IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 // 
 
 ^ >\ 
 
 *'-.'^^. 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 ■ 30 ^^ 
 
 ■^ IM 12.2 
 
 11= 
 
 '-^ 
 
 '/l 
 
 
 / 
 
 PhotogreTihic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 CorporaUon 
 
 "^"^J^ 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
 
CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The Institute has attempted to obtain the best 
 original copy available for filming. Features of this 
 copy which may be bibliographically unique, 
 which may alter any of the images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 the usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 I I Covera damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommag^e 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaur6e et/ou peliicul^e 
 
 I I Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 |~~| Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes g^cgraphiques en couleur 
 
 □ Coloured Ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Re(!6 avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 Lareliure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion le long de la marge int^rieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas 6t6 film6es. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires suppidmentaires; 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a €'.6 possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier 
 nne image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dars la m^thode normale de filmage 
 sont indiquis ci-dessous. 
 
 □ 
 
 n 
 
 
 
 n 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couiour 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommag6es 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul6es 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqu6es 
 
 Pages detached/ 
 Pages d6tach6es 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 □ Quality of print varies/ 
 Qualiti in6gaie de I'impression 
 
 □ Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel suppldmentaire 
 
 □ Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, unci pelure, 
 etc., ont 6t6 film6es A nouveau de fa^on d 
 obtenir la meilleure imapo possible. 
 
 Tl 
 to 
 
 Tl 
 
 P< 
 o1 
 fil 
 
 Oi 
 be 
 th 
 si( 
 ct 
 fir 
 sit 
 or 
 
 T^ 
 sh 
 Tl 
 
 wl 
 
 Ml 
 dil 
 en 
 be 
 
 rlfi 
 re 
 mi 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est filmA au taux de rMuction indiqui ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 26X 
 
 
 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >/ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Library of the Public 
 Archives of Canada 
 
 L'exemplaire fiimA f ut reproduit grflce d la 
 gAnlirositA de: 
 
 La bibliothdque des Archives 
 publiques du Canada 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in Iteeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Les images suivantes ont AtA reproduites avec le 
 plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et 
 de la nettetA de I'exempiaire filmi, et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the bacic cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est ImprimAe sont filmis en commenpant 
 par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont fiimAs en commengant par la 
 premiere page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par 
 la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol —^>( meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la 
 dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, seion le 
 cas: le symbole — »- signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre 
 filmte A des taux de reduction difftrents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul cliche, 11 est fiimi d partir 
 de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'iiiages n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la m^thode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 32X 
 
 "■ 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
n 
 
 
 
A 
 
 IPiii^^(£)Biiffii Sa^lTiri 
 
 mi 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE CLERGY OF THE 
 
 CHURCH OF SCOTLAND IN THE CANADAS, 
 
 TO THEIR 
 
 PREBBYTHRSAH BRETHHi:;^, 
 
 OV THE Stl3IEtr>' NOW AGIT.VTEn 
 
 BETWKEN '^II^^' AND THE CLERGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGIANI', 
 
 RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 APPROPRIATION OF THE L Ai\DS 
 
 KESERVEl) FOtt TUt; SlH'l'ORT OF 
 
 A PROTESTANT CLERGY IN THESE PROVINCES. 
 
 iHontiealt 
 
 PRINTED AT THE HERALD OFFICE. 
 
 I 
 
 1828. 
 
rnoM 
 
 €l)c Cln*0p of U)t CSurcI) of ^'cctlaalj 
 
 IN THE CANADAS, 
 TO TllEJR PRESBYTEIUAN BRETHREN. 
 
 •— »»^«4'74 — • 
 
 BIIETIIREK ! 
 
 V V ERE the present simply a question of temporal provision, and 
 affecting solely our own interests, we should not have deemed it cur 
 duty to address you on this occasion ; but, to use the language of* our 
 opponents, the question is one which ''nearly affects the interests of our 
 Church," and which involves, if not her immediate existence, at least 
 her respectability and permanence, in these Provinces. To abandon 
 our tla.ms, therefore, without a struggle, would be not only pusillani- 
 mous, but a dereliction of a solemn duty — it would be to prove our- 
 selves unworthy of the invaluable inheritance which was purchased 
 for us with the best blood of our brave and pious Ancestors. 
 
 Were we to notice the many undisguised attacks that have been 
 made upon us — leaving out oi' the question those that have been clan- 
 dqstine and insidious — it would abundantly appear how little prone 
 we are to controversy, and how iruch hitherto we have sacrificed to 
 peace and charity. Indeed, we are little moved by anonymous pam- 
 phlets and anonymous communications in public journals ; and wlicn 
 recently' a celebrated Chart drew upon its author the indignation of 
 the whole community, though we considered it an object meriting the 
 severest censure, we are in no way responsible for any vehemence or 
 acrimony it may have been the cause of eliciting. We, on our parr, 
 can truly say that M'e have never attacked any ])arty, nor done any 
 thing culcuiatel to create excitement or provoke controversy. We 
 did, indeed, in the year 1820, petition His Majesty's Government for 
 protection and support to our Church, and claimed, in virtue of what 
 we believe to be our Constitutional Rights, a parUcii)ation in the 
 Clergy Reserves. In no other way can it be allcdged, with truth, that 
 
A Puilural Letter. 
 
 we occf ioned the present controversy ; and we submit, with confi- 
 dence, to the judgment of the candid and unbiassed, whellier there 
 was any thing in the spirit and tenor of our petition to warrant the 
 violence and hostility which were manifested on that occasion by our 
 opponents. We will leave it to the impartial, who are aware of the 
 representations made, and pamphlets published by our opponents, to 
 decide which party has most reason to complain of attacks sustained, 
 and of the spirit and manner in which these attacks have been con- 
 ducted. 
 
 If we enquire into the circumstances that have recently revived the 
 controversy, it will appear equally manifest to which parry the blame 
 is fairly to be attached. 
 
 The Ecclesiastical Chart, framed by Dr. Strachan, having been 
 transmitted to this country, and having been published in the news- 
 papers of the provinces, occasioned a degree of excitement in all 
 quarters, which will surprise no one competent to judge of the state- 
 ments ii contains. It roused into indignant exertion even those whj 
 were previously passive in the matter ; and, as the only means of 
 detecting and exposing its inaccuracies, was by giving it publicity, it 
 must be considered the immediate and sole cause of all that has late- 
 ly been done or written on the subject. But, however much we 
 may — and we do most sincerely deplore any excitement or violence 
 that has arisen — we must be permitted to say that, they alone are re- 
 sponsible for these unhappy consequences, from whom such unguard- 
 ed statements have emanated, or who have in any measure been the 
 advisers and abettors of that system of which the Chart forms a part. 
 We regret to observe, that the Bishop of Quebec has, in no part of 
 his Circular, disavowed or reprobated such misrepresentations in the 
 manner that was to have been expected from the well known integri- 
 ty of his character. 
 
 To those who are aware of the correspondence which we have been 
 carrying on for years with the Colonial Office, and of the many en- 
 couraging promises that have been held out to us, but never realized, 
 it will not be matter of surprise or reprehension, especially when they 
 take into consideration the recent attempt of the Archdeacon of 
 York to deprive us of the due support of government, that we have 
 at last resorted to the only effectual means of enforcing our claims, 
 and of exposing and repelling such machination^;. Indeed, the only 
 charge against which it might be difficult to defend ourselves, would 
 be that, in a matter so deeply affecting the vital interests, or rather 
 the very existence of our Church, we had so long remained passive, 
 while the utmost activity, vigilance and zeal were displayed in op- 
 posing our claims. We must be permitted to say that, having thus 
 been compelled to exert ourselves in self-defence, we cannot help 
 viewing it as somewhat strange to be now assailed with the charge of 
 aggression and violence. 
 
 Such is a fair view of the circumstances that gave rise to those 
 
 ill 
 
4 
 
 A Paalural LcUcr. 
 
 proceedings wliich seem to have drawn forth the Bishop of Quchcc's 
 Circular — and that silence may not be construed into an admission 
 of error, apathy, or guilt, we now I'eel ourselvea called upon to ex- 
 pound ou • views, and to vindicate what we deem our just claims. 
 
