"made from all this happiness. It appears, from the "document printed in the 28th number of the British 'Magazine, that the number of Ministers of all deno"minations is not above 10,800 at the utmost, so that "of the 15,000 Churches, (or 17,000, for the 'men in "buckram' multiply prodigiously fast in Dissenting "publications,) there are upwards of 4,200 unprovided "with any Ministers! The mode by which I thus "obtain a new fact to guide us in our researches across "the Atlantic is confirmed by Mr. Lorimer, of Glasgow, "who establishes á very similar conclusion by a diffe "rent process. He compares the statistics of the 66 Voluntary Church Magazine for 1833, with those of "the American Almanack for 1831; and even, grant"ing the assumed numbers to be correct, shows how "false an estimate those must form who reckon by the "number of Churches. I do not extract the whole 66 66 statements, but let us take one or two items and compare them : : 46 "Voluntary Church Magazine, 1833. Min. Churches. Com. Population. Congregational (Orthodox) 1,000 1,381 140,000 1,260,000 "Lutherans.. 205 1,200 44,000 400,000 "These are two of the sects where the difference "between the two statements, and the exceedingly in"definite nature of the statements themselves, are well 66 "shown. Here, it seems, if we allow the numbers, the "Lutherans have, in two years, got 400 new churches, "and five new ministers! What can the word 'churches' "mean in such a case? Again, in the congregationalists, "the increase of churches is more than the increase of "ministers by 181. It is clear that no conclusion can "be established by such statements as these, as Mr. "Lorimer has justly remarked. But let us take an"other element into the account-the space of country 66 over which these ministers and churches are spread. "The tract of land covered by the 10,800 ministers is upwards of 636,000 square miles; the extent of “ground in England and Wales is (according to Pinkerton) 49,450 square miles! We see, therefore, that "the English establishment puts about 12,000 Clergy, regularly ordained, in about one-tenth of the space occupied by the 11,000 American Ministers of all denominations, among whom, I am informed, on "authority I cannot gainsay (though I do not choose to betray the name of my informant), there are a vast "number who cannot read! So that the plain and "naked fact, even when we are obliging enough to take "the calculations of our adversaries, turns out to be vastly in favour of an establishment."-p. 27. 66 66 66 66 66 Now, Sir, with such facts as these staring him in the face, how can any man pretend that the Voluntary System would produce a sufficient number of religious instructors of any kind for a whole nation? I say, with these facts for facts are frequently more intelligible, and more convincing, than arguments-though, in this case, the argument is so plain and simple, that one would think it must carry conviction, even if we could not refer to actual experiment. Does the bulk of any nation seriously deşire religious instruction? Is it not because they are careless on the subject-because too great a proportion of them are irreligious and immoral -that public instruction is necessary? Do they seek the minister, or must he seek them? Do they-the gross population of his parish, or what the Dissenting Minister may consider his sphere-call for his service, and esteem him very highly for his work's sake? or is it the consuming and heart-breaking labour of his office to subdue their enmity to all godliness, to win them to Christ, and to beseech them in His name to be reconciled to God? Oh! that must needs be the best system which commits them to just such, and so many, teachers as they are likely to appoint. Rely upon it they are the best judges of what they want, and they will take care to have plenty of Ministers and Chapels, and all that can be needed to bring them out of their state of irreligion and immorality. One awkward question arises, however-Why do not they do it now? who hinders them? "Let the Voluntary Principle have "room," says Mr. James-why surely it has room through the length and breadth of the land, and even floats upon our waters. It is not because it has not room, but because it is miserably inefficient, and incapable of performing even the supplementary part which it has undertaken. This, I trust, will appear as we proceed. In the mean time, I am, Sir, &c. 48 LETTER VI. THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM UNABLE TO SECURE ITS MINISTRY FROM THE INTRUSION OF IMMORAL PERSONS -LEARNING AND MEANS OF EDUCATION AMONG THE DISSENTERS. SIR, I have attempted to show, and I think it must be clear to every reflecting person, that the Voluntary System cannot be expected to provide a sufficient number of religious instructors of any kind for a whole nation-but it is obvious that number is not the only, or even the most important, thing in such a case. It is of more consequence to inquire whether the System will provide fit ministers; and it is to this point particularly that Mr. Burder's challenge calls us- "Where, I ask, "either has been or now is, the ground of security for "the competency of the Clergy when they enter the "Church?" In reply to this I inquired, "Where either "has been, or now is, the ground of security for the competency of Dissenting Ministers when they enter "the pulpit?" To this Mr. Burder has given no answer, because the only answer which can be given must be," There is no security of any kind whatever."-It is obvious that the Voluntary System claims for every man, whatever may be his incompetency-whatever may be his disabilities as to talent, knowledge, or character-a full right to teach what he pleases, to any body who will hear him. It demands that no want of education, no infamy of character, shall prevent his assuming, and exercising, uncontrolled, the character of a teacher of religion, and administering the sacraments of Christianity. This is a point so obvious that it is unnecessary to enlarge upon it; and I am the more unwilling to do so while so much still lies before us; but I would earnestly beg the reader's attention to it. The demand of the Dissenters is, not that their system should be tolerated, for it is tolerated—not that it may be unrestrained, for it is unrestrained-but that it may be in fact established; and that the people may be allowed no instructors but such as they may themselves see fit to appoint, and that such instructors shall have no provision but the alms and oblations of their patrons-the people. 66 To come, however, to the question-" How has the system worked as to fitness?" Mr. Burder talks of "grounds of security" in a way which would lead us to suppose that it was impossible for an unfit person to find his way into the Dissenting Ministry; but does he mean to deny that men whom he would himself consider as entirely unfit, have, from time to time, been found in that body? I do not mean merely that the vicious and immoral may have gone about as Ranters, Southcotians, or any other of the irregular troops of the Voluntary System. I speak now of men recognized, and accredited, by one or other of the three denominations, and I ask-does he mean to deny that there have been among them men as scandalous as ever disgraced |