Pièce 130 - Letter from William Miall to Henry Sidgwick

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Apologises for the delay in writing, to which he attributes his 'desire to obtain some manual' that would contain the information sought by Sidgwick. Reports that his enquiries have been fruitless, however. Sends Dr Angus's '"[ ] Churches"' and the '"[Declaratine]" he issued by the Congregational Union' [neither included]. Refers also to Dr Halley's '"Congregational Lectures" on "The Sacraments"' and mentions that chapter nine in Volume II is on '"[Communicants] at the Lord's Supper"'. Offers to send the volume to HS. Does not believe that among all the Independent and Baptist Churches in [England], their 'case occurs in a year in which a church excludes or withdraws from a member on account of change of sentiment.' Remarks that such changes of sentiment are generally tolerated, 'in some cases from motives of Charity, in others from attachment to the person of the "heretic" and indisposition to sacrifice his support', and when a person leaves the church it is usually voluntarily. Suggests that there are some 'Churches of [ ] Calvinistic [ ]' whose practice would be different.