 We feel unfeigned and profound respect for the truly apostolic 
 character, and the meek and Christian spirit, of the Right Rev. the 
 Lord Bishop ; and it is our anxious desire to observe towards him, 
 in this controversy, that reverence, which not only his rank and office, 
 but still more his piety and virtues, must impress on every good 
 mind. And, however much wo»may prefer our own more simple, and, 
 as we deem it, more apostolical mode of worship and Church govern- 
 ment, this sentiment of preference does not blind us to the merits of 
 the sister establishment, whose high desert and real excellence as a 
 Protestant Church we frankly and cheerfully acknowledge. With this 
 perfect good feeling and frankness on both sides, we hope, and are 
 persuaded that the present controversy will not engender any bitter- 
 ness or rancour between us. 
 
 That we may not be thought to have made unwarrantable preten- 
 sions in claiming for our Church a participation in the reserved lands, 
 it will be necessary briefly to notice the heads of argument which his 
 Lordship has stated in his Circular. 
 
 With regard to the allegation that the Religion of the State must 
 be some one form which the government must recognize and identify 
 with itself, we are constrained to sj y, that we do not believe this to 
 be, in theory, an axiom or self-evident truth ; and in point of fact, we 
 are far from thinking that it is verified in the history of nations. 
 While we admit with the Bishop that it is the duty of a Christian 
 State to support Christianity, and by the most proper and effectual 
 means to disuse and promote Christian knowledge, piety and morals, 
 we by no means think that it follows from this, as a necessary conse- 
 quence, that it must recognise and identify itself with some one form, 
 and establish and uphold that to the exclusion of every other, — and 
 we wonder that a fact so obvious as the existence of two equal and 
 independent religious establishments in Great Britain, should not have 
 forced itself on the attention of his Lordship. 
 
 The true idea of a religious establishment, appears to us to be, that 
 a fixed and permanent provision be made by the State for affording 
 religious instruction to the people, and that the established religion 
 be that which is professed by the majority of the governed. In this 
 U)pinion, we are supported by the authority of that eminent Philoso- 
 .r^her and Divine — Dr. Paley. 
 
 The attempt of his Lordship to support his argument by a refer- 
 ence to the Jewish economy, is utterly unavailing. The Mosaic dis- 
 pensation was extraordinary and miraculous. The government of the 
 Jewish State was a theocracy, and their civil and religious institutions, 
 prescribed by the same divine authority, were comprised and blend- 
 ed together in one and the same code. To this very peculiar const i- 
 
 ^- 
 
A Pnatornl Letter 
 
 b 
 
 tution of the Jewish State, in which their religious economy was iden- 
 tified with their civil polity — and the administration of both vested in 
 the supreme magistrate — we find no parallel except in the Mahomedan 
 States, in which the Khoran serves at once as the directory of faith 
 and rule of civil government. Besides, his Lordship should have re- 
 collected that the dispensation of Moses was abrogated and su- 
 perceded by that of the Gospel. The latter, indeed, stands every 
 where contrasted in the Sacred Writings with the former ; Antithesis 
 would, therefore, in this case, have been a much better ground of ar- 
 gument than analogy. Were the principle of assimilating the ('Iiris- 
 tian to the Jewish economy admitted, it would lead to the revival of 
 circumcision, sacrifices, &'C. 
 
 The argument from the establishment of Christianity, in the fourth 
 century, under Constantine, is equally feeble. For this was the ago 
 in which " the interests of virtue and true religion suffered grievous- 
 ly. Two monstrous errors, which were almost universally adopted, 
 became a source of innumerable calamities and mischiefs in the suc- 
 ceeding ages." Of these maxims, one was — " That it ivas an act of 
 virtue to deceive and lie, when bi/ such means the interests of the Church 
 might be promoted ;" and the second, equally horrible, though in 
 another point of view, was — " That errors in Religion, when )nain- 
 tained and adhered to, after proper admonition, were punishable with 
 civil penalties and corporeal tortures." * 
 
 Nor is the Bishop more happy in his attempt to strengthen his ar- 
 gument by claiming, for its support, the sanction of our early reform- 
 ers. Most of our reformers, as is now universally admitted, enter- 
 tained very erroneous notions with regard to religious liberty ; and 
 holding the latter maxim — relating to the justice and expediency of 
 punishing error by civil penalties and tortures — considered it the du- 
 ty of the civil mag'strate to enforce by these means the true Ileligi- 
 on, (that is, what they esteemed such) as well as to oppress and des- 
 troy all who dissented from it or opposed it ; and, in consequence, be- 
 came the advocates of intolerance and persecution, and displayed one 
 of the worst features of that Church whose corruptions in other res- 
 pects, they had so successfully laboured to expose and correct. 
 
 The question with respect to the construction of the Act of Parlia- 
 ment, is one into the details of which we shall abstain from entering, 
 as it belongs rather to the province of the lawyer than of the divine. 
 Suffice it to say, that we believe his Majesty's Scottish subjects in a 
 British Colony have a just claim to equality of rights, privileges and 
 advantages, civil, commercial and religious, with their fellow subjects 
 from England and Ireland, or natives of these provinces. 
 
 On the 4th article of the Union of the two Nations, we consider our 
 right to be founded as upon a rock ; for, if there is any faith in tlio 
 most sacred treaties and covenants between nations, we are persuad- 
 ed it is most solemnly pledged in this contract — which, be it observed, 
 
 * Mjslieim's EccL-siastical History— Hook 2, Part 2, Chap. 7,, Scctiun IG. 
 
 if 
 
A faitorat Letter. 
 
 ^ 
 
 v.as rutliicd sevcrtilly in the Parliaments of England and Scotland, 
 and lies at the (oimdation of the British Constitution. Whatever, 
 therefore, would violate any article of this treaty, would go virtually 
 to dissolve this union of which it is the basis. For, was it not a trea- 
 ty between two iiidei)endent nations? Did it not equally secure to 
 both, within their territories, as they stood at the time of the treaty, 
 their respective religious establishments ? And is it not palpable that, 
 in territories actjuired since that Union, there must be an e<|uality 
 and reciprocity of all rights, privileges and advantages whatever, un- 
 less some article in the treaty can be pointed out which clearly and 
 distinctly makes a reservation or exception ; and if this be the just 
 construction of the treaty — had it been silent on this point — how un- 
 reasonable must we regard the doubts that have been expressed by 
 some, notwithstanding the clear and express terms in which ih urth 
 article of it is conceived.* Whatever stress may be laid upon the 
 word " territories," in the same Act, it will bear no construction that 
 could warrant its application to those Colonies or Plantations which 
 have been acquired since t!ie Union, and which are territories, not of 
 England, but of Great Britain and Ireland. 
 
 The argument next adduced, that another establishment pre-occu- 
 pies the ground, by which, we presume, is meant the Church of En- 
 gland (for the Church of Home preceded both) is no better than a 
 pelifio principii, or a begging of the question; for if, by the fourth 
 arficle of the Union, we are entitled to an equality of rights, privil- 
 eges and advantages, it will follow, by consequence, that our Church 
 nuist stand on the same footing as the sister establishment, at least in 
 every British Colony. If we refer to the debates that took place in 
 the British Parliament when the Quebec Act was under discussion, 
 we shall find that, at the last reading of the Bill, this construction 
 was put upon the words " a Protestant Clergy," by Mr. Fox — nor was 
 h? contradicted in this view of it by any of the Ministry. Indeed, it 
 is only a few years since the exclui«ive claim to the Reserves was ad- 
 vanced by the Clergy of the Church of England, at least in a public 
 manner; and the Scottish inhabitants of the Colony were not apprised 
 of their views in this respect, until the appearance, in a Quebec paper, 
 in the year 1820, of an advertisement with respect to a Clergy Cor- 
 poration for the management of these Reserves, -f Soon after, the 
 
 * Article IV. of the Act of Union says—" That all the subjects of the United King- 
 dom of Great Britain shall, from and after the Union, have full freedom and inter- 
 cxirse of Trade and Navii^ation to and from any port or place within the said United 
 Kinpdom, and the Dominions and Plantations thereunto belonging ; and that there be 
 a communication of all other rights, privilcgos and advantages, which do or may belong 
 to the subjects of either Kingdom ; except vv'here it is otherwise expressly agreed in these 
 Articles." 
 
 t The following is the advertisement cut out of the Official Paper — the Quebec Gazettes 
 
 CLERGY RESERVES.— His Majesty having been graciously pleased to 
 erect and constitute a Corporation, consistinc; of the Bishop of this Diocese and tha 
 
 H'iJk.;'-ri)fei4';.':ii i-^iV": 
 
A Pastoral I.iiler. 
 
 Clergy of the Church of Scotland ihew up a mcmorlul to the govern- 
 ment, in which, in terms most respectCul to the sister Cliurcli, they 
 urged their claims to a participation in the Uevennes of these lands. 
 
