TO THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL, THIS CHARGE IS DEDICATED, WITH SINCERE ESTEEM AND REGARD, BY THEIR AFFECTIONATE FRIEND AND BROTHER, J. H. GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL. A CHARGE, &c. MY REVEREND BRETHREN, It is again permitted us to meet after the lapse of three years, agreeably to an ancient constitution of the Church, to give an account of our respective ministrations, and to receive and tender counsel which may conduce to the glory of the Lord, and the well being of His people. There are many advantages in this institution, of which the greatest is -that it recalls to the minds of the Clergy the vows which they made when they assumed their sacred functions, and devoted themselves to the service of their blessed Redeemer; and causes self-examination, as to the efforts made by each to save the souls of those committed to his care. In these periodical assemblages it is natural to review the. condition of the Church during the term elapsed since the last Visitation. At the present time, a mind must be ungrateful which does not acknowledge the favour vouchsafed to us by Providence, in the increased and increasing attachment of the people to our Church, and the respect and reverence testified towards its ministers. No observer, whose memory extends to the last twenty years, can fail to remark the considerable increase of almost all our congregations, greatly as the number of churches has been augmented within that period: the reverential and devotional manner in which the services are performed bespeaks the care bestowed by the Clergy upon their duties, as well as the religious dispositions of the people; while the improved appearance of the sacred edifices, and the pains now generally taken to make them accommodate the greatest practicable number of worshippers, conclusively argue increased attachment to the Church on the part of the laity, and the diligence of those who undertake the important office of Churchwarden. I believe that in each of my preceding Visitations we have had occasion to notice, with thankfulness, an increase of churches and of schools; to mention that we had more services, more administrations of the Lord's Supper, and more communicants; ånd that the applicants for Confirmation were continually increasing. But our congratulations have ever been checked and modified by the consideration, that all which our efforts had effected fell far short of the spiritual wants of the population; that though we |