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fergy and laity reftored to the benefit of the act of toleration. The oath of abjuration is ftill a bar to their entire compliance with the formal qualification required of them; but they are ready to fwear allegiance, and they punctually, and fervently pray for his majefty and the royal family by name, as the law has prefcribed. It is a great pity that the abjuration oath is not laid afide. It is completely useless; but it still remains a yoke about the confciences of many of his majesty's most loyal and most affectionate fubjects.

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I had almost forgot to mention that, on the 14th of November 1784, the Scotch Epifcopal Church, by the confecration of Dr. Samuel Seabury, for province of Connecticut, in North America, had the honour to give the firft proteftant bishop to the new world. The other bishops, afterwards confecrated in England for the united states, formed an union with Bithop Seabury; and thus Scotch and English epifcopacy became blended. Why fhould not this be the cafe in Scotland?

Worship.-The Church of Scotland had no Liturgy of her own, but used that of the Church of England (though I believe not univerfally) from the Reformation, till the reign of Charles I. A book of Common Prayer was then compofed, with a communion office after the model of that used in England under Edward VI. The fate of the Scotch Liturgy is well known; being laid afide almost as foon as it was introduced, to please the covenanters. From that period, till the reign of Queen Anne, the worthip of the church was univerfally conducted on the prefent Presbyterian plan, by prayers feemingly extempore; but the epifcopal clergy introduced the Creed, the Lord's prayer, and the decalogue, and the doxology at the end of every Pfalm or Hymn. About the year 1708 the ufe of the book of Common Prayer of the Church of England began to be revived; "being confidered as more decent, more intelligible, and better calculated for public devotion, than the extempore method, which, though the people could hear, they scarcely could be said to join in.” The ufe of this Liturgy received confiderable encouragement from the act of Toleration, and it by degrees became univerfally read throughout the church. It was never adopted by this church by any formal act; but it has been received among bithops and clergy under such folemn and facred pledges, as must render its ufe indefeasible; unless the departure from its communion office may be called a proof to the contrary. But the Scotch communion office was an exception, at least among a confiderable part of the bithops and clergy, from the time the Prayer Book was last introduced, and must therefore be confidered as having as ftrong a claim, in point of prefcription, upon the favour of this church, as the Liturgy of the Church of England. The difference between the Scotch communion office, and that in the book of Common Prayer, lies in what are called, by fome perfons, the usages; that is water added to the wine in the Euchariftic cup; the oblation of the elements; invocation of the Holy Spirit to make them the fpiritual Body and Blood of Chrift; and the commemoration of the faithful departed. Thefe peculiarities, as they may be now called, form the fubftance of the reformed Liturgy of King Edward VI. as well as of all the ancient Liturgies; and the oblation and invocation have been introduced into the Liturgy of the American Church. In 1792 a collation of the prefent, and former, communion offices of the Church of England, with those of the Scotch church (for the one now in ufe differs a little in expreffion, and arrangement, from the other in the Scotch Prayer Book 1633) was made by an eminent English

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English prelate, who decidedly approved of the office now used in Scot→ land.

The communion is administered as frequently as poffible. Befides the feftivals of Christmas, Easter, and Whitfuntide, it is given in Edinburgh on the first Sunday of every month; and in the country two or three times, at the moft convenient feafons.

The fign of the Crofs is ufed univerfally, and the trine immerfion (fprinkling) generally, in baptifm. Confirmation is administered regularly every third year, when the bishops make their vifitations. On thefe occafions the bishops always deliver a difcourfe to the candidates, and then go through the office as it ftands in the book of Common Prayer, with this difference: When the bishop lays on his hands, which he does on the head of every individual, and over whom he pronounces the benediction, he begins with this action and address, I fign thee with the fign of the crofs" (croffing the perfon on the forehead)" and I lay mine hands upon thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Defend, O Lord, &c."

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Difcipline.-Although the government must be the fame in the Scotch, as in the English church, both having the fame priesthood, yet discipline has varied a little in point of form. Difcipline, it is true, has not been regularly practifed fince the revolution, at least not openly and avowedly; but when the church enjoyed perfect liberty before that period, it was adminiftered under forms nearly the fame with thofe now obferved in the kirks. Every clergyman, with his church-wardens (elders as they were called) conftituted a church, or parochial feffion; in which all the matters connected with the congregation were judged. From that lay an appeal to the Prefbytery, a judicatory confifting of all the minifters within a certain diftrict (feveral of which districts were in a diocese) and an elder, or church-warden, from each parish. An appeal likewife lay from the Prefbytery to the bishop in fynod, which was compofed of all the clergy of the diocefe. Above all was a national affembly, or fynod, which feldom or never met after the Reftoration. There were no arch-deacons, but a clergyman, chofen by the bishop, prefided in each prefbytery under the . name of moderator. All this has continued dormant from the revolution to the present time.

