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My Dear Brethren^ — I have been informed that systematic efforts have lately been commended, throughout this Diocese, to produce agitation and to stir up strife, or at least, to sow the seeds of division amongst us. It therefoi*e becomes my duty to address you, and to communicate the truth, in opposition to the unfounded charges which have been concocted against me. I do not, indeed, admit the right of my opponents to call upon me for any defence, or to assume that theii* accusations are well-founded, when they are suffered to pass with- out notice bn my part, but for the satisfaction of the great body of the members of the Church, who are attached to its principles, and Whose confidence I enjoy, 1 have determined, upon this occasion, to afford you the opportunity of forming your owti judgement of ' the merits of the case, and of the motives and conduct of those by whom I have been wantonly assailed. The following letters speak for themselves, and it might be sufficient to circulate them without further comment ; but you will probably be glad to receive any additional observations that I may desire to offer. I assume thkt all of those to whom this pastoral is addres- sed approve of Episcopacy, and are convinced that it is in accord-' anc6 with God's will, and therefore that you desire to have the reality^ fbr all shams are bad, and shams in religion are worst of all. Now a Bishop is obliged, by his office, to take order foir the settling of some things, which are in themselves of little- importance, and llvhich. any other person might therefore pass over without notice. He is not justified in blindly adopting the customs which may hrippen to prevail in his Diocese. It is his duty to find ont the right -v^^ftyi and to follow it, so that he may be prepared to dlrftot thfsHe who may a''^'»lv to him for ^midftncei ^ ■■ The Bishop*? responsibility, respecting all matters connectod with the performance of the services of 'lie Church, is thus determines) in the Prayer Book : " Forasmuch as nothing can be so plainly set "forth, but doubts may arise in the use and practice of the same; *' to appease all such diversity, (if any arise,) and for the resolution •' of all doubts, concerning the manner how to understand, do and " execute, the things contained in this Book ; the parties that so " doubt, or diversly take anything, shall alway resort to the Bishop " of the Diocese^ who, by his discretion, shall take order for the quiet- " ing and appeasing of the same ; so that the same order be not " contrary to anything contained in this Book. And if the Bishop of " the Diocese be in doubt, then he may send for the resolution thereof " to the Archbishop." Every clergyman has thus solemnly pledged himself at his Ordination. To the question, " Will you reverently obey your Ordi- " nary, and other chief MinistenSi unto whom is committed the charge " and government over you ; following with a glad mind and will their " godly admonitions, and submitting yourself to their godly judg- " ments ?" he is required to answer, " I will so do, the Lord being "my helper." ., And on his appointment to any parish or curacy> he is required to renew the following oath : — " I, A. B. do swear that I will pay " true and canonical obedience to the Lord Bishop of Nova Scotia, " in all things lawful and honest. So help me God." It is not my purpose to discuss the propriety or expediency of this system; such as it is we have received it, and I trust that, so long as we profess to adhere to it, we shall not desire to escape any . of the consequent obligatipns. With these few introductory remarks», I send forth the correspondence for your perusal, having no doubt whatever that you will all form a correct opinion of |he Spirit in, which tlii^ attack has been coaducted. Halifax, Oct. 25, X866. Ml/ Lord,-^ I received a few days siace youx Lordship's uota, asking me whether I had yet olitain$d an answer from — — — ueHive to the payment of his subsoription to the " Endowment Fund." He ha^ Hot yet, in anv way, communicated his final decision to me, an4 I partly regret that he bits not done so without waiting for any further counsel with me. For, within a f^vr days, circumstances have arisen which cause me to withdraw, for the present my avpwod intention of contitMiing to advo(»iti9 the ioMnediate payment pf tj^e sum subscril^d by — ^— , aa wejil m my proipiso, if he di4 s6),of using my best e^deavocs towards haviqg collected that unpaid portion of the proposed minimum of jC20i000. Jt do sotnow say that I shall use* any influence which my opinion may have with -— — to decide him Twithhold that money, although I jm not sure that "jy ^^^^'^^^..^ not dictating to me that Buch would be ipy true course of du y. With out however, pledging myself to any partiqular Ime of policy m res- pec't to This i am inclined just now to the determination to leave the '''t^X^XrZ^^^^^ to give plainly my. reasons for the position to which I have been driven by the saddenmg and melancholy exposure of doctrines and sentiments lately come openly to light. That they have been lurking under cover I have had too good leason to believe, but now I am glad that the enemy ^^^^^^^^'J' whether it be by a premature an4 unintentional step on his part, r because of increasing boldness and resolve to bring the matter *^ 'For ''several years past. I have watched with close and intense anxiety the course of events and the various movements taking place in the (:)hurch of England within this Diocese, and ^ has not been without a sad and wearied heart, and ..ournfu d'Bappointraen , that I have noted the gradual, but sure, development of a system of do^^ and practice antagonistic to the purity and simplicity of the Jaith once delivered to the saints-that faith, as held and proclaimed by the purJ branch of the Church of Christ, which once held the proud Lition of the Bulwark of the Protestant Reformed Religion. Among those things introduced by authority, are strange »°"«:^ations in the vestments to be worn by ofl&ciating ministers durmg public service and thus attaching great importance to the mere color of a g^nnent or in this country no%uestion can possibly ar se as to which is theordinar; vestment in use,\nd the blood of the guilt which may arise is on the^ heads who pretending that it is of no consequence, neverthele^ rntroLrand^ if they fould. would force, a novelty. A vast import- ancViB attached to Church furniture, such as taking advantag^^^^^^ non-committal decision of the Lords in Council to "^Sf. ^^ P^^"^/"^^^^^ credence tables in churches, which, notwithstanding then- Lord^^^^^^^^ opinion that it is more an adjunct to a communion able than to an aUa; is well known by evety man of intelligence and f oj^^-'^t^^^^ specially symbolic of certain dogmas held by the Church of Rome, and we may rest assured that those in England now tcj."^«d ^litualists who have sufficient courage openly to avow their sentiments would sra le sarcastically at the feeble effort to disrobe their favorite emblem ot its %Tdny w'orship. in its various forms.-assimilating our once rever^ ent and simple ceremonial to the manners adopted by t^e^^^hurch of Rome, is evidently encouraged : incessant bowings, crossings, genu flexions, turnings, and the childish if f^ blasphemous, ^custom of ^ certain times, attempting to symbolize the Great J^^^.^^' ^^^\^^^^^ Trinity, by making an image with three Sngf r^of ^^hc ^^^^^^ these, and such things as tiieso, "- -"-n='vn:v ^.:^^■^u u^rx ,.. -— are oiiensivGly tbiost uj Can one be blind to X !!„• . ^-^ ^^^ dedrcation of the life, the Lord's sLlTnoJl^^^^^^ Romanists are cTried with tlr^r'^ t l-"''^^'''^^- While the° it is too plain tfaSe tLtSr?ffte n^^^ ^^ '^^«"^' substituting bread and wine for that Jreat «nd -^ «f England are term " tra^nsubstantiation " is indeed avoidpd fT""' ^''""- ^^« "real presence" while evpr^r^- .if ' ^'.^ ^® are told of the tends to invesUt wUh mvstLal tlTf "^ !?' ^."'"^'^ Supper which stitious awe, is plain y fS ed bv r/"?' '"^^ ?-"'^''°"*^ '' ^^'^ «"Per- bj words. You^rLoTdsCstudtusvl^^^ ?f^"«% recommended though jour pupils andllWer^^^^^^^^^ shadow is of no eonseauence fwl r ''^^u \ ^"'^ "'^ i*" ^«t the And however the sTm2k h1 ! TJ,.'^"^^'^« ««bstance to contend with. thing itself ^palpff ;tlh 'C^^^^^ ^^e real with its fair whLTnen clo b is 1 ^ ''"• m '^ Communion Table, cloths ofgorgeous hue and Sk\-!.°P'''''^'^ ^'^ ^^ '^^^ked with tain height be surro^,ndp/ -.r-^'^'^"'^' ^* "'"^^ ^« raised to a cer- as to call up the ideas of nrii^f oU *5 '^'^L**^ ^^ of such a nature in all these^ thLls or Z? ' ^'''' ""^ '"'"fi««' ^here is meaning and as I Teli ve fhat ever/inl^ll^'''. P^'"^"'^"'' '""P'^ '™'' P^^^^ ate the chargeX'heSdrtol^^^^^ 4^^' ducted by a htrd gnifarTof th.''pK^^^^^ T^' ^" ^ P^P^r, con- cur duty to briber aC7ulJ?,t"f^'«"d a Doctor in Divinity, of This, indeed, is "proposed b v a I '° ^'"''\ ^°^ ^'''^ ^''"rches. reason to bdievrwho l/rl« "^^''^^P^^^^nf' but one. I have some favor. Puttin/asMe the rL"T°ri?"^^ ^'^^^ ^'" ^^"^ I^^^^ship's falling Church^ when W o^ ^- '^ ^T"' '^ '* "°* « ««d sign oL «nion\ith the GrerChlh^^'tT '"^ ^-Ifr^r ''' '^^'-'^^^^ history or tenets? Anrlfll" ?'^ P^'''^^^ ^«°^ ^^Jtbing of it! branches of rchuth of Ch^risr^'''"? *,° V'^'^" ^'^i^^^^^^ P^re Head of the body duriL fh« r f '.i. ""u^'^l^ '^^^'^^^'^ ^'7 ^he great sion of sinners and the fdficaio ofT-^^^'^u^^^^^ ^"' ^^ «-^'«- open, bold avowal, that the e ni" '^fn^n^^^ ^^' T '^^' ^^^^^ ^^'^ and towards its somewhat diffZ„? v',"?^ ^T*^.' ^^"^^ ^ith some, of the severe censTre p^^^^^^^^^ I am aware gated, but I am a so awar^ "f f^"''' ^"^ ^'S'""' ^^'^^^ P'-^'nul laid down by which Rome i« », SJ^^* Principles so carefully these branched Tf the ChuU of pT''.' ^.^^^^^^^y «"Penor to being without the X ^IT^ "L^tf (t'"\ ^f^r''''^ as ever have within its nale thn!. U t ^,*''''^^ °^ England should be told that the lat^ motil If^^^^ "'''' '"?^ •' '^''°^- ^ ^'^^^ are simply a Vrot.^ Sr^aul'^Z^Z^^^^^ « ^^^' , ^ ,^„.j ifauKXj aiju mg extreme laxity of the sincere Protestant on the other. It certainly is possible that some may think so, but I trust that no one will imagine that we who oppose these eiTors and novelties have so little discernment as not to see that the principles of Kitualism are adopted by those who are pining for vestments, furniture, and such things. It is true some but everything for which there is the slightest pretence of authority is eagerly adopted. This fact is quite sufficient to decide the great ques- things which are not yet fully authorized by legal opinions are rejected ; tion of principle. Those who go as far as they can now with safety, will go further still when their ground is sure. I might add much more : the advocacy of prayers for the dead, the contemptible mimicry of the language used by the Church of Kome — but I forbear. It is a saddening, painful summary — Church furniture, clerical millinery, and posture making ; this morbid sentimentalism boasting itself to be the real spirituality, seeking to introduce by degrees the whole sacerdotal doctrine and practice of a sacrificing priesthood, and of sacraments efficacious to salvation, because received at such hands ; the visible church the only depc^itory of saving grace ; ministers of sacraments the only dispensers of that grace ; remission of sins obtained only through their ministry, in which they stand as mediators between us and God, so that by them only we come to Christ, and ) through Him to God — all this, and more than this, the development of the system introduced into our once peaceful midst. As the servant of Jesus Christ, ministering in the Church, I protest against it all. As the fearless defender of His cause, who alone is my Master, I shall not permit, without my strongest efforts to prevent it, that pure branch of the Church of the living God to which I belong to be corrupted and debased. I deny emphatically that the Church of England holds or teaches this new system. It is a gross libel that she does so. My birthright shall not be wrested from me ; as God gave it me, I shall keep it ; and with my consent by silence it shall not be travestied, and altered, and made to appear what it is not. It is a bitter thing to be wounded in the house of one's friends ; bitter grief for the Church of England to know that she has nursed in her own bosom the pinion that guided the shaft which has now pierced her to the heart ; more bitter than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child, But I must conclude a letter which I ought to have written a week ago, but my duties (or other duties, for this is a stern and painful duty, placed upon me by God,) have prevented me, until to-day, completing the task which I Ijegan a few days since, but have never touched until now, as respects my writing. I should be a traitor to the trust reposed in me if silently I alloAved the Church of my Lord and Master to be undermined, or openly besieged, and as in my heart I believe the assault is being made, unintentionally by some, ignorantly by others, (and nass^uisi; lav iiivtiYvo i/vr ctLi /» '7 "] mf I > 8 determinktion, I miist, as a smoere and honest man, plainly and uneqaivocally declare that I cannot and shall not Advocate the support of societies and corporations which may be made the SI ^5'"^^".°^ doctrines and practices subversive of the thurch of England as I received it. For these reasons, I decline having anythmg to do with the Endowment Fund, or the establish- tTm« -?; * /^P^"* concerning which I received a circular a short time since from one of the Cathedral clergy ; reserving for the present my judgment relative to the Diocesan ChurchTodety, &c. «n^7P'^ re|retting the serious juncture to which I am driven, and simply adding that I shall, with God's help do my duty to Him the'c7urThT/6Ctr"^ '^ P""^^^ ^" ''' purit/and'integrity I am, my Lord, Very truly, G. W. HILL. The Right Reverend, the Lord Bishop of Nova Scotia. From THE Bishop to Rev. G. W. Hill. Halifax, Nov. 5th, 1866. Reverend Sir^ — My time has been so fully occupied with duties imperatively diWd''foy-.*"'°*^°°;.'