“These were the three ladies who were refused communion by you at, as I understood, the mid-day Celebration, which now turns out to be what you call the children’s Eucharist.”

“It is perfectly true, my lord,” Father Rowley admitted, “that on Sunday week three women did present themselves from a neighbouring parish.”

“Ah, they were not parishioners?”

“Certainly not, my lord.”

“Which is a point in your favour.”

“Throughout the service they sat looking through opera-glasses at Snaith who was officiating, and greatly scandalizing the children, who are not used to such behaviour in church.”

“Such behaviour was certainly most objectionable,” the Bishop agreed.

“I happened to be sitting at the back of the church, thinking out my sermon, and their behaviour annoyed me so much that I sent for the sacristan to go and order a cab.  I then went up and whispered to them that inasmuch as they were strangers it would be better if they went and made their Communion in the next parish where the service would be more lenient to their theory of worship.  I took one of them by the arm, led her gently down the aisle and out into the street, and handed her into the cab.  Her two companions followed her; I paid the cabman; and that was the end of the matter.”

The Bishop lay back on the pillows and thought for a moment or two in silence.

“Yes,” he said finally, “I think that in this case you were justified.  At the same time your justification by the Book of Common Prayer lay in the fact that these women did not give you notice beforehand of their intention to communicate.  I think I must insist that in future you make some arrangement with your workers and helpers to secure the requisite minimum of communicants for every celebration.  Personally, I think six on a Sunday and four on a week-day far too many.  I think the repetition has a tendency to cheapen the Sacrament.”

“By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,” Father Rowley quoted from the Epistle to the Hebrews.

“Yes, yes, I know,” said the Bishop.  “But I wish you wouldn’t drag in these texts.  They really have nothing whatever to do with the point in question.  Please realize, Mr. Rowley, that I allow you a great deal of latitude at St. Agnes’ because I am aware of what a great influence for good you have been among these poor people.”

“Your lordship has always been consideration itself.”

“If that be your opinion, I want you to obey my ruling in this small matter.  I am continually being involved in correspondence on your account with Vigilance Societies of the type of the Protestant Alliance, and I shall give myself the pleasure of answering their complaints without at the same time not, as I hope, impeding your splendid work.  I wish also, if God allows me to leave this bed again, to take the next Confirmation in St. Agnes’ myself.