In short, from one end of the Gospel intention in which the tithes originated? to the other, he preaches humility, In answering these questions we shall lowliness, an absence of all desire to arrive at a perfect conviction, that it is possess worldly riches, and he expressly just to adopt the measure in favour of enjoins his disciples "freely to give, as which I am arguing. they had freely received."

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When I was a boy, or, before I had read with attention, I often wondered how our forefathers came to be such fools as to give one tenth part of all the corn, hay, roots, calves, lambs, wool, pigs, eggs, milk, greens, under wood, and of the profit on mills, and of the waters, and of the animals at pasture. That they should have been such fools as to give, in every parish, all this to one man of the parish, and that man, too, an unmarried man. I thought them great fools, and lamented that we had, hitherto, been such fools, such tame and stupid fellows, as to adhere to their laws. But, upon looking into the matter, I found that our old papas had done no such a thing. I found that they had given only a third of the tenth to the priests; another third to build and repair the churches; and the other third to relieve the poor, and, indeed, that third which the priest had, was to enable him to keep hospitality and re lieve the stranger. Oh! said I, this had sense in it, it is WE, conceited we, are the fools, who let the parsons take all, and who relieve the poor and build and repair the d churches by taxes, which we screw from one another, and who, while we have a sen mutton-bone on our tables, silently see the parsons wallowing in luxury. We, enlightened we, are the real fools...

And, as to the apostles, what did they do? Did they not act according to the command of Christ? Did they not live in common in all cases where that was practicable? Did they not diselaim all worldly possessions? In Corinthians, chap. ix., Saint Paul lays down the rule of compensation; and what is it? Why, that as the "ox was not to be muzzled when he was treading out the corn," the teacher was to have food, if necessary, for his teaching, for that God had "ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel," But, is here a word about tithes? And would the apostle have omitted a thing of so much importance? In another part of the same chapter, he asks: Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges?" Which clearly shows, that all that was meant was entertainment on the way, or when the preacher was from home; and, when the preaching was on the spot where the preacher lived, it is clear, from the whole of the Acts of the Apostles and from the enlightened we, wh whole of the Epistles, that no such thing as compensation, in any shape or of any kind, was thought of. Saint Paul, in writing to the teachers in Thessalonia, says: Study to be quiet and do your own business, and to work "with your own hands as we command you." 1 Thess. chap. iv. ver. 11. And again, in 2 Thess. chap. iii. ver. 8, he bids the teacher remember, "Nei"ther did we eat any man's bread for "nought; but wrought with labour "and travail, night and day, that we "might not be chargeable to any."

At a meeting recently held in Kent, Lord WINCHILSEA was asked whether he would vote for the abolition of tithes. To this he answered in the negative, observing, that tithes were instituted by our PIOUS ancestors," Our ancestors were pious, but they SECOND: The justice of the measure. were not tame, enlightened" fools. -It is clear, then, that tithes and clerical This is the story the parsons always a revenues rest upon no Scriptural au- tell us; but, they do not tell us the thority. What do they rest upon? whole of the story. They leave us to How came they ever to be? What believe, that our "pious ancestors were they founded for? And, are they were of this same church that now now applied to the uses for which they exists; and with reason; for it would were given in trust to the clergy? Do be awkward indeed in them to extol the clergy apply them agreeably to the the piety of those from whom they took

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strangers with their own hands, in mercy and humility; and reserve the "third part for themselves."

