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and applauded in a religious paper, without any authority indeed on the part of the society, but at the same time without any expression of displeasure at the publicity which was given to it.

Under these circumstances, what was the Bishop to do? Was it to be expected that he who never shrunk from the discharge of his duty on account of the consequences, who had struggled through his whole life with difficulties, and overcome them, whose spirit always rose up to the emergency and prepared him to meet it with firmness and vigour, was to sink down on this occasion in timidity and silence? Such, however, in contradiction to his well known character, appears to have been the conclusion of those by whom his wishes were opposed; and such, indeed, would have been the conduct of an ordinary man for it was a most delicate and critical conjuncture. He was called upon to express his disapprobation of the course which had been pursued by some of the most popular and influential of his presbyters, for whom he entertained a sincere esteem. He was to act in opposition to a scheme which, having for its avowed object the promotion of their personal piety and ministerial usefulness, would seem to those who only looked at the surface of things, without considering all their bearings and consequences, worthy of the highest approbation and praise. He saw that his conduct would be liable to misconstruction on the part of those honest and sincere persons who would not give themselves the trouble to think, and to the perversion of the selfrighteous and pharisaical, who would not view it according to charity and truth. While contending

for what he deemed the best interests of religion, he was aware that his piety itself might be called in question. In the prospect, therefore, of the pain which he must give to those from whom he differed, and the misconception, odium, and abuse which he knew that he would draw upon himself, he might well consider the step which it was necessary for him to take as "one of the most harassing events of a trying episcopate of eighteen years."

But these considerations did not move him. He prepared an exposition of his conduct and views, in the form of a Pastoral Letter to the clergy and laity of his diocese. In order to make himself still more sure of the propriety of his course, he read it to a few of those friends in whom, from their respect for his character, their admiration of his policy, and long-tried attachment to his person, he could entirely confide, and who valued him too much to encourage him in any measure of which they did not honestly and cordially approve. They all agreed in opinion, that the publication of the Letter was due to himself and the Church. For my own part, having looked upon the line of distinction which was about to be drawn by this society between those who should unite with it and those who should not, as one which, in the spirit of the day, would necessarily bring some odium on the latter, and perhaps hinder their usefulness, I not only regarded it with dislike, but with a degree of anxiety and dread. The conduct of the Bishop, therefore, in thus interposing himself as a shield for the protection of others, and bearing the whole reproach himself, struck me as a noble and magnanimous

act; and I could not forbear from telling him, that the course he was pursuing seemed to me no less generous than correct. He replied, that his life had been a scene of constant agitation, that he longed for repose, and that he had never before taken any step with so much reluctance; but that his duty was plain, and it must be done.

I shall now give the substance of the Pastoral Letter. The Bishop first remarks, that “ a minority of the clergy have thought themselves warranted in assuming" the title of the Protestant Episcopal Clerical Association of the city of New-York, "of which the Bishop, and a large majority of the Protestant Episcopal clergy of the city are not members." As he ought certainly not to be inferior to others in solicitous efforts to promote his own piety, official usefulness and edification, as well as of the clergy, he thinks it essential that he should exhibit the reasons why those efforts have not been directed in favour of an association whose object appears so commendable, but against it. After an account of his endeavours, which I have already related, to prevent the organization of the society, he proceeds to state the arguments which he then briefly urged somewhat more in detail.

"1. Though every clergyman should aim at the greatest piety and zeal, and with this view should devote himself habitually, and earnestly, and fervently to private reading, meditation, and prayer, and should avail himself of occasional opportunities of counsel and converse with his brethren; yet organized clerical associations for prayer and spiritual conversation, and expounding of Scripture, have

a strong tendency to become the theatres of spiritual vanity and ostentation, and of that peculiar and artificial language of religion which is significantly denoted by the term cant; and than which there is not any thing more offensive to the delicacy, simplicity, and purity of genuine piety.

"2. As in these associations, excitement is the object, a more than ordinary glow of religious feeling, begin, as they may, in chastened spiritual conversation, in a well ordered prescribed form of devotion, the excited fervour of some at least will soon require conversations more impassioned, and devotions more ardent. The heats of enthusiasm will soon inflame religious conversation, and extempore prayers, stirring up the animal passions, displace the dull routine of prescribed formularies. Some may oppose and strive to check the departure from sobriety, but they will soon be set down as formalists; and retiring from a whirlwind which they have been instrumental in exciting, but which they cannot control, they must see it assailing and weakening, if not subverting, those barriers which public reason has established against private fancy, and those provisions which the wisdom and the piety of the Church have settled for the preservation of Christian unity and the regulation of the devotion. of her members. All this is in the ordinary course of human nature-all this is abundantly exhibited in the history of the Church of England in the reigns of Elizabeth and the first Charles."*

* At that time, according to the account of Fuller, it was customary for "the ministers of the same precinct, by their own appointment, to meet at the principal place therein. The junior

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MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF THE

"At a much more recent period, in the earlier part of the last century, clergymen of the Church of England, with precisely the same plea which is now urged, the defective piety and zeal of the clergy, formed an association for the 'promotion of personal picty and for mutual edification,' which produced a schism in that Church, and led to the rejection both of her worship and ministry."

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divines went first into the pulpit, and for half an hour, more or less, treated upon a portion of Scripture, formerly, by a joint agreement assigned unto him. After him four or five more, observing their seniority, successively dilated on the same text. divine, appointed on purpose, made the closing sermon,” and afterwards delivered his remarks upon the discourses of the rest. all was ended, as it began, with a solemn prayer, and at a public At last a grave refection of those ministers, the next time of their meeting was appointed, text assigned, preachers were deputed, a new moderator elected, or the old one continued, and so all were dismissed." "Then

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These prophesyings, as they were called, were attended with manifold evils, a departure from the established ritual of the Church, an unbecoming rivalry among the clergy, the depression of modest merit in those ministers who "were profitable preachers in their private parishes, but who were loath to appear in this public way, which made them undeservedly slighted and neglected by others;" the encouragement of vanity in many young men, who having more boldness than learning, readiness than solidity, carried away the credit, to the great disheartening of those of more age and ability;"" jarring and personal reflections," which often disturbed the harmony of this concert of preachers, impertinent excursions from their text, to inveigh against the discipline and government of the Church," and various other inconveniences, which made them prejudicial to the ordinary services of the sanctuary on the Lord's day, and to the interests of true religion and virtue.

"It is to be observed, that as these prophesyings were public, and those of the Clerical Association private, the above remarks will not apply to the latter. fail to see in how many respects" they are strictly applicable.' The attentive observer, however, will not

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