Untitled - Electric Scotland

1856-60] LETTER TO MR. BRYAN KINC, 235
been assured yesterday both by you and him that he will dis
continue them, and I shall be truly glad if you will resolve to do
the same yourself. I have only allowed him to officiate on his
probation under very peculiar circumstances, and require
obedience as one of the conditions of his probation.
"The same objections that apply to the garments apply also,
though perhaps in a lesser degree, to other matters which I
pointed out to you in the written description which the church
wardens have given of your service on the occasion of the
anniversary, and which I am certain have raised and kept alive a
grievous prejudice against your ministry in the minds of your
parishioners.
I know that you are anxious for the good of
their souls. I pray you to consider whether you cannot sacrifice
your own peculiar tastes in such matters to promote your
spiritual usefulness.
"As to matters brought before me by others, and not by the
churchwardens, it was very satisfactory to me to be assured by
you that the Catechism complained of as teaching Romish
doctrine had never been distributed in the parish, or used in the
school, with your knowledge or sanction. I understand your
curate, Mr. Lowder, to have given me before the same assurance
as to his district of your parish. I take leave to advise that you
should let your people understand that you disapprove of this
Catechism, if it is still circulating among them through any dis
honest influence of those two of your curates who lately joined
the Church of Rome. . . .
" And
now allow me, my dear sir, to conclude by repeating,
what I endeavoured to express to you at the close of our inter
view, how gladly I would endeavour to strengthen your hands if
you could bring yourself to alter your course. I do beg you to
give up the matters complained of, which are, I believe, a
grievous impediment to your usefulness. In carrying out the
simple Scriptural system of our own Church, you will receive, I
assure you, all sympathy and assistance from me ; and I cannot
but think that the high opinion of your high and gentlemanlike
bearing under trying circumstances which I have heard expressed,
even by those of your people who are strongly opposed to you, if
you showed willingness to act differently in the matters com
plained of, would not be without its proper weight in enabling
you to do our common Master s work in the fearfully responsible
position in which you are placed.