IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 i£i|28 ■tt ^ 122 m m I.I IIS ■u u 140 ■ 2.0 |L25||u,^ ^ . 6" ► Hiotographic Sdmoes CarparaUon 23 «<»? MAIN STRE iT VtfnSt8N,N. 45M (71*) 172-4503 A ,^ ^.^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes tachniquas at bibliographiquaa Th to Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, wliich may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantly changa tha uauai mathod of filming, ara chacicad balow. 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Thia item la filmed at the reduction ratio choclced below/ Ce document eat film* au taux de rMuction indiqu* ci-deaaoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X 12X ItX ^ aox 2BX aox ux 28X 32X The copy filmad h«r« has baen raproducad thank* to tha ganarosity of: Library of tha Public Archivas of Canada L'axamplaira filmA fut raproduit ^rAca A la OAnArosltA da: La bibliothdqua das Archivas publiquas du Canada Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and iagibiiity of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha filming contract spaclficatlons. Original copiaa in printad papar covars ara fiimad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paya with a printad or iiluatratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copias ara fiimad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or Iiluatratad Impras- sion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or iiluatratad imprassion. Tha last racordad frama on aach microflcha shall contain tha symbol — ^- (manning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol y (moaning "END"), whichavar appllas. Las imagas suivantas ont 6tA raproduitas avac la piua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da l'axamplaira f iimi, at en conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fllmega. Las axamplairas originaux dont la couvartura en papiar aat imprim6a sont filmte an cl imenpant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Imprassion ou d'illustration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplairas originaux sont filmAs an commandant par la pramlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Imprassion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una ralla amprainta. Un das symbolas sulvants apparattra sur la darnidra imaga da chaqua microflcha, salon la cas: la symbols --► signifia "A SUIVRE". la symbols V signifia "FIN". Maps, platas, charts, ate, may ba fiimad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antlraiy inciudad In ona axposura ara fiimad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. The following diagrams iilustrata tha mathod: Las cartas, planchas, tableaux, ate. pauvant 4tra fiimAs A das taux da rMuction difftrants. Loraqua la document est trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un seui clichA, il est filmA A partir da Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut an has, en prenant la nombre d'imagba nAcassalre. Lea diagrammes suivants illuatrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 RT ' l^~*- THOUGHTS ON THE PRESENT STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF TH£ CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN CANADA. WITH HINTS FOR SOME IMPROVEMENT IN HER ECCLESIASTICAL ARRANGEMENTS ; % ' HUMBLY ADDRESSED TO i'HE / RT. REV. THE LORD BISHOP AND THE REV. CLERGY. BY A PRESBYTER OF THE DIOCESS OF QUEBEC. ^.> "^*^ PRIKTED FOR THE PUBLISHER. 1836. % \ ■f ^^ ^^% # I -' --' •■ .,•■: '^S \ • -- ? — ■■ -'- ''Si , f':k ^- .f"fl ■ - •'■■" . -.,-.. - - ? '^ vr '■" •■■«-X1. ^'' . ■ • /■# ■• ' - • V z THOUGHTS ■ •<■. Olf THE PRESENT STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN CANADA. In presuming to address my venerable and beloved diocesan and ni)'- reverend brethren, on a subject of such importance, as that Id wliich I here call their attention, I lay claim to no high offi- cial station ; to no extensive influence, which, of itself, would give weight to any opinions or suggestions I may ofler, for none such do I possess. I only claim their forbearance, as one that has facts to state, and arguments to offer, till they have considered those facts, and weighed well those arguments. I wish to call their attention to things, which must depend entirely upon theni' selves for weight,and not to opinions, which might derive influence chiefly from the rank or character of him who holds them ; and therefore do I regret the less, that I possess not that influence, so desirable under other circumstances, assured, as I am, that my statements and suggestions will, on that very account, not be received, unless they find their own way to every man's judg- mentj and speak for tliemselves to every man's heart. In looking at the state of our church, at the present time, and comparing it with what it was ten years ago, I would do vio- lence to my own feelings, as well as to those ot many others, were I to withhold that acknowledgment of devout gratitude, so justly due to her great H ead, who has showered down upon her of his blessings, both temporal and spiritual. A certain, though limited provision has been made for her permanency in many parishes ; and, almost every where throughout the length and breadth of her borders, have her members come up more closely to the purity and holiness so striking in all her services. These mercies I would make the ground for calling the attention of those, who love our Zion, to the wants and dif- ficulties which still surround her. I would call the attention of those who have received these mercies, to