In 1765, A review of Dr. Mayhew's Remarks, &c., was published, by "East Apthorp, A.M.," (who had been a missionary in North America,) in which, in allusion to the doubt expressed about the nature of "The true scheme," the writer states, -"Successive proposals for American bishops have been made at different times, through a long course of years, by men of high rank and character in the church; and, are ready now for the perusal of any worthy person, who shall declare himself unsatisfied in this point: all which agree with what the answerer has averred. One of them, perhaps, may have peculiar weight with the doctor; I mean, that made in the year 1750, by the excellent Bishop Butler, in the doctor's own judgment 'a great ornament of the episcopal order, and of the Church of England.' This scheme, with which the writer was favoured by a gentleman of distinction in Boston, (William Vassal, Esq.) is in the bishop's own hand-writing, of which the following is an exact transcript." Having then introduced the plan, which has been already given in this volume, he adds, "This plan is so exactly similar to that in the Answer to Dr. Mayhew's Observations, (p. 60,) that it cannot be doubted they are the same, and that it is the only one intended to be put in execution. And it is such a simple and beautiful model of the most ancient and moderate episcopacy; that it should, not only remove all the doctor's apprehensions, but the scruples of every rational and learned dissenter against that apostolic form of government." With Mr. Apthorp's Review, &c., the controversy ended. Dr. Mayhew, upon reading it, declared that he should no longer carry on the discussion by answering it, and in the following year he died. Although, as Dr. Porteus also remarks, "it is certain that this mode of establishing bishops in America, was not invented merely to serve a present turn,' being precisely the same with that proposed by Bishop Butler twenty years ago;' it brought upon the English metropolitan much harsh and unkind treatment, at the hands of those who differed from his views of episcopacy. "Posterity will stand amazed," observes his biographer, "when they are told, that on this account, his memory has been pursued in pamphlets and newspapers, with such unrelenting rancour, such unexampled wantonness of abuse, as he would scarce have deserved, had he attempted to eradicate Christianity out of America, and to introduce Mahometanism in its room: whereas, the plain truth is, that all he wished for, was nothing more than what the very best friends to religious freedom ever have wished for, a complete toleration for the Church of England in that country *." In dismissing this subject, it must be remarked, that the claims of the "Society for the Propaga * Porteus's Life of Secker, p. 55. tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," for increased support, have never been so powerful, as they are at the present moment. The withdrawal of the government grant, has thrown it more entirely upon the sympathies of the country; while the tide of emigration, which is setting in so strongly, toward the shores of the American and Australian colonies, appeals, in language the most forcible, to the liberality of the Christian public. 140 CHAPTER VII. Lowth removed into Butler's diocese.-The Durham Charge.Controversy that arose out of it.—Bishop Halifax's account of the controversy. SCARCELY had Butler removed to Durham when he was gratified by an arrangement which brought into his diocese a divine, for whom he deservedly entertained a high respect. Dr. Lowth, afterwards bishop of London, had been appointed chaplain to the lord lieutenant of Ireland, the duke of Devonshire, and while there, was offered the see of Kilmore. Being anxious to leave Ireland, and knowing that Mr. Leslie, the rector of Sedgefield, and a prebendary of Durham, was as anxious to settle in Ireland, it was proposed that an exchange should be made which would meet the taste of both parties. When Butler, therefore, collated Dr. Lowth to the preferment which Leslie vacated, "he expressed a well-natured exultation on this double gratification of mutual wishes, and, perhaps allowably, with a secret preference for superior talents*." He exceedingly rejoiced to have Lowth at Durham. This eminent divine, who was successively bishop of St. David's, Oxford, and London, and who died Nov. 3, 1787, first distinguished himself * Annual Register, 1787. as Professor of Poetry in the University of Oxford, in 1741. In this capacity he delivered his celebrated lectures, De sacrá poesi Hebræorum, which were afterwards published. His valuable translation of the prophecy of Isaiah, was not given to the world until 1778. Doctor Lowth was not only an accurate and critical Hebraist, but a most elegant Latin scholar*. Shortly after his actual arrival in his diocese, Bishop Butler assembled his clergy for the purpose of addressing to them his primary, and indeed, as it pleased Divine Providence to order it, his only charge. At the period when this charge was delivered, there was not only a great decline of vital godliness, but an alarming and unblushing acknowledgment of sceptical opinions. The public worship of the Most High was neglected, the outward forms of religion were laid aside, and there was a danger of a large portion of the population, especially those of the higher classes, running into open and avowed infidelity. Butler, therefore, attempted * Of the purity of his Latin style, his touching lines on the death of his daughter, which are inscribed upon her tomb, will furnish an interesting specimen: Cara, vale, ingenio præstans, pietate, pudore, |