distinguishing a feature in the English character: but the case is altered, when account is taken of the spirit of the present age; which is confessedly disposed to regard points of religious belief with indifference, to sacrifice the interests of truth to notions of temporary convenience, and to indulge in a restless and intemperate desire of novelty and change.

"Under these circumstances, it has appeared expedient to members of the Church, in various parts of the kingdom, to form themselves into an association on a few broad principles of union, which are calculated from their simplicity to recommend themselves to the approbation and support of Churchmen at large, and which may serve as the grounds of a defence of the Church's best interests against the immediate difficulties of the present day. They feel strongly, that no fear of the appearance of forwardness on their part should dissuade them from a design, which seems to be demanded of them by their affection towards that spiritual community, to which they owe their hopes of the world to come, and by a sense of duty to that God and Saviour who is its Founder and Defender. And they adopt this method of respectfully inviting their brethren, both clergy and laity, to take part in their undertaking.

"Objects of the Association.

"1. To maintain pure and inviolate the doctrines, the services, and the discipline of the Church; that is, to withstand all change, which involves the denial and suppression of doctrine, a departure from primitive practice in religious offices, or innovation upon the apostolical prerogatives, order, and commission of bishops, priests, and deacons.

"2. To afford Churchmen an opportunity of exchanging their sentiments, and co-operating together on a large scale."

It is right to state, (which is done on Mr. Newman's authority,) that Mr. Froude disapproved of these suggestions, because he was strongly against any society or association other than the Church itself: which objection, striking many others with like force, occasioned the idea of any such association to be speedily relinquished: only the necessity for increased exertions, in their several legitimate stations and limits, was felt and responded to by the bulk of those to whom the appeal was made.

II.

As eight years have elapsed since the address, above referred to, was signed by the clergy, it may be interesting to many of them to know the terms in which it was expressed. The following is a copy of it, as circulated among the clergy for their subscription: :

"To the Most Rev. Father in God, William, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England.

"We, the undersigned clergy of England and Wales, are desirous of approaching your Grace with the expression of our veneration for the sacred office to which by Divine Providence you have been called, of our respect and affection for your personal character and virtues, and of our gratitude for the firmness and discretion which you have evinced in a season of peculiar difficulty and danger.

“At a time, when events are daily passing before us which mark the growth of latitudinarian sentiments, and the ignorance which prevails concerning the spiritual claims of the Church, we are especially anxious to lay before your Grace the assurance of our devoted adherence to the apostolical doctrine and polity of the Church over which you preside, and of which we are ministers; and our deep-rooted attachment to that venerable Liturgy, in which she has embodied, in the language of ancient piety, the orthodox and primitive faith.

"And while we most earnestly deprecate that restless desire of change which would rashly innovate in spiritual matters, we are not less solicitous to declare our firm conviction, that should any thing, from the lapse of years or altered circumstances, require renewal or correction, your Grace, and our other spiritual rulers, may rely upon the cheerful co-operation and dutiful support of the clergy, in carrying into effect any measures that may tend to revive the discipline of ancient times, to strengthen the connection between the bishops, clergy, and people, and to promote the purity, the efficiency, and the unity of the Church."

CHAPTER III.

Some account of the Churchman's Manuul.

No inconsiderable portion of our time at the Conference at Hadleigh was occupied in revising the Tract entitled “The Churchman's Manual.” As this was the first "Tract" systematically put forth to meet the exigencies of “the Times;” as its preparation apparently gave rise to the series known by that designation; and as it is the only Tract, which was submitted to and received the approval of all immediately concerned in promoting the Theological Movement of 1833, it will be at once interesting, and not without importance, to annex it to the foregoing statement. And as the care bestowed upon the preparation of that Tract, probably, exceeds that which any other Theological publication in the English communion has received for a very long time, an account of it will not be undeserving of record, for those who are interested in ecclesiastical matters. It will serve also to show, that the foundation of the Movement in 1833—with which only the late Mr. Rose was connected—was laid with all the care and circumspection that reason could well suggest; and thus much is due to his memory.