the condition of those who have received them not. I would crave the attention of all, to the necessity, which lies upon us to adopt measures, which, uiider God, may be the means of at once extending to others, and confirming to all those blessing, which some so happily enjoy. There are, thanks be to God, many places sup- plied with able and devoted clergymen, which wanted them ten years ago ; but there are far more who want them now ; and to supply which, we cannot look to the same quarter whence we have hitherto been so kindly assisted- Scattered throughout r\ V \. this extensive dioccss, there are thousands of church people, who not only, no longer " hear the sound of the church going bell," but who never see the face of a minister of their church, at whose mouth they may learn wisdom, at whose hands their children may receive baptism, and themselves partake of the blessed sacrament of the Lord's supper ! That such is the case, no one, at all acquainted with the destitute condition of the newly settled and back townships, can deny. That such is in- deed the case any who may take the trouble to read the Rev. Adam ElUot's journals, will soon learn. They will there .per- ceive that the numbers of church people far exceeded any iiUas that he had formed on the subject ; that his fixed conviction is, "that the church in this country has not merely been misrepre- sented by persons of different parties and persuasions, respecting her influence and extent, but also that the number of her mem- bers and adherents has been greatly underrated by Episcopali- ans themselves." They will there perceive, too, the extreme readiness with which they ever embraced those opportunities which his invaluable labors afforded them, of attending upon the services, and joining in the beautiful liturgy of the church they love, and in the bosom of which they wish to die. They will also perceiv^e with pain, that these devoted children of the church cannot help expressing their regret, that though her children, they are the most neglected and destitute denomination of christians in this flourishing country ! But we are not confined to these statements, strong as they are, to learn the destitute condi- tion of our fellow churchmen in this diocess. The very printed returns of the number of emigrants, who have made this coun- try their home, will give us a startling idea of the numbers of those who would cry to our excellent bishop for help, were they not assured that their cry would be in vain. The case of one district may servt -o give us some view of their destitution. In 1832, about eight thousand English settled in the Newcastle district alone. Now suppose we give three thousand of these as not belonging to our church (far more than a fair proportion) there will still remain five thousand immortal beings, who had a right to look to our church for spiritual assistance. To this body of people one solitary clergyman has been sent ; and set- tled, as he is, in a town, confined to it by the calls upon his time, which are immediate and pressing, his services must chief- ly be confined to those around and near him, whilst those more distant and scattered over a wide extent of country, must ei- ther be unattended to, or else be served by others than clergy- men of our chujch. Exertions have indeed been made to se- cure for this district the services of a travelling missionary, but none has as yet been appointed ; and even should one enter upon this field forthwith, he will find that of the five thousand church people there four years ago, many have gone to their graves without the prayers and consolations of a christian min- 5 ister, and that their budic.i have been Lild in th.' giuiiiid lis iv.o llioye of the hor.3(: and the on; ihaL other., d<. i^paiiing i-l eu-r seeing the ministraliong of our cluuch, have joined llie dissoiit- ers, whoso ministers have been from the first amongst tliein ; lliat some have even worshipped at the altar of the mystical Babylon, whilst not a few have fallen into a stale of utter indif- ference to the things of eternity, living, as docs the savage In- dian, without religion, without Cod in the world. Hut this is not a solitary instance. Tiie picture here given will suit other districts, and most of the newly settled parts of the country. Here and there, in some of the districts, the ueat clunchcM look like green spots in the desert, few, and, indeed, scattered; but, on that very account, adording to the soul of the pious be- holder, the greater enjoyment. The society in Toronto "for converting and civilizing the Indians and propagating the gospel among destitute settlers in Upper Canada," has done faithfully what its means have en- abled it to do. It has, indeed, tried its utmost to further the great work in which it has engaged. Its missionaries are un- wearied ; their fields are far too large ; their visits to each sec- tion of the country far too unfrequent ; yet still whole districts abounding with church people, have in no way benefitted by their exertions. If it be asked, why this is the case, the answer is plainly, though reluctantly, given ; their resources are too scanty ; they can engage no more missionaries than they now have, and these camiot be omnipresent. But it may again be inquired, why aie their resources so small 1 This is a question to be answered by those, who have it in their power to increase them, and yet have failed to do so. At present her field is Upper Canada, reaching from the waters of the Otawa to those of lakes Huron and St. Clair. If three