P.S. The transmission of the preceding letter has been delayed in consequence of Mr. Cornish having called upon me to state, that he had subsequently seen your agent, who assured him that "it was from no feeling of personal hostility he had increased Mr. B.'s rector's rate, and that the assessment was raised in common with several others, solely on a principle of correspondence with his increased amount of poor's-rate." To this I replied, it had so happened that I had this very week paid my poor's-rate, the overseer charging neither more nor less than what he had always demanded during the three years I have been in this house for confirmation of which I referred Mr. Cornish to the overseer himself, who could not object to shew his books. This answer was then communicated in a note from Mr. C. to your agent; who, in reply, stated verbally, that he found he was mistaken in this matter; that he took it for granted Mr. B.'s poor's-rate had been raised; but that in going over the list he had neglected to notice it more particularly. At all events (he continued) Mr. B. ought to have had his rector's rate raised three years ago, and ought to feel grateful to me it was not so." I will not trust myself, Sir, to describe the feelings awakened in my mind by the above statements; but will refer it to yourself, or to any other gentleman, to say, by what terms of burning indignation or just rebuke they should be designated.

Upper Berkeley-place, Sept. 6, 1833.

No. 2.

SIR,-As you have inserted, in your last week's Patriot, Mr. Burchell's letter to the Hon. and Rev. William Wodehouse, the rector of Falmouth, complaining of me (as Mr. Wodehouse's agent) for proposing to the corporation of this place to rate the house occupied by Mr. Burchell at an increased sum in the rector's rate, Mr. Wodehouse requests me to say, that he will be obliged by your inserting in your paper a copy of his reply to Mr. Burchell's letter; and I shall also be obliged by your inserting a copy of my letter to Mr. Wodehouse, both dated the 9th inst. (copies of which I subjoin), the originals having been sent Mr. Burchell on that day.

I beg to add, that the magistrates of this place have now signed the rate, so greatly complained of by Mr. Burchell, in which the house occupied by him is assessed in the increased sum as proposed by me, and in the same ratio as the other houses in the parish. I remain, Sir, your obedient humble servant, JOHN POLLARD.

Falmouth, 24th Sept. 1833.

(Copy of a letter from Mr. Wodehouse to Mr. Burchell.)

Falmouth, 9th Sept. 1833. "DEAR SIR,-As your letter only reached me on Sunday morning, it was entirely out of my power to answer it till to-day.

"I have requested Mr. Pollard to draw up a statement of all the facts connected with the rector's rate for the current year, which shall be transmitted to you without loss of time. I will then leave it to your candour to decide whether he has acted improperly in any way whatever on this occasion.

"But if your objection to the rate is not confined to the increase of sum with which (in conformity with the rules laid down by the mayor and corporation) the town clerk has charged your house, but to the circumstance of a dissenting minister being assessed at all, I beg to remind you that the owner of the house is, by the acts of parliament, chargeable.

"I must, however, add, that it has been the great study of my life (and I hope not entirely without success), since my connexion with Falmouth, to live in harmony and good-will with all around me. With these feelings I decline altogether entering on this question; but I must add, that if you resist payment on such grounds, I shall never take any steps to enforce it of you. "I remain, dear Sir, your very obedient servant,

"To the Rev. W. Burchell."

"WILLIAM WODEHOUSE."

(Copy of a letter from Mr. Pollard to Mr. Wodehouse.)

"Arwenack, 9th September, 1833. "HON. AND REV. SIR,-By way of explaining my conduct, so greatly complained of by Mr. Burchell, in his letter to you of the fourth inst., I beg to state that, by acts of parliament, the mayor and aldermen of Falmouth are authorized, from time to time, equally to rate for the rector, all the houses in the whole district of Falmouth, according to the annual value of such houses, after the rate of sixteen pence in the pound, to be paid annually by the owners of such houses.

"It has been, for several years past, understood by the corporation, that the annual value of the houses in the parish was to be regulated by the amounts at which they were charged in the VOL. IV.-Dec. 1833. 4 U

poor-rate, and as several new houses are annually built in the parish, it has been necessary, from time to time, to refer to the poor-rate to ascertain not only the value set on those new houses, but also to ascertain what reductions or increase might have been made with regard to the old ones.

