selves and the cause to reproach; and I do not think I have given publicity to any thing which was not before known to persons of other parties, and the knowledge of which, I had reason to think, operated against my usefulness while among them.

The Committee seem to have misconstrued some things in my letter to my late congregation, and to have taken up the matter with that warmth and irritation which has misled them had they waited till their feelings cooled, I am persuaded that some of them could not have sanctioned the letter published in their name. If they calmly re-peruse my letter, they will find that what they refer to as charges of gross immorality, are not charges, but things expressed hypothetically, in an exhortation intended to guard them against such practices and did not the apostles give such exhortations? And had I spoken in more direct terms, can they forget that some of them have with me lamented 'the bad moral state of part of the congregation? They may also perceive that the evils which I spoke of as existing among them, (p. 10,) were not ascribed to them all 11; for I added, "I have not made the above remarks as applicable to every individual among you; I am happy to think there are a few persons, even in Trowbridge, to whom they do not apply." In my Retrospect, so far from accusing my brethren in Trowbridge with an unsparing hand, as the Committee assert, (p. 195,) I merely stated, with as much moderation as a strict regard to truth would allow, the evils which I had the pain to find existed among them.

I cannot account for many things in the Committee's reply, without supposing them to have written under the influence of anger and resentment. It seems to have been their object to depreciate my labours in Trowbridge; and they appear to have been hurried by irritation into a denial of what, in calmer moments, I think they must remember to be facts. As the gentleman, who is their Secretary, who signed the reply on their behalf, and whom I highly respect, did not reside in Trowbridge, and had no connexion with the congregation, until more than two years after I became their pastor, he cannot possibly know, otherwise than by report, what was the state of the congregation when I commenced my ministry among them, nor what took place during the first two years of it.

From the assertions of the Committee, a person not well acquainted with me, may conclude that I was very negli

gent of the duty of a Christian pastor; that I never, during the five years, gave any admonitions or reproofs in private, nor did any thing out of the pulpit to edify the people of whom I had the charge; that I gave no instruction except in public discourses; but there are those who must know that such assertions do me great injustice; and those who have known me for thirty or forty years as a minister, must think that I was essentially changed on going to reside in the West, before they can credit the assertions in the Committee's reply. Not to repeat what I stated in my former communications respecting the course I pursued, or to insist on the impossibility of the Committee's knowing what reproof, admonition or instruction I gave to individuals in private, it may suffice to give a copy of the following Letter from the Congregational Committee to Mr. Wright on his leaving Trowbridge.

"DEAR SIR, "Trowbridge, Sept. 23, 1827. "As the time is approached when the connexion which has for five years existed between you and us as pastor and congregation is about to be dissolved,-we, the Committee, for and on behalf of the members, subscribers, and friends of the congregation assembling for religious worship in the Conigree Meeting-house in Trowbridge, wish to convey to you the sentiments which animate our minds upon hearing the last and farewell address which on the last Lord's-day evening you delivered to us.

"Convinced as we are that your exertions among us have been unceasing and cheerfully bestowed to the utmost of your power, we cannot but greatly lament the many prejudices and errors against which you have had to contend, and to which must be attributed the partial failure of that success we sanguinely hoped, and indeed, from your known abilities, had a right to expect, would have attended your labours here.

"The separation between congregations and their ministers is at all times most painful, even when produced by ordinary causes; but in the present instance to us it is much more so, viewing the separation now to take place to be principally occasioned by your expressed feeling that the great efforts you have made among us in the cause of Christian truth have not been blessed with that increase and prosperity which you in coming to Trowbridge anticipated. But still, Sir, it must be a great source of consola

tion to you to know, that the obstacles which have been opposed to the complete success of your ministry were neither under your nor our controul; and you must rejoice with us that, in a great degree, your labours have been the means of producing the effects of alarming the bigot's hold, of shaking his foundations, and opening a door by which we hope your successor will be enabled to enter, and successfully to combat the many prejudices which yet envelope the minds of the opposers to the cause of Unitarian Christianity, which we believe and profess; thus finishing the work so happily begun by you; and we trust that ere long we shall see that the seed of gospel truth sown by you, has not been thrown on corrupt and barren minds, but that it will lead to inquiry, and thus, as it were, springing into life, will grow till it attains sufficient and mature strength to throw aside the idle traditions of men, and so embrace, without fear or shame, what we regard as the cause of genuine Christianity. To that time, Sir, which we pray may be at no great distant period, we fondly look.