missionaries are adequate for this labor, they must exceed even the greatest of missiona- ries, the blessed apostle Paul. The Rev. A. Elliot, whose fame is justly in all the churches, who bids fair to equal his celebra- ted namesake, and who has had the best opportunities for form- ing a fair, dispassionate judgment on the subject, slates that the Home district alone requires ten missionaries. The Rev. W. F. S. Harper, whose labors are most abundant, says that less than nine cannot supply the wants of the destitute settlers in the Midland district. Taking the wants of these districts as our guide, we come to the conclusion, that not less than one hundred are required for Up- per Canada, while Lower Canada requires perhaps forty ! This may appear a large number, but not at all too large for the ac- tual wants of our people ; not too large to perform that service which our destitute population have a christian right to look for from their more highly favored brethren. But " how are these missionaries to be obtained, and in what way do you think it jpossiblc to raise funds for their support V* are questions which I !l I will endeavor loanywer by aiici by. Tbat they arf wanted^ tliat ihcy niiglit be usefully employed, in ins(iiictii)g our thousands of destitute brethren ; that not more than three can noiv be supported are the points to which I wisli, at present, to call the attention of those to whom these pages are addressed. / The next subject that attracts our attention, is the state of the older parishes. Here things are encouraging, if we look only at the present. But is it not the part of a wise man, to provide in time against a storm] And do not we see, that this is an age abounding with storms, and (hat, in a storm, the government would be to us no place of refuge 1 Do not all see that, though the failn of the governn)ent be pledged, yet that government may be obliged to yield to the increasing power of the radical faction ; that it may itself be overturned, or that tiiis country may be separated from the mother country? In case any one of these calamities should occur, (none of which are so improbable in an age like this, that a wise man would think it being over prudent to guard against its occurrence,) could tlje clero-y support them- selves and families on nothing? Would the parishes yield a suf- ficient support for them, if they were thus thrown upon them, wh«^n their shoulders were unused to the buiden, having ever before been entirely unaccustomed to bear even the smallest V. weight ? I think not ; or else human nature is very different from what I imagine it to be ; very different from what it shew- ed itself to be, when, at the Americnp. revolution the Protestant Episcopal Church met with a calamity similar to that which I have supposed it possible may happen to our church. She then found that the foreign and government assistance, which she had ever considered of great service to her, as it doubtless was, coiild avail her nothing in such an evil hour. She found that her people, enervated by foreign aid, were not fitted for bearing the burden thus suddenly thrown upon them ; that she had scarcely any strength within herself, and that it would have been far better had she provided fox the evil hour when it was yet at a distance. But the error was perceived when too late. For more than twenty years she was unable to rise from the blows her improvidence had unfitted her for sustaining, and to supply with ministers those churches that had, by it, been de- prived of their ministers. If our churches are similarly situated ; if there is any proba- bility of our support from the government being cut off, by any of the sudden changes of the times ; if there is any probability of our endowments being wrested from the church, in case of a separation from the mother country, which all must acknow- ledge to be things by no means impossible, when we look to the state of affairs either here or at home ; if, in the case of any such event, our parishes are unprepared for supporting the min- istrations of religion, is it wise in us to fold our arms in indiffer- ence, hoping that " to-morrow will be as this day and much more abundant ?" t / ^'*. Tlic next. Hul»|''<< lliiit nu\cr> tiiii' iiUcjilioii i,s \\\r inenns (>f supporting onr Diocesan, when llicLord, in tlic ins-ciutahlo ways of his providence, shall he pleased to tJiKe from ns iiini, (which day may it he yot distant,) who has so faithfully and so snc- cessfuliy labored amongst us for such a lenj^lh of time. Some means of support must be devised other than that hitherto en- joyed, for that is to be discontimied when our beloved father shall be called to enter into that " rest which remaineth for the people of God." If no means of support arc provided, either no Bishop can be obtained, or the office must be conferred upon one of the Rectors, who would be obliged to hold it in connection with his rectory, in which case its duties could be but inade- quately performed, or it nmst go a-begging, till a clergyman of independent fortune can be found, willing to take upon him- self its responsibilities and its labors. But it may be objected, that one of the arch-deacons might be consecrated to the office. This I deny not , but I would remind the objector that the al- lowance hitherto made by the government to the arch-deacons, will also be withdrawn on the demise of the present incumbent. That under our present ecclesiastical arrangements, no perma- nent fund for the support of our Bishop could be raised^ must be manifest to all