PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

towards supplying the outlying settlements with ministrations in as much as the posi- tion of Governor’s chaplain was held as a sinecure and the Proprietors, though many of them wealthy men, declined to contribute to the society’s funds. Thus the future of the church was seriously prejudiced.

At that time the governing class and those associated with them were, nominally at least, members of the Church of England. Possessed of no inconsiderable measure of culture and trained to keep all outward ex- pression of emotion under strict control, the liturgical worship of the church appealed to their sense of decorum. It also satisfied the needs of those who were content to look up to such higher class for direction. In Char- lottetown where the population at that time was made up almost exclusively of these two classes the Church fairly well supplied their requirements. But in the country those in sympathy with her methods and teaching were in a minority. Emigration from England being discouraged in every way, (Note D.) most of the settlers came either from Scotland or Ireland. The for- mer, if protestants, held steadfastly to Pres- byterian tenets and traditions and if Roman Catholics, in common with their Irish co- religionists, firmly declined to be false to their Church and wearily waited until lib- erty of conscience should be granted to

NM! D.—’l‘. Pownal, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, to Lieut. Governor DesBrlsay: WHITEHALL. 9 Nov. 1773.

SIB—You will recollect that when I had last an oppor- tunity of conversing with you I stated to you in strong terms my sense of the impropriety of those encouragements which you had held out by advertizements and otherwise to the emigration of persons from Great Britain for the purpose of ohtninin settlers on your lands in the Island of St. John. and I true that the a cute used to dimuade you from such a proceeding would ve had their efiect.

I am commanded therefore by the Earl of Dartmouth to acquaint you that all such publications must be immediately su ressed. and that if it shall appear that any of the King s sub sets in Great Britain shall have emigrated from their kingdoms in consequence of any encouragements you may have oflered. you must expect to receive the strongest marks of His Hadesty’s displeasure.

Signed. '1‘. Pomun.

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them. (Note E.) Hence a large section of the population was and in the nature of things remained without the sphere of ac- tion of the Church of England. But this was not all she had to contend with. The middle class in the Mother Country, and in a greater degree those enjoying the larger freedom that belonged to life in a new col- ony, were beginning to realize that the road towards advancement lay open before. them Eagerly pressing forward of undisciplined individualism, which called into being some hundred and more sects, they began to assert their right to escape from under the control of what they conceived to be mere formal- ism, in order that they might give their emo- tions freer play.

Thus the Church of England in the Island came from this time forward to be identified more and more with the ruling caste—with the Family Compact— and thereby lost in an increasing measure gen- eral sympathy and support. Moreover as the Rector was paid wholly by the British Government and the ordinary expenses of the church by the colony, this by rendering him altogether independent of his parishion- ers, debarred them from feeling towards their church that sense of responsibility and ownership which is the strongest bond link- ing the minister to his congregation today. Had those in authority attempted through a wise administration to give as much elas- ticity as possible to its methods of working so as to meet these new conditions the re- sult might have been somewhat different. But they adopted the other course of action and with aggressive conservatism sought to

h tlliMEtlF—Atultdmiegtailline hiidwmgflted ““3"“ weer eyco vop .uanacwas passed this year (3 George III. Can. 8). which confirmed their titles provided they took an oath therein prescribed attesting to their loyalty to His Majesty's Government.