with him entirely as to the thing lost by Adam, and recovered by Christ, and as to the consequences which thence follow; nor was I at all disturbed with the position, "that every individual is deserving of everlasting damnation," or rather, as I ought to have said, "everlasting torments." I had met with many strong expressions of this sort indifferent formularies of devotion, and I wished to hear the opinion of some sensible man upon them: my own opinion was already formed, as I believe might have been collected from my preceding letter; in short, a little more fully expressed, it is as follows:-that no well intentioned, though frail being, can, strictly speaking, deserve eternal torments, that each individual will be dealt with exactly in the proportion to his deserts, and that the sentence of retribution (whatever be the degree either of reward or punishment, which it inflicts), will operate in æternum. This, if I mistake not, is Mr. Pearson's opinion; and I see but one objection to it, which is, that it militates aganist a very rational, and, I confess, favourite hypothesis of mine the gradually progressive improvement of human nature to all eternity. If Mr. P. will have the goodness to reconcile this seeming discordancy, I shall be still more obliged to him. But to return; from what has been stated, it should follow that eternity of punishment is not so much a positive infliction, as a natural and necessary consequence. As Mr. P. justly observes, "by the fall of Adam man became mortal, by the intercession of Christ immortal;" consequently whatever sentence he incur, it must endure for ever. In this view may it not admit of a query, whether (the exact proportion of the punishment to the offence considered), the duration of the punishment may not in a degree diminish the intensity? I write, you will observe, as a philosopher, and follow whither the argument leads, but shrink with horror from the design of controverting a single iota of revealed truth.

I remember reading some commentator (I forget whom) upon the 9th verse of the 16th chap. of St. Luke, who interpreted, "That they may receive you into everlasting habitations," that they may procure you to be received, &c. to wit, "that the mammon of unrighteousness, or unrightteous riches, may procure, &c.: this is an egregious blunder, as will be seen by comparing the verse in question with the 4th verse of the same chapter: the expression in both Vol. IX. Churchm. Mag Aug. 1805. Q instances

instances is a well-known Hebraism, and would be better translated in the latter," that you may be received, &c." From your well-wisher, and occasional Correspondent PHILALETHES.

ON THE CONDITION OF WELSH CURATES,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

SIR,

MAN

MAGAZINE.

ANY of your readers have been much pleased and gratified with the perusal of the letter sent you by the Kentish Curate. The situation of curates is now indeed such that it is really high time for the bishops to enforce their rights. It is I believe universally allowed, that the greater part of church duty in this kingdom is performed by curates, and for certainly a small pittance in comparison to the value of many livings. The duty they have had, and still have to perform, is arduous. In some places open irreligion and infidelity to contend with, jacobinism and revolutionary principles to oppose, loyalty and patriotism to defend, and either general lukewarmness and indifference towards religion to remove, or fanaticism and sectarianism to resist. Such labours, added to their ordinary duties, require great constancy and firmness, and doubtless deserve an adequate recompence. But hitherto this deserving class of men have not met with that remuneration to which they are entitled. The legislature has indeed made some provision for them by a late act: but what is the use of that act if it is not enforced? If the rector or vicar is applied to for an increase, the answer is, I give as much as perpetual curates get under canons, prebendaries, &c. why should I increase when they do not? It may be said, apply to the bishop. But let him that dare, do so. The bishop knows the amount of each curate's salary as well as the value of the living, and is fully aware of the act of parliament. But it is always unpleasant to proceed to extremities, and sometimes local inducements may prevent. The curate may have resided some years, has a wife and large family living with him in a small cottage, which custom has made com

fortable,

fortable. Some of his parishioners may gratuitously do him a little convenience; he may at stated periods receive an invitation from his rich neighbour, or he may be asked, with all the formality and reserve necessary to maintain the dignity of the family, to a Sunday's dinner by the squire of the parish. These civilities (if they deserve that name) so humiliating to a man liberally educated, he is obliged humbly and thankfully to accept. Had his circumstances been different from what they are, such civilities in the way that they are sometimes shewn to him, he with becoming spirit would have indignantly refused.

The great increase in the price of all the necessaries of life presses peculiarly hard upon curates. Every profession and every class of tradesmen have advanced in their charges, all mechanics and labourers, soldiers and sailors, have had a proportionate increase in their wages. But there is very little, if any, in the salary of curates; and besides, they are disappointed in the advantages held out to them by the late act.