^''' ^ '^^^" ^^«" ""^^1«' J^^<1 I been so ^Z ^^ "*!i *"? ''^'^'^'' ^°«^«^ *« your letter. Moreover, I t wout hf r' -T^l" ""^''^''^ considering its tone and temper, andnnlinn . °^' '"' T'^' ^"' regard for my official characte; and position to do so ; but remembering that - the servant of the ^u!lT "^ ^^!T*' '° meekness instructing tliose that oppose themselves," and that you are one of those for whom I must here- after give account, I have at length determined to make nn effort tq open your eyes, and to shew you the true character, according to my judgment, of the course which you have adopted nn Jv '* ^'T', '^*^'' ''^'P'^^^* *« , you know that the conditions on which he bound himself to givd to thn Ix)rd's treasury, towards the muintcnauce of the Ministers of the Gospel cZ S''T.^?i"'''l^'- ^''' ^^«« ''' "cry simple ; A;r«; gtvenjm bond to God, and there can be no difficulty in docidinir Trxx;.xu« yuu, AB r.is apintutti advisor, should recommend him to 9 satisfy that bond or not. If he can be influenced by your opi^Joj in the matter, you must share with him the responsibihty, although you cannot relieve him from it. With respect to the duty of supporting oar Societies, or other- wise, I read your opinion and resolve with the utmost astonishment and pain, not having supposed that any Christian could avow, or even secretly entertain, such sentiments. Do you actually mean to state that, unless the Ministers of our Church will all of tliem preach strictly in accordance with your opinions, you will, as far as depends upon you, deprive the poor destitute members of Christ's flock of the ministrations of the Word and Sacraments i You do definitely declare that, because you cannot compel all who may ko forth preaching Christ Crucified, to adopt your views, yo«r interpretations of the formularies of the Church of England, fto which they have pledged themselves not less conscientiously than yourself,) you will not assist in providing funds for their mainten- ance ; that so far as your influence extends you will place the members of our Communion in this Province under an InterdHl, that the Churches shall be closed, the Sacraments not administered, the people left without Christian burial. I trust that you have written without due consideration of the consequences that would ensue, supposing that you were able seriously to interfere with the work of our Church Societies. For, be it observed, there is no question here of a choice of channels or agencies. Tlio required aid cannot be supplied except through these Societies, the support of which you say you "cannot and shall not advocate. Any interference with the Endowment Fund is especially inexcusable, because it is for the benefit of future generations, even more than for the present ; and it is so guarded that it cannot possib.y bo used for the propagation of the tenets of any oiie party rather than another. , If you still, after calmer deliberation, adhere to your avowed determination, then, as an ambassador for Christ, in my Master s name, I solemnly warn you of the fearful peril which you will thereby incur, for every soul that may perish for lack ot the know- ledge that might have been supplied through these aprencios. Havin" under your care and infliience those to whom (xod hafl committed a large portu)n of this world's goods, it is your duty to urge them to contribute abundantly towards the preaching ot the Go.^pel ; how great, then, your responsibility if you dissuade them from so doing ! But you endeavor to justify your determinatiom by the statements contained in your letter ; and upon these, Ihore- forc, I proceed to make some observations, although I cannot writ* as fully as I would if I had more time at my disposal. It is evident, from the references in your letter to authority, -.^;,„.„^.i.j,ji,.*;/»p.a. that VQU iutend most ospocially to fi/l^oD,' aiid to impute to kirn the evils which you hav« Orurr; 10 supposed to exist in this Dioc^^^P v«.. reason for anxiety, that L noTLs^f ''''''T'' ^"^^^' «« « fear that he will hereafter ^n Z.,fT% f^^ ^' ^'^ ^^°' ^^^^ Jour that,iftheconsistenTf i^fna^ef^^^^^^^^^ J^ which I /epl, principles, whether ri-ht or wrono- ^ ? ^^^'"^^ ''^ ^^'<^ ««^c cere in my profession Ttl^' ^^ °°^ P'«^« *^'«t I am sin- Whether nfy v ,w be c^rrecfor'nnT T f""' P''°°^ "^"^^ ^^^ee that strict a^herUrtrrulTsa^nlV n^^^^^^^^^ 7'"^""^^ ' ^'"^* --' «peak of the practice in tlWs connH 1 ^ -'-^ \ ^'^^ ''"'^«- ^ou posed to regard the P n,! / ^ "' decisive, but /am not dis- he legally TovVu^Z;^^^^ ^^ '^^'f- ^^''^ i« to that account, to strict mlLl?' \ ^^^ '"'''''' importance, on Mother Con Hry, les? we d if^'' "" !''' '"'^'^ "°^' ^•"«^"'«'« «* the irregularity. Lw^ t e use oPt^ " ° " '''\ '^ ""^--'""'^y "nd "niversal Is to consd^ T '' ou l?:"r '''' T'^" .'^^"" «« that in the Northern Co ntioM U f' ^ "'" informed we knoM that in Sth S and fni "'?' nf ° "^"^"'^ "•^^■'' ' ""^ been adopted An nlYf • ^P"*^'«,"*'« Churches it has never «'^«r one oW I (hf ;I^'',' n""'f ^ ''^^'»«'' *''« """m-Hter .hall black robe, as w hotheri o L^ 11 ,'''' '"' ,' '"" «**"^''^ '^ ^^'"'te or a ' the servic; wl7e h r b! ' u ''"'"^' ''"^ '^''''' "' the course of ^ii^r..aXlZ^':::Lt^'!!L'!!l^!'[^^^^^ -« vestment he shall ^ ' """ vijawgc .1 secona lime whenever the allege, as a Qi and your lich I reply »f the same it I am siu- ^id suffice, maintained 3I1, in small St Roman- 'hese senti- to which I no pretext itJi a view nph'eity of "(I. Now kely to be bound in ts, botli of 'hose who ought to itelligible, sound, is, pie, M'hen -' tluit owe 38. You 1 uot dis- i' it is to a nee, on •IS of the inty and been so nformod cd; and 'is never . from a »Hnison nrment, iference I purity !lotl)ed. ^r fhall ite or a urpo of 10 shall VGv tho 11 Holy Communion is to be celebrated. Can any one, for example, «ee a clergyman walk twice up and down St. Paul's, on such occa- sions, tor the purpose of changing his vestment each time, without feeling that such a proceeding ir. wholly inconsistent with Protest- ant simplicity, and that nothing but unreasoning prejudice can be in favor of its continuance ? The Bishop never changes his robe, why should other ministers do so? Any reason that can be given for the change must equally apply to him. A very strong argument against the use of the gown Acre, is that such a vestment has never been provided by the Parishioners at any time in the history of this Colony, every Church being provided with one or more sur- plices, and nothing more. You know that to a country clergyman, havifig to ride on horseback or Avalk to a distant Church on a wet or hot day, the inconvenience of carrying the black gown is very great, whereas a surplice is always found hanging up in each Church ready for him : some of the clergy have abandoned the former solely upon this account, and no man ought to be expected to provide for himself the vestment in which he is to officiate. I may add that there is reason for believing that the people first became accustomed to see the blpck gown in the pulpit, as a Btrio^ly Romish garment, when the Pope sent the Dominicans, or Black Friars, to preach through Europe, interfering with the ordinary Parish Priests. It is suggested by some that preaching in the surplice is tlic badge of a party, and tliere may have been some excuse for this supposition, twenty or thirty years ago, when every restoration, or observance of the long neglected orders of the Church, was thus stigmatized. At that time every man who scraped the green mould off the Chancel walls, or opened a bricked-up window, was liable to suspicion, and the alterations made by you in tho pews, &c., of St. Paul's, would have been regarded as unquestionable proofs of " High Church" tendencies ; but I thought that we were wiser now. People in our day want to know the why and the where/ore of everything ; long-cherished customs are being suc- ce8i*ively abandoned., in tho practice of law, of medicine, and in all departments. It is tho essence ^ formalism to be content, to sit down and rise up, to kneel or to stand, to put on this or to put off that, without being able to give a reason for so doing, merely because wo have been accustomed to do so. It there is to be a change at all, wo cannot deny tho rights of con.'*cience, to those who believe themselves bound to adopt tho changes positively ordered by the law still unrepealed. I soo plainly the advancing wave, gaining immonsG strength, and likely in due time to reach us. Wo cannot doubt that some of those who become familiar with the lately restored vestments, through seeing tiiem in EngLinu or America, or through published doseriptioas, will attempt to introduce them here, and I am re-olved that, to the m .best of my ability, I will oppose them, provided I can do so honSr- ubly and impartially. But I will not attempt to restrain owe, while I allow liceu-se in another. Men of party spirit would urge 'me so to act, but I trust that I may have grace and strength to deal, as I have hitherto endeavored to deal, impartially with all. My special reason, therefore, for now more particularly objecting to the use of any other vestment than the surplice, is, that I perceive the necessity for taking up a position, which can be maintained and defended by an honest man, against the introducers of new, or the restorers of obsolete, vestments. There may be no necessity for this precaution, but I believe that those of us who may live a few years longer, will admit that no other course could safely be adopted. You erroneously assert that I " urge the placing of Credence Tables in Churches." I have not done so, and have never placed ©ne in my own chapel, being quite content with any arrangemen 'by which the Rubric can be obeyed. The facts are these : When I came to this city, I found that it was the custom at St. Paul's to place the bread and wine for the Holy Communion on the Table, in accordance with the Rubric, and when after about eight years the Lords of the Council authoritatively interpreted that Rubric, and ordered it to be universally obeyed, I required the clergy gen- erally to comply, and to adopt the practice so long established at St. Paul's. Am [ on this account, to be charged with innovations, and because you thought fit nff jwards to change the practice, am I also to change, or to tell the clergy to imitate yonr violation of a Rubric which you had formerly obeyed ? It is my duty to obey the laws, and to admonish the clergy to do the same. Such obli- gations are, indeed, in these days, too lightly regarded, but I must set an example of attention to them, and I would remind you that, when a man has called upon God to help him. on the condition that he renders obedience to certain laws, the violation of them, whefl or they are of intrinsic importance or not, becomes rather a serious matter for the transgressor. I need not accurately consider the relative value o{ yonr opin- ion, and that of the Lords of the iCouucil, of whoso "• feeble efforts " you speak so contemptuously, but I can affirm that I am entirely ignorant of the peculiar connection of Credence Tables with the Romish system, which you so plainly discern. They still nppear to me to be merely convenient stands, (literally side-boards,) in- tended to obviate the necessity for going to the vestry for the bread and wine which, whether with or without reason, the law, as interpreted by the highest Court of Appeal, requires us to place upon the Table at a certain point in the Service. You object to " bodily worship," why then do you kneel before your God ? VVrHons *iro vnrJouaiv onr^^ixt^i^m^ - e".T**£i li^t*-i ss*--.-,.-^ feelings of reverence, which they cannot but manifest, others are la do so honor- estraia one, would urge strength to ily with all. ly objecting at I perceive intained and new, or the ecessity for r live a few d safely be >f Credence ever placed irraugemen ese : When )t. Paul's to I the Table, eight years hat Rubric, clergy gen- tablished at nnovations, >ractice, am violation of luty to obey Such obli- but I must id you that, e condition )n ofthena, es rather a ' i/07ir opin- ble efforts " im entirely 38 with the still appear •oards,^ in- try for the n, the law, us to place ncel before others arc differently affected. " Let every man," in such things, " be fuU]^. persuaded in his own mind," but let no man judge his brother. 3ome, feel so strongly, when their thoughts are concentrated upon their Qo^ and (heir own sinfulness, that they can scarcely refrain from prOB^, trating themselves before him, after the manner of the worshippers in Heaven ; even the Seraphim veil their faces. I imagine that ypti would have but a poor opinion of any persons who wpuldj sit at ease in the most comfortable comer of their pews, during the whole of the service. You therefore approve, in practice, of, th«5 " bodily worship " which, in theory, you condemn. Of th^ *' incessant bowings, crossings, genuflexions, turnings," montione^V I know nothing, I content myself with the bowing at the name of Jesus, eiyoined by the 18th Canon, and sanctioned by custom. As to the practice of other persons, I can bay nothing, for when in> Church I endeavor always to fix my mind on my own devotion* .without giving any attention to the actions of those around me. If some of these things are practised by any persons, I think the charitable inference is, that they proceed out of the abundance of the heart, of whose " deep homage," they are the outward manifest**-, tion. At all events, I cannot be, in any respect, answerable for that which I have not encouraged, either by precept or examploi With respect to the Lord's Supper, I was not aware th^t it is, "n6w fondly termed the Eucharist^' by any of the clergy ; but^ I am sure that the term, meaning " a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving^ is not at all in harmony with the views which you condemm ; and! it is actually used by the writer of a strong anti-ritual artide, which may probably have suggested some of the extraordinary^ statements in your letter. « -ct i ^ If any who call themselves members of the Church of England, *'are substituting breatl and wine for that great and gracious Being," I quite agree with you that they are false members, whpm I condemn as decidedly as you do. The reference to my " pupils and followers" is so unbeoon»iM that I might well be excused noticing it. As a Bishop, Jt am bo^n^ to teach, and so far all who recognize my office may be oi^Ue^ m ♦'pupils," and I suppose that all who show any deference to the opinions of their Chief Pastor may be called his " followers, but in any other sense I know of neither punils nor followers, and thw, at all events have a strange mode of shewing tbeir adherence who " glory in " a word which, as you admit, I " studiously avoid. I am not aware that any change has been made, or has even been proposed, in our Communion Tables. It has always been the custom to have a device of some kind upon the cloth covering .fne Table, except in the very poorest Churches ; and if you were now to send to French, or any manufacturer, for one of the coramone^ kind of worsted cloths, you would probably receive it with ^ monogram or device of some kind. The on\y ooYering <^ ft mo^ i'! u height of a sideboard I u ''""'^ ""^ ^'^ *^ ^^""^ ^^^ ^N the in any church thaa irve slen in' ^M^i ''■ "'''' r"" P'"""™ you speak have no exulni^ "■"' '•""' "' "" "'i-Ss of which WithTe»pect ,0 .he „ h rryoi S '■'■^''"•', """ ™»gi"«'i°». ■"ouient, that if any one fa &? Lf T'""' ''^^™. "'"'''''''■• ^"^ « Ob8ervalion,vouarein.iJ„ ,•"'•' "''™™ ™P'i^'^ i° this .0 much timed auentit ,„ Th P';!''"