The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-01 00:00:00

23,3')3,097

is no one of those who hear me who would for a moment I that permanent support, in the shape of money to the cob)-
conceive that there is in this circumstance any ground nial community, with a view to the sustentation of their
for discouragement in the work of this society ; but I own.ministers and the due preparation of the ordinances
if there be such a person, it may be well to illustrate of religion, would not only not be a good, but it would be
the position of the society at the present moment A i evil, because it would separate between them and the
by a reference to a former chapter in its history true, proper, national, Christian discharge of their duties.
which bears a close analogy to those circumstances. The functions of this society is to cherish them in their
Up to the year 1831 it was the custom of Parliament infancy. Believe me every community has a state of in-
to dispense a large sum of money annually, not loss than fancy and of helplessness. There are, no doubt, belonging
16,0001., to the society, for the purpose of being supplied to the Crown great and powerful colonies—there is not
to the support of the North American clergy. In the year one of them that has not arisen from the smallest begin-
that I have named the grant was withdrawn. It was sub- ping. Every community that has ever been founded since
sequently arranged by the present Lord Derby, when the days of our first parents has had first to go through a
Colonial Minister—(applause)—and I must say it was ar- crisis of difficulty and danger. There is a period when
ranged in the most considerate manner—that the incomes tho State ends it necessary to make provision for the civil
of the existing clergy should be continued to them for wants of early settlers. There is also a period when assist-
their lives ; but, as their lives fell, the grants should drop. ance should be rendered them with respect to their spirit-
Weil, now, at this period, the society had not received the mil wants. The wise policy of the State has been for
rile velopment it now has; the colonies had not received the many years to shorten the period as much as possible—not
development they now have. The change which has taken merely out of a sense of justice to the British people
1 place in the political government of the colonies, hare, (though justice to the British people requires it), but like-
duciog the principle of self-reliance into the management wise because it is right that those who, in the political
of their temporal affairs, has been one of infinite advan- sphere, enjoy privileges of freemen should bear the burdens
rage to this society, because it has likewise taught thorn, of freemen; and because, in point of fact, there can be no 1
by the force of irresistible analogy, to introduce the same such thing, in the long run, as the privileges of freemen 1
principle of self-reliance into the management of their without the burdens of freemen. The very same thing ap-
spiritual concerns. But at that period those things were plies to this society. If this society were to promise pet-
in their infancy, and the prospect of the society in the opi- manent aid to the support of the Church in the colonies, it
nion of its wisest friends was a gloomy ono when the Par- would be to abandon her duty not less to you than the
liamentary grant was withdrawn. How stand the facts ? colonists. It would be asking you to bestow your alms upon
The withdrawalof the grant compelled the society to throw au object that did not require them ; it weuld be ener-
itself more freely and liberally upon the spontaneous Mee- vating and emasculating that tone of religion in the colo-
rality of Christian men. (Weer.) At the period when tlee nies, preventing the growth of a duo sense of its inestim-
Igrant was withdrawn the greet itself was 16,0001., and the able value—if we treated the colonists in their Christian
inco ' of the !moiety, was 6, 0001, or 6,90" ' altogether . cepaci eve!!
.ngere
eceilldwee feud, metessee gep wat turn, tikat
ma: ' `something like 241.1000 e. or e2,.75 i ' f IWe:it:ilea IherOriiiit themselvei to imagine that they have 85 littee
4
when now speak the income has passed'. i;0001., iteiedr sense of the value of the religious ordinances that they were
eee;applause)—amouuting to 10 times the free and indepen- willing to discharge in that respect what they did for them-
dent income which it possessed at the time when it was selves with regard to every other temporal blessing. Now,
accustomed to lean upon Parliament, and amounting to I think wo have received assurances in the form of facts
been
a c toldou pie that
of
three times tho aggregate of that which it then collected that this is the wise principle upon which the society has
for itself and that it repel vod by the sanction of the nation, been acting. You have
Uncle', those circumstances wo should be agreed within
that there diocese of Tasmania,yineaorsa,ethograut importantof
is no reason for despondency and no reason for despair in the society will be practically abolished.