No sooner does a taylor, carpenter, or weaver become a methodist preacher, but you may see an immediate alteration. Good cloth, a beaver hat, a visible amelioration of appearance, and a good horse, are the consequences: Whilst the curate, who has spent many years in the study of his profession, in a thread-bare coat, perhaps mended at the elbows, a poor brown hat, and a wornout pair of shoes, trudges along a dirty narrow road to his duty or if he has two churches, as is often the case, you may see him mounted on a meagre poney with corresponding trappings, and a pair of boots that he has had perhaps ever since he was at the university. If one considers the times, it is really wonderful how he can make so good an appearance as he does: "his back or belly" must at times certainly suffer. It is an undoubted fact, that it is much easier for almost the poorest mechanic to support his family with his wages, than it is for a parish curate with his salary. Any person that is engaged in building or other work, knows that fifteen shillings a week must be paid generally to a common workman, and that a guinea or twenty-five shillings a week are the wages of but a moderate mechanic, and that they are obliged to pay to surveyors half a guinea or a guinea a day. And the upper servants or gardeners of country gentlemen get thirty or forty guineas a year

Q2

besides

1

besides perquisités. Many other inferior situations might be mentioned of considerable emolument: indeed the elerks of many parishes are much better provided for than the curates. I speak of Wales in this instance, for it is father a usual thing for the curate's salary to be ten, fifteen, or twenty pounds, and the "offerings;" whilst the clerk gets the bell-sheaf offerings and other perquisites. Offerings are unusual now I believe in England, but in that part of the principality where I live no fees are paid for burials, but offerings are made. After the clergyman' has performed part of the funeral service at the altar, the congregation advance and make their offerings of a halfpenny, penny, sixpence, &c. and at the grave the same is made to the clerk. After the funeral, there is a custom (in Wales) that cannot be too much reprobated: they adjourn to the public house and spend their sixpence or shilling, and if the curate does not attend, the offerings decrease. His salary is so dependent upon good will, that he is obliged to conform even to this bad practice. Surely this is too humiliating and dangerous, and he ought not to be so dependent on the whim and caprice of his parishioners.

There is yearly an account in the newspapers of donations of ten pounds to several poor curates whose salaries do not amount to forty pounds. I should think that the publication of names once in that list would be sufficient to preclude their re-appearance. But the same persons continue with the same salary, and perhaps with an increase of family, and are again humanely relieved by that charity. One would hardly credit their statements of salary, family and age, if the caution that is taken in the attestation of the facts were not so notorious; and it almost staggers belief that they are able to make an appearance becoming ministers of the established religion under such circumstances.

A fact lately happened in this principality that deserves attention. A curate who had been in orders twenty-two or twenty-three years, died in such circumstances as not to leave sufficient effects to pay the windowtax of his cottage. The truth of this, the affidavit made by the collector before the justices, and which has been transmitted to the exchequer, will sufficiently testify. The statement of this case carries with it a sufficient comment. As to the man, his character and conduct were such as became his profession; but he, like most other

Welsh

Welsh curates, wanted interest with the bishops. By the papers I see that the Attorney General has very audably announced a bill for the farther relief of curates, But unless the provisions of it are enforced, depend upon it the curates in general will derive but little benefit from it. There may be probably, as under the late act, some few solitary instances, but these will be totally overwhelmed and lost in the general mass. In the part of the principality which I am acquainted with, there is not certainly one single instance of the curate reaping the full benefit of the late act; in most instances indeed no benefit at all. This is no reflection on the bishops of Welsh dioceses in particular, as by Minor's account they are not singular. But certainly the interest of religion, the interest of the nation, requires a better provision for this deserving but injured class of men. They have patiently borne many years of want and poverty, and a few of disappointed hopes and blasted expectations.

Your well wisher,

CAMBRICUS.

SUPPLEMENTARY REMARKS TO AN ESSAY ON THE CHURCH,

I

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

GENTLEMEN,

MAGAZINE.

BEG leave to offer to your consideration the following remarks, supplementary to my Essay on the Church, which you have done me the honour of accepting. Permit me likewise to correct two small mistakes which were made in the Essay. At the end of the first part of the Essay I would correct the expression, The disciples did not constitute a church, by leaving out the word not: In the second part, (p. 42) I would substitute Matt. xix. for Matt. xviii.

My first remark is, that my explanation of Matt. xix. 28. will be found to be illustrated and confirmed by Macknight, and still more by an obsolete but able author, Mr. Potter, so highly commended by Mede. St. Paul himhimself seems to draw an argument from Matt. xix. 28, in 1 Cor. vi. 2. for the apostolical government of the church

* Francis Potter. He died in 1678.

upon