The book of canons compofed, and introduced with the Liturgy, in 1633, was also laid afide with the Prayer Book; and the Scotch church may be faid to have no peculiar canons, till the old ones be revived, or others, perhaps better adapted to her ftate, fhall be regularly agreed upon. A few rules indeed, under the name of public canons, were drawn up by the bishops about 60 years ago, to meet a fpecial emergency; but they regard entirely the conduct of the bithops themfelves, without reaching the general conduct of clergy and people.

Candidates for Holy Orders.-Candidates are educated in the manner ufually obferved in the Scotch univerfities, except with regard to theology. Four feffions, confifting of the winter and fpring months, complete their course, and entitle them to the degree of mafter of arts, After leaving the univerfity, they study theology privately, under the infpection of fome of the bifhops or clergy, and, when found qualified, are admitted to deacons orders. It is a great defideratum in the establishment of the Scotch church, that he has no regular feminary for inftructing candidates in this important branch of their education. Much inconvenience arifes from it. One

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or two finall fums have been bequeathed for that important purpose, but they must accumulate many years before they can answer the end. Indeed, unless extraordinary aid be found, it will never be accomplished; while this church has the mortification to fee some of the fectaries able to fupport, and to profit by a fimilar inftitution.

Revenues and Funds.-The word revenue may be truly faid to be ridiculous when applied to this church. The fubfiftence of both bishops and clergy depends entirely upon voluntary contributions; no regular falary being paid to any of them, except in one or two instances. The contributions confift of collections at the church door every Sunday, offertories made at the communion, and rents paid for pews, which in many cafes are very trifling. Out of these emoluments the clergy have, in general, to pay every expence attending their congregations. Hence the living of a clergyman is extremely fluctuating and precarious, and for the most part exceedingly scanty. Yet the clergy have uniformly preferved a very decent appearance in the world, and are treated with much refpect; and they have never failed to impart from their small store, with an hearty good will, when there was any claim upon their hofpitality.

The clergy in general have always died very poor, leaving their families in indigence and distress. A fund was begun for their relief very soon after the revolution, but there were so many claims upon it, that it never accumulated. At present it may amount to about 1000l. the interest of which, divided into small portions, is diftributed yearly to the widows of fuch poor clergymen as died prior to 1793. At that period a clergyman brought forward a scheme for providing a permanent annuity for widows, and giving relief to orphan children, of such of the clergy as fhould incline to join in it. The fcheme was adopted, and established under the authority of the Act for Relief of " Friendly Societies.". Every member pays 40s. yearly, and the like fum when he is married. The plan, by God's blefling, and the aid of many kind and liberal benefactors, has profpered beyond expectation. Already it is opened. Several widows receive 101. yearly, which will increase gradually, with the funds, till the annuity reaches 201. when it becomes ftationary. If a member leaves no widow, but children, they receive a fum among them equal to ten years annuity of a widow; and if a widow dies before the has received ten years annuity, the balance is given to her children.

This letter is too long to add more'; but I believe nothing very material is omitted; or, if fo, it can be communicated hereafter.*

I am, Gentlemen, your most humble servant,

E. S. P.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE

HE letters, of which the following are copies, were addreffed to a young man, who was a candidate for the office of Schoolmafter in my parish. It was an objection to his appointment to that office, that he had been accustomed to frequent the Meeting-houfes of the Methodists; in which cuftom he wifhed still to be indulged, tho' he did not refuse to attend the fervice of the Church. As the letters produced the defired effect, it has occurred to me, that the arguments employed in them may have a beneficial

* Further communications will be very acceptable. We shall be glad to promote unity in the Epifcopal Church in Scotland.

EDITORS.

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influence on others. I prefent them to you, therefore, with a view tô their being inferted in your ufeful mifcellany.

I am, GENTLEMEN, yours, &c.

E. PEARSON,

LETTER I.

Mr. J. R.

Rempftone, April 4, 1801.

It has given me great pleasure to hear a favorable account of your character, and I should be glad to have a perfon, fo well recommended, chosen the inftructor of our youth. There is, however, one material objection. Since I faw you here, I have taken into serious confideration what you faid on the fubject of your religion; namely, "that, though you do not diffent from the established Church on account of your difapproving either of its doctrines or mode of worship, you wish to be at liberty to attend the Meeting-house as well as the Church." By a perufal of my fermon, On the Sin of Schifm, which I send you with this, you will perceive what a heinous offence I judge it to be, to break the unity of the Church of Chrift unneceffarily, and more especially by attending the miniftry of thofe, who are not regularly appointed to minifter, and who, not having made any public declaration of their opinions, or any promise of abiding by the doctrines of the Church, think themselves at liberty to propagate any doctrines, that is, any interpretations of fcripture, which they may happen to think right.