the circumstances in which we now stand. I will vow. told that it will be absolutely abolished in a still more im-
ture to go further—l will venture to say, without giving portant district, the diocese of Toronto. As I have said, it '
any opinion upon the withdrawal of this peculiar instru- is not for me to give information which I scantily pogsess,
meat of support, the manner of which I scarcely regret— but it may be worth montioning to you that, not only has
I will venture to express my strong opinion that the with- the principle of subscribing for the support of the pare-
drawal will prove ultimately, ay, and speedily, to have chial clergy made great way in the colonies, but we have
been beneficial to the society ; for agsiu will happen that seen, within the last two years, the principle of support
which has happened already—the energy of the society for the episcopal heads of the Church likewise recognised
will receive a new stimulus. 1u consequence of this re- as a burden the colonies ought to take upon themselves.
moval of the artificial props, she will fall back more Imre- And, unless T tan much mistaken, there are at this
servedly upon her faith, her zeal, her prayers—her appeals moment contemplated—if they are not gradually ad-
to the faith, the love, the zeal, the prayers, the alms, the vancing towards maturity—two funds iu Upper Canada,
service of Christian people; and fur every pound that she raised solely from colonial resources, with a view to the
amassed through the machinery of which she now loses the foundation of two bishoprics in that colony. (Applause.)
use, she will obtain many pounds without being indebted I might also venture to say what has been done by the
for them to anything, only excepting the love of the mem- Bishop of Now Zealand. (Applause.) Unless lam greatly
hers of the Church of England. I was glad to hear from mistaken, that admirable man, as prudent and practical in
those who have addressed to us to-night warnings and cau- his measures as he is fervent in his zeal and unbounded
tious with respect to the expectations that we are to enter- in his sacrifices to God—(applause)—from the very first mo-
tain from the works of the missionaries of the society in ment when he went to take the charge of that missionary
foreign lands. It is the business of this institution, if I church, has been contemplating and preparing for the time
understand it rightly—l don't mean to say that it is not when it would have to depend only upon its own resources;
likewise the business and the practice of other institutions and, by the prudent acquisition of land, he has been form-
-but it is the business of this institution, if I understand ing a fund, the object of which is, after a limited period, to
it aright, to make her works resemble the nation to which relieve this society of all pecuniary charge to the church of
she belongs—to take care that her proceedings aro straight- Now Zealand. So, I trust you will feel that the object for
forward, not so much by the love of show as by a solid which you are now asked to contribute is a just, a prudent,
prudence—to see that she lays her foundation broad and and a reasonable object. Ido not say that our case would
deep as those who have to do with God, and not with men, be hard if we threw our alms away, for alms given in piety
as those who are to obey His commands and to trust Rim and faith, even though the object beone not to require them,
for the issue—reckoning as to the time when the finite are are far better spent, I fear, than large portions of the expen-
to become visible, scarcely belonging to us. It is diture of this great Christian country. (Applause.) Still,
the work of faith and patience to wait for those it is not for the society to proceed upon that principle. It
fruits, as it oftentimes happens that the larger they is her duty to satisfy every one of the thorough reasonable-
appear before rising to the surface the more precious less, the justice, the prudence, and the foresight with which
and the more enduring they are when they once she acts ; and you will agree with me she does what is just
have appeared. Solidity has, I venture to say, been and fair to the people of England who support, and what is
up to the present time the eminent and peculiar cha- most for the interest of the settlers in the colonies, whose
racteristic of this society ; for this society, though it be a spiritual nurse she has been for so many generations, when
private institution, yet it has had to do with the greates she adopts the rule which is adopted in the State because it
communities of men ; and, as you have already noticed, is in regard to its own sphere—namely, that during the pe-
there is a great community of men_a religious persuasion 'lad of the first 'difficulties and pressure the liberalofferings
—beginning to count its numbers by millious ; I mean the of the people of England should be given to prevent the
Episcopal Church in the United States of America. That want'of religious ordinances; but, after the difficulties of
Church, with the simplicity of its laws, with its apostolic the first stage of colonial life aro surmounted, she consents,
doctrine, with its discipline, with its constitutional go- not for our sakes, but for their own, that they should take