who have attempted to raise any sum by the usual means adopted throughout our congregations. Hitherto there have been societies organized in the principal towns of the diocess for circulatihg the scriptures, prayer-books, and other rpillglous works and tracts ; but there has boon great cause to regret, that so few embarked with any zeal in the cause ; that the means at the disposal of the societies were so small ; and that the number of books circulated bore no proportion to the numbers of church people in the neighborhoods of the sev- eral depositories. The impossibility of furnishings under present arrangements, mr church with suitably educated clergymen, natives of the Pro- vince, is the next subject that calls for our attention. Without depreciating in the least the valuable services of the clergy from England and Ireland, to whom the church owes much of its improvement, within the last ten years, I think that all v/ill ac- knowledge, that young men, educated in the country, habitua- ted to the manners and customs of the people, endeared to the fatigues and privations attendant upon a missionary's life in new countries, and accustomed to the climate, from which many strangers suffer severely, are, cceteris paribus, better suited for supplying our wants than those educated in Europe. To such an extent is this carried in the United States, that all denomin- ations agree in this, if in nothing else, viz : that young men ed- ucated in the east are not well suited for laboring in the west, and that those educated in the north are not suited for the south, and, vice versa, so that each division has its seminaries for the education of candidates for the minietry, brought up in that 8 flection of connfry nlicrc (hey arc to labor. That \vc should novt'r depend upoii a supply from Europe, even thoup^h surh a Hupply were the befjf, muHt he clear to every one who ronsider« flint (lie certainty of such n supply depends, not on the demands for clergymen here, but on the want of such demand there, or on Rome other cqudly uncertain and continually fluctuatin/? cause. That our young men can never be properly educated for tlic ministry, by pursuing their studies with some of the country clergy, is eviuent, when we consider, on the one hand, the calls the cle'gy have already on their lime, and on the other the opposition wliich they must expect in the discharge of their future duties, from the infidels on the one side, who are no long- er Ihc ignorant grovcllings they were in former ages, and from the various bodies of dissenters on the other, whose clergy are year after year becoming more and more thoroughly educated. ' That we possess at present no means of giving such an edu- cation to our young men, must strike any one who looks in vain throughout the length and breadth of this vast diocess, for a regularly established and well patronized " school of the Prophets." The church has already felt severely this ; for parishes have been left unsupplied from the impossibility of obtaining clergy- men to supply them, although the salaries were certain, and the fields most inviting. The very fact that, at the present time, there are in this vast diocess, to supply all vacancies oc- casioned by death and infirmity, and to supply new missions, only three candidates for holy oraers, one of whom has received almost the whole of his education in Europe, speaks volumes on the subject. But we may be told that King's College, To- ronto, and McGill College, Montreal, are to be schools of the prophets. This, however, has been the story for many years ; and it seems a very slender thread on which to risk the future supply for our churches. - • < Such I conceive to be a true, though afflictive picture of our wants, and of our weaknesses. And, as a sense of what they want is absolutely necessary before those unaccustomed to ex- ertion can be induced to make the exertion necessary for ob- taining what is wanted, I have considered it my duty, (since no one more able has undertaken the office,) thus plainly to set before you, my Rt. Rev. Father, and you, my Rev. Breth- ren, what none can deny to be our wants ; what none can doubt to be the weak points in the walls of our Zion ; and humbly, thongh earnestly, would ask, "are things to continue in this sta*e ?" If so, we are only laboring that others may reap the fruits of our la^ ors. We are, perhaps, building temples, in which the Virgin Mary and the holy calendar of saints may one day be invoked. To supply our wants, and to relieve us from our difficulties, we must no longer depend upon the favor of government, or trust much to the property we now hold, for T probably we will find thorn b )th but a- broken recdd in the day of need. No! lor the opening ol new missions — for the support of old fstablii^hed parishes — for the maintenance of our Dioce-an — tor the establishment and support of Societies for circulating the scriptures, &c. and for endowing and sup- porting college.