these useful ends, he was willing to give a portion of his invaluable time, and to increase the weight of his oppressive labours, without any view to emolument and reward. The period, however, in which these proposals were made, during the difficulties and embarrassments of the late war with England, was still found to be unpropitious; and the only effect of this scheme was to excite in Episcopalians a sense of their duty and their interests, and to prepare the way for another, which has since been so happily accomplished.

The notice which he had taken of this subject the year before in the State Convention, and the proposal of a specific plan for the establishment and regulation of the seminary, had now awakened such an interest in the minds of Churchmen, as to create a great anxiety for the adoption of the measure. The matter was immediately after brought up in the General Convention, and after some discussion, it was resolved "that it should be referred to the Bishops-and in those dioceses where there were no Bishops, to the Standing Committees therein-to inquire in the respective dioceses or states, and to consider for themselves, concerning the expediency of establishing a Theological Seminary, to be conducted under the general authority of the Church." These steps were thought to be premature by Bishop Hobart and the delegation from New-York, for the reasons which he gave in his address to the Convention of his own diocese in the following fall.

"The opposition from the deputation of the Church in New-York to the establishment of a

General Theological Seminary, by an act of that body, did not arise from disaffection to a measure of vital importance to the Church, but from an opinion that the same object could be accomplished, on the most correct and enlarged principles and views, by private concert and co-operation among the influential friends of the Church in various parts of the Union, without encountering many difficulties, to which the measure would be liable, if taken up, under present circumstances, by the General Convention."

In his annual addresses to the Convention, the Bishop did not confine himself to a mere detail of his Episcopal acts, and a description of the state of the diocese, but touched upon any points which he deemed material-suggesting projects for the extension of the Church-encouraging the pious and sober attempts of others-discountenancing all doubtful schemes-restraining every tendency to irregularity and enthusiasm-animating the zeal of the correct and diligent by his notice of their labours-giving gentle admonitions to the remissand endeavouring to promote unity of principle and practice throughout his charge. It was his opinion, that the most fervent and elevated devotion could have ample scope within those limits which the Church had prescribed, and that there was no ground for separating evangelical piety from primitive order and truth; yet as he laid great stress upon matters of external order, in some cases, on account of their decency, propriety, and utility; and in others, because he deemed them of apostolic and divine authority, and therefore did not dare to

"put asunder what God had joined together;" he was often misunderstood by those without, and sometimes most uncharitably misrepresented and reviled by those within. There were a few who differed from him widely in many respects, but who still had discernment enough to take a just view of his opinions, and candour enough to acknowledge the evangelical character of his preaching, and to believe in his deep and unaffected piety; but how many regarded him with blind and incurable prejudice, as one having merely "the form without the power of godliness!"

And yet he was so careful in explaining his views, as to leave no room for misconception and error. No one could mistake his opinions on the points which we have just noticed, that would dispassionately read these passages from his address to the Convention in 1814.

My Clerical and Lay Brethren, I should enjoy little satisfaction in congratulating you on the increasing attachment to the Christian principles of our Church, and veneration for her institutions, if I could not also congratulate you on the increase of that evangelical piety which these principles and institutions, when faithfully observed and practised, are calculated to produce. He, indeed, must entertain very inferior and erroneous notions of the nature and design of the ordinances of the Church, and of the high objects of the ministerial calling, who does not extend their influence to the excitement and preservation of the power of godliness, of that vital and productive faith which, through the agency of the Divine Spirit renewing the soul and

conforming the life to the holy standard of Christian morals, can alone authorize the elevated hope, that we are the subjects of God's favour, and in a state of preparation for his kingdom of glory.

"That your ministrations, my Clerical Brethren, may produce these exalted effects in the present, holiness and eternal salvation of the people committed to your charge, is, I am confident, the subject of your earnest solicitude and constant prayers. To endeavour to produce these effects by any other means than those which our Church authorizes, and which the piety and wisdom of ages have sanctioned, would be a departure from the most solemn obligations of duty, and would not ultimately produce that fervent, and, at the same time, that humble, that unassuming, that consistent, that permanent piety, equally remote from the extremes of lukewarmness and enthusiasm, which alone the real friend to our Church, and the substantial interests of religion, would wish to see prevail.

"It is cause both of gratitude and of boast, that what are considered by some the dull round of Church observances, in the hands of a faithful minister, prove, by the blessing of God, effectual in converting sinners, and in establishing believers in the holy faith of the Gospel.

"Such means of grace, and such only do I exhort you to employ; and these means, my Brethren of the Laity, it is my duty to impress upon you, if they do not prove to you the savour of life,' will certainly prove to you, in the strong language of an inspired apostle, the savour of death. May we all then, in our respective stations, so adorn the VOL I.

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doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, that we may bring honour to his name and his holy Church, and finally save our own souls."

In 1815 the Bishop published a Pastoral Letter to the Laity of the Church in his Diocese, on the subject of Bible and Common Prayer Book Societies. Here he took the unpopular ground, that our institutions for religious purposes should be conducted in our own way, and on our own principles, without any union or amalgamation with those of other bodies of Christians. The great indifference to the distinctive principles of the Church, even among many of our own people, from an ignorance of their nature and importance; the false notions of liberality prevailing among those who were better informed, and the general disapprobation at that time, among other denominations, of a policy which was regarded as narrow, selfish, and almost intolerant, would have made such an appeal to the clergy themselves, a bold and startling measure. But, confident that he was right, and sure of their general support when the matter should be duly weighed, he determined to address himself at once to his people at large, to whom it was still more new and strange. He always had a strong reliance on the good sense of the community, and was persuaded that the just and reasonable cause, when properly supported, would prevail over prejudice and error. In the present instance he was not deceived. The laity, engrossed in a great measure with other pursuits, are but little accustomed to think on those disputed points of principle and policy which divide divines; but if they can only be induced to give