you, does not appear to me to be sound in theory, or wise
in practice.

Mr. Kent, in a private reply, dated 3rd February, said:--

I have read your letter over so as to prepare my remarks. In doing
this I anticipate no trouble. On the contrary, I hope to strengthen
my position and give greater weight to my axioms respecting the
duties of Churchmen in withholding aid from all religious societies
unconnected with the Church. I find, however, that your tone of
remark is excessively warm and indignant; and, deeming from the
tenor of your conversation on Thursday last, that you have doubts
on your mind respecting church government, and feeling convinced
that if ever you are led to subscribe to the indispensable
obligations of episcopacy, ... you will admit the validity of my
reasons for acting and writing as I do--under all these
circumstances I feel bound to ask you to meditate whether you will
not withdraw your letter. I give you my sacred honour that I do not
dread its effects. But I feel this, that should you ever experience
and avow a change of opinion in reference to the matters that are
now engaging your attention, it will be brought up against you by
your enemies, and may altogether prove a constant embarrassment.
Should you withdraw it, I will only mention the matter to Mr.
Grasett, who has already seen it. Should you determine on its
insertion, it shall appear next Saturday.

Dr. Ryerson did not withdraw his letter, and it appeared in _The Church_
of February 5th. The personal correspondence, however, ended here.

In accounting for his decided opposition to a church establishment in
Upper Canada, Dr. Ryerson said:--

Before I was twenty years of age I had read Paley's Political
Philosophy, including his chapters on the British Constitution and
a Church Establishment; Locke on Government, and especially
Blackstone's Commentaries, particularly those parts on the Rights
of the Crown and the Rights of the Subject. From Paley I learned
that a Church Establishment is no part of Christianity, but a means
of supporting it, and a means which should be used only when the
majority of the people are of the religion thus supported. From
Blackstone I learned that the Church of England is the Established
Church of England and Ireland, but not of any colony, except under