It has of late been almost taken for granted that the Anglo-Catholic movement within the Church of England was in danger of forfeiting its claim to scholarship. The early Tractarians from whom the movement began had left names like Keble, Newman, Pusey, which might almost overawe into silence the men whom their genius organized into a school of action rather than of thought. On the other hand, the stalwarts of Biblical exegesis—Hort, Westcott, Light-foot—had captured a position in the world of scholars which few could rival. Moreover, to the credit of the Anglo-Catholics it may be said that, scorning academic delight, they have lived laborious days, often in the slums of England or the poverty of foreign missions, building up the ‘Catholic Church of England’ ; which is not yet, but is to be. Much of the reason why the scholarly output of recent Anglo-Catholics has not equalled the old is written in Fr. Knox’s pathetic words of introduction : ‘For my impertinence in presenting to the public a book on such a subject, which has been composed for the most part in the intervals of parochial work in London, I can only offer my humblest apologies.’

The modern scholar is to be seen or felt in every page of this work written against the overwhelming odds of a London parish. So high a level of conscientious scholarship is reached that even those who find themselves in disagreement with many of his views must find themselves in admiration of the dogged zeal which has packed his book with toil and thought.