 The special clauses of the Act on which the Bishop is pleased to 
 dwell, as if they constituted an argument that the general term, ♦• a 
 Protestant Clergy," was intended to be limited and restricted to that 
 of the Church of England, prove only that conditional authority was 
 given for carr3'ing the provision into immediate eftect as regards the 
 Church of England, while it was 'eft to be settled afterwards by go- 
 vernment with regard to the Church of Scotland. In fact, the term, 
 " Clergy of the Church of England," adopted in the special clause* 
 of the Act, affords corroborating evidence in favour of our construc- 
 tion of the term, " a Protestant Clergy ;" for how can we account 
 for the variation of the terms, if there be no difference in meaning. 
 
 The powers of n Bishop in this Colony, we humbly conceive, are 
 to be measured, not by the powers which belong to a Bishop in En- 
 gland, but by the laws and constitution of the Colony. Have we not 
 a Catholic Bishop vested with extensive powers, and a Catholic Cler- 
 gy recognised and established by law, and in actual .possession of the 
 tithes ? Under these circumstances, it is altogether unavailing to ar- 
 gue, from the condition of the Protestant Clergy in England, that 
 they have, or are entitled to have, the same status in these provinces. 
 But we commit, with confidence, to abler and more impartial men, 
 the true construction of the Act, and the determination of the rights 
 of British subjects, whether of the Church of England, or of the 
 Church of Scotland, in a British Colony ; and shall proceed to weigh 
 some other points of argument which the Bishop has touched upon, 
 and of the justness and force of which the people of Canada are bet- 
 ter qualified to judge. 
 
 These arguments turn all upon the great and increasing numbers of 
 the Church of England, the facility of conversion to her communion, 
 the alacrity with which proselytes resort to her from all quarters, and 
 especially the great number of teachers, licentiates, and ministers of 
 
 ClkRot of tho Church of Enprland holdirif» benefices within tliis provinc;, for ll;?si!;)er- 
 intendinGT, managiiiEC and cdi iclinjj the Reserves mads or to he made f )r (l)>! su;>|>iiit of 
 a Protestant Clarpy within the Province, PUHLIC NOTICE is h;"r'hy piven, that iill 
 Leases of such Res.^rves will in futiir-' bs pjrantud hy the s;iid Corporiition ; aiid that appli- 
 catioiis for the same are to he made eilher to the Secretary of the Corj) yration at (>Jti h 'C, 
 or to the Clorcryman of the Churcli of Enfrland residiiiij nearest to tlie lot to b" api)he(l fir. 
 
 Notice is also further given to those persons- whether holding CI rpy Rrserves under 
 Lease, or occupying them without title— who are in arrcar in the paymei.t of rent, for the 
 Ijtf. respectively held by them, that the Ministers of the Church of Ivngland r'-siillng near- 
 est to such lots, are severally authorised, on tlie part of the Corporation, to receive arrears 
 of rent, pr in cases where such arrears shall be large, to compound for them : such com- 
 position to be subject to the approbation of the Principal and Directors of tlio Corporation. 
 
 And all persons, so in arrear, are called upon to make payment fortiiwith accordingly, 
 and to prevent, thereby, tlie necessity of further proceedings against thciu. 
 
 By order of the Corporation, 
 
 ANDREW Wm. COCHRAN, Secretary. 
 
 Quebsc, 13th June, 1S20. 
 
 
 ii 
 

 // PusloKil l.dtcr. 
 
 other ilcnoiuinations, who nrc conliniially oU'eriiig iheniscivcs ns can- 
 didutcs lor Holy Orders. 
 
 As to the number of members of the Church of England, we wouUl 
 judf;e of them much ratlier, if wc might be permitted, by those who arc 
 conununicants, than by those who attend pubhc worship ; for the latter 
 we know in many instances to be utterly fallacious, as a criterion of 
 the nuiTiber of lier members. Many of the members of the Scotch 
 congregations recently formed in these provinces, were previously in 
 the habit of attending the Church of England, and some, no doubt, 
 were members, and continued to be so until they obtained ministers 
 of their own pcrsua.sion. This, indeed, will appear palpable from the 
 vast disproportion between the number of hearers and communicants, 
 as stateil by the Clergy of the Church of England themselves. On 
 the other hand, the number of the members belonging to our Church 
 will never be fully known, until wc are provided with an adequate 
 supply of pastors. 
 
 The Hishop has mentioned in his Circular that there arc large con- 
 gregations in his Diocese unsupplied — that the congregations of the 
 Church of England are the most considerable — and that he is dihposed 
 to believe that her disciples outnumber those of any other communion. 
 In forming this estimate, wo must be permitted to say, that we appre- 
 hend many included in it will be found of a different communion, and 
 attend *he Church '^^ England because they have no minister of their 
 own persuasion. Ana if, indeed, there are large congregations unsup- 
 plied, it argues a want of judgment or care in the distribution of her 
 pastors ; since it consists with our knowledge that there are many 
 whose congregations are small and inconsiderable, and who, therefore, 
 we conceive, might be transferred with advantage to those situations 
 where there is an adequate field for their ministerial labours. We 
 could bring unquestionable proof that certain congregations, consist- 
 ing of not more than 50 hearers, and 15 communicants on an average, 
 have pastors enjoying the usual emoluments of £200or £300 per annum. 
 In one word, we should be much satisfied could we obtain, from proper 
 authority, a census of the communicants in the Church of England, 
 as this seems to us the only sure and undeceitful criterion of its pro- 
 gress ; and on the comparative number of communicants in each of 
 the Churches we should be willing to rest the decision of the question. 
 
 We might also propose another criterion which appears to us to form 
 a good test of the disposition or tendency of the people with respect 
 to the difierent forms of Religion, viz : what voluntary contributions 
 could be obtained in the different settlements in favour of each of 
 the established Churches. Let us suppose that the Government and 
 the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge should withdraw 
 their support, and leave the Church of England to depend entire- 
 ly, like the sister establishment, on the free-will offerings of her mem- 
 bers, wc would ask them to tell us candidly — of the Churches and 
 Clt'ruymen now existinjT, how many would continue under such cir- 
 
T^IIP rviffip. II 
 
 ' ill ^ ' 
 
 r 
 
 .4 i\tslornl Letter . 
 
 rumstnnc 4 to h« giipnortod. It is not to ho tiiken for {,'rante(l that, 
 where there in no CImrch or Minister of our ciMunnunon cstahhshed, 
 th(;re i:s no scope for e.stah'ishinj^ one ; on the other hand, in many 
 phices where a Clergyman of thj Church of Knghmd ha^ h)n(; oHici- 
 ated, the desir.- of obtaining; a Clerj^yman of our coninumion, is scarce- 
 ly less ardent or less general, than in other places where no Church 
 has ever yet been establishetl. 
 
 We can also easily account for the alledged facility of conversion to 
 the Church of lingland, and tendency to enter her comnumion, — lor 
 so long as the policy avowed and recommended hy her Clergy is fol- 
 lowed out, viz : to withhold support from all other denominations—- 
 necessity, and the want of a more congenial fo'in of Iteligion, will in- 
 duce many to ynw her comnmnion, who have no feeling of predilec- 
 tion, or attachment to her forms. 
 
 In a similar way, it is easy to account for the number of licentiates, 
 teachers and nn'nisters of otiier denominations who have been drawn 
 within her pale. ^ " 
 
 The difference of doctrine between the several denominations 'of 
 Protestants, is not so great as wh(;lly to preclude the operation of'» 
 prudential motives; and where there aie on one side f)overty and ne- 
 glect, and on the other comfort, independence, patronage and promo- 
 tion, those who are acciuaintod with human nature, will not wonder to 
 see even a greater comparative nund)cr of proselytes from among the 
 Clergy than the Laity of other denominations ; and should wealth or 
 patronage at a future day shift sides, we might find, without much 
 surprise, the case reversed. 
 
 Indeed, it is easy to predict that, if the lure of two hundred pounds 
 sterling a year continue to be held out to induce the teachers of other 
 denominations to enter her communion — and if the Episcopal Church 
 receive such candidates with the same facility as heretofore into the 
 priestly olHce, the number, in all likelihood, will continue to increase. 
 All those with whom moral principle and feeling have less influence 
 than the love of this present world, will resort to the Bishop of Que- 
 bec for orders, and will desire to be put into the priests' office " for 
 a piece of silver and a morsel of bread." 
 
