You sign your place and calling, in full seemingWith meekness and humility; but your heartIs crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.CHAPTER XV.
You sign your place and calling, in full seemingWith meekness and humility; but your heartIs crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
You sign your place and calling, in full seemingWith meekness and humility; but your heartIs crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
You sign your place and calling, in full seemingWith meekness and humility; but your heartIs crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
You sign your place and calling, in full seeming
With meekness and humility; but your heart
Is crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
Our Memoirs are now drawing towards their close, for although numerous recollections yet remain, they are rather of a miscellaneous and desultory kind, consisting more of detached remarks and local anecdotes, than of any regular and consistent narrative. Such parts of these shall be selected and introduced, as appear best calculated to excite interest, or promote entertainment.
To whom the following “Recollection” can apply, the editor has not the remotest conception, but that the portrait was drawn from nature, is evinced by the strength of the outline, the force of the colouring, and the general appearance as a whole.
A Christian Bishop!—Much veneration has in various parts of these Recollections been expressed for individuals filling this high and important office,expressed too with an honest warmth, resulting from a near contemplation, and personal experience of their virtues. What ought the characteristics of a Christian Bishop to be? Firmness—learning—charity—general benevolence—meekness—disposition to forgive injuries—spirit of reconciliation—a love of peace, and desire to ensue it.
Great and amiable qualities truly! Yet a Bishop did once present himself in the progress of a literary life, who had not quite all these peculiarly honourable distinctions. Firmness he had, if that term can in justice be applied to him, who istenax propositi—right or wrong. The distinction of learning must be allowed him, without any qualification of any kind. As to the rest—charity—general benevolence—meekness—disposition to forgive injuries—spirit of reconciliation—love of peace—desire to ensue it—a little reflection is necessary before the claim to these qualities can be conceded.
Is it a proof of charity, or benevolence, or meekness, to provoke a large body of united individuals by anonymous insinuations and attacks, which there was a compulsory obligation subsequently to retract and disavow?
By which of the apostles or evangelists are maxims of persecution inculcated? To admonish and advise, is certainly part of the episcopalfunction, and as the very name denotes, to exercise a becoming vigilance with respect to those who are comprehended in their flock. But suppose an honest, industrious individual, proceeding in the line of his professional duty, which he has invariably found to lead successfully to the object desired, and suppose he declines from conscientious motives, or from pride, or obstinacy, if you please, to deviate from this line, or path, at the haughty suggestion of a superior, be he Dean, or even a Bishop, is he to be persecuted, harassed, exasperated with unrelenting malignity?
Lastly, supposing a professional brother, at the time, of equal pretensions in rank, situation, connections, and accomplishments, from whom attention and kindness had been previously received, and through whom, and in concert with whom, a work of high importance to religion, morals, and learning, had been prosecuted, should, in a thoughtless moment, by a mere casual and inadvertent expression, give cause of offence? Is such a trespass not only never to be forgotten or forgiven, but is it compatible with those qualities, which ought to characterize a Christian minister, whatever be his station, to retain a sense of the transgression, implacable, and eternal; and forgetful of former reciprocated kindness, to treat theoffender as one deserving to be deprived of “fire and water?”
Fye on such Christian ministers, bishops, or what not!!