^ for the education of our candidates for the ministry, we must depend, cluefly, under God, upon our people^ and our own exertions. When we have done our utmost, we may look for assistance to the land wlience we came, and I feel assured that we will not look in vain. But let us not look there, burdened as our friends are, till we have adopted every means and used every exertion within our power. Then we can go, if necessary, with the sweet consciousness of having exerted ourselves to the utmost, and without the dread of ibeing re- minded of the waggoner, praying to Hercules, before he had put his shoulder to the wheel. The next point to which I would humbly beg the attention of my lit. Rev. Father and my Rev. Brethren, is one delicate, indeed, and needing a more skilful hand than mine ; but, as none other has yet been put forward, and as I conceive that ^ no time should be lost in calling to it the most serious atten- tion, I approach it, though I do so with reluctance. This is an age proverbial for irregularity and disregard for all constituted authority ; an era, when old established principles are yielded up upon the impulse of a moment, without regret, without the slightest consideration, and when mankind appear willing to throw away all reason and submit themselves to the blind gui- dance of their feelings. In such an age, restraints upon all classes of men, are evidently more necessary, though more irksome, than in an age remarkable for its order and regard for authority. But what is the condition of our church in this age, abounding with confusion and every evil work ? Where is her discipline ? Where can we find laws binding upon all her officers 1 Where are the rules, by the observance of which, » she may appear ^^ semper et uUgue ea-dem ?" If there are any '' -'-^^^ such, I know them not. If it be answered, that there are the canons of the church, which all admitted to minister at her al- ters are bound to observe, I reply that they are not observed ; that in a country like this they cannot be observed. The evil that might, and in some cases actually does arise, from this want of canons, suitable for the state of things in this country, must be mani- fest to all. So great is the difference that is to be found in dif- ferent churches, in the order observed in the services, in the doctrines preached, in the different standards of holiness held up to the people, arising from this circumstance, and the want of regular scnools of the Prophets, that a person, removing from one parish to another, feels himself as no longer a '.nember of the same church, but as a strangei* in a strange house. Under a kind and lenient Bishop, every man is, from 10 iVoin thia want oi' suitable canons^ ulinor:l at liberfy to do what is right in the sight of his own eyes. If his conduct be not grossly scandalous ; il he be tolerably dilicent in preaching, and his other parochial duties, and if so inclined, he may, in a measure, set the Bishop at defiance, although he break through the customs and regulations of the church, as contained in her canons, for his plep may be, if your Lordship will shew me any code of laws, binding upon me, I will be happy to observe them. If he is answered, by having his attention called to the canons of the church, he may repJv , I cannot observe them in a country \he this : your Lordship does not observe them atl yourself, an(*. if your Lordship chooses which to observe, and which to omit, s'.rely I may be allowed the same privilege. A knowledge of this fact must make an indulgent Bishop pass over many things which appear trifling, but which, like the first letting <■ ut of water, bring with them troublesome consequen- ces. Again, should the diocess come under the charge of a tyrannical Bishop, he could make the situatioa of his clergy extremely unpleasant, removable from place to place, as many of them are, solely at his nod ; in some instances, placed en- tirely under his absolute authority ; at a time, too, when they know that he has no precise laws, by which to be guided ia his decisions ; when there would be no probability of obtaining re- dress, and when from bis situation, in this distant country, a tyrannical Bishop (for a Bishop is still human,) would be rcliev^ ed from the restraint which the proximity of his brother Bishops might exercise over one of a like spirit in England. This evii must appear still greater, if w« consider that we are liable to have placed over us some favorite of the Prime Minister in Eng- land, himself possibly an Unitarian, an InfidelyOr a Demi-Papist. The case of Dr. Hampden and the University of Oxford should be a warning to us. ^' To meet all these wants, and to avoid all these difficulties, I see no other mode, than a thorough change in our ecclesiaslkal ar- rangements. To changes, in general, I am decidedly averse ; but when a change is absolutely necessary to the well being, or rather to the very existence of our church, let us not object to it. Whilst things remained as they were ten years ago, there was less cause for any change. But since our situation itself has been materially chtnged ; since, from being a mere body of missionaries, and of course under the control of the missionary society that sent us out and suppoited us by its bounty, having had that bond severed, we have been constituted a different body, some change in our arrangements is necessary to meet this change in our situation. What was perhaps good under former circumstances, is not so under present. The situation of our church at the present moment, and .is ;;>robable situation , a few years hence, (for I contend thai we are bound to look to the future,) fe very different from that of the church in England. 