 In fine, when we co sider that the Church of England has been 
 hitherto almost entirely supported by Government and the Society for 
 Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts — that her Clergy, in masiy 
 settlements, have been long established, and for many years, have 
 officiated without any competition on the part of our Church — when 
 all the advantages they possess from long pre- occupation of the 
 ground, and from the zeal and activity with which they have avciiled 
 themselves of their controul over the funds and institutions for k.du- 
 cation in the Colony, and every other means of proselytizing, are 
 taken into view — it \i matter of wonder that they have not made 
 greater progress. ^ ... 
 
 
10 
 
 A Pastoral Letter. 
 
 ij; 
 
 m 
 
 u, 
 
 li 
 
 Hi 
 
 We readily concur with his Lordship, that Unity in must dchiiubie 
 among Christians — that it is delightful to every reflecting and well 
 constituted mind — and when principles are not compromised it is worth 
 some sacrifice of habits and prepossessions to avoid division. But, 
 as it appears to us, his Lordship confounds two ideas widely different, 
 and having different terms in our language appropriated to express 
 them, viz: unity and uniformity. There is unity among Chris- 
 tians, of whatever name or denomination, when they are all possessed 
 and penetrated with the true spirit and vital influence of Christian- 
 ity, especially with the spirit of charity and brotherly love. In 
 this sense> unity is opposed to schism, sectarianism^ or division ; 
 although, from a confusion of ideas, and consequently of lagnuage, on 
 the subject, we frequently find one denomination of Christians charg- 
 *i^fing another with the guilt of schism, because they cannot conscien- 
 tiously conform to the external order and institutions of some particu- 
 lar Church. In this case, it is evident that uniformity is mistaken for 
 unity, and an undue stress consequently laid upon it. There may be 
 uniformity without unity. "They are not all Israel who are of Is- 
 rael." To be one in our outward profession, and conformity to any 
 external order, is far from Being a phrase identical with our being one 
 in Christ Jesus — that is, in the true faith and spirit of our religion. 
 
 Besides her Hookers, her Chillingwort.hs, her Taylors, and her Pa- 
 leys, there will be found in the Church of England some, who Uke Arch- 
 bishop Laud, are scarcely to be denominated Protestant ; and have 
 there not been, and are there not still, some in her communion who 
 dishonour the Protestant name, and belie their Protestant profession, 
 b) inculcating, if not in express terms, at least in effect, the worst doc- 
 trines of that Church against which we have protested—" implicit faith 
 and passive obedience !" 
 
 In the same manner there may be unity without uniformity. 
 We trust that there are many true disciples of Christ on both sides 
 of the Tweed ; and not only so, but in many of the various denomi- 
 nations of the Chriitian world ; and so far there will be unity, though 
 certainly not uniformity. 
 
 While, therefore, we agree with the Bishop in the importance of 
 
 unity, and its essential and indispensable necessity to constitute a 
 
 Ghrii^ian Church, we may be allowed to doubt whether it would serve 
 
 the interests of Christianity to merge all its different forms in one, 
 
 ^ thereby establishing a perfect uniformity. 
 
 The Church of Christ has been beautifully likened, by the great 
 Apostle of the Gentiles, to a system composed of different parts, all 
 harmonising to a common end ; ard the particular example which he 
 selects, and which affords a happy illustration of his subject, is the 
 hu«':in body and its members ; " for as the body is one, and hath ma- 
 ny members, and all the members of that one body, being many> are 
 one body, so also is Christ." 
 
 1 1 I 
 
 : I i 
 
A Pastordl Ldti'r 
 
 11 
 
 " May not the different forms and modes of external Christianity be 
 well and wisely adapted, by Divine Providence, to accomplish the 
 great ends of its institution, and to diffuse and impress its influences 
 on all the various orders and classes of mankind, until the "leaven 
 shall have leavened the whole lump ?" Tliere was union and combi- 
 nation of resource, and in one sense no division or waste of the means 
 for building up Religion, in the Church of Rome during the very 
 height of papal supremacy and dominatipn. But did this state of 
 things in fact conduce to the strength and prosperity of true religion ? 
 The enlighteiied and liberal Roman Catholic will be the first to an- 
 swer, No ! — There is union and combination of resource in Spain and 
 Portugal at the present day ; but will it be alleged that they have con- 
 duced to the advancement of true Religion ? 
 
 But, in order more properly to develope our views of the Ecclesias- 
 tical Policy of the Church of England, we shall consider the system 
 in its influence — 1st, on I'atriotism — 2d, on the prosperity of the Co- 
 lony — 3d, on civil and »eUgious liberty — 4th, on piety and morals— 
 and Anally, in its influence on the character and ultimate progress of 
 the Church of England herselil. 
 
 With regard to Patriotism, we are persuaded it has a very intimate 
 connection with the particular form of religion in which men have been 
 trained up, and the services to which they have been accustomed in their 
 native land. Take from a Scottish Emigrant the particular form of 
 v/orship practised in his own country, and the service of the Church 
 which he loves and venerates, and you will make him neither more 
 British in his feelings, nor more Christian in his character. What- 
 ever may be the sentiments or conduct of some of our countrymen in 
 Quebec, Montreal and York, whose facility in adopting a new faith, 
 we have reason to believe, arises in some instances from indifference 
 to Religion, rather than iny serious conviction or enlightened prefer- 
 ence — the Bishop has sufficient knowledge of the Scottish peasantry 
 to be aware of their heart-felt attachment to the Church of their na- 
 tive land ; and that, under the destitution of the peculiar ordinances 
 of their own worship, they would be like the captive Jews by the Ri- 
 vers of Babylon — their hearts and their lips would refuse to join in a 
 service which, however excellent in itself, is foreign to their feehngs 
 and habits. It i ? not the service of their native land — It is not the 
 v/orship of their fathers — It is not tlie song of their own Zion — And 
 t! e piety and the patriotism of the Scottish peasant would both lan- 
 guish and wither under the privation of his national Religion. — We 
 cannot, therefore, hesitate to pronounce that a shallow and heartless 
 policy which would oppose the effectual establishment of the Scottish 
 Church, and an adequate provision for its support, in these Colonies. 
 We agree with Dr. Strachan that it is desirable to promote English 
 feelings and habits in these Provinces — but we beg to explain in what 
 sense we understand the word English. It has acquired two signifi- 
 cations : in the one it arjpUes to that part of Great Britain 
 
 II; 
 
 ii 
 \ 
 
 Strictly 
 
12 
 
 A Faitorut Letter. 
 
 called — in the other, and, more extended sense, to the whole of the 
 United Kinpjdom ; and in this latter acceptation, is synonymous with 
 the word British, which, in fact, is the only proper term. If it were a 
 legitimate ohject of policy to superinduce English habits and feelings, 
 in the restricted sense of the term, (the only sense of it which will 
 suit^the views of our antagonists,) we foresee much difficulty in ac- 
 complishing that object, and are unable to perceive why it might not 
 be as wise and liberal policy to cherish and promote Scottish feelings 
 and habits, since the Scottish people form a much greater proportion 
 of the population. If we stigmatize, as faction and party spirit, all 
 att .npts to keep alive national prejudices and distinctions in the lat- 
 ter case, why not also in the former ? We humbly conceive that the 
 views of an enlightaned statesman would be far tr.ore comprthenaive 
 and generous, viz : to give full scope to the diffusion of British (i. e. 
 English, Scotch and Irish) feelings and influences, and not to obstruct 
 any of those channels by which they may be communicated, and 
 more especially such channels as are likely to convey them most co- 
 piously, and to extend them most widely. All true and enlightened 
 patriots — all men possessed of British feelings — all who love not only 
 their country, but mankind — all who are not more solicitous for the 
 extension of a particular Church, than the advancement of Christi- 
 anity — will be heartily desirous to see every way opened, and every 
 facility afforded, for the intellectual, moral and religious influence of 
 our common country to spread and prevail to the utmost ends of the 
 earth. 
 
 To what degree the north part of the Island of Great Britain might 
 be made subservient to the advancement of the greatest glory and 
 the noblest empire to which a nation can aspire, we leave to our ad- 
 versaries themselves to judge. 
 
 But we object to the exclusive system, not only as unjust and par- 
 tial, but as impolitic and highly prejudicial to the interests of the 
 Colony. The most essential requisite to promote the prosperity of 
 new settlements, is to make a provision for Churches and Schools 
 suitable to the wants and wishes, of at least, the majority of the po- 
 pulation. This, we are persuaded, is the prime cause of the prosperi- 
 ty of the United States, and of any superiority which they may pos- 
 sess over these provinces. The worthiest and most respectable emi- 
 grants will, in choosing their place of settlement, be influenced in the 
 greatest degree, by a consideration of the comparative advantages 
 with respect to the religious instruction and education of their family ; 
 and many, influenced by this consideration, will forsake Canada, 
 which, as a British Colony, would otherwise have obtained a prefer- 
 ence from them. 
 