"In order to follow up this understanding, I lately obtained from the overseer a copy of the then last poor-rate, dated 13th June last, and as the corporation were about to make a new rector's rate for the current year, I compared such poor-rate with the last year's rector's rate, and marked such last-mentioned rate with a pencil, shewing what alterations were necessary, in order to make your new rate to correspond with the poor-rate; and finding Mr. Burchell's house to be charged six shillings in the poor-rate, I marked, no doubt, with my pencil, over the eighteen shillings with which his house had been previously charged in your rate, the sum of one pound and four shillings, being four times the amount of the poor-rate, (the last mentioned rate being four-pence in the pound, and yours sixteen-pence.) Mr. Burchell's, however, was not the only rate that I so altered; I also altered several other persons' rates, both churchmen and dissenters, increasing some and decreasing others, without fear or partiality; and amongst them, my own rate and my neighbour Captain King's were increased, and these alterations in pencil I shewed to the acting town clerk, together with the poor-rate, that he might see that they corresponded, and communicate the alterations to the corporation, and, if approved of by them, make the new rate accordingly.

"I deny, Sir, that I suggested the increase of the rate on Mr. Burchell's house because he was a dissenter, or no friend to the church; and I challenge him to prove that I expressed myself as desirous of its being increased on that ground; and I also deny that I am at all disposed to be intolerant towards dissenters, as such; and that I am not so, those who know me most intimately (and I am in social intercourse with many respectable dissenters) can best testify.

“It must, I think, be readily perceived from this statement, that it does not rest with me, as your agent (as Mr. B. seems to suppose), to determine the sums at which the houses are to be charged in your rate, but with the mayor and aldermen of Falmouth. "I remain, with great respect, Hon. and Rev. Sir, Your faithful humble servant,

"To the Hon. and Rev. W. Wodehouse."

"JOHN POLLARD."

It is next necessary to notice (and no more can now be done) the dreadful infliction, by ministers, on the church of England in America. Parliament has granted annually the immense sum of 15,0007. to pay the clergy who, as missionaries, toil through all the difficulties of a missionary life, in order to discharge, as they can, the duties of ministers of the gospel to our poor brother-churchmen who are gone out to colonize our possessions there. The pay, with this grant, is miserably small; the hardships of the life very great. These men went out-the ministers of the gospel, with a full reliance on the government that their poor pittance would be paid; the laymen, with the hope that through this pittance, some portion, at least, of the benefits of the ordinances of religion would be given to cheer them in the wilderness. But his Majesty's government feel 15,000l. a year too large a sum to devote to such bigotry as maintaining one sect at the expence of others; too large a sum to give to luxurious priests; too large a sum to give to supply the ordinances of the church, and the blessings of religion to thousands who cannot have them from any other quarter. So this great and enlightened and liberal nation withdraws this mighty gift, and leaves the ministers to suffer by bodily want, and the people by spiritual! This subject, however, must be more fully treated. At present there is only room for an extract from the Report of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, on the subject :--

"A meeting of the clergy took place at Fredericton, the end of May; one of the results of that meeting will be found in the Appendix, being a detailed report from every clergyman, of the state of his mission. And although it presents much matter calculated to afford real gratification to every person desirous of promoting the general diffusion of Christianity in its purest form, as well as to the society from observing the praise-worthy exertions of their ser

vants, there remains abundant reason to lament the inadequacy of all their efforts, when compared with the increasing demand for spiritual aid, which presents itself in almost every part of the colony. How greatly then must this feeling be enhanced, when the society are compelled to announce the probable and entire extinction, at no distant period, of that prevision from parliament, upon the confident expectation of which they had formed their establishments, and the clergy had entered into engagements, which they, on their part, had so faithfully and beneficially fulfilled. That the society have not been silent upon this occasion will readily be believed; that they have urged upon his Majesty's government the most strenuous remonstrances, they are bound in duty to themselves to declare. But all their efforts have been in vain. His Majesty's government do not admit the validity of the claim for the continuance of the grant-they cannot be prevailed upon to see the engagement entered into in the year 1813, in the same light, of a virtual pledge, in which it appears to the society; and, in consequence, they must submit to the decision which expediency and policy seem to his Majesty's government to dictate-in the hope that the individuals now existing upon the list may have some provision secured to them by his Majesty's government, through some other permanent channel, and that the people in the colonies, who have benefited by their ministrations, will not refuse to contribute in a larger proportion to their maintenance, while the utmost exertions are made in this country to excite the public benevolence in favour of that deserving and laborious body of clergy."

