laam was not in the Church, yet he was an inspired prophet; we remember, that Jethro also, the father-in-law of Moses, though not a proselyte to Israel (and the Church at that time was confined to the Israelites), was yet a servant of God; we remember, that the Rechabites were actually commended by God at the very time he passed censure upon those who were then his Church-the people of Israel. Remembering all this, we say not that other denominations of Christians are cast out from the mercy of God through the Saviour, because they belong not to the Church; all that we say is, that it does not follow that these concessions must render void the divine appointments of the Church, the divine command to all nations, and of course to all mankind, to be united with it, or the Scriptural evidence for Episcopacy as the divinely sanctioned organization of its ministry—and we contend, that a treasure having been committed to us, we are not to undervalue it, lest we should offend others, but are to preserve it in its purity, and in all its integrity to transmit it to our children and our children's children. And let me ask, is not the privilege of belonging to a Church thus orthodox in its doctrine, and true by descent, thus both Catholic and Protestant, a privilege for which we should be deeply grateful to the providence and grace of God? And will not the account we shall have to render be awful, if we neglect, despise, or forego the advantages thus placed within our reach? Let us ever remember, that the primary object for which the Church was instituted by Christ, its Author and Finisher, and for which the Apostolical succession of its ministers was established, that the primary object for which through ages of persecution, and ages of prosperity, and ages of darkness, and ages of corruption, and ages of reformation, and ages of latitudinarianism, and now in an age of rebuke and blasphemy-now, when we have fallen on evil days and evil tongues—the primary object for which the Church has still been preserved by a providential care, marvellous sometimes, if not miraculous in our eyes, was and is to convey supernaturally the saving merits of the atoning blood of the Lamb of God, and the sanctifying graces of his Holy Spirit to the believer's soul. In the Church it is that the appointed means are to be found by which that mysterious union with Christ is promoted, in which our spiritual life consists; in her it is that the third Person of the blessed Trinity abideth for ever, gradually to change the heart of sinful man, and to make that flesh which he finds stone; gradually to prepare us for heaven, while our ascended Saviour is preparing heaven for us. And oh! my brethren, what a privilege it is to have this well of living waters in which you may wash and be clean! You know that you are sinful creatures, very far gone from righteousness: you know that your condition is such that you cannot turn and prepare yourselves by your own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God; you know that by nature you cannot love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and strength; you cannot discharge the various duties of your various situations in life; you know that whatever your condition now may be, the hour must come of affliction and sorrow, of sickness and sadness, the inevitable hour of death; and the Church is instituted to convey to you pardon upon your repentance, and grace in time of need; it is instituted to instruct you in your ignorance, to comfort you in your sorrows, to elevate you in your devotions, to bring you into communion with your Saviour, your Sanctifier, your God; to prepare you for the hour of death, yea, for the day of judgment: and this she chiefly does through the sacraments of the gospel, and the other divinely appointed ordinances of religion, if of them you will but avail yourselves. But this is not all while the Church thus ministers grace to individuals, it is part of her business to preserve, hand down, and proclaim the truth, the whole truth, as it is in Jesus. And our duty, therefore, it is-especially if we happen by God's Providence to be called to situations of influence, rank, or authority-by all the means in our power to increase her efficiency in this respect, to place her on the watch-tower, that her voice may be heard through the length and the breadth of the land; our duty it is, to take care that her faith be preserved intact and pure; our duty it is, to vindicate her from the glosses of ignorance, and the mîsrepresentations of prejudice and malice; our duty it is, clearly to define, and zealously to maintain those peculiar doctrines, and that peculiar discipline, which have always marked, and do still continue to mark, the distinctions between the Church of Christ, administered under the superintendence of chief pastors or bishops, who have regularly succeeded to the Apostles, from those sects of Christianity which exist under self-appointed teachers. Against the Church the world seems at this time to be set in array. To be a true and faithful member of the Church, requires no little moral courage. Basely to pretend to belong to her while designing mischief against her in the heart, this is easy enough; but manfully to contend for her, because she is the Church, a true Church, a pure Church, a holy Church, this