parallel? Does any man really consider the Christian religion to be a matter which he may safely feel indifferent about-which does not concern every man, every day and every hour-whether he feel the immediate need of its consolations or not?

Professional men-the lawyer and the physician, with whom the comparison is usually made, and whose case is usually appealed to-they are properly remunerated in proportion to their work; and the more they labour, the more they gain. Would any person in his senses wish to have-or could he expect the possibility of having, a competent set of men, paid, in this sense, in proportion to their labour? Could the senseless wish be realized, the result would inevitably be, that all sorts of quackeries, and manœuvres to make money, would be resorted to. Is not something very like this practised among Catholics? The conscious sinner repairs to his religious confessor, and pays for his absolution. Do we wish to return to this corrupt and exploded system?

No, in matters that concern our religious and moral health, we require one who will tell us the plain and unbiassed truth-who will soothe and advise, independently and with sincerity-one who labours under no suspicion of worldly motives-who will communicate, kindly and willingly, the results of his better knowledge and deeper contemplations--one whose own life, in its great outlines, and in its broader aspects, is the representative of the doctrines and precepts, which he inculcates-breathing the spirit and odour of the divine sentiments which his lips convey.

I do not say, that it is easy to find such men, or that under any system or economy such can be secured; but I affirm that your only chance is in the appoint

ment of persons whose qualifications have been looked into whose conduct is checked by public opinion-whose duties are defined and prescribed by regulations, that have been well-considered, and are administered by superiors, who are themselves by position, and the influence of the same public opinion, controlled, and kept within the wholesoine pale of exemplary propriety.

Now an order of men, properly qualified and set apart for these holy purposes, makes a Church Establishment imperative, and that Establishment must be national, because what is required for one place is required for another. Such Establishment implies, you know, places for public assembly-and ministers for the public service-and subordinate officers for the preservation of good order and decorum. But these things cannot be accomplished-are not to be had-without expence. Happily the piety of our ancestors, and the wisdom of the legislature of former days, have largely secured appropriate sources for supplying the necessary expence. The actual distribution of these funds may require at times change or modification; but that is nothing to the purpose-such change may be readily made without breaking up the foundations. The indisputable fact is that a very large share-by much the largest share of the cost of the Establishment, is provided for without pressing the weight of a feather upon individuals. Millions in this country know nothing of the burden feel none of the pressure. Few things cost the enjoyers less than the Church Establishment— notwithstanding the outcry, through interest, or in ignorance, against it. I may safely appeal to the experience of any dissenter, whether he finds any

relief by his secession-whether the Chapel costs him less than the Church.

But though so much has been done by our ancestors, the growth of the population in many places outstrips the means at command of supplying the general benefits contemplated by a Church Establishment, and therefore it is that occasional assistance is requisite. It may be said, as these are national wants, they might be supplied by the public revenues. That is true; but the public revenues for the general purposes of Government press, in the collection, more or less, directly or indirectly, on the very poorest; and therefore to add to their burden to obtain what may be possibly granted by those on whom it will fall lightly is not the desirable course. A voluntary Society has therefore been instituted, with the sanction of the Legislature, and in its corporate capacity is empowered to raise contributions, and to apply them to the purposes contemplated. In aid of the donations of liberal individuals, a general collection is occasionally made, directed by the proper authorities; and it is one of these occasions, as you would understand from the King's Letter, last Sunday, on which I am now addressing you.

It is within the recollection of many of you, that, what were called, Church Briefs were long read; but they were found inadequate and attended with disproportionate expence of management, and have consequently been given up. The present course is obviously less objectionable. It is one, at all events, of which no one has a right to complain. Every person is at liberty to refuse. The appeal I am making is to the members of the Church-even you are not compelled; and though every one will be waited on

at his own residence, because we cannot tell precisely who may be absent, every one will still be free to do as he pleases.

The Society has already accomplished much, and accomplished it judiciously. It has not squandered the liberal funds at its disposal. Those who require assistance must themselves contribute. The condition of assistance is, that a certain proportion of the projected out-lay be advanced by the local interests, before any grant is made by the Society. Not less than 1200 places have been relieved, in different amounts. We do not ourselves require assistance at present, but by and bye we may, and then, as St. Paul says-Their abundance may be a supply to our want, that there may be an equality.

It would be an unpardonable neglect, not to direct your attention to the one pervading principle which has throughout governed the Society-and that is, accommodation for the poor. Out of 300,000 sittings, which their exertions have created, more than 200,000 are free. Ours are all free; but in many places, and particularly in the larger towns, seats are necessarily rented to defray the ordinary expence. The Society make free seats, to a considerable extent, the indispensible condition of their grants. The Church of England is indeed emphatically the Church of the Poor to them its benefits and services are gratuitiously supplied. They can enter without any demand being made, or any contribution expected from them.

In some Churches, it is true, the poor are virtually excluded for want of accommodation-an accommodation which they find in dissenting chapels, but which, first or last, must be paid for. In others there are; sometimes, distinctions in point of accommoda

tion, but not often perhaps more than is defensiblewhich originate in the condition of society; where the rich can command, they will have the best; but generally in small towns and country places there are no distinctions invidious enough to be complained of our own is a proof.

Yet the popular cry is all in favor of what is quaintly styled the Voluntary Principle-which means, the destruction of Church Establishments, to be replaced by religious assemblies and ministers at the cost individually of those who like to have them-without provision or regard for those who cannot pay. It is a base delusion, conceived for party purposes, and blindly or perversely adopted by the ignorant, the senseless, and such as either have no regard for the Poor, or know not how to sympathize with their feelings and their wants.

What will this Voluntary Principle do for the Poor? Are they to be utterly abandoned? Have they no claims on the consideration of the wealthier classes of society-none upon the government of the Country, for some concern and provision for their spiritual interests? Are three-fourths of the population of the country to be thus deprived of the consolations of religious ordinances and religious instruction?

The result of a successful attempt to carry this Voluntary Principle into general execution would be the breaking up of the comfort and order of society. I should say the speedy effect would be the extinction of the decorous observance of the Sabbath. There would follow a general loosening and dislocation of existing habits. Places of worship would be comparatively few-would be irregularly and irreverently