^'."'' ■"• Why did yon give did yon removt tie ITng de k° IrdTr '° I'' ''^'r ^""^ atbn was made, and snte.L.e a'uo'tl ? Whv"dU v^'" ""■" "'T old arm chairs (which wor-^ , \. '^"^'"^a you remove the Communion rails and «rir-/r^. comfortable) from within the place ? You wt^ob^b^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ «^"^« - ^'-- ways of doing anythinrone ouZ to ; K ""^"^ '' ^'' '"""""^ that it is right to have evervtlnW ' .P*"'"" *° ^^^ *''« best; which the buildini1I"n,en7pH ^ 'JT^T^^ '^ '^^ ?">•?««« f«r suitable than 2^M pfn U ^,' ." °'^ f^rniture^'s more flueaced by the same o*" ^oZZ "S' ^'^'?''^ '^"' ^^^^^''^ ^^o ia- iinpufingiinisterllentioS o^oT ' ""TT' ""'' '^^''"''^ ^'^^ way than yo^ have ? I 21 ti^t?' ""^ ^^^" ^"°« ^««« '° this / yott nave ( l may add that so far as I am concern«,?. 1 15 the Cathedra! cloth, which lor, and bears most sincere urge's (not a to which no ■tainly desire ided. If we in having it ind at it, the 'ormerly the ick, but now cumbrances, ling from a ect to steps, )r any steps, union rails, matters not ss there are archilectu- ainly desir- ised in pro* any othci' form placed h platform lere is the ther. sy are mere fs of which lagination. sider for a ied in this d you give 's? Why first alter- •eraove the within the ts in their re several the best; irpose for re is more rs arc in- 'ain from ss in this cerned- I have had nothing to do with changing the furniture of any church, beyond making a slight alteration in the Table in Salem chapel, » Toriginally made from my own design), previous to the last v{sita» iion<, when I desired to have a good pattern for the inspection of the clergy, who might be building or altering churches. Wheu the new portion of the Cathedral was built, it was of course necessary to make new arrangements and new furniture, which are as simple as they can possibly be, with any regard to the character of the building. ^ You will remember that, when you spoke to me about the ob- jectionable letter published in the Church Chronicle^ I told you that I decidedly disapproved, and had immediately remonstrated with the Kditor, who appears to have sent it to the printer, in ac- cordance with his usual custom, considering that an Editor ought not to reject correspondence, merely because he does not concur in the sentiments of the writer. You imagine that you know the author ; if so you have information not possessed by me, for I have no clue whatever to his nawie, and it would be inconsistent with the charity which " thinketh no evil," to suspect any man whore there is not a shadow of proof. Your real object of attack is, however, evidently my Charge, p. 32, with respect to union with the Greek Church, yvhh whose doctrines you are probably little acquainted, since you regard her in precisely the same light as the Church of Rome. According to the best information within my reach, she denies the doctrines of works of supererogation, pUrgatory, and the infallibility of her earthly head, and necessity of auricular confes- sion, does not number confirmation and extreme unction among the sacraments, does not use unleavened bread, and does not refuse the cup to the laity. There are still some grave corruptions, which must be abandoned before we can hold communion with her ; but surely if the above statement is correct she is nearer to us than the Roman Church. Moreover, if I err in my view,' I err in good company, since a Committee appointed by the General Convention of our sister Church in the United States, and another appointed by the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury, are investigat- ing the subject, and the latter has lately been authorized to extend its enquiries to the other Oriental Churches. In short I believe that the desire for unity so evidently growing, is implanted by God. It may perhaps be taken as one of the signs of the latter days, in preparation for the coming of the Lord, that good men are wearied of the innumerable divisions now existing, and are yearning for communion with all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. But the object is unquestionably good, and it appears to me that the Church, of which we are members, may be designed us the instrument by which it is to be achieved. Among the many blessings voucthsafed to England, may certainly be reck- oned the srracioua Drovidence which ffuid«d and directed our If u reformers, so that we have retained what was primitive, while we have rejected all unscriptural additions. Thus we occupy a re- markable position, intermediate between the Greek and Roman UlurcheB on the one hand, and those who Entirely rejected, instead ^merely reforming, the then existing system, or who since the reformation have separated from us, on the other. Holding the ancient creeds as well as the anci^int constitution, we may lope that those old Churches may be led in time to admit that we have only rejected corruptions. And at the same time basing all our teach- ing upon the Scriptures, as the only infallible standard and guide, we may hope that those who have lost some portion of the primitive sysiem may be through us attracted back again. I may be too sanguine, but Englishmen will pardon the assumption that He who has so marvellously watched over both England and her Church, designs to employ them both as special instruments for carrying out His great purposes in the world. The distinction mentioned in my Charge, which is so offensive ILJ'IX'^ 1u T^' ^y, *"'' ^"* ^y °"' C*^"»-<=h' ^hich declares Uiat from the Apostles' time," there have been the three orders Jiishops, Priests, and Deacon8,—and allows no minister, however ?1 i' l^'T^'^y P»«"«' t« offi««te in her congregations, unless he hath had episcopal consecration or ordination," while a Greek or Itoman Priest is fully recognized, as soon as he has recanted his Tm.«u ^°^*^^^'' yo» have not suggested any solution of the difficulty, caused by the great number of separate denominations, and their continual increase. Are we to seek for union with all Who profess to derive their tenets entirely from the Scriptures, even with UnitariaBs and Universalists, who do so most explicitlv ? If w« once leave the old paths, where are we to stop? What r^ht have we dogmatically • to affirm that some are orthodox fnt^rl^r^^'^^io^'*'. *^^<*'^^"g as they agree or disagree with our wterpretation of Scripture, while they may all be ashonest and in- telligent as we are, and as sincerely seeking for the truth? At E° w v*ll^ \^°*?^*^ P^'^*^^"' ^° «»»' adherence to apostolic- Stnll'ldl ^'' ^' ?"^'^"°''^ x«« * distinguishing mark, L may terir. «fti 1 ««^«a::!>"r8 after unity, to abandon on; charac- tenstic after another, until we Jiav6 no original feature left. You cannot be Ignorant of the existence of this practical difficulty ; and itjould have been more to the purpose to show how it may be overcome, than to charge me and others with unduly appreciatinff one system, and undervaluing the merits of another ^ «„*h i"*''" """^ '^*''' °'*^ ?^ "pining for vestments, furniture and ^f^^'J""^ IT *'*'*''«^ " somewhat indefinite, so that I tZf T !l^*f ^ ''**''^ ^^'."^ meaning; but for myself, I can affirm i^at, that / have canscufntumsly taken my stand, believini tl»t I tl>u» hold the only defensible position ag^nst " Ritnidisto^ 1? iKe one hand," and " extreme laxity," as well in docti-ine as in practice on the other. I deny emphatically, that I have taken advantage of any legal opinions in support of any change, and if you have kept yourself acquainted with the occurrences of the last few years in England^ you must be perfectly cognizant of the fact, that any one wishing to avail himself of such sanction might on veiy good authority introduce many alterations here. Your state- ment therefore, that " every thing for which there is the slightest pretence of authority is eagerly adopted," is wholly and entirely without a ^shadow of foundation, so far as regards myself. Any insinuation that may be contained in the statement, that some " will go further when their ground is sure," is sufficiently an- swered by my appeal to your experience of ray consistency, and steady adherence to the same course, for 15 years. Of the " advocacy of prayers fbr the dead," I have never heard a whisper from any clergyman here ; the " mimicry of the langu- age used by the Church of Rome," is as contemptible in my opin- ion, as it is in yours, and I have never been slow to condemn it. I now come to your " Summary." Your observations upon Church furniture and posture making I have already answered. Of " <^lerieal millinery " I have not seen a single example of any kind, and I presume that you have simply taken the expression from some book or Newspaper. There has been in fact, no new form or style of vestment of any kind, and I should say that, if there is any difference in the latest importation of surplices, there is rather less needle work than formerly about the upper part. I have occasionally seen a new black gown, of rustling silk, present- ed to some favored clergyman by the ladies, but that is the nearest approach to clerical millinery that I have noticed. But your further observations are much more serious. You charge some of us, whether myself or my Brethren or both, it matters not, with holding and teaching opinions, which I utterly repudiate, which are wholly repugnant to my feelings, against which if expressed in my presence I should enter a solemn protest. I have never heard such doctrines broached, nor do I know where you have found thera. It seems almost as if you had been deceiv- ed by some frightful dream, and were now upon awaking assum- ing as realities all that you had imagined. Is it possible that you t;an suspect any of your Brethren of holding that, " we can only " come to Christ by men who stand as mediators between us and " God " ? that " the visible Church is the only depository of saving " grace, Ministers of Sacraments the only dispensors of that grace, " remission of sins obtained only through their ministry " ? It is, painful even to quote such expressions. f ' ' ' ' Now, the other charges may perhaps be passed over as frivolous but this last is so serious that I call upon you to name those who are suspected of holding such opinions, and if you can prov,e your l-^ 18 S^na ^^l^!^.S^l^,!f j* «han not be my fault, i, ceae. To make such chtrj^s ^^^^^^^^^^ with the character rachSntr^'^^^^^ '" inconsistent unwilling to suspect you of havin^^l^ ^ ^'°'^°' '^'^^ ^ ^"» ^^^^ it? .hstoadofthu's mrUng Lt;^/ "'"Th" hold, or teaches' parties ; adduce your proof? h^lhl^h( °''"' """"^ ">« S""'/ to " banish and drive Iw^LnVrZ^ \'"^'''^° "■» A«d^ Ifj^fter having receiveTLch well 1? -""I 'T^" doctrines." take action upSn them, to ti^eerentnfl-,-'"'"'*"'^' ^ "^o ■"" perhaps fairij assume tha I am "ncwJ.'"'f ^' ^"1 "«>' «'^° But until yo;. can do this, you «e not fl„ S*™""' "'<' ^'"^■ statements. ' ^ """ justified m making such spea?';irCa!r^^^^^^^ ^^'f -^ Peaee; I must done, by 3„gUng slslilZilatTsut'""^. '''^ '' *« ^« Is It not rather probable that TJ^'uu^'^''^ *** ^'^^'^ People ? minds being excited and Lkld In/ ^' T'^ ^'^J"^^^' ^^eir and diverted from watchinftd'prayeT^^^^ any real danger to be apDrehenX/y 7^ I *^«^e were indeed and dispaasio'^natel^ to ^uf fhem on 'th/'"^'^ 5' T^^ ^"*:^' calmly them grievous wron<., fnflicS in^,t ! • \'^ 'n^"' ^°" ^^« ^oi/g . be insufficient to rem°edy, wL| f ^««^ ^^^r^^ «^ay for ^larm, you arouse th^rpassi^ns ^ndT 'T^^^' ^^^^^^ ^^usi Clo^s, which, though very eS TwLt ^^^^ ^°"^^« ^nd suspi. easl^ quieted. ^ ^ ^''^^ awakened, are by no means so preachte^etltfe^^ P«Ws Christ is be in the mode of expressTon r.?""'/'^^ ''^"^^ variations it may least I am certain, anr/conU^^^^^^ "°^ ^"^*^^""^' ^^f^hiHi ^^-'\nesstom;wori,7atL /uW Clergy to' stance of my reiterated exhortatonrhn«h.