The object of "The Churchman's Manual" was to supply a defect in the public instruction of the Church, which in other times has been the subject of lament among her sons; namely, by affording information as to the source and grounds of the authority by which the ministers of God act, in speaking in God's name, and in administering the Sacraments on His behalf: that is to say, whether the authority is from Heaven, or of men? and if from Heaven, by what channel conveyed? It is true that in the preamble to the Ordination service, and in her Articles,—and especially when these are compared with one another, and taken together,—all this is plainly and undeniably stated; but as the body of the people are not generally instructed in either of these formularies, unless the ministers themselves supply the instruction otherwise, the people will remain ignorant of these things: their attention to and value for the clergy will then rest either upon the countenance of the civil power, or upon old associations, and not upon religious principle. The consequence

of which will be, that in all times of disturbance, when the force of old associations is interrupted, and especially whenever the civil power lends itself to oppress and degrade the clergy, the people will be under great temptation of departing from the truth, and violating scriptural injunctions, and making and fomenting schisms; and so running themselves into a variety of sins and offences, which, for the most part, might be avoided, if the truths contained in the preamble to the Ordination service, and in the 23rd and 26th Articles, formed part of the ordinary catechetical instruction of the young. The little Tract, in short, was, as its original title specified," designed as a supplementary Catechism for the use of the members of the Church." The hope was, to produce such a manual, as might commend itself to the sanction of the rulers of our Church in its several branches, at home, in Scotland, and in America; and might, eventually, assist in communication with other portions of the Church, those in Sweden, and in the East especially; and might also, under the Divine blessing, influence the non-episcopal communities, both at home and abroad.

The publication was commenced in the early part of 1833, and by the end of April was advanced far enough to be submitted to the revision of others. The first who was applied to for this purpose was the late Rev. Hugh James Rose, as eminent a theologian as any whom Cambridge contained; and next, by his encouragement and advice, application was made to a no less distinguished theologian of the University of Oxford, the Rev. W. Palmer, author of the " Origines Liturgicæ." Both these lent their valuable aid with the frankness, good will, and zeal, which might be expected from them.

I will give in this place Mr. Rose's first answer to the request which was made for his advice, and his last notice of the Manual when published.

The first has no date, but the post-mark is "Hadleigh, April 29, 1833."

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Most gladly shall I receive and read the letters on Dissent of which you speak, and I can speak with confidence of my friend Palmer having as much pleasure as myself in being of any use to you in so important a matter.

“LET me thank you, in my own name, for 50 copies of the Catechism, of which I have dispersed some to-day, and as a Churchman for the pains you

have taken with this most useful work.

"Yours ever,

"H. J. ROSE."

I will give, also, Mr. Palmer's answer to the application for his assistance. His letter is dated

"Beaumont Street, Oxford, May 23, 1833.

"DEAR SIR, "IN complying with the wish you have done me the honor to express, I am happy to have an opportunity of expressing the real gratification I have derived from the perusal of the paper which Mr. Rose forwarded to me, and which I return to you at his desire. Such instructions as are found there are greatly called for in these times, and it is most gratifying to find that there are men both able and willing to give them. Happy would it have been for us if the circumstances of former times had permitted the introduction of such lessons into our Church Catechism; but the just jealousy of Popery, and the controversies of the times, have impeded many good things. We are labouring under a deficiency in first principles, which such a Catechism would have supplied. But it is never too late to sow the good seed,—at least, for those to whom the interests of futurity are as dear as those of the present.

"Believe me, dear Sir,

"Your faithful and obliged Servant,
"WILLIAM PALMER."

Much about the same time application was made to Rev. W. F. Hook, then Rector of Trinity, Coventry, whose first letter on the subject, containing some useful suggestions, is dated "Coventry, Whitsunday, [May 26] 1833.”

Having thus secured the assistance and co-operation of men who might be regarded as adequate representatives of the best theology in England, the next step was to obtain assistance from Scotland; the distance of America, and the uncertainty of communication, rendering it vain to apply there. Accordingly, application upon the subject was made to the venerable Bishop of Edinburgh, Dr. Walker, who received it with the greatest possible kindness, and evinced by his letter the deep interest which he took in the undertaking. His letter is dated

"SIR,

"22, Stafford-street, Edinburgh, "16th July, 1833.

"I AM exceedingly interested in the information which you have kindly conveyed to me, respecting your proposed supplementary catechism, and I most earnestly pray you God speed in the name of the Lord. The constitution of the Church is of much more importance than men in general are disposed to acknowledge. The Church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth, and that which for such a purpose has been established will doubtless be preserved. It were easy to show, by a reference to incontrovertible facts, how much the very outward form and constitution of the Church has, by God's blessing, contributed to the preservation of essential truth. The