11 There she makes part o( the conntiuition. The support of her clergy, of her bishop?,and of schools for preparing her youthfor the ministry arc amply provided for by law. To deprive her of these provisions would require nothing less than a revolution. But ure equally good provisions made for our church in this country 1 und are even the partial provisions we now have equally well secured to nsl I think the facts already adduced will answer the former, and the signs of the instability of all our church property, so frequently seen in our political horizon, may an- swer the latter of these questions. But are the clergy of the church in England satisfied with their present condition 1 Do they not feel, that if they had their rightj they would have, ar they once had, their houses of convocation 1 If these things are indeed so, and this no one can denj', are we called upon to rest contented with our present depressed con- dition ] I think not. We require some change ; a change which, imder God, will meet our w^ants, and remove our difficulties. JVo change icill effect this, less than one by which we may be enabled, together loith lay delegates from our parishes, frequently to meet in general council : nothing less than the adoption of a code of laws, embraced in a new constitution, can bring order and regularity to our church , nothing short of the admission of the laity in our councils wHl give us strength and energy. The laity alone have in their hands what can supply our wants. Before we can avail our- selves of it, we must allow them to have some voice in its dis- bursement. This is human nature. No free nation will allow itself to be taxed, directly or indirectly, unless it has a voice in the disbursement of the monies raised by those taxes. That this change will, under God, effect the desired purpose, is no mere vain imagination. Experience is acknowledged on all sides to outweigh the most subtle arguments ; and experience will tell us, that the very measures here proposed have effected the very end desired, under similar, or even much worse circumstances. No one can deny this, who is acquainted with the history of the church in the United States. Her situation at the time of the revolution was far worse than ours now is. In the words of one of her historians : " a few years nearly overthrew the work, which had been slowly carried forward by the exer- tions of a century and a half, and had not omnipotence interpo- sed, the i uin would have been complete. The fostering hand, to which the American church owed a long continuance of care and protection, was withdrawn ; and the " society for propaga- ting the gospel " no longer rendered its accustomed aid. Many of the clergy were thus left entirely destitute, and some were obliged to betake themselves to secular emnloyments for : iipport. By an unjust decision, the lands held by the society for propa- gating the gospel, ^d situated in Vermont, were confiscated and applied to the purposes of education. An equally uncon- stitutional sentence, obtained through the united eflfc of sec- tariens and iafideIs,despoiIed the church in Virginia of its glebes and even of its houses] of "prayer ! While, in addition to all these calamities, Episcopalians in general became subject to unmerited and cruel political prejudices. Most of their church- es were destitute of worshippers ; their clergy had departed, or were left almost entirely without maintenance ; no centre of unity remained, and no ecclesiastical government existed." Such was her condition then. For years she struggled to rise from this blow, and to live down those deep rooted prejudices which her former connexion with England and the loyalty of many of her members, had raised against her. So late as 1811, she could only number eight Bishops and about two hundred clergy. Since that period, and especially within the last few years, she has risen like a Phoenix from her ashes. In the language of the historian before quoted, " Her Diocesses are twenty-two in number, under the superintend- ence of seventeen Bishops, with the venerable Bishop White still at their head. Her clergy amount to eight hundred, and are daily increasing in devotion, in learning, and in zeal. Her missionaries are studying the language of China, bending their steps to Syria and Persia, instructing the youth of Greece, civ- ilizing the Indian of the western forests, and traversing the prairies of Missouri and Illinois. Her revenues for the propa- gation of religion, are constantly increasing, and through the operation of systematic benevolence, will soon enable her to enlarge her efforts and extend her privileges to thousands, who now scarcely know her name. Her numerous periodicals are circulating religious and ecclesiastical intelligence throughout her widely spread communion, and scattering the seeds of truth where the mmister of God is seldom heard. Her four Theolo- gical Seminaries send forth more clergymen every three years than the whole church possessed thirty years ago. If it be ask- ed how has all this been effected, the answer is, by the blessing of the great Head of the Church upon the wise councils and strenuous exertions of her children. If it be inquired what were the chief means used, I reply, the faithful preaching of God's word ; unity of purpose and action ; the adoption of canons suitable for the state of the country, and binding upon all ; and the active assistance of their laity. The conventions provided for by their constitution have been the instrumentSf under God, by which this wonderful change has been effected. The conventions are of two kinds — the general, representing the whole church in the union ; the diocesan, onl^ the church in each diocess. In th6 former, such matters as regard the whole church are settled, as the ordering of public worship, the laws for the trial of delinquents amongst the Bishops and inferior clergy, &c. &c. : in the latter, such measures are adopted as concern each diocess in