armament affecting with its rising tone their spiritual life, upon themselves the burden of supporting their own celo-
looks back upon this society as its parent. You are not nial ministry. (Applause.) Well, now, my Lord Bishop,
building—you are not labouring for to-day ; your labours standing in the town of Liverpool, and addressing a fraction
are cheerfully to expect their reward beyond the grave; indeed, a small fraction of its vast population, but yet an
but, looking at them oven in their temporal operation, you Assemblage so largo and of such a character that its influence
are labouring for all time—you are seeking to find that must be felt throughout the whole of that gigantic mass—
which should be a blessing not only to those who now live, standing in the town of Liverpool, I venture to beseech
but to those of long successive generations. It is true that this assembly well to lay to heart both the dignity and
Christianity itself, in the first impulse that it received the necessity of this work ; and likewise well to consider
from the hand of its Divine Author, appeared to make the peculiar relation in which it stands, first to our
rapid progress; but how soon was that progkess stayed ? functions as Christians, next to our place in the world as
How many centuries elapsed before any considerable mass Englishmen ; lastly, I would even venture to say to your
of Europe could be called Christendom? It is a true analogy place, as to a commercial community almost unrivalledfor
that you draw from the vegetable world—the oak does not its nearvellous expansion and its great prosperity. What
grow in the same time as the poplar ; and great and fun- is thist society of which we speak, and what are its claims
damental changes that teach the heartand the character of upon you ? When founded? More than a century and a
man, cannot be operated with the same rapidity as the half have elapsed since it commenced its unobtrusive la-
sword of the warrior devastates a country, and seems toJ hours. It was founded in a time which, in reference to the
produCe in the shortest time the most terrible, and as one best purposes of our nature, I am afraid we must call an
would suppose, the most enduring effects. This is a great evil time, for undoubtedly, although the Revolution of
mere' fact, and you must be content to see this society go 1688 was, in the hands of God, the means of preserving to
forward according to the laws of moral facts; and I us the inestimable blessings of our civil and religious free-
think we are justified in saying that for the time which dam, yet we cannot but see, not in any just relation to
has elapsed the fruits which have been borne warrant that revolution or its causes, yet as a matter of fact dur-
you in making humble submission to the Divine will-- jug the last century, and from its very commencement,
warrant you in entertaining a sanguine anticipation for tin ne carne in a rapid decline in the religion and morality
the future. (Hear, hear.) Now, my lard, I may be per- of the British people. As the consequence of that, a great
mitted to say, that sound prudence has strengthened the relaxation of the discipline of the Church, a material
operations of this society. I do not intend to touch on lowering of the standard of its piety, and as the last result
that interesting portion of its labours—perhaps the only again, or at least the necessary result of these lameutable
portion of them which will be permanent, for we may see circumstances, a great multiplication of the religious dif
the colonial part of its operations reach its climax in the ferencos of the country. Iu full time darkness had begun
1
natural course of events—l do not mean to touch on that to gather in, and, while it was beginning to increase, this
interesting portion of its labours which are connected with society was founded by some of those who were the elect
the heathen ; but I wish to refer to that which is especially of their generation—the men who endeavoured to atom
characteristic of this society, because I find myself directed ' the, tide of ungodliness at horn° were likewise the men who
to it by the terms of the resolution which has been placed endeavoured to make provision for the interests of their
in My hands. There may be an impression, after all, that 1 fellow-subjects and fellow-Christians abroad. During all
those who quit our shores in order to find their habitations ' these generations—during those dreary years ~f the lest
in foreign lands—l should not say foreign, but in distant century—this society never ceased from its work. I will
lands—and to continue the subjects of the Brite.,.., Crown'' not say it was carried on with all the energy and zeal that
in their now character as colonists--there might be au im- 1 new characterise its operations ; but this I will say, that
pression that these men should bear 'for themselves the ' wherever it was it was a source and a fountain of bless-
burden of providing for themselves religious ordinances. ing to mankind. (Loud cheers.) And if it did no
Well now I think the true principle is that temporary more than this, it reminded the Church of England of the
support and aid should be lent to them from home duty of missionary operations in a time when they
(Hear, hear.) I don't hesitate to go even so far as t) say. were forgotten. I say that alone, irrespective of all pre