 We believe that, if due encouragement were given to our Church, 
 and to Schools in connection with it, in the Canadas, this Colony 
 would possess all the advantages of education and religious instruc- 
 tion in the same degree as Scotland itself, and the best influences of 
 
A Puiloral Letter. 
 
 »f 
 
 the Parent ('ountry would he extended and diffused througliout the 
 most distant parts of the Empire. 
 
 The redundancy of young men, educated at Scottish Universities, 
 if the least encouragement were afforded thenr, would be sufficient to 
 fill the Colonies with men of education, and to raise the standard of 
 learning and morality in the British Colonies almost to a level with 
 that of the Parent Country. It is a well known fj,ct that, in these 
 provinces, the most useful and eminent teachers have been Scotsmen; 
 and that the greater part of those who are now distinguished by talent 
 or office, in the country, owe to them their education. We need only 
 mention the names of Doctor Strachan, Mr. Skakel, Mr. VVilkie and 
 Doctor Whitlaw. 
 
 How much the prosperity of the Country would, therefore, he ad- 
 vanced, were the present exclusive system abandoned, and the same 
 support and encouragement extended to teachers, licentiates and 
 ministers, in connection with the Church of Scotland, as to those of 
 the sister establishment, may be inferred from the obligations under 
 which Canada lies to the few who have repaired to it under all the 
 discouragements and disadvantages of the present system. 
 
 The danger of such a system to the cause of civil and political, 
 as well as of religious liberty, will be equally obvious to every intel- 
 ligent and reflecting person. 
 
 How formidable, in this respect, would be a numerous body of Cler- 
 gy, such as Doctor Strachan prospectively contemplates as likely to 
 exist at no distant period of time, supported by funds altogether in • 
 dependent of the people — we might almost add of the Government or 
 the State — and having not only the exclusive possession, but ihe ex- 
 clusive management of the Church lands and their revenues — invested 
 at the same time with the whole controul and direction of education, 
 and, by natural consequence, connecting exclusively witli their own 
 establishment, and rendering subservient to its aggrandizement, Uni- 
 versities, Colleges, Schools, &c. Add to all this the political influence 
 which they could not fail to possess, and to exercise in the Legislative 
 and Executive departments of Government through their Episcopal 
 head ; and the no less fornnidable influence which would be united in 
 their collective body, in virtue of the particular, personal, and local 
 influence exercised by their numerous members, from the greatest to 
 the least, distributed through every part of the country, and from the 
 peculiar constitution of the Church of England, possessing every fa- 
 cility for combhiing, extending and perpetuating that influence! 
 Such an establishment would become doubly formidable in a country 
 where there is no check or counterpoise to the Clerical order in the 
 splendour of royalty, in the weight and dignity of a hereditary aris- 
 tocracy, or in the spirit, virtue and independence of a numerous and 
 enlightened gentry. Such an exclusive establishment, it must not be 
 disguised, would be as perilous to the civil as to the religious liberties 
 of this country;/ and in saying this, 
 
 mean 
 
 any, 
 
if 
 
 It 
 
 A Pastoral Letle,: 
 
 rrprnnch on tlie Clergy of tlie sister Cliurch, who. wc believe, are as 
 disinterested and moderate as any other CU"*gy in the world. We 
 reason from the general principles of human nature — from the ac- 
 knowledged laws of the moral world — from the uniform experience of 
 past ages — which all teach that, though men individually may be ca- 
 pable of disinterested and generous conduct, communities have al- 
 ways been invariably selfish and inordinately ambitious. — Nor does 
 ecclesiastical hisrory warrant the conclusion, however pleasing it might 
 be, that clerical communities form any exception to the general law, 
 or that a Protestant hierarchy, if scope and opportunity were giver> 
 for that purpose, might not tread in the footsteps of Papal ambition. 
 The history of Scotland, during the reign of the Stuarts, and the past 
 and present state of Ireland, attord a melancholy proof that the same 
 causes, in similar circumstances, will produce the same effects. 
 The influence of the system on piety and morals, is also extreme- 
 i ]y unfavourable. How many are by it deprived altogether of religi- 
 
 ous ordinances, or have access to them only in a form and mode to 
 which they are unaccustomed, or even utterly averse. Had the same 
 encouragement been given to the Church of Scotland, she would, at 
 this moment, when the sister Church is represented by her warmest 
 advocates as merely beginning to take root, have embraced within 
 V her pale, a vast majority of the inhabitants of the Colony; and if we 
 
 may be wan'anted to form a judgment from the circumstances of the 
 parent country, would have greatly narrowed the field of dissent, and 
 uniteu in one communion, all the different denominations of Presby- 
 terians, Scottish, English, Irish and American. 
 
 It will be readily admitted that forms of Religion are far less im- 
 portant than its spirit and power; and enlightened Christians will fee? 
 little desire to withdraw their brethren from any particular commu- 
 nion which is not disfigured or corrupted by gross errors and super- 
 stitions. On the other hand, they will be averse to change, and pause 
 bef(»re they attempt to withdraw men from the faith and worship of 
 their fathers — knowing how much piety and devotion depend upon 
 association, and how much their power and influence are heightened 
 by being mingled and combined with the tenderest feelings of the 
 heart, and associated with the endearing recollections and charities 
 of home and country — of kindred and ancestry. Give to people re- 
 ligious instruction in that form and manner which is most congenial 
 to their feelings and habits; and though you may not thereby ex- 
 tend the bounds of any particular Church, you will ultimately ac- 
 complish much good to the cause of Christian piety and morals.— 
 Indeed, it appears to us, that the melancholy prevalence of infideli- 
 ty and apathy, with regard to Religion, is owing, in a great measure, 
 to the want of an appropriate and congenial mode of religious in- 
 struction ; and they must lay an undue stress, assuredly, on religious 
 modes and forms, who would sacrifice to them the spirit and substance 
 of Christianity. 
 
 i-v 
 
A Pa.toral Ldtcr. 
 
 15 
 
 We come next to cor.siiler tlie inHuencc of the hysteni with regaul 
 to the Church of England itseU". The progress of a Church is not 
 to be estimated by the multiplication of Clergymen and places of 
 worship, where the great body of the people are of a different com- 
 munion. Such a system is art'Hcial, impolitic and prejudicial to its 
 respectability and |)ermancnce. It creates, indeed, a body of Clergy- 
 men whose number n)ay be indefinitely extended so long as assistance 
 continues to be aiForded from the funds of the society, and the liber- 
 ality of the government. 
 
 13ut if the mode of instruction is not congenial to the inhabitants 
 of the Colony, the whole fabric, like an inverted pyramid, will be- 
 come more unstable the higher it is raised. . Tiie inducement of u 
 comfortable living, will draw Teachers of other persuasions, notwith- 
 standing some predilection for the faith of their forefathers, into tlio 
 con)nujnion which offers such advantages. IJut let it not be sup- 
 posed that ever they will be actuated by the genuine spirit of Church 
 of England men. Attracted, as it may be learcd, chiefly by tem- 
 poral considerations, they cannot be expected to infuse into the 
 Church, into which they enter, any vital influence. If they i\o not 
 sink into lukewarmness and apathy, they will, at least, be actuated 
 by a bastard zeal, the offsprhig of self-love and secular interest. 
 
