to
mine--and laymen frequently know much more, and are better judges,
than ministers in civil and secular affairs.

It can be well understood what would be the effect of the Pastoral, and
not less so of Dr. Ryerson's clear and dispassionate disclaimer of the
doctrines which it officially laid down.

It required courage and firmness, in the loyal outburst and reaction of
those days, to question the propriety or expediency of any reasonable
means by which the unimpeachable loyalty of members of the Church could
be ascertained. What added to the embarrassment of Dr. Ryerson in
discussing such a question was the fact that the Methodists were being
constantly taunted with being disloyal. Knowing this, and sensitive as
to the disgrace of such a stigma being cast upon the Church, the
President felt constrained to take some decisive, and yet, as he
thought, kindly and satisfactory means of ridding the Church of members
who were the cause, in his estimation, of such a disgrace and reproach
to that Church.

Among many other strong letters of commendations of his reply to Mr.
Harvard, which Dr. Ryerson received, were two,--one from a
representative minister of the Canadian section of the Church, and the
other from an equally excellent representative of the British
missionaries. Thus:

Rev. Anson Green, writing from Picton, said:--

I was sorry, though not surprised, to hear that you were very much
perplexed. I could easily understand your feelings, and quite
sympathize with you. Your recent efforts for the peace and
prosperity of the Church have very much endeared you to my heart. I
am fully prepared to believe the assertion which you made while in
England, "that you love Jerusalem above your chief joy." This you
have fully proved by your untiring efforts on behalf of the
Academy, the Chapels, and on the Church question; but in nothing
more, allow me to say, than in the firm, manly, and Christian
spirit, in which you have come out, publicly, in defence of the
membership of the Church, and of sound principles. I had resolved
when Rev. Mr. Harvard wrote to me to carry out the principles of
his instructions and Pastoral in this district, to write him a
letter respectfully and yet firmly declining to do so. But when I
saw the storm gathering in every quarter, I could only exclaim in
the despondency of my soul:--When will our brethren cease