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fare as one of the evidences of his messiahship. If we would be his
followers, we must tread in his steps, and be animated by his spirit.
The poor are found among the laboring classes in all communities ; and
their claim to our attention and Christian offices here, is greatly
strengthened by their peculiar condition of dependence. It is moreo-
ver true, that this condition, while it often affords great advantages for
the communication of religious instruction, pre-disposes the mind to a
teachable disposition, and a readiness to receive and obey the truth.---
Encouragements are therefore found for the performance of this duty,
not only from its addressing itself to our natural sympathies and Chris-
tian affections, but also from its presenting a promising field, from
which we may reasonably expect to reap the fruits of our labor.

In order however to ensure any great degree of success in this en-
terprise, we must have the countenance and hearty co-operation of our
brethren of the laity. It is for them to open the door of access to this
field. It is under the protection of their influence, that this work must
be done. And, upon this point, as far as my acquaintance goes, it
gives me great pleasure to state, that I have in no instance found them
backward, or indifferent to the furtherance of this object. It being dis-
tinctly understood and seen, that our purpose is to teach all orders and
degrees of men, in the language of one of our formularies, "to do their
duty in that state of life, in which it has pleased God to call them :"
that we are not political crusaders, but simple and guileless teachers of
that Gospel which was preached by our Saviour and his Apostles, in a
region whose social condition was altogether similar to our own ; that
as they did not condescend, in the execution of their high errand, to
dogmatize on the civil relations or rights of individuals, but rather to
bind the consciences and the affections to the faithful discharge of the
duties of those relations ; and by the inculcation of right principles, to
leave those relations themselves to be regulated by the intelligent con-
sciences of the parties ; so we, who have " part of the same ministry
and apostleship," are chiefly concerned with the hearts and consciences
of those to whom we go. This being perceived, I say no difficulty
need be apprehended in obtaining access to all minds. In this connex-
ion too, I may be permitted to express the hope, that the day is not dis-
tant, when the Church, by wise and temperate legislation, will open
the way for our obtaining the services of a class of men suited to the
instruction of this description of persons ; and when she may, with less
jealousy for her intellectual reputation, and more concern for the sal-
vation of the perishing multitudes around her, adopt measures by which
she may challenge for herself, with some propriety, the character of
preaching the Gospel to the poor.

You have doubtless not failed to observe the great diversity of sen-

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timent which prevails in the Church on the subject of its general
Missionary organization. And as our Diocese lies in that part of our
country which is properly embraced in the Missionary field ; the ar-
rangements for the conduct of Missions cannot but be deeply interest-
ing to us. I shall not feel it out of place, therefore, to advert to that
subject here.

I have been hitherto numbered among those who, though thinking
the present organization not without its defects, yet saw nothing in the
proposed modifications likely to meet with more general favor ; and
have therefore been disposed to sustain it as it is : But from the con-
tinued manifestation of discontent in many quarters, and the lamentable
decline of the society's funds, I am inclined to believe it is not likely
longer to retain the confidence of the Church, and that some modifica-
tion has become necessary. It is scarcely to be presumed that any one
plan of alterations, among the many which have been suggested, will
meet with very general favor ; and though this is not the place to go
as fully as might be desired into an examination of this subject, yet I
cannot forbear submitting a few suggestions which have commended
themselves with great force to my own mind, and seem not to have
been without their effect upon others.

For the conduct of the Missionary work, it is known, that almost all
the Dioceses have organizations of their own ; either in the shape of
Societies or Committees. To say nothing of the confusion likely to
arise from presenting to our people the claims of two associations, hav-
ing in view the same objects, a practical difficulty presents itself in the
working of these Societies or Committees, and the Domestic Com-
mittee of the General Missionary Board.

We all feel that the power of appointing the Missionaries in our
own Diocese, and directing and controlling their movements, belongs
under our system, of necessity and with propriety, to the Bishops.---
As to the Missionaries, imbued as they are, with the spirit characteriz-
ing and animating the Church, they feel that their alliance is naturally,
and of course, with their respective Diocesans, to whom they owe
whatever of spiritual obedience and responsibility is due from them to
any other on earth. The Missionaries ought then to be appointed di-
rectly by the Bishops of the respective Dioceses, to whom they should
be as directly responsible.

Each Bishop, in the conduct of Missions in his own Diocese, it is
presumed, would desire a Council of Advice, which, under the charac-
ter of a Missionary Committee, should be charged, as the Domestic
Committee of the General Missionary Board now is, with receiving
from abroad, collecting and appropriating, funds for the support of the
Missionaries.

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