 Such were the principWs of tbe system, which, in the time of the 
 Stuarts, was practised in Scotland for tbe purpose of establishing 
 Episcopacy among our forefathers. I'he celebrated Archbishop 
 Sharpe, was originally a Presbyterian Clergyman, whom ambition or 
 covetousness made a proselyte to the very faith which he previously 
 l>ad stood the foremost i^n opposing. Promoted to the Archiepiscopal 
 See of St. Andrews, he proceeded with a blind and precipitate zeal, to 
 impose an uncongenial religion upon his country. What was the 
 consequence ? Episcopacy became, under his auspices, utterly and 
 universally odious to the nation ; and at last, was in a manner extir- 
 {)ated by the reaction produced by the very agency which was employ- 
 ed to promote it. Some features of resemblance, may perhaps be 
 discerned between the policy recommended and pursued in tbe days 
 of Archbishop Sharpe, and that which has recently been publicly 
 avowed by the leaders of tlie Church of England in Upper and Low- 
 er Canada, and of these, none is more ren>arkable than that Scots- 
 men,^ and Proselytes from Presbytery to Episcopacy, should, in both 
 instances, be the chief instruments. I 
 
 With such views as we have now stated on the subject of our con- 
 stitutional rights in a British Colony — in regard to tlie construction of 
 the Qiiebec Act — and the spirit and tendency of the system pursued 
 by the present leaders of the Church of England in these l^rovinces — 
 we can do no less than avow, in the most ;yublic manner, and impress 
 on our Presbyterian Brethren in the most emphatic terras, our unan- 
 imous cottvietion tltat it is our bouuden duty, and that of all who be- 
 long to our communion> both from considerations of piety and pntri- 
 
^ss^ns 
 
 I- 
 
 1; 
 i' 
 
 JG 
 
 A Padoral Lellcr. 
 
 otism, from regard to our rights as British subjects, and members of 
 one of the established Churches of Great Britain, as well as from re- 
 gard to the interests and liberties of this, our adopted country, to 
 which we have come out in the confidence of enjoying, unimpared, 
 all our rights, privileges and advantages, whether civil, couuDercial, 
 or religious — to stand forth in temperate, but firm resistance to a 
 system, which appears to us, fraught with the greatest evils. Be- 
 lieving that the system, in its nature and tendency, appears to the 
 venerable and amiable prelate, who is at the head of the English 
 Church, and to many of the Clergy of that Church who defend it, in 
 a very different light from what it does to us, we are far from imput- 
 ing to ihem the moral blame which attaches to its unprincipled ad* 
 vocates and abettors. 
 
 We feel, however, that this circumstance only renders it more im- 
 periously our d\xiy to express our strong sense of its impolicy and 
 ttanger in every point of view in which we can contemplate it. 
 
 In making this appeal to the public, we can truly say, that it is the 
 fir!>t we have ever made ; and that we have never, either from the 
 pulpit or the press, promulgated doctrines or sentiments hostile to the 
 i»ister Church. We have never, ii. any way, attacked her, or even 
 breathed a spirit of unkindness or hostility towards her ; — we appeal 
 with confidence to all who have been in the habit of attending our 
 public ministrations, whether we have not carefully abstained, not only 
 from assailing those doctrines in which the sister Church differs from 
 otir own standard, but — in a spirit, as we may be permitted to call it, 
 of exemplary forbearance — even from replying to those invectives 
 which have been directed against us, both from the pulpit and from 
 the press, by our Episcopal brethren. — But though we may not have 
 thought it necessary or useful, in such circumstances, to notice every 
 petty attack, and every idle sarcasm, let it not be presumed that we 
 are lukewarm in our attachment to our Church, or think that her 
 cause may not be maintained with advantage against every adversa- 
 ry. — Ko! the faith which we inherit from our forefathers, and for 
 which so many of them bled and died, is endeared to our hearts by 
 recollections at once the most sacred and the most glorious, — by the 
 inestimable blessings and privileges, civil, political and religious, of 
 which it has been the source, — and by the intellectual and moral in- 
 fluence which it has widely diffused throughout the Christian world. 
 
 To this faith, the Scotsman, assuredly owes whatever most honour- 
 ably distinguishes his country among the nations of the world. It is 
 the influence of their Church, aqd her kindred institutions, that 
 have imbued the hearts of the people of Scotland with their best feel- 
 ings, and have made her peasantry the pride of her own land, and the 
 admiration of the world. 
 
 To the Irish Presbyterian, we would say, what exhortations can be 
 needful on our part, to maintain and strengthen your attachment to 
 the faith of your fathers — that faith which has so happily averted 
 
A Pastoral Letter, 
 
 17 
 
 from Presbyterian Irclandv much of that ignorance and distress which 
 prevail in otiier parts of your native land, and made it like an Oasis 
 in the midst of the desert ! 
 
 To all Presbyterians, of whatever Country, wc would appeal wheth- 
 er they have any reason to be ashn»ned of that faith which led their 
 fathers to stem the torrent of tyranny and despotism on the one 
 Ivand, anvi to stand aloof from democratic fury, and wild licentious- 
 ness, miscalled liberty, on the other — of that faith, whose Apostles 
 and Founders were the parents of civil and religious liberty, at the 
 same time that they were the firmest supporters of the Throne and 
 Constitution ! 
 
 " By their fruits ye shall know them," is the criterion of Christi- 
 anity, which its Divine Author has himself laid down as the only in- 
 fallible one ; and if we apply this test to those countries which have 
 adopted the form of Religion which we profess, we shall find that 
 knowledge, learning and good morals have, in an eminent degree, 
 been its accompaniments. Indeed, to the Presbyterians and Puri- 
 tans, (a kindred race,) we shall find that mankind are almost exclu* 
 sively indebted fot" the most inestimable benefit, that perhaps was 
 ever conferred on the world, viz. the establishment of an effective 
 system for the general diffusion of knowledge. They are the foun- 
 ders of national education ; and possessing a wisdom as profound, as 
 their zeal for Religion was ardent, they deemed that they could '?o 
 nothing more effectual for the advancement of genuine Christianity, 
 than to make f)rovision for the universal diffusion of knowledge; as- 
 sured, that in its course, all the influences o^ Christianity would ne- 
 cessarily flow as their natural and proper channel. 
 
 To them, therefore, belongs the noblest distinction which can be 
 claimed by any of the benefactors of mankind, that of having laid the 
 foundation of those admirable institutions for the advancement of 
 learning, which form the peculiar glory of Switzerland, Holland, 
 Scotland and New Ekigland. With such claims to the gratitude of 
 mankind, it is impossible that any, save those whose minds are influ- 
 enced by bigotry and prejudice, can refuse the due meed of praise 
 to thtir merits, or stand forth in hostility to a system, of whfch the 
 •effects liave been so diffusive and beneficent ; and we conceive it im- 
 possible that any wnlightened member of our Church, can feel asham- 
 ed to |)i-ofess that faith which animated their exertions, and enabled 
 them to bequeath so invaluable an inheritance to future ages. 
 
 But whatever may have been the fruits of the system in former times, 
 and in other countries, it has been demanded by our adversaries, what 
 has the Presbyterian Church done in Canada. To this, we frankly 
 answer^^aS a Church, nothing. How could she ? She has nevT been 
 favoured with the means of operating in her corporate capacity- — 
 Presbyterian Church government cannot be said to have as yet exist- 
 ed in these provinces. Hfid we been provided for in a suitable man- 
 ner, we should have had, not only a competent number of Churches 
 
 D 
 
 I I 
 
18 
 
 A Pastoral Letter. 
 
 \i 
 
 r 
 
 and Ministerg, but, which is no less essential to t ive full cfiect to a 
 I'resbyterian establiahment, mb should have obtained a connection 
 with our parent Church — we should have been placed undor her ju- 
 risdiction — we should have been enabled to torni Schools fur the 
 education of our youth, and to have provided for, and superintend- 
 ed the education of such as might have been intended for Holy 
 Orders — all which, to say nothing of the powers of liccnsii.g and or- 
 daining, as well as of exercising discipline and government over our 
 Ministers and members, so indispensible, not only to the effectiveness, 
 but to the very existence of a Church, — have been hitherto unattain- 
 able b}' us, from the want of a suitable provision. How far the re- 
 presentations of our opponents have been instrumental in causing the 
 failure of our applications for this purpose — if indeed we may not 
 appeal to their own consciousness — we submit to the candid to judge 
 from the tenor of their writings on the subject of our claims. One 
 tiling we are bold to affirm, that as circumstances over whicb we 
 had no controul, have hitherto prevented us from existing as a 
 Church, it is altogether unreasonable to blame us for inefficiency, or 
 even to charge upon our Church, disorders or abuses w hich we are 
 willing to admit may have ariL^en — or, as with equal propriety, we 
 might have said, must ever, in the nature of tilings arise where ec- 
 clesiastical government and discipline do not effectively exist. 
 • It is equally unfair to institute a comparison between our Church 
 and the sister establishment, as the competition between us, in the 
 prcsant circumstances, is the farthest possible from being on equal 
 terms ; but insulated and disjoined as our Churches and Clergy have 
 lieretofore been, and acting without that concert and collective force, 
 which can only be obtained by an ecclesiastical constitution — is it the 
 fact that we have been altogether unserviceable, even notwithstand- 
 ing all these disadvantages? Do not the names of the late l?ev. 
 IVlr. Bethune, of Glengary, Dr. Spark, of Quebec, and Mr. Barclay, 
 of Kingston, (to say nothing of the living,) plead somewhat in fa- 
 vour of the merits of our Church ? Has the cause of education and 
 learning in the Canadas, reaped no benefit from her Ministers and 
 Members ? Has Religion not gained by the able and faithful, and, 
 so f^ir as tcm{)oralities are concerned, the ill-rewarded labours of our 
 I'resbyterian Brethren in the Ministry, who, though not of the same 
 communion with us, hold the same creed, are attached to the same 
 discipline and form of Church government, have received the same 
 education in philosophy and languages as well as theology, as the 
 Judicatories of our Church require on the part of their probationers ; 
 and between whom and us, if there exist any points of difference, 
 they are such as will be acknowledged to be slight and almost evan- 
 escent ? Has nothing been effected by the labours of these pious and 
 learned Ministers, presiding over numerous congregations, and, until 
 very lately, exceeding in number the Clergy of the Church of En- 
 gland, while the collective number of their Members, we have every 
 
A Padoral l.eltcr. 
 
