er preferences of his elder and leader,
if they in the least degree affect the duties of the parish and the
church.

A LETTER ON CURATES' GRIEVANCES.

I close this chapter with a quotation. It is a letter written to the
Editor of the _Record_, in the spring of 1885, after the perusal of a
correspondence in that paper in which some "grievances of Evangelical
Curates" had been set forth, and in which it had been implied that such
grievances might give some sufferers occasion to transfer their
sympathies to another "school."

"After reading the recent correspondence, I cannot forbear a few words
expressive of the sad impression left upon my mind. Far be it from me to
say that Incumbents have no lessons to learn from this correspondence.
All Incumbents who have, by grace, 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus'
will surely embrace every suggestion, however painful in form, which can
stimulate them to larger manifestations of holy and self-forgetting
sympathy, perfectly compatible with the firm attitude (which is also
their duty) of responsible direction. But this thought leaves unaltered
the mournful impression taken from the tone of the letters of my
aggrieved Brethren. In one form or another one thought seemed to breathe
in all;--the thought of _my_ rights, _my_ position, _my_ gifts and
opportunities, and what was due from others in regard of them; the
complaint that others were not humble, when the Christian's first
concern with humility is to derive it for himself from his Lord. Such a
spirit is not easily compatible with a true secret hourly walk with God
and abiding in Christ, the _sine qua non_ of fruit-bearing. And
fruit-bearing is the supreme inner aim of the true pastoral life,
fruit-bearing in the devoted doing of the Master's present will.

"In one letter I read with pain that 'it is no marvel' if men who cannot
secure justice and happiness in one party should transfer their
allegiance to another. Is it indeed 'no marvel'? Is it to be expected,
then, in the holy Ministry, that convictions about divine truth should
be modified by the personal claims and comfort of the holder, if the
word 'hold' may be used without severe irony in such a connexion? Can a
saint and servant of God, young or old, Vicar or Curate, walk closely
with Him all day, truly given to Him, wholly submissive to His word and
will, and yet find it possible to deal with convictions so? What are
personal rights and exterior happiness weighed agains