particular. The general convention is composed of two houses, the first styled the u o ■I •5 House of Bishops, where all iho Bisliops in the union have a seat ; the second, the Hous3 of Clerical and Lay Delegates, elected thereto at the previous diocesan conventions in each di- ocess, which conventions are composed of the Bishop as its president, and clerical and lay delegates from each parish in connection with the convention. By the power lodged within them and by the influence they exert over all the members of the church, these conventions give her at once order, unity and strength. In them the laity, as is acknowledged on all hands, have proved most useful, especially in matter? pai taking rather of a secular nature, for which they are evidently better fitted than the clergy can be. Taking part in her councils, they have given to the church that energy and ability which we so great- ly need. Interested in her welfare, they have been led to study her distinctive principles, and thus have learned to love her more and more, and at the same time obtained such knowledge as enables them, when asked, to give a reason of the hope that is in them, so different from many of our people, who, if asked why they are churchmen, could only answer that their parents happenedto be church people, and that therefore they a: e so too, a reason which would equally have made them Jews or Maho- medans, if tiieir parentage had been such. On no occasion have they given any trouble in the conventions : indeed, so far from such being the case, on some occasions, where bodies of the clergy have displayed an anxiety for change, and a disregard of their constituted authorities, they have invariably taken the side of order and good government. To prevent the possibility of their power becoming greater in the conventions than that of the clergy, a canon has been adopted, by which, on demand for its operation, the clergy and laity are called to vote by or- ders, the clergy first, and the laity afterwards ; and, then, with- out a majority of each order no measure can be adopted. And why, I would humbly ask, are not we, my Rt. Rev. Fa- ther and my Rev. Brethren, why are not we to adopt the same measures, which have, with God's blessing, raised our sister church from her low estate, and rendered her the most fllour- ishing body of christians in the union 1 Will our superiors in England say " nay" to us 1 Their wish must be, the prosperity of our Zion, and if we can convince them that by the adoption of the means here recommended, that prosperity will be great- ly promoted, I feel assured that they will wish us "God-speed" in the name of the Lord. I trust that it will not be objected, that the church of Englan'' know nothing of lay delegation, and that, as a branch of that church, we must think of nothing of the kind. Should, however, such an objection be made, I reply, that it is asking too much of us, to leave us here without the decided advantages derived by the church in England from her connection with the state, and, at the same time, to debar us from availing ourselves of those advantages which she w^ould 14 : !' Hii '. Ill embrace, were it not for that very connection. Is it to b^ sup- posed that the church in England would refuse to avail herself of the assistance which the laity only can afford, and to admit them into her councils in o der to obtain it, if she should be sud- denly dep ived of her right to tithes and the other property she possesses. But I suspect that the laity have more control over the church in England than many imagine. I ask, by whose author- ity was the present order of common prayer confirmed and al- lowed to be used in churches, but by that of the Parliament, composed of the three estates of the realm, in one only of which have the clergy any voice, and that but a slight one 1 By whose authority are some sees being abolished and others established, but by the same 1 By what authority can tithes be commuted 1 In short, who has the regulation of her revenues, but the same king, lords and commons ? But fu: ther, by whose authority only could the slightest alteration be made in the order of her ser- vices, as prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, except it be, by that of the same three estates of the realm? Indeed, the ve y authority, we wish for our conventions, composed entirely of churchmen, and the acquisition of which is objected to by some, because lay delegates are to be admitted thereto, is con- side ed as well vested in a body of men, many of whom are papists, dissenters, unitarians and unbelievers, and who, altho* they number about a thousand in all, have amongst them less than thirty Bishops. It may again be objected that the admission of the laity into the councils of the church is contrary to the practice of the apostolic and primitive church. To this I reply, that is not quite so clear as may be imagined. If we look at Acts 1 : 15, 16, 23 and 26, at 15 : 22, 23 and 25, we will find that the councils were not confined to the apostles. Ecclesiastical historians tell us, that the exclusion of the laity, and, soon after, of the inferior cleigy from the councils, thence composed of the Bishops, was the beginning of that spi: it which afterwards placed all the oth- er Bishops under the feet of him of Rome. Another objection may possibly be urged : such admission is unnecessary ; many other denominations do very well without it, and so may we. To this I answer, that where the laity are not admitted to the councils of the church, such measu es are taken to gain their influence as we can never take. For this pur- pose the Romanists use the carnal weapons of a da k and gloomy superstition, and the Methodists the careful dist ibution of certain spiritual offices amongst her laity. And surely it is less objectionable to admit a layman to the councils of the chu ch, where many matters of a purely seculai' nature must necessarily be discussed, than to the spiritual ofliices of preach- ing and exhorting. It is said by some, that the Elders in the Presbyterian church, who have seats and voices in their councils, do not belong to lo the laity. 