 19 
 
 reason to believe, will be fouiid greatly to exceed those of that 
 Church ? We are bold to oifirni, that but for the ministrations of 
 those of our Presbyterian Brethren, who are btiled Dissenters, that 
 Church would have been utterly impotent to stem the tide of infide- 
 lity and profligacy, which must have overspread the country. 
 
 • VV^e perfectly concur in the spirit of the excellent remarks of the 
 Bishop of Quebec, in guardir)g his people against all heat and vio- 
 lence in the agitation of a question of temporal provision ; but we 
 must be perm-tted to observe, that his advice would have carried 
 greater weight, if it had not come accompanied by an unqualified 
 assertion of the exclusive clain of the English Church to the Clergy 
 Reserves. * The same principles which have appeared to our opponents 
 to warrant their adherence to the claim of an exclusive right to these 
 Reserves, it is important to observe, apply to our case with equal force, 
 and may, therefore, well justify our more humble claim to be admit- 
 ted to a participation, while we have no wish to d prive the sister 
 Church of an equitable share, and leave it to the wisdom of the Im- 
 perial Parliament to determine what portion may be commensurate 
 with our just rights. 
 
 As his Lordship has inculcated the duty of moderation in such 
 terms as preclude the necessity of any further advice on that point, 
 we shall close the present letter, by offering some thoughts on the 
 spirit which ought to be cherished by Christians of different denomin- 
 ations towards one another. 
 
 We cannot, in too earnest and unqualified terms, inculcate a spirit 
 of liberality, important in all circumstiinces, but more especially in a 
 country like this, where, in a manner, all the various denominations of 
 the Christian world are brought into contact. — We must confess that 
 we see so little sympton of any excess in this respect, that we are in- 
 clined to believe, from late occurrences, that we were never less in 
 danger of what is termed Liberalism. Entertaining these views of the 
 importance of cherishing a spirit of good will among the many different 
 denominatio...v of Christians, we cannot but enter our protest against 
 that system of proselytising, which the Church of England has adopt- 
 ed and avowed, and which her present Head has ventured to recom- 
 mend as wise policy, both in a religious and political point of view. 
 In the Bishop's sentiments on this point, we must confess that we 
 feel little disposed to concur — for we believe experience has proved, 
 that while little good can be done to the cause of piety and morality 
 by proselytizing — that is, gaining over from one external form of 
 Christianity to another — it is in general apt to create, especially in the 
 minds of the weak and ignorant, religious bigotry, or an inordinate 
 and superstitious attachment to particular modes and forms as dis- 
 tinct from the faith and spirit of religion ; and such bigotry once en- 
 gendered, seldom fails to become a fertile source of heart burnings, 
 jealousies and contentions; for, in the moral, as in the natural 
 wx)rld, it will be found that action and reaction, are equal and contra* 
 
 I 
 
 ■n 
 
r 
 
 so 
 
 A Pastoral Lelter. 
 
 ry, anil that tlioreforc the zeal of the proselytizer, will ultimately be 
 n)Ct, and almost invariably rppelled, by the no less furious zeal of re- 
 sistance uhich it excites; while, unhappily, ChriHtian peace and char* 
 ity, if not destroyed, will at least be severely wouiuied in the 
 conflict. 
 
 We believe, tlwrcfore, that if each particular denomination would 
 labour within its proper sphere, and try to promote, in its own body, 
 practical morality, avoiding, as much as possible, collision and con- 
 troversy with other sects, the cause of real Christianity would bo 
 much more effectually served. We believe that Christian unity, and 
 even ultimately the less important object of uniformity will be best 
 attained, by not attempting, in the first instance, any change in the 
 external forms of Christiiyiity — not only because the bulk of man- 
 kind are often more attached to forms and appearances, than even to 
 matters of real importance, but because different modes of instruc- 
 tion, niay be suited to different classes of men ; and all kinds of error 
 and su|)erstition, in whatever Church they may exist, will be most ef- 
 fectually, as well as most speedily eradicated, by not awakening selfish 
 prejudices and angry passions, which are productive only of a spirit 
 of hostility and rancour. Under this persuasion, we believe that 
 there never will be repose or imity among the different Churchea 
 of these provinces, until effectual security be provided that there 
 ^',dl be no danger of encroachment on the oiie side, on the pre- 
 tence of proselytizing, and on the other, no ground of jealousy, or 
 fipjirehension of what they may be disposed to regard as usurpation 
 and oppression. We deprecate a system of proselytizing, as subver- 
 sive of Christian unity and brotherly love, and cannot cordially ap- 
 prove of any way of making converts, but by soundness of doctrine 
 tind purity of practice. 
 
 Much has been said and written on schism and sectarianism, and 
 %ve have no desire to deny their evil tendency ; at the same time, we 
 do not think it superfluous to explain distinctly, what we understand 
 by the terms schism and sectarianism — terras which we do not think it 
 consistent either with Christian prudence or humility, for one deno- 
 mination of Christians to apply to another — at least, without extreme 
 caution. Indeed, we are far from thinkii>g that dift'erences merely in 
 points of external form, afford, in general, a sufficient warrant for the 
 charge of heresy and schism ; for in this case, it might be applied to 
 all the Churches of Christendom, because not one of them, even in 
 the opinion of many of the most distinguished ornaments of the Church 
 of England, is perfectly moulded according to the apostolical form. 
 
 We believe that the evils of sclfism and sectarianism, exist in the 
 spirit which Christians entertain towards one another, rather than in 
 the peculiar modes and forms to which they are attached ; and in our 
 opinion, it is doubtful whether any one form has been prescribed by 
 apostolical authority. Without, therefore, depreciating the impor- 
 tance of such forrnS) we confess tha^ we cannot give our assent to the. 
 
A Pastoral Leitrr 
 
 21 
 
 the 
 
 confident and reiternted chimg to apoRtolicql purity atlvanced by 
 some Churches, chieHy on this ground. This is, indued, a plea which 
 nmy sound well in the ears of the ignorant, and of those who are 
 BU|>crficially acquainted with the Sacred Writings, but to those who 
 are critically versed in them, it must prove utterly unsatisfactory. 
 
 The best test of the purity and excellence of a Cliurch, is obvi- 
 ously and unequivocally the spirit which it breathes, and the fruits 
 which it produces ; and of these fruits, humility and charity are the 
 foremost. For " every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased, 
 " and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted ;" and *' By this, 
 " shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one 
 " to another." It is not by high claims and exclusive pretensions — 
 it is not by a zeal for secular power and dignity, or for the extension 
 and aggrandisement ot any external eslablislunent of Christianity — 
 for this, though apt to be mistaken for that noblest of all |>riMciples, 
 a zeal for pure and undefiled religion, is oftener what the Apostle has 
 denominated, a zeal without knowledge, the offspring of pride and 
 ambition, partaking more of the spirit of this world, than of the low- 
 liness and meekness which are in Christ ; — it is not by the assertion 
 of apostolical purity and primitive excellence, continually urged from 
 the pulpit and the press, and the dwelling habitually on topics of ex- 
 ternalities, as if they were the very essence of Christianity ; — aud 
 stilt less — is it by depreciating other religious communions, either by 
 inuendoes or open avowals — that a Church gives evidence of her 
 Christian purity and excellence. 
 
