The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 26, 1857.

evidence of their being armed and organised, their landing
will probably encounter as little opposition from the
officers of the United States' Government as did their
departure. More precise instructions have since been
sent out, but, whether it was so designed or not, they will
not arrive in time to affect the present expedition, unless
it should be accidentally delayed.

LORD SHAFTESBURY'S CHURCH BILL.
TO THU EDITOR OF 64 THE PRESS."

Sir,—l can heartily subscribe to the greater part
of your remarks on Lord Shaftesbury's proposed
bill on Saturday, the 12th instant. lam sure there
is not, as a whole, a more deserving and hard-work-
ing class of men than the clergy. The strength of
the Church of England lies in her clergy. When
she needs defence the clergy, and not the bishops,
have to take up arms. When we look at the lists of
our parochial charities for the blind, the destitute,
and the aged, we shall find that. -most of them have
been founded by clergymen—e.g., Hetherington,
Gisborne, &c. &c. Still it appears to be the interest
of some and the policy of others to run them down,
and defraud them of their rights—as in the case of
the Registration Acts, the Divorce Bill—and now
it is proposed to set them loose upon each other.
The parishes which will be mostly affected by this
unchristian proposal are the new district parishes.
And what is there calling for interference with
them ? How have they been formed. For the most
part by the labour and at the expense of their in-
cumbents. My own case represents hundreds of
others. On entering upon my labours in this dis-
trict I found that a Church Building Committee had
been in existence for six years, and had wrangled,
and contended, and refused to sign the builder's
contract. I made myself personally responsible
and the church was opened twelve months after,
wards. In the same manner I became responsible
for schools and teachers' residences. I have acted
in a similar manner in other parishes. During
seventeen years that I have been in the ministry I
have been the means, and that at a very consid?rable
expense to myself, of the erection of two churches,
and the re pewing of another, and of the building
seven schools (and five others have been erected in
imitation of my example, of one of which I am a
trustee) and two teachers' residences. I bear the
expenses of my church and other services, and pay
for all repairs, and all the salaries of curates, or-
ganist, clerk, and pew-openers. I have secured for
the parish in perpetuity, in pensions for the poor,
medical aid and help for the distressed, more than
1001. per annum, and raise for the same purposes by
means of collections and subscriptions 4001. per
annum more. I superintend the movements of an
organised staff of visitors, from whom I learn the
condition and wants of every individual in my parish
where my visits are required, and in what cases help
is needed. Through this medium, and by other
means, I give away annually about 20,000 books and
tracts. I have every week to inspect the journal of
my Scripture-reader, and direct him in his work.
Every week in the winter I have six public services—
in summer, four ; besides Bible-classes, Sunday-
school teachers' meetings, and other meetings. In
short, I am working for my people by day and night.
I feel I have the cure of souls ; I know that I
am responsible for my cure, and shall have to give
account. I delight in my work. 1 dwell in the
midst of my people. Who can have an equal
interest in them ? Who can know them so well, or
care for them so much? My bishop, who lives forty
or fifty miles off, knows nothing about them; no
speculating clergyman, who might by the proposed
bill open a room in my district, could do them any
good. He would neglect his own charge, and not
benefit mine. He would be here to-day, and gene
to-morrow. We all know that impressions must be
followed up. The parson is useless, unless he is the
pastor as well as the preacher. The only way to
benefit the masses is to take the Gospel to their
doors—to preach in their cottages. They are always
ready to offer them for that purpose. Let the
minister vary his weekly meetings ; holding them
one week in one cottage, the next in another. The
people, he will find, boon become interested. But
what, I ask, would be the effect of Lord Shaftes-
bury's proposal ? It would set the clergy in an-
tagonism one against another; create divisions;
foster jealous feelings ; and terminate in indifference
and disorder. Suppose an itinerant preacher
opens a room for service. He draws away
horn the parish church a few of two classes
of hearers, one class of which contributes to the
chanties of the parish. When this class leave the
church they drop their subscriptions. A few of the
poor go to hear the strange preacher ; their pastor
loses sight of them, and in time of want no one
knows them. The mere preacher does not, cannot,
visit them. The parochial funds are diminished.
There is no help. In what way, then, are the working
classes benefited?
.They cannot be benefited but by a stated
ministry--a ministry that reaches their cot-