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

LETTERS, TRACTS, Iffc.28lfpe£ls hurtful. The reformed have forced the catholicsto throw afide many of then* abfurdities, andmore knowledge.have ftirred them up to fearch forThe diflenters in England have contributed to promotethe learning and fobriety of the churchmen ;and perhaps even the feceders in Scotland have, bytheir ftriAnefs, flimulated fome of the eftablifhedclergy to a ftricSlnefs and diligence in their office beyondwhat they might otherwifc have attainetl.The mailers of an univerfity need fuch a llimulusas much as the teachers of religion."When m.cn havegot into a fettled way of life, lazinefs often gets thebetter of the good purpofes they really had when theyfirft entered into it. The {eniC of duty and the loveof fame are not able to overcome the love of eafe.is the opinion of fome intelligent perfons, that if theeftablifhed clergy, inflead of having faiaries fixed forlife, were hired from time to time, we fliould get betterfermons from them than even ihofe we get at prefent."Whatever truth tliere may be in th.i?i we- areperfuaded there is much more in tl'u?- remark, v/:ienapplied to the mailers of a college. Tkey have theirline lodgings, and they have their fixed faiaries as theclergy have : But the clergy have one -ftrong motiveto fpur them on which the profeilbrs have not*, thereare other clergymen juft at hand, and if any one isvery lazy and negligent, the people wilt leave him ,but be the profeiibrs ever fo ilothiul, there is no collegenear to receive the iludents from them. Couldthe youth, be taught by others at as little expence tothe profefTors would be at more pains,and bedir themfelves in a very different manner.We have faid thus much in general, to prevent fomeprejudices that might have been conceived agalnft ourtheir parents,plan, as if it were to interfere with the univerfityand we have fliown, that inflead of being hurtful tothat learned body of men, it will produce very falutaryefRcls upon them j and we hope it may reafon-A a JIt