Ons of the meetings soon, no doubt, to be held, to which the public look forward with exceptional interest, is that of the Cathedral subscribers. At present the state of affairs in connec. tion with Yeinity Cathedral manent, and therefore unsatisfactory. We have a Bishop, an Archdeacon, and an excellent Minister-in-charge; but the Dean is absent, and no one in Shang. hai appears to know whether he intends to return or not. In view of the appreriching annual meeting it is neces. sary that some definite steps should be taken without nny farther delay, and we have every reason to lope that the Trustees will come prepared with a well-considered scheme, calculated to put an end to the present condition of uncertainty and discontent. It is, we fear, impossible to close our eyes to the fact that Dean Butcher has acted in ® manner which has caused pain and disappointment to his friends, He has failed to answer the urgent applications, telegraphic and epistolary, which have reached him from Shanghai; pleaded for extensions of leave on the ground of delicate health; avowed his extreme anxiety and intention to return as soon as possible, at times when he was credited by other ramours with having expressed his horror at the bare iden of ever residing in Shanghai again; and, dually, in let-lers commencing with the assurance that he was going to set all doubts at rest, he has left his Correspondents as much in the dark as ever, These communications from the Dean remind one of the time-honoured practice of professional conjurors. "Now I am going to show you how this trick is done, Observe me carefully, and you will detect it at once." Of course the trick is not revealed; and no more are the intentions of the Dean, There is, however, one point about which there can be no question; and this will serve as ground on which the subscribers may base their future policy, It is perfectly clear that the Dean does not wish to return to China, If he did, he would not have taxed the patience of his congregation as far as he has taxed it, nor would he have run the risk of his position being filled up, To put it more plainly still: had the Dean really wished to return, he would have taken core that no misundorstanding should exist upon the point; his communications would have been more candid, and therefore more consi" derate. That the Dean's loss will be severely felt by his many friends goes without saying. Hoe endeared himeelf to most of us by his genial manners, his ready sympathy, and his charm. ing conversation. Even those who were most apt to spank cynically of the depth of the Dean's feelings acknowledged the attractions of his compnuionship. So thoroughly was he identified with the place he lived in that one often heard it said Shanghai is not Shanghai without the Dau." Woe do not think it possible that Shang. hai as ® community can part with Dean Butcher without a pang; and we have no doubt that, if questioned upon the subject, Dean Butcher would readily assert that it cost him an equally pang to part with Shanghai. It is very likely just this reluctance that has made him so ambiguous in his correspondence touching his return; he could not make up his mind to break the old ties all at once, but preferred goutly unloosing them by degrees. Now, however, that the severance has been made—for we do not see how, under the circumstances, this can be denied—it behoves us to recognise the fact, and act upon accordingly. It is possible that the majority of our readers imagine that what they have to do now is to elect another pastor, Such would, doubt be the method of procedure in a None covformist Chapel, conducted on the Congregational principle, But we are apt to forget that the Cathedral sub. scribers are not Congregational seuters, but members of the Oluroh of England; that the cathedralsbip of the charch they worship in is recognised at home, Dr. Batcher having been "gazetted" og Dean in the regular and ordinary way; and that according to the practice of the establishment it is the Bishop who appoints, and not the congregation that elects, the incumbent to any vacant living. There la no doubt something very agreeable in feeling that the world is now before us,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.