The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

;.14 SERMONS.a more neat and better Sheltered place to worfliipCod in.7th, I add, tliat religion is lefs profefled, becaufeof the low appointments of its teachers. I am notafliamed to fay it, becaufe I believe and know it tobe true, that the poor provifions of clergymen are aThefecaufe that the profeflion of religion declines.provifions, in the cheap and plain times they weremodified, and for many years after, might be fufficientcr tolerable, efpecially when there werefuperadded tothem the eifefts of the generofity which was then infafhion •, but they are far from being fo in this rich,expenfive, and felfifh age.In every nation, that is what we call civilifed, theideas of contempt and of ignorance are infeparablefrom poverty, and the idea of knowledge is connectedwith riches. " This wifdom (fays Solomon,) have Ifeen under the fun, and it feemed great unto me :there was a little city, and few men within it ; andthere came a great king againft it, and befieged it, andbuilt bulwarlvs againft it: and there was found in it apoor wife man, and he by his wifdom delivered thecity ;yet no man remembered that fame poor man.Then faid I, wifdom is better than ftrength : neverthelefsthe poor man's wifdom is defpifed, and hiswords are not heard." Agreeably to this ancient obfervation,the fentiments of all men, and efpeciallyof the rich, are, What fenfe can you expeft from one,v/ho has fo little to fpend, who entertains fo few,who fares fo fimply, and is fo coarfely drefled ?This has been long the common train of thinkingbut never more fo, perhaps never fo much fo asin the prefent times. It is wealth that procures refpedl:*, little matter whether it be derived from anceftors,or fuddenly acquired, or got by means right orwrong •, the man pofTeiTed of it is held -in honour; itgives him the reputation of wifdom and knowledge.The clergy are poor, and therefore fuppofed to be ig-