"We sincerely thank you for your labours and exertions among us;-for the friendly aid and counsel you have always been ready to afford to each and all of us; for the sympathy and consolation given in the time of sickness and trouble to such of us as have been sick and afflicted; and for the prayers and comfort administered in the hour of death to those whom, during your ministry here, it hath pleased God to call from among us.

"We know, Sir, that with you these kind attentions have their own reward; but still, we must be permitted to say, that we regard the kind, affectionate and friendly manner in which your assistance hath at all times been bestowed.

"In leaving us, Sir, you have our best wishes: that you may be happy in your new pastoral care, your endeavours and exertions in the cause of God be blessed, and your family prosperous, is our cordial and fervent wish; and more particularly we pray that the future years which Providence in its goodnes shall add to your life, may be crowned with health; and that in the last great day your labours in this life will be rewarded with a joyous and glorious entrance into the mansions of bliss, with the happy welcome, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

We remain, dear Sir,

Yours truly and faithfully."

The above letter was signed by eight members of the Committee, and by one of them on behalf of the ninth, who was absent. I have thought proper to give it at length, without the slightest alteration, as it shews what the same Committee who have made the reply thought of my labours at the time of my leaving them, however differently they now speak of them; and because, without my pointing out particulars, the attentive reader may perceive that the above letter furnishes an answer to many things in the Committee's reply.

I had too much to do on the Sunday to take any part in the school on that day; but I did all I could to promote it. I presented books to it besides those mentioned in the Committee's reply; and that I did more for it than the Committee are now disposed to admit, will appear from the following documents, which I think it right to copy. They were communicated to me from the teachers.

At the second quarterly meeting of the Unitarian Sunday-school Teachers, held in the vestry-room of the chapel, on Sunday, the 11th day of April, 1824,

"Resolved, that our best thanks be given to Mr. Wright, for his acceptable donation of 20 copies of a book, entitled The Plain Man's Guide,' and 10 copies of The Way to Wealth,' as presents for the scholars; and that the secretary do convey a copy of this resolution to Mr. Wright."

I received several other resolutions of the Sunday-school teachers similar to the above. It may be observed, if the school had been in the same state of organization when I commenced my ministry in 1822, as when I left, the second quarterly meeting of the teachers must have taken place earlier than April 1824, as stated above.

The account I received of the state of the school prior to my residence in Trowbridge, from those on whom I thought I could depend, fully authorized the statement I gave; and from a number of circumstances I still think it was substantially correct, and that the Committee's account is incorrect. The following I received on my leaving Wiltshire:

"The Teachers of the Trowbridge Unitarian Sundayschool feel a lively pleasure in uniting to express their most cordial thanks to the Rev. R. Wright, for the very able and truly instructive discourse delivered on the 2nd instant, for the benefit of the school.

"For his kind assistance and exertions on behalf of the school in procuring books, &c., they will ever feel grateful;

and fondly cherish the hope that that institution which has so long been flourishing under his auspices, will still share in the participation of his favours, although not immedi ately under his pastoral care."

What the Committee assert concerning the library is very incorrect. I presented to it several parcels of books, and procured for it several donations of books; and it being found necessary to put up cupboards the whole length of one side of the vestry to contain the books, is a good proof that the library was much increased.

Though the Committee assert that there were two deacons when I commenced my ministry in Trowbridge, one of the persons to whom they refer assured me that they were not deacons, and had never been appointed to the office; and certainly they did no part of the work of a deacon, unless carrying round the bread and wine at the Lord's Supper, which any of the brethren might do equally well, be a part of the deacons' work.

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Whatever the Committee may have thought proper to say, I certainly preached no controversial discourses at Trowbridge; I did not think them suited to the people: I sometimes preached doctrinal ones, which probably is what they mean by controversial discourses. I certainly have no recollection of ever receiving the least hint that my preaching was not enough practical and experimental, nor did I ever hear of the least dissatisfaction among the people on that account; though, on the contrary, I was told by a person on whom I could rely, that my preaching was too experimental and practical for many of my hearers and after I left, a member of the congregation complained that I had told the people of their faults too much. The Committee are equally incorrect in what they say of my disapproving of and discouraging prayer meetings. Other parts of their reply I pass over, this communication being already longer than I wished to have made it; and I trust I have already said enough to vindicate myself from the false charges which the Committee advanced in a moment of irritation, and which it is probable by this time they wish they had not made. More than is necessary I wish not to say. I have endeavoured to avoid all recrimination, and can easily pass by what they have said in resentment, if my former communications promote the reformation and improvement of my late congregation, which is the end I had in view in the letter I addressed to them. R. WRIGHT...