to me, too great to allow us to stand upon niceties, orpermit any thing to be kept back which may even by possibility befound of service in indicating the line of duty.
Let me, however, here say in the very outset, I am not by anymeans about to attempt an answer to your letter; a task for whichI am, in the first place, not qualified, and in the second place,not disposed. I feel the difficulties you bring forward toomuch myself to be prepared to ignore them, though I will not sayI go with you in the whole of the positions you are concerned toestablish. But it is became I feel the pressure ofmany of them so strongly; because, much as the names ofMr. Keble and of many who take the same line of argument withhim, are to be revered, nevertheless, I am at a loss to make upmy mind that they have established an unassailable position indenying the competency and authority of t