It

firmity, who have enabled us, with God's blessing, to bring thus far to its completion, that which our eyes are now rejoiced to behold. was comparatively a desolate wilderness now the desert is to rejoice, and blossom as the (Isaiah xxxv. 1.)

rose.

but

And here, if I allude to any who are present they must not withhold their forgiveness, aware though I be that the step is not in accordance with their own particular wishes,—nor indeed is it with the bent and habits of the preacher, -did not the sacrifice of all private feeling and scruple seem to be required by public considerations, and by the equity and reason of the case.

First, therefore, I cannot omit testifying how much we owe to him ', by whom, as residing on the spot, it was reasonable that the ancient necessities and evils should best be known; from whom therefore, it is but justice to mention, that the suggestion of the scheme first distinctly came; who has promoted the work by his bounty, in a variety of ways; spared no anxiety or time to further its progress; and will now, I doubt not, watch the success with almost paternal care. Nor, he only, but she too who is dearest to him on earth, his partner and true help-mate here, as in all besides :-both of them will watch the

fruits with the yearnings of an almost parental love, as long as their hearts shall beat, and life and sense shall remain.

After these, I would take the liberty of stating that our next tribute is due in a much more exalted quarter. There, where I allude, an official sanction and consent were to be sought, in obedience to all the obligations of respect and discipline and law; and these indispensable requisites were at once cheerfully accorded. But mark, I entreat you, how far this was from being all.-(Alas the day for England, that things should ever have come to this pass, that the design should be entertained of imposing shackles, in any degree, on the free movements of such a heart, and of maiming the capacities and powers of hands like these! It is but a sorry work for the representative wisdom and virtue of a vast empire, to be busying themselves in cutting off-already far too scanty for a famishing and thirsty land-the few genial springs which still were left flowing amongst us of an eminent and exemplary christian piety, and charity. Pretend what we

'The Archbishop of Canterbury. His Grace is Patron of the Rectory of Buxted; and both the parishes principally interested, viz. Buxted and Mayfield, are peculiars of the See of Canterbury.

will, these are undeniable tokens of a declining and retrograde, a sordid and selfish people'.)

'The allusion here, it will be easily understood, is to the proposed curtailment of the income of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and of a few of the other Bishops. But I would add, and yet we are in a much greater degree a misled and deluded, an ill-taught and ill-informed, than a wilfully erring and selfperverted people. Individual instances of virtue and public spirit, and high principle in the walks of private life, were, perhaps, never more numerous; and in the same quarters, great degrees are discernible of eminent ecclesiastical and political knowledge, and of a heartfelt perception where the happiness of nations really lies. Nor again is there, it should seem, in the masses of the people, in the great bulk of the community, very much of ill principle or ill affection, any very great degrees of such mistake and delusion, as are likely to be of a permanently insuperable character; and which would not yield, or even be converted, into opposite convictions, if the fair chances of recovery were afforded them. But, it is to be feared, the main deficiencies and degeneracy, and the main dangers consequently, exist in another quarter. Sir William Temple, himself an eminent statesman, and a person of great political experience and sagacity, has said, "it is hard to be imagined, how far the spirit of one great man goes in the fortunes of any state."

"Exoriare aliquis," &c.

Our want now seems to be far more in the leaders of the people, than in the people themselves. And, for instance, in the present case, if the real condition of things were fairly laid before them, by those who would have a right to do so; if the actual circumstances of the case were known, there are

But I have said, the formal consent and concurrence was not all. The voice of approval and encouragement, which, from such lips, fails not to speak with power, was added. This done, more could not justly be expected, and more was not; but a noble benefaction, besides, unsought for, was freely and early bestowed. Hence, all this together told for us so effectually, that here, humanly speaking, and next under heaven, by these sacred hands the grand foundation stone of our building has been laid; here we possessed the prime moving spring and actuating power, which has carried the work into effect. Hence, if at any moment in the course of the undertaking, some circumstances of discouragement might arise, (and what human endeayour can look to be without a share of these earthly intermixtures ?) still the knowledge of that favour and co-operation came in to our

not wanting grounds to convince us, that the people of England would reject the scheme with a generous indignation and disdain, and not without some sense of resentment against it, as derogatory to themselves. The people of England yet know, and, by proper appliances, would yet be ready to avow their conviction, and to act upon it accordingly; that, if Religion be any thing, it is every thing: and is, therefore, to be maintained by them, individually and nationally, on considerations both of duty and interest, as precious above every thing.

relief, re-assured our hopes, and rendered it impossible to give way to feelings of an unworthy distrust and despair1.

1 Another benefit, originating from the same quarter, but omitted in the Text, because it is of a general character, extending its influence infinitely beyond our own particular case, may justly claim a notice and acknowledgment here. I allude to a legislative measure of vast importance, an admirable specimen of genuine Church reform, embodied in a bill by the Archbishop, and which happily received the sanction of Parliament, in the year 1831. (1 & 2 Willm. iv. cap. 45.)

To provide an adequate income for the Minister, it is well known, is usually found one of the obstacles most difficult to be surmounted, in schemes for the erection of new churches or chapels, and for the subdividing parishes, or constituting additional ecclesiastical districts. The plan proposed to be adopted in the case of St. Mark's chapel, as stated in the original prospectus, was as follows.

"The endowment to secure the important benefits contemplated, ought not, it is considered, to be less than one hundred pounds per annum, certain income. Towards this amount the incumbents of Mayfield and of Buxted have, in addition to their subscriptions in the list below, declared their readiness to charge themselves and their successors to the extent of £50 per annum : provided an equal sum per annum can be obtained, in permanent income, from other quarters."

Under the provisions of the act above referred to, one of the incumbents is (with the requisite consents,) now augmenting the endowment by a perpetual rent charge on his benefice of £28 per annum, and the other, whose parishioners will be at the least equally benefitted by the chapel, and the proposed ecclesiastical district, will be equally ready to give a legal