° ^T^^^ *^« ««b- great otyect to bring men toJcS to *^"^^ ^* ^^^^^ ^^st Hub, and to rest in Him alone X 'of^r^-^' *^"^ ^ ^^^^ *« dom and righteousness, and sanrtmcat,! /' T^^ "°^° "« '^'''- haye heard the most sdemn and /orml, / ^^^emption." You ments, in my Charges, wS are nZn ^^'*^°' ^^ '"^ ««^*i- to them also to proye hat mv ILf 1? """"^ '^««^^«' ^nd I refer '' the way, ^he t^uth^and the^lir' as't? '' 5' '^' ^*^^^^ ^'^"^^ ^s only^wfuge for ainners. ' ""^' >^' ^°'^ Mediator,~a8 the 1? With respect to the Church, its Ministers, and its Sacraments, I trust that the Clergy generally agree with the views represented m my last Charge (pp. 38-40) these being in accordance with our authoritative expositions of doctrine. If there is a visible Church there must also necessarily be officers and ordinances. Since there are many distinct bodies of Christians, holding no recognized com- . munion one with the other, surely we are bound to examine, and to lind out which is upon the whole most in accordance with Christ's institution ; and having found it we ought to cleave to it, we ought highly to value it, because we believe it to be the truest represen- tative of the Cjiurch, as originaUy founded by Him, and organized by his inspired apostles. We, as Ministers of this Church, are bound also to satisfy ourselves that we are acting under a valid commission ; and you no doubt consider yourself fully authorized to speak and act as an ambassador for Christ. The commission given to you at your ordination is either a solemn reality, invest- ing you with power to speak and act in the name of the Lord, with an authority which you could not otherwise presume to exercise, or It is horrible blasphemy. If you attach any meaning at all to it youyprobably do not diflPer much from your Brethren, whom you talsely accuse ; if otherwise, you ought not to continue to officiate under it. But while we confidently rely upon our own commission, we ilo not judge of others, we do not presume to limit Oie operations ot Orod sgrace. He uses a variety of instruments, and we believe that the preaching of His Word is made effectual to the saving of souls, notwithstanding some irregularities and defects, the extent ot which we do not care to determine. We rejoice when « Christ IS preached, even in those extreme cases where it may be said to be, even of envy and strife". St. Paul's teaching on this subject.* 18 so clear, that little room appears to me to be left for difference ot opinion, m the minds of any who take Scripture aS their guide. We must believe that aZZ, who truly build upon Christ, will be saved, but that it is far from immaterial whether we hold the whole truth in its purity or otherwise ; that if we adopt anything but the pure gold, there will be a loss, proportionate to the extent ot the adulteration, or the inferiority of the materials. If we are required to be more comprehensive than the apostle, we can onlv say, that *« we have not so learned Christ," that God's Word must be our guide. !)^»fr."»ii. You appear especially to condemn your Brethren, on accotint ot the views which they, or some of them, are supposed tq hold concerning the Sacraments. I therefore ask you definitely, do you, or do you not, hold that " Sacraments ordained of Christ be * 1 Cor. iii. 10-16. 20 r^^^Ili \l V J^' ^^"""^ y^" '■««so» to assume that any ofu3 hold more than th.s ? Have you studied the language of the Artides the and atTo^^tf r^^^^^^^ ''' -^'l administratfon !f the two tor it X I do nnf t ^r. '°*'''^y "^°'"'* ™ ^'^^ V'«^« therein express^ filf ^'^ ^P^*"^ °^ interpretations which may be deducel bv you ai au^^^^^^^^^^ construofon. If any one goes beyond these you are quite right m charging him with unsoundness re^rded n., n Se'Tir" It ^''-^^^f ^'g^-d ; but if you are%'?t"'gtThe use ot Ber language, and moreover if you cannot yourself use her words m your teaching, surely you are self condemnedrXn you nre. sume to charge others with deviating from the line marked ^ouV?'; oh.LT'T^ ?*J ^*"l '"PP^"® y^"''^^^^ to have some proofs of your charges, on which I therefore forbear to pronounce any opinion S they have been submitted to me. At present I can only say Vat I have not heard language used by any of my BrSen that cou d be alleged as a plausible justidcation of your charges, by any one who has thoroughly studied the tenets maintained by our Chur^ and riar' ed them with the teaching of the Scriptures P letter^ tW^vn^t* charitable construction that I can put upon your letter is, that you have not had sufficient time for study that havincr etep^ffVbrLf " Pr^lT"^ -ce vour OrSio"^^^^^^ exception of a brief period at Windsor, you Lave not been able to give l^t enabtdt'S-'*^ -''f^^^'" ^^'''^ '« ^^^«^*^*«^' ^^ order that we may w Iv i ^ ^'«*'""^»f t« accurately between truth and error -with- May not the explanation of the supposed difference between vonr self and some of vour Brethren be as follows ? C have 00^ CI fied m directingtho minds of vour ppohIa tl ««wu- I ^^^^V' J"^*^' more. While w« lay chu/slre>$ upon those first principles and am oontmually .nealoating them most earnestly, ,o nCerSss think wholo"r„t of^:? towards perfection, to ^^deavourTuS "he wnoie counsel of God, so far as it is revealed to us Besidfls snnK great doctrines as the Incarnation, and the AtoneLnt we have to ments. Tou may think that your people are not yet " able to bear L ivf '^'"^ t^T^''' ^^^^- ^'^^^'^ «>ost - opriat^ for them J^llf^hgiousknov^^ do - :.t c^ademn those who long tocommt 'i^ Heb, Ti. 1, 2; See also v. ly, 14; and 1 Cor Hi. 1-3. 21 nicate to their congregations the fulness of the Divine Revelation, to , impart to them the entire and complete system of doctrine and discip- line, which they are fully persuaded is contained in, or plainly deduced from, the Holy Scriptures. In conclusion I assure you that I have seldom, if ever, had a more painful duty to perform than writing this letter. I have scrupulously endeavored to avoid any approach to the style or spirit, in which you have addressed me, and I trust that not even the just indignation, which might he felt at your unprovoked attack on ray highly esteemed Brethren and fellow laborers, has betrayed me into the use of any expression too strong for the occasion. With regard to the mode in which I have been personally assailed, my feelings towards you are much more thoso >--'? contrary to comnjon a,.n.o t„ L"i P""°'P " ' ■'"»' oannot bo ; t s toaobingof Scripture 1^1 1-^ ospencnce, and, above all/to the if not efpres»e7 "■;, Z.ZZ7 "" T'^' "" "°"<""°™' ""P'i'^'l give form in word, L tl,T "'*?". ''«™°'^ unnecessary to state than to , Shis is occurrrfeolan?v°°''i 'nr '°'' ""^ ^ »"»"'><='J ""=™'» when he arrivesft a eerLl ,"^;„ ■ff*""' ?''Tr' '° P'«'«"" ^s son, him a rich iXrit nee A Z'ti™ „f P '■:i" • '° "''"I"' "■ '" '='»''«»"' and life are iustsueh « h» l-^'^ ^°'"« ""• ""'^ «°"'s character giveseviden e„f a nitt:re'Telr'?''"""P^ ^" ™""^' ""-J '- ^bo father mentions To ^^Ss ; b7s er„:':;rd™„f iTn2 " ^f ' oS:fcn7Lts'r^^;r °p""""'' "--r the^^p?„S; censure thaTfatl" "hen he" w M.^'TT °^ "'t™- ^^'^ ''^ « money and the iahJtnZ. J< • 7 °,'""' "'""S"' f™ "itl'lioMing the that to Eli, and in so manv Itl i ••'"''' P™'"''^" "'«^t- than " Wherofo,; the Lord GodJf 7 ? '"m^'^°"' ^''"^ "«* ««ached. " house and the ho^u of tvJrr ^f'^^' '""' ^'^^^ % " but now the Lord saitb Be ttf r f^"^^ '''} ^f''' ^' f^-" ever; " I will honor, and thcv that .! " T'J7 ^^'"^ ^'^"^ '^^"O'- '"e God had indeed;! -rcl' bit trtirsl^f'^.'^'^^ T'"''''-" Vlo his nromise"^ was ni lon^e L' din^ 1 // '"'''' t'l^"/''^elves involved, t desire to draw nZftlm tf' .1 '' P^-^^^'^ple here ^hich might be instit^te^n r\lat,n^ L"'^ ^^'T ""^^^^-^^ other man, is not bindin. if error or' «vil i T. T' ^7 ^^'"^ ^'^ ""^ «Fung up since the profnlse w^ Lt n 'd" j'^^^^^ ^^^ '-™' l-« cons.der myself perfectly and wholly free tm tt nl l'" r \"?.' '^"^^ and promote institutions which unv in Z ^''^'S"^"^" tofuitlier become, through the introduction of ,""'/, •''°"«P'/''nt,ou8 ju.lgn.ent. agree, the instuments of SmlJi^ ^^ '^ ^'•■'^^' ^ «""«"t vital interest, but h" I ani ac,V f ^^^^ n T"'""' '''''' "" '"^^^^''^ of and influence therefrom ^ called upon to withdraw n.y name in{niS"s^tor'chufch will a/foT^i 'r"^ ',' ^^^.'^ ^'-^ "nlcss the with your opinions, you liU si L l/'Tf ' ''''''^^ '" «--'l«"«e poor destitute members ''^ Ch 4's floVk^o ' ? "r" .^'""./i^'Five the Word and Sacraments? Vn. ;. i r * i /H'' '"""«t«ations of the «ueh thing, either^"lL'o?by\tt£:e"'v^''' \'- .V'^'*^ ^ be as well aware of this f.ctas 4^'" t'^: a^^i tS;:';^ ! ^ged himself limself, waa, ot bo ; it is all, to the ons, implied state than to hed thereto, ont his son, to bequeath I 's character nd, and he cting a fall, Unhappily, companion 'Vho would bolding the s, ho once ler to his strides to i in words, ure. The I'e implied aiadc than attached. , that thy for ever ; honor me 'teemed." lemselvcs ^)le hero analogy at of any irm, has not only ofuithor I'lgriient, t cannot attors of 'ly name iloss the ordanco rivo tho of Iho *tato no p must 1 years, 23 I appeal to nearly nineteen years of a career not unknown to the pub- lic in this Province, in testimony that such a deduction is utterly baseless. Not only have I taken active and prominent part in pro- moting the institutions connected with our Church, using my best powers— whatever they may be — to create and increase the endowment of the College and the Church, urging, and I believe not unsuccessfully, the claims of the diffjient Societies on those around me, and endeavoring on every occasion that presented itself, to increase the stipends and personal comforts of my brethren in the ministry, from many of whom I differed widely in opinion ; but I have been actually charged, in days gone by, with associating with men of difForont denominations, from whom I was separated by opinions different from ours. Indeed, it was at one time brought forward, as a serious obstacle to my being appointed to the Professorship of Theology, that I was too willing to unite with those who held views not in accordance with my own; that, in fact, I had "taken part with Preachers of all " denoniiuationa. and professing every variety of creed, in Associations " and Public Meetings." The same motives which guided, and tho same spirit which animated mo then, guide and animate me now. My 'views are as broad, enlightened, and liberal to-day as they were at that time, and though ministers and laymen within my own Church see some doctrines in a different light from myself, I am as ready as over to work with them and for them, wlien no vital error is likely to be propagated by so doing. I ask no man, be he Churchman or Dissenter, to pronounce my Shibboleth on all 'points. Bat there ore limits bcjond which no true man would dare to go. When positive error, denounced by the Church, is openly protlaimed, or may be disseminated by any Society of which ho is a memlfcr, ho is bound by all moral law to denounce the error and withhold his aid. Suppose " Universalism " had boon imbibed by tho members of the Church of England, and that doctrine was being propagated, or likely to be, through the agency of a Church Society, would your Lordship fool yourself bound to support such Society ? I am persuaded that no man would be more ready to raise bis voice against tho grave error which had cre^t in, or more forward to withhold the aid which he gave to any Society for the ptu-poso of disseminating truth, iuid not error. You might and would support those men, though they held opinions on some matters at variance with your own. You would not object to one because an Armininn, and to another because a Calvin i.st ; but you would object to either Arminian or Calvinist if either of them stepped over tho boundary lino between truth and error — preaching Univorsalism or any other doctrine which involved tho vital interests of men's souls. And if 1 see tho doetrinos of the Lord's Supper uns^cripturally set forth, I am equally justified ; /or wrong views on this are at the root of all the evils ivhich 1 fear. li *s here t3anor iroui cqu conaCioQiiuUa aoiurniina- - i; •i * '' ful of the beautifu and Tnnrn! • ; ''"'" y^"' ^o*" ^ ^^ "^^ "«'nind- man be fully p rsldej iTE^JT'**"'?^ ^^ y^"' " ^^^^ «-ery to be so ; that I may not los« f^ ff S""^ ,*""'' ^""3^ ^^ ^ intend world, nor meriTlnlhrn LT.?'' ^^ V^^^^ conscience in this corae. Like St Pau" I ^nn ,5 .?'^^? ^°''^«* ^* '" ^^e world to that I should be -uied Z'' ^f '"' '' '' " ^'^'•^^ ™«" 'hing judgeth me is the Lorcf '^ " ' ^"^^"'"'' * * * ^o thai to im;u"eTo £ the eMlf whM* ' ^"5?'^' *^ " ^-^ ^^- ^-^^^'^ and Diocese " YrwTl ob rve tv l^f ^^^'^ '' '^'''' ^" ^^'^ the evils concernirihich tIa 1" '" ' '"^^ ^'"'^'•' ^^at .vm. of Bhip while otSe^fre te rXtuS a "S "'"f ^ ^^ ^""^^ ^-^- And you further state that T nlT.l ^ ^ °' P'"^'«« "«* specified. Bishop now coes as far .« h. f^' f ^ '?'''° ^"' «"^»«ty. that the the Diocese is exacnv InZf' ' ^"'^ '"'"" '"*" ^''^ D'«««se, if cannot by any possib m'v bo nnnl' Tf"'''' '' /°" ^^""^ '^ '^'^ it assumes (hat Km^^r^^^ ^^'^^ '^^ y««r I^ordship inference be fairly SnSnfor,'''^ ^" ^^T'^'^' '"'"g^^t "«* the when any clear iL^onin in nT ^''"''^'' ^^ ^'^'^^ pu refer, that seized the opltuSv to hl/''l eountonance to any custon.s, you before I wrc^e^ryoS^ LordS 'it '^r^- • ^ ^^^^1 ^^^ ^'^'-ge« time, and the impression is ov^TLh" ^^''' ""'? '""^ ^^^"^ a second i« " eagerly adoS ed - K • "^'i ""? '"^ '"'"^ ^^^^^ the authority but wit'h no^nclafn sound intf fit"'? ^ 'i^'^"«>' *«"«'-'l "PO" bigh value set upon them to' bo S: l '^' "V*^" .