is difficult to those who court the praise of men, or fear the censure of the world. May the great God of Heaven, may Christ the great Bishop and Shepherd of souls, who is over all things in the Church, put it, my brethren, into your hearts and minds to say and feel (as I do), "As for me and my house, we will live in the Church, we will die in the Church, and if need shall be, like our martyred forefathers, we will die for the Church." Correspondence. To the Editor of The Churchman. SIR, By inserting the following Address in the pages of your valuable Magazine, you will much oblige, Yours, faithfully, W. B. 66 VALEDICTORY ADDRESS OF THE DEPUTATION FROM THE CHURCH IN UPPER CANADA. HAVING been deputed, with the Rev. Benjamin Cronyn, by the Church in Upper Canada, "to make known to the Archbishops, Bishops, and Dignitaries of the "United Church of England and Ireland, the destitute state of her members in the Canadas, and, with their permission, to take such steps as might be found most "expedient to interest our brethren, both of the Clergy and Laity, in our favour, and "excite in their hearts a desire, as they have the ability, to assist us in supplying the spiritual wants of our people, and in building up a branch of the United Church "in those extensive provinces; "—and being now on the eve of my return, it will not, I trust, appear inopportune, briefly to state the results of our mission: From The lamented indisposition and subsequent demise of our beloved Bishop (of Quebec) rendered a direct communication with his Grace the Primate indispensably necessary to our proceedings. I have felt it my duty to maintain uninterrupted that communication, by transmitting to his Grace copies of every letter of importance which I have either written or received. It is scarcely necessary to say that his Grace has unceasingly manifested the liveliest interest in our cause. the other Archbishops, and from many of the Bishops, we have received similar assurances of sympathy, and full permission to preach and hold public meetings in their dioceses. We have presented our humble memorial to our most gracious Sovereign the Queen. To the Imperial Legislature our petition for relief has been submitted, which in the House of Peers gave rise to an animated and interesting discussion. With her Majesty's Government I have used every legitimate effort to procure a Bishop, and some alleviation to our spiritual wants. We have brought the state of our Church personally under the attention of about two thousand of our Clergy, and one uniform expression of interest has been the result. The Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin have given public proof of their persuasion that the prosperity of the colonial members of the Church is necessary to the well-being of the national Zion. The members of both Houses of Parliament have been supplied with a copy of the "History of the Church in Upper Canada ;” and from many I have received unequivocal testimony that the subject is considered by them as worthy of most serious consideration. Several members of both Houses have openly espoused the interests of our deserted Zion. Many of the first newspapers and periodicals in the land have directly, and ably, and gratuitously advocated our cause, given publicity to our proceedings, and drawn attention to our printed statements. About three thousand copies of our "History" have been circulated, and nearly two hundred thousand Appeals. We have preached and held public meetings in more than one half the dioceses in England, and have travelled little less than six thousand miles. From many of the places we have visited petitions have been presented to Parliament. I have now openings in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucester, Wilts, Hants, Surrey, Berks, Warwick, Suffolk, Lincoln, and York; in other words, abundant occupation for another year: but I am induced to decline any further vroceedings for reasons which appear conclusive to my own mind: First, I believe that the great object of our mission has been attained; information has been circulated, and the public attention has been consequently drawn to our destitute state. Relief, therefore, cannot long be delayed. Secondly, The "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" has taken up the cause of the British North American Church in good earnest, has pledged itself to send out forty Missionaries; is now occupied in holding meetings, and sending preachers throughout the country; and, as I understand, purposes to employ a Clerical Secretary in every diocese, in order, that by a systematic parochial arrangement, the energies of the Church may be called into action. No real lover of his Church can read the published account of the proceedings at Willis's Rooms, in June last, without unfeigned gratitude to God for the prospect of a speedy alleviation to our Colonial destitution. (I cannot refrain from remarking here, on a most unaccountable mis-statement which has been put into the Bishop of London's Speech, viz., that we, in Upper Canada, "have already built three hundred and sixty churches, at an expense of £200 each.' I have written, and preached, and printed, and pleaded, that WE WANT that number of Churches. Such an error ought not to have appeared under the authority of the Society). I should fear