Tho' thofe, who frequent conventicles, may call themselves members of the Church of England, the Church of England does not allow them to be fuch. This is clear from the nature of the thing itself, and it is exprefsly declared in the 9th Canon, where it is faid, "Whofoever fhall hereafter feparate themfelves from the communion of Saints, as it is approved by the apostles' rules in the Church of England, and combine themfelves together in a new brotherhood, accounting the Chriftians, who are conformable to the doctrine, government, rites, and ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and unmeet for them to join with in Chriftian profeffion, let them be excommunicated." For, tho' the Toleration Act, as it is called, has fince taken away the legal penalties of feparation, it is evident, from this Canon, in what light feparatifts must ever be confidered by the Church; namely, as not worthy to be reckoned members of it. Many persons, I doubt not, feparate themselves from the establishment, or continue in the ftate of feparation from it, in which they were brought up, on a principle of confcience; that is, because they think the doctrines or difcipline of the establishment less agreeable to Scripture than thofe of fome other Christian congregations. Tho' I conceive fuch persons to be wrong, both in entertaining this opinion, and in separating on account of it, I confider them as having a plausible reason for their feparation : whereas you, according to your own ftatement, feparate yourself from the establishment, and enlift under the banners of unauthorized teachers, for no reason whatever; or at Icaft for no other reafon than becaufe fome of your neighbours, who probably have not confidered the matter more than yourself, have done the fame. Most of these, I fear, if they were asked the reafon of their feparation, could give no better one, than that it pleased their fancy to do fo. But we ought all to recollect, that to please God, and to please our own fancy, are very different things.

Ás I confider the matter in this light, and as I cannot but imagine, that a Schoolmafter would have a great influence over the minds of the young people entrusted to his care, you will easily see, that I cannot give the promise

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of my fupport to any one in that fituation, who would be likely to lead them wrong in a point of fo great importance. I can give the promise of my fupport only on condition, that the Schoolmafter attends the fervice of the Church, and the fervice of the Church only. You must be the judge, whether you can confcientiously comply with this condition. Had you profeffed yourself a diffenter, I fhould not have invited you to comply with it, nor indeed have thought it right for you haftily to comply with it; because it would have feemed like a facrifice of your duty to your immediate interest. Before a diffenter, that is, one, who separates on a principle of confcience, is called upon to come over to the Church, proper arguments fhould be offered to his confideration, by which, if poffible, his objections to the Church may be removed. If they cannot be removed, he ought to abide where he is. Yours is quite a different cafe. I do not, according to your own confeffion, call upon you to renounce your principles; but to change a conduct, which, tho' unhappily purfued by fo many people of the prefent day, is inconfiftent, as I conceive, with any principles, and cannot on any juft grounds be defended,

Mr. J. R.

LETTER II.

I am,

&c.

E. P.

Rempftone, April 11, 1801.

I do not take it at all amifs, that you attempt to defend your opinions and conduct, by affigning what you think to be reasons for them. You have an undoubted right to do fo; and your mode of doing it, fo far as your ftyle and hand- writing are concerned, is much to your credit. I write a few lines to you again, not fo much with the hope of being able to convince you of your errors, as because you requeft a pofitive anfwer. It seemed to me, however, that a pofitive answer was contained in my first letter; and you will eafily fee, on a little confideration, that the fame regard to confcience, which hinders you from being a member of the Church of England, ought to hinder me from giving you my fupport as a Schoolmafter; fince, as I told you before, I confider a Schoolmaster as the guide of thofe young perfons, whom it is my duty and my with to bring up to be true members of the Church of England, which you, who openly ditobey her injunctions, cannot pretend to be. While the perfuafion of your confcience is fuch as you now state it to be, you are right in acting as you do ; for it is our duty to act according to the present perfuafion of our confcience, whether it be rightly informed or not. There is, however, a previous obligation upon us to take care, that our confcience be rightly informed. In time, it may please God to convince you of your errors. I doubt not, indeed, that he will do fo, if you be careful to do what is neceffary on your part. You ought, on your part, to seek after the right way with fincerity and diligence, to keep your mind open to conviction, and to be ready to be guided by the voice of reafon, truth, and Scripture. Scripture, indeed, when rightly underftood, comprehends both reafon and truth; but then, as you may learn from 2 Peter, III, 16, Scripture is liable to be mif-interpreted. We ought not, indeed, to expect, that we can interpret it rightly, without making ufe of the proper and appointed helps. One help to the understanding of Scripture we are to look for in that order of men, which Chrift appointed to preach the gospel. From this help you have, in a great meafure, withdrawn yourself, and fought out teachers of your own. The Church of England, if it were disposed to do fo, might, on fuch occafions,

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