^'■'' ^^'>"''^'«' «'»! the the subject of rites cuslls and f ^ ^/''"' ^^' '" (^Largo the second to 33, aid one 00X1^; b tteSd;:'"'^^ "^"/^^"" ^'P" ^'^ pJ^dence tabLr::il£tSx^rn'lf sr'7'r ^T^ after more espe ial y '„ „de T^ '^''''■',"' """^'°" '""^^ '•^'•ein- -Ply from t?.etVtat wen c'aT;^^^^^^^^ But judging pronounced, it was used one m X wT ' e '7"'^" '«gal op,„i„n was succe..ive order, as i^l^Z^t^^^^^^^^ tT^fff '" " not. however, to these alone that [ rcLoV b, mI ', ^^ ^"^ roatfois, which I perceived as hoZL ^^^f^Tt^^. but to some other minor of the Church ^ '''"""^ ^^mmon among some members 25 Your Lordship speaks strongly, in. this connection, of the importance ef strict adherence to all the rules and customs of the Mother Country. I also think it most important to adhere as closely to the good old customs of that glorious land j and yet the Church here,, in this Pro- vince, has already actually set up for itself; that is, in so far as represented by the Synod, and has determined "not to accept the new Canons." Some of us long foresaw and foretold the evils which would arise when once the door for changes was opened, and the time is not far distant when this beginning of secession, on a vital point, from the Mother Church, will end in " drifting away into a sea of uncertainty and irregularity." You deny that you attach importance to tlK3 color of a garment. Is it not, I may be allowed to ask, attaching great importance to it when one is substituted for another, which has almost invariably been worn in the eld Parishes in this Diocese; when it must have been well known that, rightly or wrongly, foolishly or wisely, the introduction of the surplice would bo so viewed by many of this country as to be the cause of the deepest offence, and perfectly certain to bring about most tinhappy divisions? Surely if, in the abstract, a man is morally sure, from warnings given to him, or from what he knows himself, that a measure which he proposes to adopt will result in arousing the wrath and indignation of hundreds, he must attach importance to that mea- sure, or nothing would induce him to take it. If a man is sure that what he is about to do will kindle grave suspicions in men's minds, and alienate from the Church many of its earnest and loyal members, he must be satisfied that the step is one absolutely necessary to bo taken. I must really be allowed to differ with your Lordship as to the use of the black gown not being a custom in England, for, though I know personally but little of that country for which I have so profound a respect, the testimony of a host of witnesses is that the black gown is in ordinary use, or had been until very lately, and it certainly is not com- plimentary to that noble band of men, who for years have ministered in the sanctuaries of the Mother Country, to call the vestment in which so many thousands of them have appeared, when preaching their Master's Gospel, " a Popish rag," as it was termed by one not long since. The author of the " Double Witness," a book strongly recom- mended by your Lordship, the Bishop of Newfoundland, and some eminent men in the old world, think, of the black gown as a vestment to be not wholly without the sanction of that sacred principle of the British Constitution — Proscription ; and it would seem reasonable that when one is willing to create a storm and kindle men's passions, by pressing the use of a surplice, he must bo urged on to it by the firm conviction that it is of importance. No one can doubt that it is more convenient for clergymen going a long distance not to carry a gown, and many in going to remote places, where nothing was known of white, black, or any other color, used their surplice only, as I have heard »^ and 1 seriously doubt whether any one over found fault with them tor I 26 -^^faL^lrtS^t ^-""t--*. when a minister first gown at all" sTt Zhel ta oM T.^''^"'.''"/^!"'' l^^"'^ ^own. or no chamed. then mnZTl-\ °™ «!'«'''"'l"»i churchos the custom is J talrfroifnfcr™, °' """ r" "^7''°"^ ^authorized. Now St Pinr» r • ^ ^™ P"'"""'' "" » silk gown on Geod Frid-iv in tind'^rb'u; yo\""„iT:nnL™' wf H *^V°''=°=" of slf'pSirr I cannot pretend to LvifT„ '°"""' "'?" "'■'' "'horized or not, my i=-noranr T^ ^' ^ '"■';' ""^ "".'■■"'<' <"• direction, I confea^ milliner;," f Mil admit hfr' ? ' "J"" ?"'' """«' " "'""a' papers I;;d per! icl rf flf^ VZl'"-"? '? ^°*'' ""'«"^"'-'=' Ther^Sntt'Snth't-!" ™P'- J-"' ' hadte ^f^part,. try, and Iba vlC cZes f '' '""' '" '".England, and ?n this'coun- Credence Tables when ■. T^lZ • °i , . ??' '"^'"^ "'" P'ac n^ of that is taken aww that nfJ- ■' ? •""'"" "■" ''='''^' »"•). "bo" Archdeacon stUUirt ed to aTend ™''!5;'"'^V" "'^ P'»™' ""'' "•« removed? I «> tainTvIln n^t f 7 fr "''''"■• after that aRain is hoard did no oiv y [he id™ "rt"'""^ ^'^r^" '^ *'■•' ^''"'=1' I 'hen There never harbcTn 70 rede.™ Sl!\t ^ P "r" "'? ''l'"" ''"=" ^ wme were brought from a cS undo Ml PaWr ^T " '"'"■'^ "",'! known, was outsid.^ flm r,„ • ', . "'P'*' (wnicb, as is woll ofthom^,;ert hoClmS Mil-?'"? ''■"'?•), P™>'i»'>"o tho reading Do not'lot^the q .<^.t on, b '„S d° ' "" • T" P'^™'' »" "'" ■T*'''" the bread and wine oT the Table. f .1° "• '''"-■'i"-''P»'- "'"= "f pla«mg questions are ™,rX p,™""' andri" '.?'■*=' °"°'-' J"'''^'' T""" 7aW<. bcin» ur.rod tl„. Z ?.. ' ""'' '} ™'. ''" f""' of a Grcdmc, Lonlship srates^°blt'' ™Ta ;: 0?edl:rKi: aTs f ■"'=\- ^"'i Tai :'''S, r;:i:^,:t'tf'i■ ""■;•"" ".^S- •» tt'^ie f^,r„f «nd be it tS, SaL ol sh "/' it see™' '" ™ ''' "V,''" f"'' '■' °»"™™< Table is there ' " ^«™» "-answerablo that (he Crodeneo :i^z iLr s 'Td'sfot, ^™ ''"" ^^i^" ° "tfiud r„u o iiiat, and sucli othoi reverent and simple uiodoa as 27 we Protestants have long been accustomed to, are not what I condemn. I specified what I meant, and I maintain, and still declare, that frequent bowings, genuflexions, turnings, crossings, all of which I have seen with my own eyes, are not the ancient customs of our Reformed Church. These things are new, at least, to thousands of my fellow countrymen. But, in addition to these, I spoke of one thing which, if not true, will afford me deep gratification, and relieve my mind of a heavy bur- den of pain and sorrOw. I have read not long since, in a certain directory for the conduct of the officiating minister, the proper mode of holdino; three fingers of the human hand at certain mentioti of the sacred Three in One. I was horrified at such an emblem, and I assure you that my blood chilled, and a feeling of fear crept Over me, when I saw your Lordship, as I then believed, form that figure when pronouncing the benediction at St. Paul's. If I am mistaken, it was only because unintentionally your hand fell into the exact shape and figure clearly laid down in the book to which I refer. Now, such are ray conscientious convictions on the impropriety, to use no stronger word, of such an act, that language would be weak to express my feelings ; and, believe mo, that I shall deeply regret that I was led by an illusion, if such it turns out to be, to impute the act to your Lord- ship ; and so grave and serious a matter does it seem to nic, that, if wrong, I am ready and hereby do apologize to the fullest extent for even misunderstanding you. That the Lord's Supper is now fondly termed the Eucharist, you can easily prove by reading the productions of numerous authors. I meet with it frequently. You speak in the same way as niyself of those false members of the Church of England who are "substituting bread and wine for that groat and gracious Being." And does your T^ordship mean seriously to tell me that this is not done, when in the Church paper, generally known and accepted as the organ of the Church of England in this Diocese, a letter appears, in which these words are used : " To which is added, in the case of priests, the offering, at least once in three months, of the Holy Sacrifice for the same intention." Need I, when the fact is undeniable that such words exist, waste time with argument to prove that there is .some one in the Diocese who is bold enough to propound the view that the Lord's Supper is a Holy Sacrifice. There is the fact, and it is a stubborn thing, and cannot bo put out of the way. And is it uncharitable to infer that the person who wrote it is familiar with the " Priests' Prayer Book," from page 17 of which the collect is selected. At any rate, the views of the writer on the Lord's Supper are similar to the views sot forth in that book, as maybe seen from its later pages. In another letter occur the fyllowiti^ words : "His Lordship particularly alluded to the awful neglect of our blessed Lord's words, hy. the many who withdraw themselves from the most Holy Sacrament of His sacred Body and Blood." If language conveys any meaning at ] ill 28 gracious being." '"^^^^^uting bread and wine for that great and the Grtl^cflth ^brf:u!rd^P^^^ withtheanrch ofRo^eand alter the fact that those l^te^f i^ 1 .nr^F'^'i^^'^l^ ^' ^««« °«' more than some one in 7h7n- °«t editorials. Some one, or. frankly wrttTn, printed r.^^'Tr ^!^V^««« views, for he has But I go furthe; and hoid^h . K'''^''^'^ *^"™ '° '^^ ^'d^ world. country be justified or hi? ^.^ "^'^7 ''f ^ '"'"^^^ P^P^^ i" this letters to apCar p^^^^^^^ crime, if he allowed two calling upon'rhe^erpri^rerTeZ ^""'T' '^^*"' ^"^ sedition and disloyalty to oiir"rn n." o °° '^ ''^''"*' Pleaching ing one word forTeeL toS'^^ Soyereign, and never publish" the treasonable dcZns of 1?.'.^ T ^"' ^^'^ ^disapprobation of ous leaven to worSrou'h th^^^^^^^^^^^ whole country would rise in imLn r ^* P'^ ^^ ^""'^ ^"^ ^« it, the eternal interest a^of infini el^.rfr^ ^""^ t' ^ "'^^ "^^"ers of upon the grave propo?a° to 'Xt^^^^^ political, I look ChnrchofRome^and he Greek ?h^i^^"'''^ of England to the serious in its nature thnn«nn. --^^ ^^ ^" annexation far more deem the subS Wthe eW^^^^ ^^^ ""f^' ^^^-^-' -'"le I disloyalty to our heavenly SoveTeT^n FaS f ",i ^"^' "' '^' ^^«P^«^ His Kingdom demand, fr^om tlL ? fe^nd ft 1. ^"'°'""'' '"^ "'"^ ^"^ ' pudiation of such principle^and s^"' -•- T'.' ^" ""tspoken re- gan I am publicly LkeX '1^!, "i^f ""^ '',^°^ ^^^'" ^" ^ P"'^!^^ «r- Rome, I publicly indindrnn^M "^ ^'r°^ ^^""^ ^ ""'"^ with whence comes IhJinvLl'^^^ ""T^'l ^^^'^^ '^^^^ ^"d I ask, long is allowed to put fort^^^^^ ^^^° '^' Church to which I be: no man to raise hifv^ce Ld lav ^^^^ """'''"''^ *« '^^•- ^«-^J»^g, ia the Church holds and teaches tZ T ""* ''^^ ^"^^^'^^^ ^J»ch representation of her princTpleT ^^"' °^^ ^^'stem" is a false &c.^D^fyo?r\rd:htr:u^^^ ^-"'^-^^ P-'ons no otherpLibleC bvX' *'^™^^^^ ^''"'^ be attributed to me \ tdeod T ^T'"'"P^^'"'« ^•^^"^^i^" can October n,imberTf the CWhn^^^^^^^ cj-ged withcasting^^^ltcU^^^^^^^ ^-^^ ^ them, and so the charire does nnf om^lu °™' ■""* i did not write «rou»|l,i„„ that i„ tW, fi 1 '^ f '^'.''•' ''»»««<"1- Is it not n raou he -tands „p„„ urc'tmetoZt „Tc: fr » ."rf!";'''!"''' ^™°'» It, It IS nnf T v^h^ 1 .1 ": -"" onts the loo. I must ronnat ^<^-^^n^^^:^-ti^7ri^^ besiegers— V. lurcn lurniture. I spoke particularly ofthe l\ 29 and Blood," It great and >f Rome and It does not me one, or. ) for he has ^ide world, of England aper in this Uowed two states, and preaching er publish- robation of the poison- do it, the matters of cal, I look nd to the n far more 5s, wljile I he deepest 3 Him and ' spoken re- public or- nion with Jd I ask, hich I be- aching, is les which a false passions »!• I know Jsion can rs in the truly be uot write 3 missed Church issailed, t a mou- CliurQh l>ecause t ro.nnat Communion Table. Now, in the same letter signed " One who waa present," if your Lordship does npt, I certainly do see, some one •' pining for Church furniture, &c." I cannot help thinking that the author of that letter most deeply regrets the absence of altar, super- altar, and steps ; if he does not, he has been most sadly misunderstood by an enormous number of people. But am I wrong in supposing that your Lordship yourself wishes to have the Communion Table raised to at least a certain height ? I am not speaking of any reason which might bo assigned for it, but simply of the fact. That some one exists in the Diocese who would wish for the three steps, is to be clearly seen in the letter in the Church Chronicle. And with regard to cloths of handsome and rich embroidery, I have heard the costly and beautiful cloth on the Table at the Cathedral admired very much by people of excellent taste in matters of art; and indeed have been told that the " fair white linen cloth " on a late occasion was so scant that it scarcely, if at all, concealed from view the exquihite workmanship. In speaking of approaching the Table with awe, I certainly am at liberty to use my own eyes and gather from men's conduct and gestures whether they /esteem one place more sacred than another, and as I have seen men turn round to the Communion Table at certain times, it is certainly a natural conclusion that they esteem it more than ordinarily sacred. As regards the alterations at St. Paul's, in which I was deeply interested, and about which I spent a considerable amount of time, the answer is very simple. The greatest part of the alteration was purely utilitarian. Whatever ornament was added, such as a better reading desk, had no symbolism in it, and could not possibly be construed into having any such meaning. There are only two or three other points to be treated of before I reach your observations on my summary. First, concerning your charge in reference to the Greek Church. As it so happens that I do know something of that Church, its tenets and its rights, I was gi'ieved and pained to the last degree to hear that measui-e publicly advocated. It is true the bodies, referred to by you, in England and America, have caused an investigation to be instituted ; but that course is a widely different thing from hastily wishing for a union Avith that Church. They, doubtless, will look well into the question before they express or imply a strongly favorable opinion on the matter. My sorrow was evoked by, to me, the painful, disappointing thought that the sympathy was with the Greek Church in preference to those Protestant Churches which, in their own way, have so long and so well been doing Christ's work on earth. Of the effect produced by your Lordship's Charge, you have the first fruits in the letter of the Church Chronicle signed *' F." This person quotes you as follows: " The words of our " Bishop on the subject (of Unity) in his charge were full of the " true spirit of Christian love." He, at least, was influenced, and so gtronglj itifruunccd, that he has actually gone luriher than your Lordship. And do you suppose that any one would have written M 30 to the Protestant Church of EnJandLTbt Cow''^'? *\'' r^'''^ heard or read that Charge ' °^' ''"^^^^ ^^ bad first .erJon^'nTe Wfsi^ L^^'^^^'P *^^^ -- of your own gent persons that they haTbdrer./''' '' ™'«""P<^'' of ordinary courtlWand^-ntn PP.?'" '» S''"^ » « disregard of notice me most i-portanf p^n ^of '^fk.tnATfnr' ",".''°»' evaded answering the ouestlnnQ o^r^T • j • • 5 " ^^^^'^ »"d have not be justified in condnut. a ^o ^^^ '^ '*' ^ ^^^^ *^^^ I «'^«»W productive of apygood "esuft ^f ^^^^^^"u "^'^ ^^'^^ '^^^"^t be manner on your side ' '* '' *^ ^" conducted after this cour 'elTaiS th'e^^r^^^^^^^^ fhe - d^„^^^ ^^ circulated throughout ^heS'ese ' *^^' '' "*^^ ^'^ ^^^^^^ I am, Rev. Sir, ' Rev. George W, Hill. ^""^^ ^''^^^""^ ^ H. Nova Scotia. indeed" witli feeli4s7deep L, nT^^'tr'^'Pi ^^"^ ' ">"' " '«= documeathas procfeded from tl,! . .""at I admit that such a Diocese. It cannot acfuXreo^. ""' "^ ""' ^--^y »« "7 yet, fearing that silnTrm/rt TomZ'^'-'T '^'' "-^ must proceed with the analysis * m-smterpreled, I morllo^iSfrnntVi^rhrslfo^^ cCSrnsod^^ilTCd^^^^^^^^^^ Of his teaching on the sublet of mon. ? '"'^^ '''*'"^^ "" «^«o»°t met with anything more £0^^ f^'^ ^"^ ^ '^^^« "«* ated in this letter.