^^J^%. 
 
 ',. ^A.ir^: 
 
 
 :r><t 
 
 .f ." 
 
 ^^^, 
 
 >• A-' --- "'>vyv.^ 
 
 ^l^:*;;t 
 
 :- ■•• .-i-'-fS,:--' 
 
 )ys^ 
 
 '•\ . 

 
 I B RARY 
 OF THE 
 U N 1 VLRSITY 
 or ILLINOIS
 
 PASTORAL LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CLERGY AND LAITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DIOCESE OF LINCOLN; 
 
 BY 
 
 CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH, D.D., 
 
 BISHOP OF LINCOLN. 
 
 RIVINGTONS, WATERLOO PLACE. 
 
 Lincoln : 
 
 JAMES WILLIAMSON. 
 1869.
 
 A PASTORAL LETTER. 
 
 My Brethren of the Clergy and the Laity, 
 
 I am happy to be able to inform you that Her Majesty's 
 Government, with the advice of His Grace the Archbishop 
 of this Province, has signified to me its readiness to comply 
 with my request for the appointment of a Suffragan Bishop 
 of this Diocese. 
 
 I need hardly remind you of the reasons for which this 
 request was made. 
 
 The Diocese of Lincoln is the most extensive of all the 
 Dioceses of England but one, and it contains about 1,000 
 Clergy ; and in the words of my revered Predecessor, " If a 
 Bishop of Lincoln desired to visit all the Parishes in the 
 Diocese, and to spend a Sunday in each, it would take him 
 fifteen years to make the circuit." 
 
 Consequently at our Lay Conference held at Lincoln, 
 on Thursday, July 29th, it was unanimously agreed, that 
 in default of the Subdivision of the Diocese it was desirable 
 that a Suffragan should be appointed. 
 
 I hope it may be distinctly understood that I do not 
 regard the appointment of a Suffragan as a measure equally 
 beneficial with the division of this Diocese, and the erection 
 of an independent See for the County of Nottingham ; but 
 inasmuch as the appointment of a Suffragan requires no new 
 Legislation, but may be effected at once by means of a Statute 
 already in force, and inasmuch as such an appointment will, I 
 believe, be found eventually to be the most effectual means for 
 the attainment of what we all regard as a necessary end, the
 
 Subdivision of tliis vast Diocese, I therefore feel very grate- 
 ful to Her Majesty's Government for tlieir ready concurrence 
 and co-operation in a measure wliicli I earnestly hope and 
 pray may, with the Divine Blessing, be not only productive of 
 great spiritual benefit to our own Diocese, but be marked as 
 a new era in the history of the Church of England. 
 
 I rejoice also to have this opportunity of thanking you 
 publicly, my dear friends, for the very many and great 
 kindnesses that I have received at your hands since my 
 consecration to the See of Lincoln. May God's blessing be 
 with you ! 
 
 I am, 
 Your faithful Servant in Christ, 
 
 C. LINCOLN. 
 
 Postscript. 
 
 Let me be allowed to add here one word on another 
 topic. I date this on November 8th, and I am reminded 
 that on the 8th of next month an event will probably occur, 
 which, accordingly as it is treated by ourselves, may be 
 either overruled for great good, or be fraught with great 
 evil ; I refer to the meeting of the Council, — erroneously 
 called (Ecumenical, — in St. Peter's Church, at Rome, on that 
 day. I earnestly hope that the Clergy of this Diocese will 
 either on that day, or on the Sunday following, avail them- 
 selves of this event as an opportunity for reminding the 
 people in their sermons, what the true character and position 
 of the Church of England is, as protesting against the errors, 
 novelties, corruptions, and usurpations of the Papal Cliurch, 
 and as solemnly bound to do this, because she desires, and is 
 resolved, God helping her, to be a faithful Witness of all 
 Scriptural and Catholic Truth, as taught by Christ and His 
 holy Apostles, and as received by the Primitive Cliurch. 
 
 can 
 
 V
 
 jr- 
 
 ikT«"5V\Tref'^i'-c-''^/lA/. •, 1'^'^"' 
 
 '^S''^