FL14372771

(CIRCULAR.)

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To the Reverend the Clergy of the United church of England nad Ireland within the Diocese of Australia.

DEARLY BELOVED,--

It will be within your recollection that upon an occasion comparatively recent, I felt it my duty to remonstrate
publicly against some attempts, as industrious as they were insidious, which were made by agents of the Church of Rome
to draw over to its communion certain of the poor uninstructed women confinded in the Factory, at Parramatta. That
remonstrance was effectual in putting a stop to such practices where their existence had been thus detected, and I have every
reason to believe was attended with good consequences in other quarters also. But the accounts which reach me of
attempts still made by the same agency, convince me of the existence of an organised design, against which it behoves us to
be incessantly on our guard. Persons are engaged on all sides in artfully introducing themselves to the members of our
Church for the purpose of insinuating doubts as to the security and sufficiency of the belief in which they have been
instructed, and to impress them with a favourable disposition towards the Roman Communion, by falsely describing it as
the Catholic Church. Indeed so vigilant and pertinacious are these emissaries, that scarecely an instance of sickness occurs,
among those who are not likely to be well informed as to the distinctions, but that some one is found at hand to suggest the
introduction of a minister of the Church of Rome. I exhort and charge you, therfore, my brethren, to look vigilantly into
the state and condition of your several parishes and to omit no effort to detect and baffle the efforts which, I know, are
incessantly made to lead away persons from the Church of England by the ordinary sophistries of Romanism. These you
will find are addressed either to the uninformed who know not the principles of scriptural truth; or to the vicious, who, not
being able to find comfort or support in those principles, are naturally disposed to fly to what promises them an easier
assurance of absolution and forgiveness.

A case of this nature has been recently represented to me; and I have determined on circulating the statement of it,
which you will herewith receive, in order to afford to the members of our Church an instance, among many, of the manner
in which the work of proselytian is attempted, and nominal conversions are sometimes effected. My desire is that the
clergy give to this statement the widest circulation in their power (each within his proper parish or district) that it may
serve as a warning amongst the successful repetition elsewhere of such a delusion as has been practiced in this instance. The
names of the parties concerned (except that of Mr. Bodenham) have been omitted by my direction, but they will be
communicated to say applicant who shows satisfactory ground for desiring to know them.

You will not fail, Reverend Brethren, to hear in mind the position in which I have deliberately placed myself by
protesting (as the Bishop of the diocese) against the authority of the Bishop of Rome to interfere in its concerns, under the
plea of a Divine right. I am perfectly aware that the determination of that right will be the question sooner or later to be
decided between his Church and mine. At what hour, or in what manner to be decided, it is not for us yet to know. but
I admonish you all that such an hour is yet to come; and will come when it shall seem meet to Him who has put the times
and the seasons in his own power. Watch, therefore, lest coming suddenly it find your sleeping.

In the mean time, no effort shall ever be omitted by me to awaken and maintain a suitable jealousy of these
attempts at proselytism; and to imbue the people with a wholesome dread of that doctrine for which they are so
persevaringly tempted to exchange the true catholic and apostolical principles of their own Church. Our duty is to be
vigilant and indefatigable in warning all those who are, or may be, in danger of injury from the seductive influence which
is now so actively at work among us. And to give successful effect to our endeavours, let us seek to bring down a
blessing upon them by persevering prayer, addressed to God alone, that His continual pity may cleanse and defend His
Church; and as it cannot continue in safety without his succour, that He will preserve it evermore by His help and
goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

My Reverend Brethren,
I am with much sincerity,
Your faithful friend and fellow-labourer,
W.G. AUSTRALIA

Sydney, 17th April, 1847.