MY DEAR BRETHREN,

The inquiries which have been from time to time made to me, respecting the steps which should be taken by a Clergyman in England or Ireland, who wishes for employment in this diocese, together with the painful necessity under which I have been placed of refusing to license some, who have not brought out sufficient credentials with them, induce me to state to you the rule which I have laid down for myself in this matter, together with the grounds on which that rule has been adopted. With this purpose, I have requested my reverend co-editors to allow a letter from me upon the subject to be inserted in the present number of our Monthly Messenger.

It will be felt by all, that a Bishop ought to exercise a sound discretion, as before God, not only in the Ordination of candidates to the Ministry, but also in the employment of ordained Clergymen. In England, a Clergyman before he can be instituted to any benefice, is required to produce not only his presentation duly executed by the Patron, and his letters of orders, but also letters testimonial by three beneficed Clergymen, countersigned by the Bishop of the Diocese wherein their benefices are respectively situated, in the following terms, as given in "Hodgson's Instructions to the Clergy:" -

"We, whose names are hereunder written, testify and make known that ------- hath been personally known to us for the space of three years last past; that we have had opportunities of observing his conduct; that, during the whole of that time, we verily believe that he lived piously, soberly, and honestly; nor have we at any time heard anything to the contrary thereof; nor hath he at any time, as far as we know or believe, held, written, or taught anything contrary to the doctrine or discipline of the United Church of England and Ireland; and, moreover, we believe him in our consciences to be , as to his moral conduct, a person worthy to be admitted to the said benefice."

In like manner, before any Clergyman can be licensed to a Curacy, he must produce not only a nomination from the Incumbent, but letters testimonial of the same kind. Such are the precautions taken for securing the employment of suitable persons in the parochial Ministry at home; and at least equivalent precautions ought to be taken by the Bishop of a distant Colonial Diocese, such as my own. Here not only the institution, but the nomination of every Clergyman, has hitherto rested altogether with myself; and it behoves me, therefore, to take the more heed how I exercise the power with which I am invested. There is also a peculiar difficulty here in ascertaining the character and qualifications of those who may offer themselves for employment. For if any Clergyman, who is a stranger to me, should arrive from England, the only means which I should have of forming a judgement concerning him, would be the testimonials or letters of introduction which he might bring with him, and these would never be thoroughly satisfactory, unless the writers were well known to me, and persons on whose soundness of judgement I can rely.

The formal testimonials required in England would not, in my opinion, be sufficient to justify the employment of a Clergyman not otherwise known to me, nor would general letters of recommendation. Hence, before I left England, I requested three clerical friends, in whom I could entirely confide (the Rev. J. Scholefield, Regius Professor of Greek, Cambridge, and Canon of Ely; the Rev. H. Venn, Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, and Honorary Canon of St. Paul's, London; and the Rev. John Cooper, Fellow and Tutor of Trinity College, Cambridge), to act as my Commissaries in England, for the purpose of examining into the character and fitness of all candidates for employment in this Diocese; and I also requested the Secretaries of the two Church Societies, which are directly connected with the Colonies, viz. - the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and the Colonial Church Society, to refer all applicants to them.

My general rule, therefore, is to license no Clergyman, coming from England or Ireland for employment in this Diocese, unless he bring with him testimonials from those three gentlemen. If any should, from ignorance of this rule, come without such testimonials, he must be content to remain without regular ministerial appointment, until I have sufficient opportunity to form a judgement for myself respecting his qualifications. My hope, however, was, that no one would come out without communicating with one or other of the above-named Societies, and would thus become acquainted with my rule; and it has caused me great pain to find myself disappointed in this respect, and to be under the necessity, in more than one instance, of refusing to license Clergymen who have applied to me. In these cases, however, the parties had omitted to provide themselves even with the ordinary testimonials, which I have described as being always required for institution to a benefice, and for a license to a Curacy in England.

In conclusion, I would ask your prayers for me and for yourselves. I am placed in a very difficult position from the want of additional Clergymen to occupy various stations in the country, where they would be most thankfully received. Pray then, that the Great Head of the Church would supply us with a body of faithful and zealous labourers in this portion of His Vineyard; and pray for me, that I may be enabled to judge with wisdom and impartiality, and to act with firmness and meekness in the responsible office to which I have been called.

That he may also enrich you with all temporal and spiritual blessings, and bring you to His Heavenly Kingdom, is the earnest desire and sincere prayer of,