3. The clergy of the Diffenters receive none of the tythes paid by their people, who must be at the additional charge of maintaining their own feparate worship. But it is faid, that the Diffenters of America oppose the introduction of a bifhop. In fact, it is not alone the Diffenters there that give the oppofition (if not encouraging must be termed oppofing) but the laity in general diflike the project, and fome even of the clergy. The inhabitants of Virginia are almost all epifcopalians, the church is fully established there, and the council and general affembly are, perhaps to a man, its members: yet, when lately at a meeting of the clergy, a refolution was taken to apply for a bishop, against which feveral, however, protested; the affembly of the province, at the next meeting, expreffed their difapprobation of the thing in the strongest manner, by unanimously ordering the thanks of the house to the protefters; for many of the American laity of the church think it fome advantage-whether their own young men come to England for ordination, and improve themselves at the fame time by conversation with the learned here, or the congregations are fupplied by Englishmen who have had the benefit of education in English univerfities, and are ordained before they came abroad. They do not, therefore, fee the neceffity of a bishop merely for ordination; and confirmation is among them deemed a ceremony of no very great importance, fince few few feek it in England, where bishops are in plenty. These fentiments prevail with many churchmen there, not to promote a design which they think must fooner or later faddle them with great expences to fupport it.-As to the Diffenters, their minds might probably be more conciliated to the measure if the bishops here should, in their wifdom and goodness, think fit to fet their facred character in a more friendly light, by dropping their oppofition to the Diffenters application for relief in fubfcription; and declaring their willingness that Diffenters fhould be capable of offices, enjoy the benefit of education in the universities, and the privilege of appropriating their tythes to the fupport of their own clergy. In all these points of toleration, they appear far behind the prefent Diffenters of New England, and it may seem to fome a step below the dignity of bishops, to follow the example of fuch inferiors. I do not, however, defpair of their doing it fome time or other, fince nothing of the kind is too hard for true Chriftian bumility. I am, Sir, yours, &c. A NEW-ENGLAND-MAN†. +[Dr. Franklin was born at Bofton in New England, and not at Philadelphia. E.] |