can, only they must be careful in packing them, or they will find them covered with mould at the end of the voyage. It is considered advisable to have all boxes for a sea voyage lined with tin, and well soldered.

K

CHAPTER X.

Churches The Bishop -The Dean - Places of Worship in general-Charitable Institutions.

THERE are about seven churches (of the Church of England) in the city of Melbourne, and one in each of the principal suburbs. I was greatly I was greatly surprised to find how thinly most of these churches were attended, and how many people there were in Australia, even amongst the educated, and those in a good position, who never entered a place of worship. Considering how few churches there are in the colony in proportion to the population, they ought to be full to overflowing; but I seldom saw one so well filled as it might have been; excepting in one or two instances, where

the clergymen of their districts were greatly beloved and respected by their congregations. Some people grow very careless when they go out to the colony; even many of those who from habit, if not from a better motive, have been regular in attending public worship at home, gradually relax in the colony; and, if they do not like their district clergyman, give up going to church altogether. I have sometimes (presuming on their good-nature) ventured gently to expostulate with gentlemen who I found, with regret, never by any chance went to church. Some would, perhaps, smile satirically and request me to pray for them; others have assured me that they would go regularly, only that they had not patience to sit and listen to their humdrum clergyman delivering a badlyconstructed, yet lengthy discourse, in extreme Irish or broad north-of-England accent. I never would admit that this was a sufficient excuse for their not attending

the church services, but I found that it did prevent very many from going who otherwise would do so.

The greater proportion of the colonial clergy are neither men of talent, nor university men; nor do they appear to make up for these deficiencies by any extra zeal and energy. There are, however, a few exceptions to this general rule, who shine out in bright relief amongst the rest, and who would fill their churches, were they as large again as they are.

I happened to be living for two years in a district the incumbent and curate of which did not make themselves personally acquainted with their congregation, but when they wanted subscriptions for anything, sent round emissaries, who were provided by them with a list of the pewholders, who were expected to subscribe. I saw the deplorable result of having clergy so inadequate to the wants of the colony, and I was sometimes saddened by

the accounts of my friends concerning the districts in which they lived.

The bishop is reflected upon by some persons for not providing the churches with a higher class of clergy; but I believe he is blameless. He himself in a speech ex

pressed an ardent desire that sufficient funds could be raised to induce clergymen of talent to go out to the colony; and, though he ordains scripture-readers, or others who have not been highly educated, I believe that it is from necessity and not preference that he does so. The very highest class of clergy are wanted in the colony -men of talent, zeal, and energy-to draw to church the colonists, of whom so many are lukewarm, and some of whom are even altogether sceptics. Clergy of this high order would have more influence over, and more tact in adapting themselves to the understanding of, the various classes. which form the bulk of the colonial congregations. The humbler classes have a