* Alas for nn f ^'^^ principles enunci- religion maintains' suc^d^^Hn f rrspt[fngt:\L 1 «epted by the other par ^ When anyPnoSt l"'^'' ^^'i'"^^^ ^^ '^'^« been ao- place. 80 that if it had been foreseen t^henti- '^«"e« «f circumstances takes because a promise is alwavs sunnn^^?* ^L'""'^°,''°"^^ °»* h»ve been made tion."-i//-, rfe /.t>. ''*^' '""^^^''^ *° ^^"'^•le under such a tacit condi: V V i . mk to this low level, we should become i bye^word ia even market frequteated by our merchaats. I tf ust that few will den^ that when a man has signed his naiAe, with a promise to pay »• certam sum to any assocataon, upou the fulfilment of certain cL* f ii '^^Tr* ^''*P^ ^" ol,ligation,by the plea that he had meutally added s^me other conditiofts. We all kno^th^tthe obhgatiou can be enforced by law, and if the Judges of the land ? would not hstea to the plea, that some abuses had^rept into the STl^r; T -"'.^^ P^'^ ^'. admissable in foro JnscienM- The fallacy lies m the supposition that the money is still at the ?hX' ^X i'^r*!' ""^"'"^'^ ^^°"" *^« "^°™«^t ^^^^ he has signed the list or bond he has no more rightful control over it than if it had been ac ually paid. The present is a pecnllarly strong crJ for an actual bafgam was maie-^some alterations in the ruCof' the Church Society being secured by certain gentlemen as ie'^nl dition on which their subscriptions were tt, be given, so that klTt when signing the list, they were virtually giving nites of h^d for value received.^ And now on the pretext^L some erJorWi^ce that time gained a footing in the Province, we are toldthTt th^ promises not only may be, bat ought to be, violated WfS principles be adopted, no combiued work can be c^iied on Zt no reliance can be placed on any pledges of co-operation a, f! wide door will be opened for fraud, siL it i^sts tThTe^pe^^^^^ Vho has given the pledge to determine what ch^ge k to be i^CS ^s a serious error, andas sufficient to release himLmhis^abS^^^ tures, m vindication of what most men would ^lA^iVn.*! manifest breach of faith, is not only it. s^b Sste bftTair ♦* my mmd. se profane, that I forbeL to.s^^ Tre relS ll is moreover to be observed that Mr. Hill has noP!ffn '^ f prove, that either the Endowment Fund or the Church ^^^^^^ beenn>ade,oris likely to be mide, tL ^stS^ntSS^^^^ gating erroneous views." He discusses a supposed ^,e «wW: positive error, denounced by the Church, is open y pmd^^^^ may be disseminated by any Society," bitwhL thTt^roX oul unfavorable insmuations, he does not attempt to show Thaf hk argument applies in any way to our Church SocieL«n^ vi u 1 attempted to do so, he'wou/d have morsi^al^^^^^^^^ '^ '^'^^ rotuse, u, support our Sooietles,' unlesa S oaSbVirel^d toT l^ A.. opm,on ,ouad, or, in other words, unless oB J^^thlM^^ k, 34 ^s mtefprfetatiop of the formularies of the Church of lEnghnd? .LT't^^i ^'' *'''?^"^* ^""^ "^"^^^ ^^ y«»"' a^d this would be fnS forcible appeal if he assured ue, at the same time, that he ^hlrl u ^°Jl*^°"f t^e same course ; but it has no force whatever In. ?yf . f himself told us, that he wfll not do as he has hitherta done, that he will no longer support the institutions of which he has heretofore been a zealous advocate. The reference to his former a« ions only renders the sad contrast, between them and his decla- rations for the future, more glaring.. _ He tens us that his " views are broad, enlightened, and liberal," to such an extent, that he has been charged with being too willing to umte with men of different denominations. Is he n^, then, the more mexcusable when be endeavors to withdraw the means of subsistence from those, who eat of the same bread and drink of the same cup, who havfe pledged themselves to adherence to the same tormulariesand the same rules, -because they feel themselves bound in conscience to a more scrupulously strict conformity tlwn 'm consonant with his sentiments ? Unhappily, he only affords another example of the well-known phenomenon, that extreme laxity on one side is commonly combined with extreme intolerance of any difference of ^opm'ion in the other direction. Moreover, be it observed, he has not responded to my demand (p. 17), he has not attempted to prove, that any clergyman in this Diocese holds opii- ous other than in accordance with our authorized teaching, and stil less has he proved that the Church Society has in any way what- 111' ^f'^^i^"*"^^^ unsound doctrine. And supposing, which is an?tffi. r?' that I am personally the object of his attack, and the target at which all bis ai-rows are aimed, still the Endow- ment Fund was so carefully proterted from any interference or control on my part, that if I were so disposed I could not use it for the benefit of any particular clergyman. I have discharged my duty m solemnly pomting out to him, the practical effect of such i course as he proposes to adopt, and its true meaning, notwith- standing his endeavor to disguise it from himself. I have faith ^ully warned him, as one of those over whom I have been appointetl an overseer, of his responsibility, and now I must kave him in our Master s hands. h. ? '^ ^^!u f^^'^^t^r^^ife, from the sophistry of page 24, whether he denies that he intended to specify the Bishop, when he wrote ip. 7) what he calls "an axiom in metaphysics," but taken in connection with its context, its intended application is unmistake- atfimn?!' f /' 'TJ^ ^^**f' ^^ P'°'"^^'' "°'^«' * ^^«>"d «f words, to attempt to fasten it definitely upon me. I trust, certainly, that the Diocese 18 «o<, m any respect, " exactly as I found it,'' that the ltr.l1iriL^\^L^;!^_"*'^^^ *l^°g«^^- - 7-n» -d that While the Province has been rapidly progressing, the not h«An afan/i;>.» o*;il TT- _-.„. ^ ? «' „.„„..,. j^_ oeiti. xiu siiiiiixs, iiowevur, to Church has- reiier more 35 particularly to the state of our buildings, aud t^eir furniture, and I have only to point to the City of Halifax for proofs-the alterations and improvements m all the Churches, more particularly in St. Pau 8 being very extensive while two new Churches have been erected, in accordance with the increased knowledge and improved taste of our day, very different from any specimens to be found at all be attributed to my influence, and I am on this account to be condemned, I thankfully accept the condemnation. I hold that, as the condition of the population improves, there ought to be a cor! responding improvement in the churches, and that There must be a want of love when men, adorning and beautifying their own dwel- lings, are content to allow the house, set apart for the worship of Thfl '''°'^'° comparatively bare and destitute of ornament. There are some persons apparently devoid of the power of appre- ciating the fine arts, upon whom they have no elevating eTct; bel tv of f^ ''^T ^^^ *»^« higher faculties, by which we discen^ beauty of form and sound, should not be cultivated and gratified why the beautiful should only be employed for secular purposes why he best should not be dedicated to God's service, nrSn why those who are beneficially affected by them should be deprr^S of their influence If eloquence may be rightly used in the pulpU as an instrument for moving the feelings, so that the truths utS may produce greater effect, it cannot be ^rong to use other mTans with the same objec^ provided always that they be approSe and introduced with moderation, so that they may be rSed to their proper place as means, and that they do^ not Lome S " ^W^i^L w^Pr' u^ •'"'^^f^ his statement, that "everything for which there is the slightest pretence of authority is eagerlyTdopfed >' And yet he can only adduceone instance which is, even in h^^^n PP 2^32 fo'SZT .^-^^-^^.--yChargMeliveredSS; -^«ii n • ' • f'T 5** ^ *"" *^i**"« *° **^e advantage of every legal opinion ' that may be delivered in England, for the intvl duction of novelties. When I wrote my answer to his first letter T supposed that he alluded to the opinions of colsel uTon c/sil submitted to them such as have frequently been pubSshed, and It had not occurred to me, that he could be so careless in his cho* ce of language, as to use the words " legal opinion" to desfffnan judgment formally pronounced by the highest Court of AppSl T have no hesitahon in saying, that whenever such a judSnt is delivered, I shaU take cognizance of it, and act accordingly What sTal Jr *'''°^ °f «^^P."hlic officer'in this Provincr^ho should speak of a unanimous decision of our Supreme Court, upon a pS alin7'/\r''^* "legal opinion," which he is^rHbertrS adopt, or otherwise, at his pleasure ? I should have fdt that I h*^ been very remiss, if I had nmJtfo^ ♦« »./?.":: ® !?" ^?** ^ h»d Judgment- finally delivered afteraVuH' hi;„^Tf t^^ Kr^! 86 ^TtC ^""f^ '^''' J^''' I^ordships adopted the principle, that H^J^ performance of the services, rites, aSd ceremonies, ordered Observed, that no omission and no addition can be permitted'' Sari MT?P*f ^ ^^}- *' '^' ^"^"^^ P'«^^^°g ^»»« Prater for the ^a^nsfaUv rS' ^^^^^^U"!?, Practice they (Ihe bread^and wine) " a smaU si^e ^L f ^''^.^f T™' *" ^' ^''' objectionable than « L ?J i • ^^^®' ^^'*?' '^h**'^ th*'^ "ay be conveniently reachod the Conamunion Table." Here, then, I take my stand. It is my duty to see that the laws are obeyed by the clergy within mv lv« .v f r-' ?f ' ?^"" '?^*^°"^' *« ^" *^°»« past, to^LIe known every judicial decision or interpretation of the laws which we haT-e Sf tK Zr^"""" M ""^'y- ^ "°^ °^ ^«^^«»« ^^r the goodTpS ofthose who would have me act otherwise; and I believe that Nova fecotians, being a law-observing f,eople, will ffenerallv tirr fr -'•'"'''' "°^ *^™^* ^'"^ oSlilatiL even iffat an? LTl^atil.''""'"' "^^ ''"'^^' "^^^ ^^-^ Pr«i«»t the anx e y of 'SJ sfderldnrT*/"^ 'T'^^""^ ^*' ^^^^^'^ manifested, and the con! Sat wln.^ ' "^"'f ^? 13 appointed for the next session, in order that we may more clearly discern, whether our real identity with the old church will be most certainly preserved by retSnL the old, or by adopting the new, canons. ^ retaining the bacf to p^^esTn ^'l ^"^^«',r ""'^' T° *^« «»'P^'««' I refer oacK M) pages 10, 11. I have there stated, that I do think it of great importance to adhere to what is authorized, and I have g ten or not, every man can judge for himself, I can only reneat that T am acting to the best of my judgement. I have so^ mS confi- dmice m the good sense of the members of the Church here that I do not believe any objection would bo made, by any conrregat on to the abandonment of the practice of puttingV thesuXe °f thj true state of the case were explained to them, andla7rr^in %tno "earnest and loyal member" would be alienater«n leis Srthr«loLr'"-> ^.? *J«««°trary, I believe that upon ^tc ZL Z ^JT^-:^ ?^ ^^ <^^r «^ to insist ti --> -y |/iv«M/tt«t,yur inetr own ci'ple, that s, Ordered be strictly jrmitted." er for the md wine) the com- cording to iable than Y reached sforred to id. It is rithin my te known we have cl opinion ieve that generally P, at any or their canons " good old 8 moved adhere ling new hat any Y of the the con- in order ty with ling the , I refer ik it of e given (factory t that I confi- e, that gation, )Hce, if certain unless reflec- > insist r ovm i 37 iecwity ; they must desire to have the teaching of the ptilpit, in harmony with the desk, and it is well that the Preacher BbouM be reminded that he is an officer of the Church, in the one place as mucn as in the other. You have some reason to suspect that a minister, who is anxious to divest himself of his official robe, may be forgetful of his obligation to inculcate her dogmas. The absurdity of the objection to the surplice in the pulpit, must be immediately manifest to every one who considers that it can have no such signification, as is attributed to it by the objectors, except at the Communion Table, where they admit th(it it must be woni ; while its use at all times is commended to us by the fact that it is the peculiar distinctive vestment of the Reformed Church of Eng- land, the black gown being worn by various other classes, inclusive of Lawyers and College Students. But, whatever may be its merits or demerits, I desire that it may be distinctly understood that I have not ordered the discontinuance of the gown. In the exercise of my proper functions, I have informed both clergy and laity what is correct, but, having done so, I leave you to act at your own discretion, relying upon your good sense and regard for order to guide you aright. From my own Chapel I have banished the gown, because I could not sanction it there after officially declaring that it is unauthorized. On Good Friday evening, I have been in the habit of putting off my Episcopal vestments, and adopting the robes ordinarily worn by Clergymen in England, when in deep mourning. On these Occas- ions I have only to preach, and my practice has been in harmony with my feelings, but if I had to officiate previously, I should ce^ tainly not have changed my dress. Mr. Hill's explanation and defence of his use of the term " clerical millinery " would be in- credible, if tliey were not of the same character as other parts of his letter. Surely no one else would adduce the omitting to wear the stole over both shoulders, or to wear bands, or the omiasion of any article of dress, as instances of •' clerical millinery." But when a writer insists that a " chair is a table" (p. 26), and desig- nates a judgement of the Privy Council as merely a " legal opinion," we cannot be surprised at any misuse of lauguage. Upon the subject of Credence Tables, I thought that I had said enough in my letter, (p. 12,) but as Mr. Hill repeats his remarks, and, in fact, impugns ray whole statement, I must add a few words more. Since he has ventured to mention the " painful scene in St. Panl's vestry," 1 have no hesitation in speak- ing of it, though I would otherwise allow it to sink into oblivion, and I am glad to have the opportunity of exposing the felsehood of a story which has, for several years, been permitted to circulate without refutation. When the pulpit