1, however, cainiul consitlcr them in any other li^ht. 1 know that the form by which they are sot apart for their ol- fice is never considered by their chuch as placing th in in the ranks of the clergy, that they are esteemed by her as still bo- longing to, and representing in her councils, the laity. As such, they have been found useful in all ages of their chu ch ; as such, they are found useful in this country. Indeed, among the Meth- odists the want of the laity in their councils, has ever been a cause of complaint, and has ocsasioned the most extensive sep- arations from that body of christians. But still it may be objected that our people are too poor to follow the example set them by their fellow churchmen in the United States. In reply, I would ask the objector to reflect, that nearly all the wealthy in Upper Canada, that almost all the wealthy emigrants that make this country their home, and that the majority of the wealthy in Lower Canada, a e members of the church. Let him look at the little diocess of Connecticut, with her eighty well'educated and well supported clergy,and her flou. ishing college at Hartfoi d, belonging to the church, and let him remember that the same little state was the chief seat of the Puritans, that the fii st Episcopal church erected therein was at New London, no longer ago than 1728, that almost all the ac- cessions to her ranks have been from the descentantsof the Pu- ritans, and that she has gained her present high and floui ishing condition by the adoption of the very means upon which we must rely. Let him look at Pennsylvania, by no means so large or so fertile as Upper Canada, settled too chiefly by the Quakers and the Dutch, and in the journal of her last convention he will learn that her parishes tire ninety-one, her clergy, including two Bishops, eighty-six ; her candidates for orders, twenty- five ; that she supports twenty missionaries, has an episcopal iund of several thousand dollars ; a fund for the support of widows and orphans ot deceased clergymen, amounting to fifty thousand dollars, and a society which has circulated in the last two years eight thousand prayer books, and all this, without monies arising from lands held by the church, and without any assistance from without. In short, he will find that of eight hundred clergymen now in her service, nearly half were born and educated in other denominations ; but, after ma- ture deliberation, and at the sacrifice of much private feeling, have cast their lots with that once despised and persecuted, but now flourishing and eminently useful church. Having thus stated, in a brief manner, the wants and diflicul- ties of our church, and having taken the liberty to point out the means, by which, I conceive, we may be rescued, through God's blessing, from our present feeble condition, I would hum- bly beg, my Rt. Rev. Father and my Rev. Brethren, to give to what I have advanced that consideration which the import- ance of the subject might justly claim ; and, if they feel that \ 16 f our church lequlres their special prayers, their councils, their exertions, their united action, I would earnestly implore them to withhold them from her no longer. Our past oppGrlunitiej», suffered to glide by unimproved, should warn us to defer not till to-morrow what to morrow it may be too late to do. The time has been when we might have made mucli better arrangements than we can make now. But it is probable that we can make much better arrangements now, than we will be able to make a year or two hence. Moreover, as year succeeds year, the numbers of our destitute church people are increased by emigration, whilst they are continually thinned by the accessions made from them to the ranks of dis- senters, papists, and infidels. The number of our candidates for orJcrj are each year becoming less and less, whiltt our clergy are carried off by that merciless destroyer death, or arc rendered unfit for active service by the infirmities of old age ; and last, though by no means least, each month of delay brings us nearer to that hour, when, having finished his course, our beloved father shall be called hence to receive "that crown which the righteous Judge will give him at the last day." If, then, each year increases our wants and our difficulties, surely we are called no longer to delay our exertions. Surely to us the -language of Solomon is addressed, " whatsoever thy hand find- eth to do, do k with all thy might." Let us, tKen, come togeth- er/ttt the Bishop's several invitations, fully preparfd to do some- thing e^ectual for the good of our Zion. Let each pray, study, deviee ; let each come prepared to act, as if every thmg depend- ed upon him alone, ana, when met together, let each approach the business with the feeling that he has talents committed to his care ; but, at the same time, in the spirit of meekness, ** each esteeming other better than himself;" and may the Lord give this his blessing : Amen. •v <..I I .t-t