But one word must be added as to this Society on another point. It is not supported as it ought to be. And one reason alleged for this want of support is a very singular one. It is said that the constitution of the Society is too close and exclusive, and that they who pay their one guinea or two guineas do not get in return the right of voting, of interfering, of debating, and of speaking at every meeting. If the claim to these rights were made on consideration, it would be in vain to argue against it; for there is no allegation made against the persons to whom the management of the Society is intrusted, either as to themselves or their management; but it is simply said, that those who pay ought to have a voice. Now if this means any thing, it means that though a society is instituted to promote the cause of the Gospel, though it does all that can be done with its means, though the management of it is in very proper hands, and though the management of it is good, yet we will not give one farthing to this Society because we cannot interfere; we will not move a finger to second the right and earnest efforts made by the Society, because they are not made by us; we will not aid the cause of the Gospel in this quarter, because we cannot deliver our opinions and raise our voices on every question debated. If, it is repeated, any persons do deliberately say this, with such persons it were vain to argue. If men will not give their money unless they get something in exchange for it, and in return for guineas they must have votes, they are no friends to the cause of the Gospel but in name; and to argue for the Gospel to them would be to throw one's time away. They may admit all you say; but what is it to them if they do not with their shillings buy the right to debate, and make speeches, and give votes? But the truth is, that all this is not a matter of consideration. People on this matter, as on too many others, are led away by words. This is a close Society, and close Societies are bad things, and one must not give one's money to bad things." This is the sort of logic by which men are led, and by which they ought to be ashamed of being led. Let a man ask, first of all, is the cause good? Is it in proper hands? Do its managers manage it well? If these questions can be answered in the affirmative, as they can in this case, what can be said for those who refuse to sup

port such a cause, so managed? But farther than this, suppose the management was not strictly what one might wish, but that the cause was good, nay, the best, and that the Society did great good to that cause, could a real Christian refuse to support it, because he would like some other management better. Alas! for the Christian who can feel thus towards the most holy of causes, and can think so little of the account he has one day to give of the way in which he has supported it!

In good truth, one might go a step further still. Suppose that it was, in theory, quite right and just that every subscriber should be paid for his free support of the Gospel cause by votes, &c., is it not, in practice, quite certain that he could not exercise his rights? Could country clergy or country gentlemen post up to London to every meeting of the Society when business was to be transacted? This is quite idle to think of. All such persons, then, who refuse to subscribe, are not only in principle wrong, but, were they justified in their demands, are demanding what they could never use.

May it be further asked, whether people mean really to maintain that business can be done best in open meetings, and whether the late discussions at the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge have tended to make that Society more useful or effectual for its purpose, whether, in a word, if a Religious Society is to be made a field for debates, speeches, and display, all contrary to the Christian character, they who have most conscientiously supported it will not be driven to withdraw their support, and turn it into another channel ?*

A valued correspondent has sent the Editor some excellent remarks, from which the following is an extract:

But let us consider the consequences of this extraordinary measure. What is to become of the respectable clergymen, who, on the faith of this government grant, have been induced to leave their native country and home, and to brave the trials and difficulties and deprivations which they must encounter in the newly settled lands? As the society is to lose half its honour of doing good, they are to be deprived of half their stipends. From a comfortable and necessary subsistence they are suddenly to be reduced almost to penury. I cannot do better than to quote the words of one of the society's missionaries, as given in the last Report. "We hear," says he, "with pain, of the straitened state of the society's funds, and of the probability of a diminished application of them to the colonies. This," he adds, "would be destructive to some missions altogether, to say nothing of the hardship to the missionary, who has entered the society's service, and established himself in life, in the confidence that his present provision would be permanent.”—P. 55.

And what is to become of the emigrants who are already settled there, and the thousands who are every year flocking thither from this land of spiritual abundance? They must, in a great measure, be left in a state of religious destitution. Almost every page of the Report decribes the harvest as, in all parts, most plenteous, but complains that the labourers are everywhere few. The cry of almost every missionary is, "Come over and help us." But still, though the society has dipped most deeply into its capital, it has been unable, even in times past, in any measure efficiently to comply with these demands. It has, indeed, upwards of 140 missionaries engaged in these colonies, besides about 100 catechists. "But," we may well say, "what are these among so many?" And what will they be as the multitudes of settlers annually multiply? And let it not be supposed or pretended that these persons will provide for their own religious necessities. For we must recollect they come from a country where few of them, if any, have ever been compelled to contribute anything towards their own religious instruction. And it is idle to suppose, that amidst the numerous and all-engrossing calls upon their little capital, or on the produce of their labour, they will be well disposed to subscribe largely, or indeed in any measure, towards a provision for a place of worship or a minister. The natural consequence will too generally be, what it has even already too often been, that they will live "without God in the world." A fact which is recorded in the Report for 1831 places this view of my subject in so striking a light, that I am tempted to transcribe it. "During my stay at Gay's River," writes one of the missionaries, "an affecting and interesting oc