the tithes away. But I will tell you, my friends, the whole story; it is short, and is as follows:-Christianity was not introduced (into England) until 600 The very motives for building years after the birth of Christ. In the churches and endowing them with tithes meanwhile it had made its way over the prove, that the constant residence of greater part of the continent of Europe, the priest, or parson, in his parish was and the Pope of Rome, as the successor his first duty; for, what was the enof St. Peter, had long been the head of dowment for else? And I state, upon the Church. In the year 600, the then authority as good as any that history Pope, whose name was Gregory, sent a can present, that for nearly five hundred monk, whose name was Austin, with 40 years after the introduction of Chrisothers under him, from Rome to Eng- tianity, no such custom prevailed in land, to convert the English. They England as of hiring curates, or other landed in Kent, and the king of Kent deputies, to supply the place of the (there were several kingdoms in Eng- parson who had the living. Our "pious land then) received them well, became ancestors" were, therefore, sensible as a convert, and built houses for them at well as pious: they required duties in Canterbury. The monks went preach- return for what they settled on the ing about Kent, as our missionaries do parsons. These parsons were, besides, amongst the Indians. They lived in let it be remembered, unmarried men; common, and on what people gave and if we are to impute (and which in them. As the Christian religion ex-justice we ought) the institution of tended itself over the country, other tithes to the piety of our ancestors, we such assemblages of priests as that at must also impute to their piety the esCanterbury were formed; but these tablishing of a priesthood not permitted being found insufficient, the lords of to marry! We must impute this to great landed estates built churches and parsonage-houses on them, and endowed them with lands and tithes after the mode in fashion on the Continent. The estate, or district, allotted to a church, now became a parish; and in time, dioceses arose, and the division became, as to territory, pretty much what it is

now.

their piety, and, indeed, to their wisdom also; for how obvious are the reasons that the tithes never could be applied according to the intention of the founders, if the priests had wives and families to maintain!

Thus, then, if we be to appeal to our pious ancestors, and pious and praiseworthy we must allow them to have Here, then, we learn the motives of been; if the Lord Winchilsea and our pious ancestors" in making these the parsons will insist upon referring endowments of tithes. They wished to us to these our ancestors as examhave a priest always at hand to teach ples for us to follow as to this the ignorant, to baptize children, to great matter of tithes, we have to revisit the sick, to administer comfort, to mind it and the parsons of these eight be the peace-maker, the kind friend and things:-1. That the doctrines of the the guide of his people. Nor were Catholic Church, which our pious these tithes to be devoured or squan-ancestors endowed with the tithes, are, dered by the priests. They were di- by our present parsons, declared to be vided thus: "Let the Priests receive the idolatrous and damnable.-2. That our "tithes of the people, and keep a writ- parsons call the head of that church "ten account of all that have paid Antichrist and the whore of Babylon.— them; and divide them, in the pre- 3. That the "Society for Propagation sence of such as fear God, according of Christian Knowledge advertise no "to canonical authority. Let them set less than fourteen separate works writ"apart the first share for the building ten by our bishops and archbishops "and ornaments of the church; and "against Popery," that is to say against "distribute the second to the poor and that very faith to support which our

us, were

tithes.

pious ancestors instituted our parsons? Is it not worth our while 4. That we may be allowed to wonder to inquire, how it came to pass, that how it can have come to pass, that, as when our parsons found the faith of the errors of our pious ancestors were our ancestors so erroneous as to be found, at the end of eleven hundred called idolatrous and damnable; when years, to be so damnable, the tithes they found the faith so bad as to require which they granted were not at all rooting out even by most cruel penal erroneous, but, as this parson now tells laws; how it came to pass, that when dedicated to God!"-5. That they found the faith so utterly abomiour pious ancestors gave only a third of nable; how it came to pass, that when the tithes to the parsons.-6. That they they were pulling down images, conrequired the parson to expend a third on fessionals and altars, and were sweeping the building and ornaments of the away all the other memorials of the church.-7. That they required him to faith of our pious ancestors, they should distribute the other third to the poor have suffered the parsonage-houses, the and the stranger with his own hands in glebes, the tithes, and even Easter Offermercy and humility. And, 8. That ings, to remain, nay, and have taken they required him to be constantly resi- these to themselves, and to be enjoyed, dent and not to marry, and compelled too, not in third part, but in whole? him to take an oath of celibacy, in order that, divested of the cares and anxieties inseparable from a wife and family, he might wholly devote himself to the service of God, and be in very truth that which the Bible, from one end to the other, requires a priest to be, a faithful and diligent shepherd of the religious flock: and for being which merely in name, such woes are pronounced against priests both by prophets and apostles.

