Six Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Halifax'), and one secretarial letter, from Charles Lindley Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax ('Lord Halifax') to Canon Edward James Russell, regarding the English Church Union and the evils of 'Undenominationalism'.

The seven letters total 23pp, 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The third letter, written from Hickleton on 7 January 1907, is in a secretarial hand, Halifax being 'laid up with Influenza' and 'utterly good for nothing'; it carries an autograph postscript by Russell at the head of the first page. The first letter (14 July 1900) invites Russell to fill the 'vacancy on the list of Clerical members of our E.C.U. Council'; Russell's acceptance is acknowledged in the second, which also discusses charges of 'disloyalty'. The third letter (7 January 1907) refers to 'the battle [...] on the Education question', which has 'only just begun [...] I think we want to construct a policy for ourselves, & if possible, carry the war into the enemy's country'. A week later, Halifax discusses a conference in Manchester, which he would like to attend, despite not feeling 'up to speaking at a public meeting'. The letter includes a two-page statement concerning Halifax's position on 'Undenominationalism' ('as ever the enemy'). Halifax has written to the Bishop of Manchester on the subject of education, and feels that 'we ought for one thing to insist that those who want Cowper Temple teaching should pay for it - just as it now seems to be admitted by every one that denominationalists have to pay for their own denominational teaching'. Halifax asks for Russell's and Canon Cleworth's views on the question, and the next two letters concern an attempt to arrange a meeting to discuss it, with reference to 'good' resolutions in Convocation. In the last letter (19 January 1908) Halifax states that he has been talking to 'Mr Hall' about 'the matter in question', and that, while 'he could not of course pledge the Union to any constitution [...] he feels - as much as I do - and as you express in your letter, how entirely the object is one which the Union ought to help'.