351

my presumption, proceeding from a sense of duty, especially as Ishall be in the country when the business will be brought for-ward, and may-have no other opportunity of suggesting anything on a matter which has always been an object of my sincereand earnest wishes.

“ The safety of every civil government is fundamentally de-pendent on the hopes and fears of another world, which are en-tertained by its members; and the safety of every Christian civilgovernment is brought into the most imminent danger, wheninfidelity is making a rapid progress in the minds of the people.This I apprehend is the state of danger in which Great Britain (to say nothing of Ireland ) now stands. It may be difficult tofind a full remedy for this evil; but the residence of a respect-able clergyman in every parish and hamlet in which there is aplace of established worship, appears to me to be more fittedthan any other for that purpose.

“ f I do not wish a Bill respecting residence to have any violentretrospect as to the present pluralists: they perhaps oughtto remain subject only to the existing laws ; for it would bringruin on many individuals, who are now married and happilysettled, if they were compelled to change their situations. But Isee no individual hardship and much public good which wouldattend a new law suffering, after it had passed, no man to holdtwo benefices of any kind.

“ As, however, there are many benefices utterly inadequate tothe affording even a bare maintenance to an unmarried clergy-man, a law abolishing in futuro all pluralities ought to be ac-companied with another making a decent provision for everyresident minister. An hundred pounds a-year ought to be the