The tithes were, as we have seen, given to, and enjoyed, or, rather, administered by, the Catholic parsons for about ten out of the twelve hundred years of their existence in England. For the first five out of the ten, no such thing as non-residence, or stipendiary curating, was known. After the Normans invaded England these things began; and, in time, by one means or another, by kings, nobles and monasteries, the parishes were greatly Of these eight things we have to re- robbed of their tithes, and miserable mind the parsons, when they tell us to vicars and curates were placed in the look at the conduct of our pious ances- Churches in numerous cases. At last tors; and especially when they tell us that event which is called the Reformato follow the example of those ancestors tion took place; and the struggle with regard to tithes. These were the ended in the overthrow of the Catholic conditions on which the tithes were and the establishment of the Protestant given, and this might be truly said to Church, that is to say, a Church which be dedicating them to God. Accord-protests against the Catholic faith to ingly we find that, as long as the uphold which the tithes had been institithes were applied to these purposes,tuted. there were no poor rates; no vagrant The new parsons, though they proact was required; no church-rates were tested against the faith of the Catholic demanded of the people; and yet all parsons, did by no means protest against those magnificent cathedrals and those the tithes which had been granted to churches were built, the beauty and uphold it. They professed to keep all solidity of which are now the monu- that was good, and to cast off all that ments of their great, and of our little, was bad, of the old church. What was minds. good and what bad, we laymen may, perhaps, not be competent judges of; but we know that they kept very care, fully all the parsonage houses, all the glebes, all the tithes, all the Easter Offerings, all the surplice fees; and that

But is it not worth our while, even if it were only for the curiosity of the thing, to inquire how the tithes, dedicated to a faith which our parsons hold in abhorrence, came to be possessed by

they cast off constant residence, division | "to the flock of Christ, and that they of tithes into thirds, keeping the churches" will maintain and set forwards quietin repair, living unmarried, and reliev-"ness, peace and love among all ing the poor and the stranger with their "Christians, but specially among them own hands, in mercy aud humility." that are or shall be committed to their Such, indeed, was their keeping and "charge." And they most solemnly such their casting off, that the Catholics ratify and confirm these declarations said, that protestant parson meant a and promises by receiving the holy comperson who protested against anybody munion. having the Church property but himself! Now, how are they to do these things, If, indeed, the parsons did the duty, or, indeed, any part of these things, which their vows oblige them to do, unless they be at the places where they it would then be another matter. have so solemnly promised to do them? What is the contract which they make How are they to promote God's glory with the nation? What is the obliga- and edify his people; how are they to tion which they take upon them? instruct the people committed to their What are the duties that they most charge; how are they to explain the solemnly engage to perform? At their word to the people of their cure; how ordination they solemnly profess, that are they to be ready with faithful dilithey "believe that they are moved by gence to banish and drive away all er"the Holy Ghost to take upon them roneous and strange doctrine contrary "the office, to serve God for the pro- to God's word, and especially from a"moting of his glory and the edifying mongst them that are committed to "of his people." They declare also, their charge: how are they to fulfil any that they are "determined with the of these solemn promises, if they absent Scriptures to instruct the people that themselves from the very spot where "shall be committed to their charge; the people committed to their charge they promise that they will give their reside? And if, having already one 'faithful diligence always so to minis- living, they grasp at another or two, "ter the doctrine and sacraments and how do they obey the injunction of the "the discipline of Christ, as the Lord Apostle, to avoid filthy lucre; how do "hath commanded, and as this realm they obey Christ, who bids them freely "hath received the same, according to give; how do they fulfil their own pro"the commandment of God; that they mise, made at the altar and with such "will teach the people committed to awful solemnity, to lay aside the study "their cure and charge with all dili- of the world; and how do they show gence to keep and observe the same, themselves followers of the Apostle, "that they will be ready with all faith- who bids them "be subject one to ful diligence to banish and drive" another, and be clothed with humility, away all erroneous and strange doc-" seeing that God resisteth the proud "trines contrary to God's word; and to" and giveth grace to the humble?” "use public and private admonitions Is it not notorious, that of the eleven "and exhortations, as well to the sick as thousand livings, in England and Wales, "to the whole, within their cures, as one half are without resident incum"need shall require and occasion be bents; and, is it not equally notorious, given; that they will be diligent in that there are thousands of parsons each the prayers and in the reading of the of whom has more than one living; is "Holy Scriptures, and in such studies it not also notorious, that those who as help to the knowledge of the same, do the work of the church have hardly "laying aside the study of the world a bare sufficiency to eat and drink; is " and the flesh; that they will be diligent to frame and fashion themselves "and their families according to the "doctrine of Christ, that they may be "wholesome examples and spectacles

