[ Rev. Edward G. Falconer, vicar of Old Newton: printed attack on 'the Archbishops and Bishops who preside over the Church to-day'. ] An Open Letter to His Majesty the King on the Appalling and Distressing State of The Church of England.'

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Title in large type on first page and text on central two pages. Taking as his text Isaiah LVI, 10 and 11, Falconer begins: 'May it please your Majesty, As a Church of England Clergyman for over 50 years endeavouring through the power and grace of God to uphold by a blameless life and faithful aggressive Ministry the precious foundation truths for which our martyred forefathers laid down their lives, I venture to plead on behalf of the Loyal Clergy and Laity who sigh and cry for the abominations which are degrading the Church of England even to the dust.' He rails against 'the iniquity of the Archbishops and Bishops who preside over the Church to-day', considering that 'not since the reign of Queen Elizabeth has there been a Bench of Bishops so completely out of sympathy with the teachings and practices of the Protestant Reformed Church'. He lays out seven 'indictments' against 'the Episcopate', with reference to a 'Sunday Cinema Bill', neglect of the church schools, and the discarding of 'the Episcopal dress of the Reformers'. The last indictment reads: 'Shamefully recommending at the Lambeth Conference under certain circumstances the shocking practice of "Birth Control" which is clearly and severely condemned by the teaching of the Word of God.' Another source of Falconer's outrage is those bishops who 'encourage the use of the Deposited Prayer Book twice rejected by Parliament'. Scarce: no copies recorded on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. Lambeth Palace possesses a similar item, published by Falconer in 1928, relating to 'Prayer Book revision'.