dually by this mode of communication, as a teftimony of my affection for my Clergy; and my folicitude for their temporal and eternal interefts.

$ 1. THE events to which I allude are the progrefs of Sunday education; the exertions of private perfons and focieties for the promotion of piety, decency, and good order; and, above all, the Royal Proclamation for the restraining of wickedness and vice; for the maintenance of religion and virtue; and, as the means of attaining these invaluable ends, for the due obfervance of the Sabbath.

Two years have now elapfed fince his Majesty was induced, from motives of paternal regard for the morals of his people, to iffue this proclamation. The call to obey it's injunctions more immediately affects magiftrates, as vefted with authority to execute the fubfifting laws against drunkenness; curfing and fwearing; gaming, especially in public houses; lewdness and debauchery; profanation of the Lord's day; publication of obscene and impious books and prints;

yet

yet it extends to all perfons who poffefs the means of affifting to remedy or to leffen thofe evils, which, if unreftrained and undiminished, will throw down every barrier which law and religion can oppose to them. But the Parochial Clergy, by an express clause, are commanded "to read the proclamation, "at least four times a year, in their refpec"tive Churches and Chapels, immediately "after divine fervice; and to incite and ftir ་ up their respective auditors to the practice " of piety and virtue; and the avoiding all immorality and profanenefs." With this Royal command, in both it's parts, all of you, I truft, have hitherto complied, and mean to comply in future.

As teachers of religion, we cannot but most fenfibly feel the benefits which result from that influence which flows from the support, the countenance, and the example of the Sovereign. Let us therefore convince the world by our behaviour, that our gratitude to God for the late act of mercy, which restored a fovereign most justly endeared by every tie to a loyal and affectionate people, is not merely the gratitude of a day, but a A 3 fixed

fixed principle impreffed upon our hearts, and regulating our lives. May this confideration animate our zeal in the conftant performance of those duties, which conftitute the peculiar utility, business, and ornament of our profeffion. And may we uniformly inforce on the minds of the people this most important truth, that the best return to heaven, either for occafional or permanent bleffings, and the best means of fecuring their continuance, is by national reformation.

THIS proof of his Majefty's attention to public morals, has given rife to a laudable inftitution, intitled, A Society for carrying into Effect the Proclamation for the Encouragement of Piety and Virtue, compofed of Members high in Rank, Fortune, and Character. The general views of this respectable body are fufficiently indicated by the name they have affumed. What they have done, has been recently notified to the public. With these commendable views, it is incumbent upon each of us to co-operate within his respective sphere of action. Each of us, however contracted that sphere may be, poffeffes the power of promoting a na

tional

tional reformation, by confcientiously promoting a perfonal one; by correcting whatever may be wrong in his own temper, conduct, and example; by ftriving to influence those with whom he is connected by domeftic or paftoral ties, to labour at the fame great ends of existence; and which alone can render exiftence happy, either here or hereafter.

THAT the degree of fuccefs attending the meritorious plans of this fociety will answer our most fanguine expectations, is what I cannot venture to affirm. But there can be no doubt that it will exceed the narrow bounds which coldness, indifference, and defpondency may be difpofed to fet to their ef ficacy and progrefs. Whatever fentiments men in those two oppofite extremes may entertain, we fhould steer clear of both neither indulging ourselves in the visionary ideas of fudden, rapid, and univerfal improvements in manners and in morals; nor allowing ourfelves to defpair of that change for the better, which may be produced by our fteady, temperate, and persevering efforts in profecuting thofe regulations which authority has enforced,

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forced, and public virtue has adopted. As this pious act of the Sovereign has excited, may we not hope it will continue to keep alive a fpirit of attention in every friend of his country, to the fatal confequences which must flow from profligacy and licentiousness and prove ruinous to national profperity, happiness, and credit. That lukewarmness of purfuit in fuch a caufe, which may perhaps be excufable in others, is culpable in us. It is abandoning the poft to which we are appointed, and for the maintaining of which we are refponfible. Arduous as the task confeffedly is of eradicating vice matured and hardened by years and habit, yet still it is our duty to make the attempt. Should we, however, after all our endeavours, fail here; a fairer prospect opens before us in the rifing generation. In that of the lower ranks of the community, we have reafon to hope much good has been already done by the introduction of Sunday Schools; and much more may be expected, in proportion as the scholars increase; who, on a moderate calculation, are fuppofed to amount at this time to 300,000.

WHATEVER