now, under this altered and most encouraging position of the Society, lest the prosecution of my individual labours in England might be interpreted into an interference with the plans of the Society. Thirdly, It is now certain that a "Queen's letter" has been granted for collections in all Churches and Chapels the proceeds to be distributed by the " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel." About a year ago I made a most urgent appeal to his Grace the Primate to obtain such a letter for Upper Canada exclusively. We shall doubtless have our share in the national bounty, and therefore it might not be considered expedient to anticipate, by my own private efforts, this public appeal. Fourthly, The "Upper Canada Clergy Society" having now various auxiliaries and agencies in the country, which, if diligently visited by their newly-appointed Clerical Secretary, will be strengthened and increased, we may, certainly, conclude that an augmentation of funds will procure for Upper Canada a permanent accession to the present number of the Missionaries employed by the Society in that province. Fifthly,-My own flock in Upper Canada have reiterated the expression of their desire, that I should return to my labours amongst them. They have patiently endured an absence of eighteen months: and few parishes in England could have more cheerfully sacrificed to the public good, the ministrations of their appointed pastor. On taking leave of our numberless friends in England, I may be permitted briefly to place before them, and the public generally, the actual state of spiritual destitution of Britain's population in Upper Canada, the vast majority of which are of the poorer classes, and consequently utterly unable to procure spiritual instruction for themselves. Upper Canada is equal in extent to England and Wales, and is partially inhabited throughout this entire extent of country. The roads are always bad, and frequently almost impassable. The population exceeds 500,000. The efficient Clergy (I say efficient, for many have spent their years and strength in their "labour of love") amount to about sixty. To judge aright of our destitution, it may be necessary to speak of England's spiritual riches. The population of England may be estimated at fourteen millions, and the Clergy at fifteen thousand. Assuming the facilities of communication to be equal in both countries, our proportion of Clergymen, according to the relative state of the population of the two countries, should be six hundred. We have, therefore, sixty attempting in a sphere occupied in England by fifteen thousand, to do the work of six hundred. Or thus: take away thirteen thousand five hundred Clergymen from the Church of England, and then would the destitution here be equal to that which our fellow-countrymen and fellow-churchmen are enduring in Upper Canada. These are very plain but very appalling facts. Ought these things so to be? Let the Church in England distinctly say No! I ventured to suggest and urge on the attention of the Clergy and Laity of the Church, the absolute necessity of forwarding petitions to the Imperial Legislature. One may be expected from Upper Canada. The Universities of the land will, doubtless, take the lead. Let every town and congregation follow the example. We need a Bishop. No Bishop.no Church. Is it right that the Romish Church should have a Bishop and Priests maintained at the public expense in Upper Canada, where their followers form but a small fraction of the population, and that encouragement should be given to various sectaries in the province, while, to our National Church the right and privilege of a Bishop should be distinctly refused? I know we have one Bishop in Lower Canada; but is he sufficient to take the Episcopal charge of a country 1,400 miles in length, three times the size of England, and containing a population of 1,100,000 souls? We need assistance in the maintenance of ministers, the restoration of the grant to the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel," and an annual grant for clearing portions of the "Clergy Reserves," for glebes, as the growing wants of the colony require. Let Christian England be reminded, even by every hamlet, of its high and holy duty to provide for the spiritual instruction of its subjects, to the remotest boundary of its possessions. Let all remember, that the evil we complain of is continually increasing. In every petition let the prayer be strongly expressed that the Imperial Parliament would forthwith proceed to the settlement of the question of the "Clergy Reserves” because so long as the subject remains in its present state there can be no peace in the province because the Legislative Council have unanimously and repeatedly deprecated the agitation of the question in the province, and a large minority in the House of Assembly have constantly dissented from the method of disposal proposed by the majority, and because the Imperial Legislature alone can definitively decide the question. The public need only read the Act (31 Geo. III. c. 31, § 35, 42) to be persuaded, that to the Clergy of the Church of England alone these lands belong. I am prepared also to show from the correspondence of the Government of the day, with General Simcoe, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province, that