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it not notorious, that while there are bishopricks worth from ten to forty thousand a year, one million and six hundred thousand pounds have, within the last thirty years, been voted out of

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the taxes on our malt, soap, candles, read it attentively. But read it now; sugar, &c., "for the relief of the see what it says about parsons who do poor clergy of this Church" ; is it not not reside on their livings. The Pronotorious, that many of the present phet Zechariah says, "Woe to the idle beneficed clergy received military and shepherd that leaveth the flock." "Woe" naval half-pay, for many years, and " says the prophet EZEKIEL, "woe be the income of their benefices at the" to the shepherds of Israel that do feed same time; and is it not notorious that," themselves! Should not the shepin Ireland, the case is still more flagrant "herds feed the flocks? Ye eat the than it is here? How, then, do the " fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, parsons fulfil the promises made at " ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed their ordination? How do they obey" not the flock. The diseased have ye the injunctions of the Apostle, "Preach" not strengthened, neither have ye "the word; be instant in season, out" healed that which was sick, neither "of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort" have ye bound up that which was "with all long-suffering and doc-" broken, neither have ye brought again. trine." The Apostle tells the teachers" that which was driven away, neither to teach publicly "from house to house;" have ye sought that which was lost "to show themselves in all things pat-" but with force and with cruelty have "terns of good works; to be examples 66 ye ruled them. And they were scattered "in word, in conversation, in charity, "because there is no shepherd." And "in faith, in purity; to warn every is not the flock scattered in England man, to teach every man in wisdom, now? Are not the country churches "that they may present every man per- empty, and do not the people wander "fect in Jesus Christ." The teachers about after all sorts of sects? There is, of the Gospel are called ambassa- in reality, no longer any flock. The dors, stewards, shepherds, watchmen, prophet, contemplating such a case, guides, lights, examples. But how adds: "Thus saith the Lord God; beare they to be any of these, if they sel-"hold I am against the shepherds; and dom or never see any of those whom I will require my flock at their hand, they have pledged themselves to teach?" and cause them to cease feeding the Jesus Christ says, "Go ye into the " flock; neither shall the shepherds "world, and preach the Gospel unto". feed themselves any more; for I will every creature; and lo! I am with "deliver my flock from their mouth, you always, even unto the end of the "world." And the Apostle Paul, amongst his numerous urgent and solemn exhortations, says, " I take you to "record this day, that I am pure from "the blood of all men ; for I have shun"ned not to declare unto you the coun"sel of God. Take heed, therefore, "unto yourselves, and to all the flock 66 over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with "his own blood.' And he exhorts, too, that the teachers should do their duty for religion's sake, and not for the sake of gain. A bishop is not to be "greedy of filthy lucre, nor covetous."

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The parsons tell you to read the Bible, and there are plenty of BibleSocieties to put the book into your hands. The worst of it is, you do not

that they may not be meat for them." It is clear, from all that we behold, that the Church, as by law established, has not answered, or, at least, that it does not now answer, the purposes for which it was intended. It does not hold the people in the bond of faith; it does not promote peace and good-will; but, on the contrary, creates internal divisions and feuds, while it consumes uselessly a large part of the produce of the land, and takes from the farmer the means. of giving you, the labourers, wages sufficient for you to support your wives and children. Besides this, its establishment is a hot-bed for breeding gentlemen and ladies, who must be kept without work all their lives, somehow or other; and taxes must be raised, and are raised upon you and upon all of us, to pay them salaries, stipends, pensions, or