was removed, the closet in which the bread and wine had always been placed, was destroyed, and on the Friday before the first Sunday on which the Holy 38 Commumon was to be celebrated, I wrote to the Rector, reminding him that a substitute should be provided, but giving no definit^ direc^ons. It appears that, in consequence of this message, the Archdeacon sent over a small table the next day, towards evening, when one of the Churchwardens coming in, ordered it to be taken fZT*^. o *¥ ^^^^ ""^ ™^ recollection, I heard nothing of this until the Sunday mormng, when 1 told the Rector he nJust then make some other arrangement, by means of a chair or otherwise, to admit of comphance with the Rubric, and of adherence to the practice long established at St. Paul's. But the same Church- warden forcibly opposed the Rector when attempting to perform his duty, and bemg apparently much excited, rudely addressed me m the vestry, declaring, in defiance of the law, that the bread and wme should be placed upon the Communion Table before the Degmning of the service. It was then too late to discuss the ques- tion, and as I did not choose to enter into a controversy immediate- ly before going into the Church, I declined to say more than to request the two Wardens to call upon me the next morniua to represent their views. They did so, and then coolly told me that those great Lawyers, the Lords of the Council, did not understand the meaning of words, and had misinterpreted the Rubric, just as Mr. Hill now speaks of their " feeble efforts." As I did not wish to mvolve the aged Rector in difficulties with persons so utterly regardless of law, I allowed the matter to drop ; but, of course, if he had determined to set up a Credence Table, the Supreme Court would have protected him, and would have prevented its removal by the Wardens, since this was the very point that had been decided by the Court of Appeal, against the Wardens of St. Paul's Knightsbridge. That I then, or at any other time, ordered the introduction of a Credence Table into St. Paul's, I again positively deny ; and upon the occasion m question, I solemnly affirm, that I neither ordered nor desired the placing of either table or chair within the rails, that my direction was only to provide a substitute for the old closet, and that the Rector's arrangements wore made at his own discre- tiou. Ho doubtless perceived, what any man must perceive, that It would be more convenient to have the bread and wine within reach of the officiating cloryman than at a distance, and desired so to place them. Except as a matter of convenience, I state again, as I stated in my Charge of 1858, as I stated above (p. 21); that I have no preference for a Credence Table, that I care not whether the bread and wine are inside or outside of the rails, or in the vestry, provided the Rubric be obeyed. You will observe that Mr. Hill, determined to persist in his own misrepresentations, is actually driven at length to maintain that a chair io a fable (p 26) and that^, although he cannot vonture to deny the well-kuown faot limi *u buiem Chapel the broad and wine are uluced on any chair ^ m 39 that happens to be at haad, in order to avoid the inconvenience of brin'rin'' them when required from th( v^estry, he flatly contradicts tny plain statement of facts, and boldly asserts that « the Credence Table is there." At the same time I may say, that I have no reason for being without such a table, and that I omitted it because it was a matter of perfect indifference in my opinion, and that I only notice Mr. Hill's assertions because he has deliberately <;ontradicted my statement of a plain fact, known to every com- municant in my chapel. I presume that, notwithstanding Mr. Hill's contemptuous sneer, the declaration of the Lords of the Council will satisfy all reasonable men, that "a Credence Table has no connection with any superstitious usage of the Church of Rome, and is more properly an adjunct to a Communion Table than to an Altar." ^ . , 'a His remarks upon" bodily worship" were sufficiently answered (p. 13), with the exception of one, which I did not understand, and which appeared to me to refer so irreverently to the Deity that I passed it over without notice. But he has now explamed himself, and added such observations, as no one can read without I-' pain and sorrow." In fact the determination to " make a man an offender for a word," or for a movement of his body, has here reached its extreme limit ; and it is difficult to deal seriously with such a charge. When I pronounce the beqediction, I lift up my hands according to tHe ancient and scriptural custom, for either prayer or blessing, but I have no further rule for my practice. 1 sometimes spread out my hands and sometimes, which is more natural to me, I partly close them, the spread hand seeming rather awkward. Whether at such times they fall " into the exact shape and figure duly laid down" in his Book, I cannot tell, for I do not remember ever having seen any directions respecting the benediction. But I am confident that I have never held up three finqers, and if two fingers and a ihumh have been more particularly prominent, I most decidedly and distinctly repudiate any intention of symbolizing the blessed Trinity, by a mode of holding up the fingers which, if symbolical, would imply that the three persons are not co-equal. ^ ,, . j When Mr. Hill said the Lord's Supper is " now fondly termed the Eucharist," I supposed that he referred to rtation addressed to the communicants, the oxple Jion holy mysteries" is twice applied to the Lord's Supper. And indeed wS may ask how "an outward and visible aign of an inward and s pi ritual "T 4! r^nint all applicable ; that there is no reference whatever in the S.tterwhicffito^^^^ to annexation of nny one branch of the ^Stllnother- Mr. Hill .^^/^T'^^' ^Kfc^-^, *\,ic ^.iihippt and as he connects the letter ot r wun mjr v. »^b » ?ls*SAe that he certainty misrepre8e»tB me and probaHy *M he is not^o be understood to «°™P'°™«» «%P"3''' ^^ be, to be regarded as an «^*^f ®.;^ *, ^^^ ^ determination Bishop, a iurious tirade against his Brethren, ana » « not to 'advocate the «"PP-V°^""^i^^Then^t ap2^^^ upo^ of onrLord, " that thoy »"";<;? ^''7 j „f„ ,„ „. »„swer on ^''as'ti.h -tiff Greek Church in P^f-^^'^*"'; ~itl ninrnhpq " &c I Stated n the Charge (p. J^) tno ^ j , :„^ StyWtt;ayofa„ypianforu„u>nw^th^^^ fully explained my views above, while he stiU tails to sufeg / •"'tr"HVn:,g"^at I Should publish "-^ vie- on the ''^Vl. important subject " of the. Lord's Supper and I fuHy ag^ee w^ him that the importance of fignt tow= "u i...» =-. j - 42 be over-estimated, but he would have offered this suggestion with A better grace if he had first stated his own opinions ; and the tone and temper of his letters shew that the request is not made, in the spirit of calm enquiry, by one who wishes to know the truth for the truth s sake. If any of my sermons have been misunderstood, I deeply regret my inability to express my meaning distinctly, for I desire to utter no uncertain sound, and I hope that the explanations and assurances which I purpose to offer to you, before concluding these remarks, will remove all doubts from your minds as to the opinions which I hold and teach, and have consistently held and taught, respecting the Lord's Supper. As for Prayers for the dead, I thought that my teaching could not have been misunderstood. At different times I have spoken of them, and always, I believe, to the same effect, that in the common acceptation of the terra, meaning petitions for a release from punish- ment or any change in the eternal condition of the departed, such prayers are not allowable ; but that we are taught to pray for the famful, that the day may speedily come for their re-union with their bodies, so that we, and they together with us, " |tfay have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul." We all admit that until tlie resurrection, the souls, even of the Saints, although in joy and felicity, are in an imperfect condition, and holding the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, we pray for them that they may speedily be admitted to the fruition of the perfect state, through re-union with their bodies. If to approve of, and unite m, this prayer, be to " advocate prayers for the dead," then I admit that I do so, but I certainly do not in any other sense. ^ And now we have arrived at the most extraordinary portion of this extraordinary letter. The most important part of my letter, extending from page 17 to page 21, most imperatively demanding a reply, if he thought he could in any way justify himself, ho passes over with the observation that it "requires very few words from me." Of this proceeding, nothing is worse than vue poor endeavor to evade his responsibility, when called upon to designate the guilty parties. He charges me with assuming " that which is not the fact," and in a tone of virtuous indignation, requests mo to be '' particular in animadverting upon what he does say." Now, I have carefully looked at his " summary," over and over again, and I am persuaded that the intention there, as well as in the Avholo letter, was to produce the impression that the supposed evil is rampant in this Diocese, that I was far from exaggerating when I said (p. 17) "You charge some of us, whether myself, or my Bretliren, or both, it matters not," &c. But there is also much more than the intention. I ask you carefully to read the second paragraph on page 7, where he distinctly states that some persons, whoever they may be, are " seeking to introduce by degrees" the \v of the ductrlijo ftud nractice of a system which he there describes, with the B^f- tion th^^^^^^^^^^ be developed. Now, for mys^f, ^^^^^^l ^'j entirely repudiate decline to avail ourselves of th^ «^^ ^/^^^^^ . ^^eking to intro- such sophistry. ^ ^^"^^^".^^^^^^^^ or otherwise, we are duce " such a system, whe her ^ ^«^ ^^^^ ^ith sinister guilty, aye,andmost especially guilty. It we B^^^^ ^^^^^^^ Lentions upon pr mciples ^Yntllanlr agg^^^^^^ it, for it is a This attempt to gloss ^'^'^^-'IZ^^^^ «*y«' ^^' tacit avoW that ^^^XTvird ting^Cword 'Clergy ' " Is he 31,) " I have carefully avoided using evident, upon his own shewing, that * 7" f ° ^^^j^es, without real or even suggesting ™«nf he tn prove nothing against the clergy, or probable cause? It he <»n Fove e ^ ^g justify hts part of my whole Diocese. ^^ ^^^ ^^eigbt to *^ Under ordinary circumstances, 1 should ^^^ ^.^^^^ the opinions of a ^^^other Bishop, bu,u^^^^^^^ ^^^^ quoted has avowed principles ^f.^^^^^^^j^^^^ weight with me. In ?hat no exposition of his sentiments ^^''^^^J^^^ u Do you mean in' wer to the question put to ^^- ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ho' does not, that you will permit no one *« b« a c^^Jf ^ yourself?" he replied, , hold such opinions and tenets as are h«W Dy X ^.^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ' u Most assuredly I do mean that 1 hope i ^^^ .^ ^^^ tion, it may be, of a few ^^^^^^^P^trs^cb an example. At all Province who would desire me to ™^,.';j ^^^^ my duty is to deal events, I ™-t decline to do^^so a^^d believe th J^J^^^ ^^^^^^ impartially with all, who art ^«""^J ^ ^^^^ ^iewB. wh'o can use her ^^ W^^^/^P^^^^^^ of commenting upon I have %^^««"^P\f f '^^erof^mr^^^^^^ noticed every statement this letter, and have, to the best o^ m ^^tbough in many p aces of which the meaning can be ^^^^'^^^^^^^^^^ ^uch random assertions, it seems like solemn tr^Amg gravely to ^^^ ^^^^ uke a hasty and to spend so much titne m ^f ^^tiirof a man seriously endeavor- ebulUtio'n of temper. ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ n.ay be. I am not ing to eradicate error. What ^^ • /?;" tu„t supposing him to have required to decide, but I am ««>^«;/^^ ^' J^ ^Xg and practice, at been dissatisBed with my Charge ow ah ^^t^^^^^ ^ g^^ J^^^^ .^ ^^^ any time, the Chr stian ^o^^/.^JJ^td ask if my meaning was first place, private y. and state h,s ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ Ji that I bave really what bad been .3P°f ^^,,,^^^^^^^^^^^ opinion, when be has always courteously received the ^Tf t " alwavs happy to see anv Siffi,?ed fro,u r.:.ftZi:ZV^mZ^l' an/Sa, who wii one, Witnoui icjjr;-^ ^- 'ik come to me to ask for feiplaitiations, or to object to niy oflBcial proceed- ings, or to converse Wiikh me irpbn any of tbose topics tvbicjh are most interesting to me. If such efforts hkd proved fruitless, I should not then' have blamed him, if be hod at length resorted to the step with tyhich he has now begun, provided always that he had written in a Christian Spirit. But he has not attempted to converse >ith me, or to represent hSs fears and anxieties. He has never sought tin interview with this object, and although I was meeting him, at least twice every Week, in the vestry room Of St. Paul's, he gave no hint of the fnental sufferings, which he now appears to have long endured, until about a ytteek before the date 6f his first letter, when I met htm in a very Excited state in the Province Building, and was informed thathewSS about to vh-ite to me. And now that he has written, the question is forced upon tls as we read, Who is this who speaks in such an authori- tative tone ? upon what ground does he consider himself entitled to address his Bishop, or even any one of his Brethren, in this imperious style ? I know of no foundation for his assumption of superiority, except it be that he is Rector of St. Paul's. And you may Well enquire. Has it come to this, that the Rector of St. Paul's is to define what and how we are to preach, that without his sanction we niay not improve any pot-tion of the furniture of our Churches, nor manifest our feelings of reverence and devotion, nor even lift up bur hands in the sanctuary? There is, indeed, too much reason to suspect that Mr. Hill is only the organ of a small pttMy, whicli began to oppose me soon after my arrival; as soon, in fact, as it was perceived that I would not be their servant. They appear to think that etery one must submit to the power of the purse, and doubtless you, my Rev. Brethren, must have Deen sorely tempted at times