currence took place. A person living on the banks of the Shubenacachi, hearing that an episcopal clergyman was in the neighbourhood, called on me to request that I would go and baptize his three children. To my great astonishment, this person proved to be a native of my own parish, Stonehouse, in Gloucestershire, and one who had occupied the neighbouring pew in our parish church. About eleven years ago he left his home, unknown to his parents, and, after living some time in the sister province, he settled near Fort Ellis, on the banks of the Shubenacachi. There I found an old acquaintance gradually acquiring the barbarous habits of a new and retired settlement. He, who had long heard the prayers of our church twice on the Sunday, assured me he had not publicly joined in them for the last two years. He whose ears had been often saluted by the deep toned knell, and the joyous peal, had not heard "the sound of the church-going bell" for the last six years. I baptized his three children, and most sincerely do I trust that my visit to him will have the happy tendency of quickening the almost extinguished sparks of religion, and of keeping him steady in the church, into which he was initiated by baptism, and in the principles of which he was most carefully educated.”—(P. 84.) I must add one more fact, which is, if possible, even more valuable. It was related, I think, by a clergyman, at a meeting of the society, held at Bath. It was to this effect:-One of the emigrants from Frome, after he had been some time abroad, wrote home to his friends, expressing his satisfaction at the improvement of his condition, and his general prosperity. But one thing he most deeply lamented: it was, that he had no place of worship whatever to which he could ever resort, as in his own country. This was a source of most serious uneasiness to his mind. Some time afterwards his friends heard from him again, and found that he was still equally prosperous, and now the cause of his trouble was removed. To his great joy, a place of worship was being built in his neighbourhood. That building was a church, owing its origin to this society. Yet when that man left home he was a Dissenter. Now certainly these, as they stand here, are only single cases. But they are not so in reality. Innumerable instances to the same effect might no doubt be brought forward to shew the usefulness of the society, and how seriously its aid is needed by the emigrants.

What then, under these circumstances, is to be done? What course ought the friends of the society to pursue? As the government has already refused to listen to the urgent remonstrance of the Parent Society, it is of course vain to offer to them any further appeal. But may not an appeal be made to those who will listen? May we not hope, that the members of the church of England will be ready to come forward, to prevent their fellow subjects, and fellow Christians, from being left utterly destitute? We trust that such a course will be followed, and that the result will be favourable to the cause. If we cannot make up the whole of the deficiency, exceeding as it does the half of the society's present income, at least we may do something efficient towards it.

[The writer then goes on to urge the publication of small, cheap, and popular tracts, giving accounts of the countries for which missionaries are required, and explaining the objects of the society, and afterwards proceeds thus.]

The last plan I venture to recommend, is a more regular advocacy of the society from the pulpit. Other institutions have, of course, at least an equal claim with this to the services of a king's letter. It can, therefore, only hope for that aid in its proper turn. But has it not a just right to have its works set forth much oftener in the common course of things than is generally the case at present? In most dioceses or counties, indeed, there is now commonly an annual meeting and sermon; on which occasions considerable sums are collected. But might there not be also, in all cities and principal towns, an annual sermon in all the churches on the same Sunday, as there is at Brighton? And even in villages, might not a custom be adopted, similar to that which prevails in the Wolverhampton District Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, according to which a sermon is appointed to be preached each year, in a certain number of the parishes in the district, in turn? This would keep up an interest in its behalf, and yet not be of too frequent occurrence. If such plans were adopted in addition to those already considered, I am sure that the Society's difficulties would be much relieved. With regard to sermons on this subject, I will mention one fact, by way of encouragement. Some years back, in preaching a course of sermons in a secluded village, on the Lord's Prayer, I just alluded to the claims of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Society for Propagating the Gospel, in my lecture on the second petition, and the consequence was, that a respectable farmer came to me the next Sunday, with five shillings for the latter society, of which he had never before, I believe, heard the name, and he has continued to pay the same sum annually ever since.

Such, then, are the methods I would propose for the preservation of the Society for Propagating the Gospel, and the church in North America. I merely lay them before your readers for their consideration. If they meet their approbation, I hope they will have their support. Something, it is clear, must be done, and done quickly, if the labours of the institution are to be continued; at all events, I trust that success will attend whatever plans may be deemed best to be adopted in favour of a society, which I cannot but regard as a genuine offspring of the church, to which I am proud to belong.

* At Brighton, I think, this year, no less than 1207. was thus collected.