such was the only construction of the act then thought of. Let no "appropriation clause" be forced upon us. The Bishopric of Sodor and Man was saved by petitions. It was my intention, had I remained in England, to have published at the opening of the next session of Parliament, a form of petition embracing these several objects, but I am persuaded these suggestions will be abundantly sufficient. In conclusion, may I be permitted to express the hope that some of my brethren in the Ministry, who, in our personal interviews have exhibited the most lively sympathy in our need, will be led to offer themselves as labourers in this most deserted portion of the Lord's vineyard. How thankful should I be to renew our intercourse in Upper Canada, and to assist them by my experience of the country, in entering on the sphere appointed for their future ministrations. May the great Head of the Church inspire the members of his body here with the spirit of sympathy and love towards His destitute members in our Colonies. London, September 12th, 1838. W. BETTRIDGE, B.D., Rector of Woodstock, Upper Canada. TYRANNY AMONG THE DISSENTERS. SIR,I am a constant reader of The Churchman, and admire it much; your exposure of the Dissenters I cannot find fault with; although I am a Dissenter myself, yet I sincerely love all good Churchmen. Your articles in this month (September) are hard rubs indeed; and my own opinion is, the Dissenters richly deserve them. Their cruelties to their ministers ought to be exposed, for they are very great in many cases. The "ALMOST WEANED DISSENTER" should have worded one part of his article a little different: instead of saying "in general the Church members are a banditti of tyrants," he should have said, in some Churches part of the members are of that description. Now and then the majority of a Church are such this I have known myself. There are many congregations in England, where the most are worthy people; but it is too true with regard to some. I have seen it myself in this city of Bath I have witnessed dreadful scenes at the Baptist Church, in Somerset-street. I have attended their church-meetings, which were outrages upon all decency-they "all but" fought. Party spirit ran so high, that constables were actually called in to keep the peace between these lambkins of Christ's fold. At length, they went to law in the Vice-Chancellor's Court, and it cost these godly people a thousand pounds each party; and I firmly believe it was the death of their aged minister, Mr. Porter, who had served them forty years, and died, no doubt, of grief, soon after this happened, in the year 1828. This affair is well known by the inhabitants of this city. Information I can give you of two similar cases happening at Tetbury, in Gloucestershire, about nine or ten years ago. A Mr. Mitchell, and a Mr. Gough, a Baptist and an Independent minister, were both shamefully treated by their people. Both these ministers received notice to quit their chapels at the expiration of "three months," although they were bound to no such agreement; but they not choosing to go with this warning, the opposing party locked the doors against them; consequently, these ministers procured locksmiths and constables, to remove the locks and replace others, thereby retaining their possession: and the one, Mr. Gough, did not leave his pulpit the whole of the Sabbath-day, had his food brought him, and a constable below to keep the peace. Allow me to say, that these ministers are good characters, and deserved no such treatment, and are both at Tetbury to this day, in possession of their chapels. You see the Gospel of Peace is not enough, with all its lovely precepts, to keep down mob-government in Dissenting societies. I am happy there is such a publication as The Churchman in the kingdom, to expose such abominations. Any circumstance of the kind which may happen within the reach of my knowledge, in future, shall be forwarded by me, for insertion in The Churchman Magazine. The unrelenting cruelty I have seen practised among Dissenters, in such cases, disgusts one to an almost madness.-Yours, most respectfully, Bath, Sept. 20, 1838. Poetry. IN MEMORIA D. S. S. How fond a tendril doth it move CONSTANT READER. Whilst in this wilderness of woe. Reviews. Priests of Rome, in a Letter to my A. P. Perceval, B. C.L., Rector of London: Rivington. 1838. The Plain English Churchman guarded against the Neighbours in Surrey. By the Hon. and Rev. East Horsley, and one of the Queen's Chaplains. THIS letter is designed to counteract the attempts of one Joseph Sidden, a Roman Catholic priest, to proselytize to his church, people from the Church of England. His manifesto, if we may so style it, is dated from Sutton Park, and claims the authority of Scriptural texts, which are directly at variance with the principles and practice of Rome. Because Pope Pius the Sixth recommended an Italian translation of the whole Bible, which Martini, Archbishop of Florence, had made, Mr. Sidden Jesuitically and falsely leads his readers to imagine, that the Papists are as much at liberty to read the Bible, as the Protestants. This assertion needs no refutation, since any one who will consult the works of Mr. Mendham and others, will find abundant evidences of its falsity; and after many late violences in Ireland on account |