 On the other hand, as previously avowed, we deem that a Christi- 
 an Church affords the best evidence of her purity, when she mani- 
 fests a spirit of humility and meekness towards all, and more especi- 
 ally towards those who differ from her — when she is more ready to 
 commend the excellencies, than to point out and condemn the im- 
 perfections of rival rstablishments — when her virtues are not pro- 
 claimed as with the sound of a trumpet, but silently shine and mani- 
 fest themselves to all by the brightness of their own light ; — in tine, 
 (for we think the same test applicable to Churches as to individuals,) 
 the Church, in our opinion, which is least obtrusive in her pretensions, 
 -^least intolerant in her spirit — least selfish and exclusive in regard to 
 her temporal interests and secular claims — " which seeketh not her 
 own, but in honour preferreth others" — which rejoiceth in the good 
 done by others, and so far fVom envying their success, or hindering 
 their usefulness, is ever ready to encourage and support them — which 
 urges no claims to superior veneration and attachment, but leaves her 
 character and spirit to be estimated hy the impartial judgment of 
 others who are neutral, or even fearlessly commits it to the scrutiny 
 of those who are opposed to her — and which seeketh the praise which 
 is of God, rather than that which is of men — the Church, we repeat, 
 which labours to advance the spirit and practice of true Religion on 
 these principles, approximates, m our opinion, nearest to the standard 
 of Christian purity. 
 
 11 
 
 ■ W 
 
T 
 
 2'i 
 
 /I I'aslurul Letter. 
 
 r 
 
 To come up to the perfect standanl, however, of the true spirit and 
 character of a Christian Church, m»ne of m3 are sulliciiiiit ; at tho 
 unnie time, we slioiihl beware of piitfini? up a false stumliinl or crite- 
 rion, for thii woiiUl be a source of positive error, lie, therefore, ac- 
 cortUng to these vicwn, is the aecturian — he is the l)ig(it — he is the 
 Bcliismufic and the heretic, wlio wounds the spirit of chuiity — I'osterg 
 spiritual pride and arroj^ance — begets jeah)usy and contention — des- 
 troys unity and brotherly hjve in tlie Christian worhl, by laying un- 
 due stress on external forms ol" Itcligion, — like the .K-ws of old, who 
 were scrupulous in paying tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and 
 all manner oi' herbs, but ortiitted the weightier nnitters of the law- 
 judgment, mercy, and the love of (iod. Those iMirisiians commit a 
 similar error, who look ehitliy at things external and adventitious, 
 or at things which are not, certainly, essential and vital in Reli- 
 gion, as the test of its character. We wonlil, therefore, conclude 
 with this earnest advice to all, and especially to those who are 
 imder our pastt)ral charge, that they be mainly careful to preserve 
 and to cherish the beautiful, the divine spirit of charity — that s[)irit 
 which unites Christians as the members of one body, and notwith- 
 standing little dillerences and external distinctions, establishes among 
 them a perfect sympathy, so that if one n)ember suffer, all the mem- 
 bers suffer with it, or, if one member be honoured, all the members 
 rejoice \\\th it, so that there ma^ be no schism in the body, but the 
 members may have the same care one for another. The liberty which 
 we claim, brethren, to ourselves, let us never envy to others. The 
 rights and privileges which we feel it our duty, at the present crisis, 
 to assert with tetnperiue firmness and meekness, but with resolution, 
 let us never even wish to infrmge, under any circumstances, in the 
 case of others — but contrarywise, in the spirit of that lieligion, which 
 teacheth us to seek not our own, but every one also another's good, 
 let us ever be ready to assert and enforce, so far as we properly may, 
 the rights of our fellow Christians, and even, if need be, of our ad- 
 versaries. It is now full time for Christians to forget differences, and 
 still more, ancient animosities, — (alas ! that such a word should be 
 applicable !) — and strive, henceforth, to •* maintain the unity of the 
 spirit, in the bond of peace ;" — let us have only one rivalship and 
 contention — who shall excel most in the spirit of charity and humili- 
 ty — who shall most promote, by preaching and by example, the pure 
 spirit and benign influence of the Religion which we profess — of our 
 common Christianity. 
 
 We have, it is true, brethren, like our forefathers, been compelled 
 with painful reluctance, to struggle against opposition to our Church, 
 and to what we deem her undoubted rights ; but blessed be God, 
 very different is the character of the contest, and very different, we 
 trust, will be the spirit in which it shall be conducted on both sides. 
 The same happy issue, we anticipate with confidence — knowing that 
 we have an enlightened and paternal government to project our 
 rights ; that we have the spirit of an enlightened age to support and 
 
A I'iislural Lettei. 
 
 IS 
 
 enforce the justice of our cIuIihh ; and lo lon^ ai we n''( '.v'.{\\ the 
 inodunitioii und torhearancc, which we ore consiciouu of Mvi'ij; exer- 
 cisi'd in tiini's past, we may rely with conliilence that jiir cLiniii will 
 be I'avonrably regarded, both in thJH, and the parent country. 
 
 Should we ever ror|;;ct that nioderatI(ni, and arrogate to onrselvea 
 more than our due, and betray a Hpirit of ambition and usurpation, 
 we doubt nof that public opinion will not long delay to inllict its ju8t 
 censure, a. id to crush at once, every attempt tin our part, at encroach- 
 Ttient and dominalijn. Hut of thi^, there is no danger; if we should 
 ever have the will, the conHtitulion of our CMuu-ch, happily, (for wo 
 on; inclined to regard it as a real excellence,) while it has been proved 
 abunilantly elfective for n)aintainingand promoting piety and nioraU; 
 is peculiarly ill-fitted to serve ambitious views. 
 
 Wc will not, however, indulge in evil auguries, but rather conclude 
 with expressing our couiident liope, accompanied with cur tnost fer- 
 vent prayer, that the day may soon arrive, wlien these jealousies and 
 bickerings shall cease, and wlien Christians of all denominations, in 
 this happy land, shall, in the full enjoyment of rights, well dcHncd 
 and properly secured against encroachment, be enabled to forget the 
 painful sentiments whi„b may now in any measure have been excited — . 
 when all, having an ample field for their labours, and full scope for their 
 usefulness, though none for ambition, will cheerfully co-operate, as- 
 sured, that while they labour for the same great end, they shall not 
 tail in their respective spheres, of promotitig, in a degree proportion- 
 ed to the purity of their zeal, and to the singleness and simplicity of 
 heart with which they enter upon their work, the glorious cause of 
 universal Christianity. Let us all remember the words of our blessed 
 Lord, when his Disciples asked him, saying, " .Vla.'iter, wc saw one 
 •' cai*ting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he 
 " followeth not with us ; and Jesus fiaid unto th im, forbid him not, 
 ** for he that is not againsrt us, is for us." 
 
 May God Almighty ! the Father of all 1 the Father of peace ! tl.e 
 God of love ! liasten the arrival of that happy period, when Christi- 
 ans shall no longer say, " I am of Paul — I vX Apollos — 1 of Cephas" — 
 but when all shall make it their only glory, that they arc of Christ, 
 with whom there is neither " Greek nor Jew — circumci>ion nor un- 
 circumcision — Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free — but Christ is 
 jll in all." 
 
 Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of 
 mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, 
 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have 
 a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye ; and 
 above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfect nes?. 
 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye 
 are called in one body, and be ye thankful. 
 
 JAMES SOMERVILLE, Senior Minister, Montreal, L. C, 
 
 HENRY ESSON, Minister, Montreal, L, C, 
 
 ' 
 
 
•9*?*— 
 
 ^sz 
 
 '^ 
 
 yy 
 
 • 'A Pastoral Letter. 
 
 N« 
 
 JOHN McKENZIE. wmitmiston, U. C, 
 JAMES HARKNESS, D. D., Quebec, L. C, 
 EDWAUD BLACK, Mmister, Montreal, L. C, 
 ARCHieALD CONNELL, MarbinstfftKn>, U. C, 
 HUGH URQf^IART, Cornwall, U. C, 
 ALEXAKaER MATHIESON, MonlreAl, L. C, 
 GEORGE ^HEED, Mmster, U,C^ • 
 
 JOHN (VIACHAR, Kingston, U, C, 
 ALEXAN'>ER liALE, officiating at Ltiprnirie, L. C. 
 
 ■■■'*--.- s- 
 
 iii Vv , 
 
 ./;\ .' ■ ■■■■■■■' 
 
 » 
 
 
 
 .■; 4i".v ■-• ■:.-;;^Mi>>if-^ • 
 
 a,' 
 
 < k 
 
 ■V • ' ■'- 
 
 %■. 
 
 •iS' 
 
 - -..'■■<^ 
 
 • ;;' y-: 
 
 
Ir 
 
 !!