'The Companion to the Book of Common Prayer,' published also in 1805, may be regarded as the sequel to the Catechism—its aim being not only to instruct the young, but to awaken all to a perception of the propriety, the beauty, and the spiritual meaning of the Liturgy of the Church. It has long been stereotyped and widely circulated, and doubtless been the source of much good.

In 1806 Mr. Hobart put forth the last work in this series, 'The Clergyman's Companion.' In this it is to be regretted that he confined himself to mere compilation. The need of some such practical guide to the clergy is evident from the extensive and permanent demand that exists for this volume even in its present form. An original work, stamped by his self-devotion and sound judgment, would have been, to younger ministers at least, an invaluable aidfor certainly no class of men in society stand so much in need of a guiding and helping handnone are so ignorant of the world-none so inexperienced in the workings of human nature, -and yet, none are so frequently called upon both to counsel and direct ;-none, again, are so dependent for usefulness upon the opinions of others, and yet none are so frequently, or rather continually, placed in situations where the opinions and prejudices of others are to be

H

met, resisted, and overcome. Doubtless, the surest guide is from within, from prayer unto the Spirit of grace; and yet, when we see the frequent erroneous judgments into which youthful ministers are led by an honest but unwise zeal, we cannot but recognise the practical value of such a work as this might have been, from the pen of one who in his personal intercourse was so wise and persuasive, and at the same time in principle so uncompromising.

CHAPTER IV.

1805-Et. 30.

Controversy forced upon Mr, Hobart-Early History and Condition of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Colonies-Desolation produced by the War of the Revolution-Difficulties which followed itDissensions-Steps for obtaining the Episcopate-Dr. SeaburyScotch Bishops-Bishops White and Provoost-State of the Church when Mr. Hobart entered it-Justification of his Course.

THESE labors gave a new reputation to the character of Mr. Hobart, both with the friends and opponents of the Church, and, it may be, first awakened his own mind to a true sense of its powers, since they involved him in a protracted discussion, on the subject of the Church, with some of the most learned and able of other communions—a controversy forced upon him from without, and one, therefore, which, in justice either to himself or the Church he advocated, he could not avoid.

But whatever may be thought of their result, the motive on his part, for the above publications, appears to have been the single sense of duty.

Rightly to appreciate Mr. Hobart's course in this matter, requires that the condition of the Episcopal Church at the time he wrote

be clearly understood; and this can only be done, by giving to the reader a sketch of its previous story. The writer says story, for the history of the American Church is yet to be written, nor can it as yet be done in our country for want of the needful documents; that want, however, it is trusted, will soon be supplied in the enlargement of the library of the General Theological Seminary, where an alcove' áppropriated to this subject is due to the character of our Church.

The Memoirs of the American Church, by Bishop White, is indeed an invaluable work so far as personal recollections are concerned, for the period to which they relate; but its full history must be gathered from that of the Society in England beginning with its organization in 1698-from its multifarious correspondenceand from our own early annalists; while the contests in relation to an American episcopate, are still to be collected from a thousand nameless sources of local and individual history.

But passing this by, the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Colonies, previous to the Revolution, consisted simply in members of the Church of England who had emigrated to this country, and, with their descendants, were gathered together in scattered and unconnected

congregations, under clergymen ordained and sent out to them from the mother country. These bore, in general, the title of 'missionaries of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; receiving salaries from its funds varying from 40l. to 100l., and acknowledging canonical obedience to the Bishop of London for the time being, under whose jurisdiction they were placed by delegation from the Crown, so far at least as the government colonies were concerned. In the proprietary governments they were under the same control, but with more limitation, it being part, either expressed or implied, of their respective charters.

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In Virginia and Maryland alone, the Church was by law established, and a competent provision of glebe land assigned for its support by the colonial assembly. In most, however, of the royal colonies, it enjoyed a species of government patronage, which gave it for a time a show of strength which in truth it did not possess, and for which it afterward dearly paid.

Such, with slow improvement as to numbers and influence, continued to be the condition of the Church up to the period of the Revolutionary contest. At the north, in a few of the