*

In the exuberance of loyal zeal, and yet in a kindly spirit which was
characteristic of him, Rev. W. M. Harvard, President of the Canada
Conference, issued a pastoral on the 17th April, 1838, to the ministers
of the Church, enjoining them not to recognize as members of the Society
those whose loyalty could be impeached. The directions which he gave
were:--

Should there be a single individual for whose Christian loyalty the
preacher cannot conscientiously answer for to his brethren, in the
first place such individual should not be included in the return of
membership, and in the second place such individual should be dealt
with kindly and compassionately, but firmly, according to the
provisions of the Discipline.

No man who is not disposed to be a good subject can be admissible
to the Sacraments of the Church....

Should any person apply hereafter for admission into our Church,
who may be ill-affected to the Crown ... tell him kindly, but
firmly, ... that he has applied at the wrong door.

As soon as this extraordinary pastoral had appeared, Dr. Ryerson
addressed a letter of some length to the _Guardian_, objecting in very
temperate, but yet in very strong language to the doctrine laid down in
it by the President of the Conference. Before publication, however, he
sent it to Mr. Harvard for his information and perusal. He showed from
the writings of John Wesley, Richard Watson, and others, and from
examples which he cited (John Nelson, "the apostolic fellow-labourer of
John Wesley," etc.) that such a doctrine savoured of despotism, and was
harsh and inquisitorial in its effects. He concluded thus:--

None of the various political opinions which men hold, and their
respectful and constitutional expression of them, is any just cause
of excluding from the Lord's Table any human being, provided his
religious character is unexceptional. The only condition of
membership in our Church is "a desire to flee from the wrath to
come,"[71] and none of the opinions mentioned is inconsistent with
the fruits by which that desire is evidenced. The Discipline of the
Church, or the Scripture itself, does not authorize me to become
the judge of another man's political opinions--the Church is not a
political association--any man has as good a right, religiously and
politically, to his opinions of public matters as I have