Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/160

Rh he contributed several articles by request to the Revue Anglo-Romaine, one of which in particular made an excellent impression abroad, and won a high eulogium from the Abbé Duchesne for its tone and solid argument, although it traversed several opinions recently published by the Abbé. Several of his speeches and pamphlets on important occasions have been issued by the Publications Committee.

Mr Roberts vouchsafed the interview on the occasion of one of his flying visits to London and at a time when other engagements pressed heavily. To begin with, it was but natural to discuss the circumstances which called the E.C.U. into existence.

“Whatever people may say against the E.C.U.,” Mr Roberts observed, with a smile, “it must be acknowledged, I should suppose, that its existence as a species is scientifically accurate—quite Darwinian, in fact. It is, indeed, a beautiful and instructive illustration of the great naturalist's law of ‘natural selection,’ and, happily, there are no ‘missing links.’ The ‘primordial form’ is to be found in the Bristol Church Union, created in 1844. Other similar unions were gradually established four or five years later in different parts of the country. The Bristol Church Union was founded in consequence of the alarm felt with regard to the Educational policy of the Liberal party, which threatened to