to succumb to the pressure which has been put upon you. But if you have lost assistance which other- wise would have been afforded you in your work, you have the comfcr*^ of feeling that you have not bartered your convictions and your independence for gold. My determination to assert the right of the clergy and laity throughout the Province to a voice in the management of the affairs of our Church, has excited the hostility of those who desire to have everything under their own control, and has involved me in many diflSculties ; but it is a sufiicient recompence to know that this course has been generally appreciated by you, and that a more lively interest has' been thereby awakened, and the spirit of self-reliance encouraged. And now I stand up, on your behalf, to protest against the attempt to compel you all to speak and act, after the one fashion approved by this party, and against the uncharitable insinuations to which all who presume to differ from them are subjected. But I have a still more solemn duty to perform, in putting you on your guard against the dangerous errors which the great enemy is endeavoring to introduce. If you have carefully read these letters, you mnst have peroeiveii tliai, wiiiltt iueru ia a greac »now jI aeienaing the syjtem of the Church of England on the part of Mr. Hill, he never < 45 adopts her language, that, on the contrary, he condemns the very expressions of her formularies. Now, I do not ask you to accept my bare assertions in preference to Mr. Hill's, in proof of the position occupied by either of us in relation to the Church of England, but I do confidently app al to this fact, that I am ready to mamtain what-- ever she dogmati(ally asserts, that I use without questioning the language of the Articles, the Offices, and the Catechism, respecting the Sacraments. I shall be thankful for the assurance that he can do, and does, the same, but there is too much reason, judging from his letters, to fear that this is not the case, and as he has taken no notice of the questions on page 20, we have no counterbalancing evidence. I address you as true members of the Church of England, assuming that you take her standards as your guide, and that you look to me as the appointed overseer and guardian of this Branch, to see that her system is preserved, and her doctrines taught, and to put you on your guard against errors. Deeply impressed with my responsibility, and remem- bering that I have to watch for your souls, as one who must give account, I affectionately entreat you to examine this question, and study carefully the language deliberately adopted by the compilers of our Liturgy and the fraraers of our Articles. That this is in perfect harmony with the teaching oi the Holy Scripture may easily be proved, and if I were not fully persuaded of this I would not retain ray office, I would at any sacrifice cease to exercise the functions of a minister. But this is not the point on which we are at issue just now. Assuming this to be proved, the question is, what does she set before us as the true doctrine deduced from the Scriptures, held by the primitive Christians, and handed down from the time of the Apostles? I fear that grievous error has crept in, particularly with respect to the Sacraments, and that many hold the Zuinglian errors, which are specifically contradicted in our Articles. On this account I spoke, as I did in my Charge, of the importance of assigning their proper position to the two Sacraments.* Thei opponents of the truth endeavor to excite prejudices against it, by confounding it with Romish errors, but you may be certain that you are safe in followiag the guidance of those who suffered the loss of all * For those who have not the Charge at hand, I reprint the fbllowmg ex- tracts. I first quoted the 26th article : " Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be cer- tain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, by the which God doth work invisibly in us," &c. I then said, " such persons admit that prayer, and preach' ing, and the reading of God's word, are means through which spiritual blessings are conveyed to man« but, strange to say, they will not allow an equally high positbn to the special ordinances of the new covenant. "If the Sacraments be in any way hiterpoaed between us and Christ, so as even in the least degree to obsoare tho view of the Savionr, they are misap- plied, hut if rightly regarded and em^doyed, they are the means by which life is unparted, and union with Chiiat maintained beyond all others. So &r are thev Arom clashing with the doctrine of the efficacy of faith, that they imply it, and are only madt tffectual throujfh its exercue. * * * It is to the want of faith that the disparagement of the Holy Sacraments is to be attributed. We oauuui ueruuiVtt wiiy iiioy ar« appoLui«ci, or uow tiivy are F«uu6r^ OduoQciait and we have not faith to believe Uie promises." — Charge of 1866— pp. 89, 40. 46 tbings, some of tbem eiviDg their bodies to be burned, in consequetice of tbeir opposition to those errors, t It matters not under what guise they come, or with what profes- sions they may try to win your confidence, you are bound, if you value the truth, to turn a deaf ear to all who do not speak according to this word. I dread the introduction amongst you, of such opinions as are now held by many, from whom better thinp were expected ; and the denial of the efficacy of the Sacraments has been generally the first step in the downward course, followed, after an interval, by the denial of the obligation to accept any dogmatic teaching, and ending in the rejection of the Scriptures as an inspired guide, and too frequently of the doctrine of the Atonement. This rationalism is, in my belief, the form of error against which we are most especially to be on our guard, and it is very subtle, so that I feel great anxiety on perceiving the first traces of it, and if we must choose between two evils, it is better to believe too much than too little. The absence of humility, and the unwillingness to submit one's own judgment, so as to accept the authoritative expositions presented to us, are usually the cause of such declensions from the truth, for " if any man thinketh that he knoweth ' anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." " God re- sisteth tlie proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." The assertion of liberty is always attractive; but I trust, my brethren, that none of you want to exercise the liberty of holding error. The apostle foretold, " a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Let tts hold fast to the truth, and walk in the old paths. Do not allow yourselves to be misled by statements which, though plausible, will not bear investigation, nor think that because your ears are gratified and your feelings moved, you are therefore necessarily fed with wholesome food. The cause of much error appears to be, that men take a few leading truths of revelation, and then construct their own system, in harmony as they think with those truths, instead of humbly seeking for, and accepting, all that has been revealed, even when we are unable to construct a harmonious scheme, t If ft more modem authority be desired, I refer to the following extract from the late eminent «♦ Evangelical," Edward Bickersteth, whose words I readily adopt, as expressing my own views ; " The Lord's Sapper is a solemn ordinance, designed for a perpetual exhibition and commemoration of the aton- ing sacrifice of the death of Christ, and for our participation in the blessings of that sacrifice. It is a representation to the outward senses of this great truth, that the only Son of God became man, and died fbr our sins. It teaches us, by signs and emblems, those doctrines which the preaching of the Gospel brings before us expressly in words ; and being a Divine itistitution it is not a bare lesson to the senses, but an efifeotual means of grace to the soul. Herein Christ offers Himself to us with all His bwiefits, and we receive Him by faith. Its great design is to represent, or place before us, to commemorate, and to shew forth, the death of Christ as a sacrifice fi>r sin, and to declare our expecta* tion of his coming again ; and the actual benefit which the fidthftil receive is the communion of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ."— Bickersteth on the Lord's Supper. f* ^ (» 4T ot ttiougli sdtne portions may appear to as to be inconsistent \frit!i ottefs. Let us especially beware of, in any way, uniting ourselves with a party, for a party never can hold more than a part of the truth. It may be altogether wrong, but never can be altogether right. Party spirit is repugnant to that love, and those aspirations after unity, which should characterize the disciples of Christ ; and besides this evil it necessarily leads to the neglect of some truths, and the exaggeration of others, destroying the analogy or proportion of the faith. Let us not boast of being high Church, or low Church, but let us determine to be honest intelligent members of that Branch of the Church of Christ, which we believe to have been most signally protected guided and honored by Him. I believe that our Church is destined to be the great bulwark of the faith, in the contest between truth and error. Let us all be prepared each to da our part in eonteftding earnestly for the faith, once delivered to the Saints, but now vigorously assailed from opposite quarters, let us prove our armour, that we may be able to give to etery man a reason for the hope that is in us, knowing both lohat we believe and why we believe. So that to use the words of the Translators of our Bible " if on the one side we shall be traduced by Popish persons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us because we are poor instruments to make God's holy truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, oic if on the other side we shall be maligned by self conceited Brethreir, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves and hammered on their anvil, we may rest secure, supported within by the truth and innocency of a good consci^ ence, having walked in ways of simplicity and integrity, as before the Lord." It is probable that taany of you, my brethren of the Laity, who will read this letter, have hitherto taken little pains to discover what the Church of England really holds and teaches,-Conceining her own posi- tion, and the divinely appointed ordiicinces, administered within her pale ; but I hope that you will now be roused up carefully to investi- gate these subjects. With respect to the Sacraments, I recommend you to study particularly the 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th Articles^ at the end of your Prayer Books, and more especially the Catechism, being certain that if we find the food provided for the babes in Christ, too strong meat for us, we cannot be true members of the Church of England. She distinctly repudiates, in these formularies, the common popular view on the one side, as explicitly as she does the Romish erroru on the other, being as truly Catholic, as she is decidedly Protestant. And if you cannot reconcile her teaching, thus clearly brought before you, with what you have supposed to be the tenor of the Scriptures, your minister, if you apply to him for instruction, will put into your hands plain and positive proofs, from the Word of God, of thcsse doctrines. And I trust that you, my brethren in the Ministry of the Gospel, will perceive the necessity for giving much attention to the truths which are more immediately assailed, and that none' of tou will QVQt 4;B lay yourselves open to the reproach, incurred by the unhappy Bishop of Natal> of apparently retaining an office for the sake of its einolu- taents, while you either, refrain from teaching in accordance with ypur pledges, or use statements of doctrine in which you do not heartily concur As ray last Charge has been so lately circulated among you, I will ask you to read it ovef again, instead of adding more, fpr indeed, I fear that I may have already wearied you, but I must plead, as my excuse for repetition, my deep anxiety for your welfare, and my sense of the heavy responsibility laid upon me ; and I may say, " to write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe." It is my earnest prayer for you all, that you may be enabled to " hold fast the form of sound words," which you have learned, "in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus," that you may not be '' tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine," but may " grow up into Him in all things which is the Head, even Christ." Ood grant unto us, by His Holy Spirit, to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort, through our Lord Jesus Christ. I am, my dear brethren. Your affectionate friend and pastor, H. NOV A SCOTIA. Halifax, Nov. 26th, 1866. KOTE. The following language compiled from a well-knoWn writer,* embodies the teaching of our Church concerning the Lord's Supper. It is not merely a commemorative rite, but an actual channel or vehicle of grace to the soul, a means of closer communion with God, in which are commu- nicated to the soul, not indeed by a-carnal transubstantiation, but " after a heavenly and spiritual manner,*' the very body and blood of our crucified Redeemer ; and the means whereby the body of Christ is so received and eaten is feith. So that in this Holy Sacrament we are spiritually nourish- ed, through the elements of bread and wine, with that fleeh which is meat indeed, and with that blood which is drink indeed. * Dr. Qottlbum, now Dean of Norwich. ADDITIONAt, NOTE tO SECOKD EDITION*. As Mr. Hill, in his letter to his Parishioners, insists that he did not Bay the system is already developed, I refer you to p. 6, where he says, *^for several years past, I have noted the gradual but sure development of a sys- tem of doctrine and practice," &c. Moreover, we should like to be in- formed how ** a system" can be seeking to introduce anything? If any thing further is sought, it must be by persons who have adopted the sys- tem, 80 that it is but a poor attempt at evasion to pretend that the charges were a