Steps towards Heaven," a book of Meditations founded on a Latin work, but selected and arranged by himself, is still in

use.

Mr. Carter needed the refreshment of such congenial society. The parish seems to have been sadly neglected. The most earnest people were Wesleyans. There was no Church school in the place. He succeeded in forming a dame's school, and placed a converted Wesleyan girl as mistress. A chief object was the restoration of the church. To earn money for this purpose, he took pupils, and by this means, with some help from subscriptions, the work was accomplished. "The removal of the gallery," he wrote, was a terrible grievance, and so was the breaking up of the choir, to make a fresh beginning, as had been done at Burnham; but the main body of the people bore all this very kindly."

Greater trouble was caused by what seems a very trivial matter. It was the custom that the rector, at Christmas, should give a mince pie, a loaf of bread, and a quart of ale, to each individual in the parish, of every class, character, and age, down to the baby in arms. The ale was brewed at the Rectory, and a baker came from Dorchester to make the mince pies. This appeared a very undesirable waste of money, but the custom was of such antiquity that Mr. Carter thought it well to consult a lawyer before attempting to abolish it.

"With the sum thus spent (£10), I planned a clothing club for the poor, using the money for a 'bonus' to aid contributors. There was a great sensation, and the farmers, who used to come on tithe days for a supper at the Rectory, refused to appear ever afterwards. I believe all reasonable people felt it was a right thing to do. I trust it was so. The custom seemed to me most hurtful. But some, I am afraid, never forgave me. After I had been some while at Clewer, once on a Christmas Day a large parcel arrived, and at the bottom of a heap of rags and straw appeared a mince pie."

A glimpse of his home life, in which he found relaxation from these parish cares, is afforded by a letter to a little daughter, which is also very characteristic of the writer's mind.

"Piddlehinton, May 29 (1840).

"I feel a very great desire to know how you are, and how you are behaving, and if you obey everybody in everything, and particularly dearest Mama, and if you do your lessons very nicely. I shall hope to hear you read very much better when you come home. And above all, I hope that you do all you can to please and comfort dearest Mama, now that I am away, and cannot do anything for her. You must always remember that you cannot love or obey her too much, and that the way to show you love her is to do all she bids you to do.

"I have been very busy in the garden; I watered your garden with the large watering-pot yesterday evening, and I saw many of your seeds coming up, amongst the rest some sweet peas; and there is a pretty rose close to your garden, which is in full bloom.

"You cannot tell how many beautiful plants I have been preparing for dearest Mama. I planted so many to-day that we could not find enough things to cover them. We got all the sea-kale pots, an old beehive, some boxes from the toolhouse, besides the flower-pots, and so we had enough. . . Gilbert (one of the pupils) is very fond of the garden, and helps me greatly. I think you will like him, for he is very kind."

Mr. Carter lived and worked at Piddlehinton for four years, and here, in 1841, his only son was born. The relaxing climate tried him greatly, and he was compelled to spend two winters at Weymouth, for health's sake. In 1842 he obtained leave of absence, and after this he returned to Burnham as his father's curate.

He remained at Burnham for two years, residing in a small house-since pulled down-with a large and pretty garden, called the Priory Cottage, and situated nearly opposite the house now bearing that name. At this time we find the first traces of an anxiety and trouble which often recurred

during the troubled years which followed the first bright dawn of the Oxford movement. A lady, whose faith in the English Church was shaken, came to him for advice. Mr. Carter laid the case before Dr. Pusey, and thus began an intercourse which lasted, growing ever closer and nearer, for forty years. His letter is not forthcoming, but some passages may be given from his answers. It is without date of year, but the allusion to Newman seems to place it before 1843.

"MY DEAR CARTER,

"I am at any time glad to hear from you, especially in a case when I can be of any use. I received your letter just as I was setting out on a journey, which prevented my answering it at once. I at first adopted the same plan as yourself with regard to those who were in perplexity about the R[oman] C[hurch], arguing on points of detail. But afterwards it became plain to me that these were not the grounds upon which their conduct was meant to depend, that it was appealing to them on subjects beyond their reach, and at the same time taking them, by controversy, off from themselves and their own responsibilities. It was making them judges of churches, instead of teaching them to be obedient children of that in which God had placed them. It was, too, misleading them, as though they could judge, whereas they cannot judge; e.g. supposing that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome depended on a certain number of the passages of the Fathers and could be proved or disproved by them, yet simple minds must be entirely dependent on others as to any questions about the genuineness of passages, their interpretation, so that it was only a circuitous way in which at last they would depend upon one's self and one's own authority, as completely as if they at once avowedly did so. It is plain that for the main part of our flocks, the little ones and lambs of Christ, those who are His special care, this is not the way intended. Their convictions must rest on something more immediate and cognizable by all.

"This seems to me to be supplied by St. Paul's rule, 'Wherein a man was called, there let him abide with God.' It was not meant that he should change; all change implies something defective; the plain line, unless something intervene extraordinary, is to work out our salvation where He hath called us. Unless there be some great cause, breaking His order, it is not our business to go back to first principles,

22

DR. PUSEY'S ADVICE.

or examine foundations, but to build ourselves up in that most holy faith' which we have received, to live in and on that faith, not to examine for ourselves whether it be the faith. If we are placed where obedience is required, it is our duty mostly to obey, not to inquire. This, which is the plain duty of most simple Christians, is their privilege also. Life is not long enough for endless disputations, what we are to believe, where we are to be. It is for acting, growing in grace, not for disputing. The only question, then, seems to be whether we are in a body founded and ordered by God, which has the presence of Christ and the grace of the Sacraments; in other words, whether, where we are, we have the covenanted means of salvation. Now, to a member of a Church, her very existence as a Church guarantees this . . but now, in proportion to increasing difficulties, God seems to be bestowing upon us nearer and more immediate proofs, which appeal more directly to our consciences, and aid us more than abstract truth is wont to do. It, too, meets graciously the very difficulties we have. We are pressed from without with the question, 'Have we not, by having lost visible unity, and being severed from the rest of Christendom, lost also the privilege of a Church, while we preserve its form?' To this He has now given us the answer by tokens of His Presence among us. Every one, one may say the whole world, those of our Communion, and those who have rejected us, see that a great work is being carried on among us. Never, perhaps, has such a change been brought over the face of a Church as here in ours in the last ten years. And the work is evidently with our whole Church. It is not that a few individuals are being called out, it is a leavening of the whole Church; everything is in motion and everything in our direction; things prosperous and adverse, near or remote, in Church and State, all have one effect. Whatever change is made is towards truth and restoration. Nothing can be touched but it turns to good; every one receives something more than he did some years past; even those who oppose what is going on are themselves carried onward and take higher ground than they did before. With growth of truth there is also growth in life; there is everywhere, among the young especially, a deeper devotional life; children are often not what they used to be, but out of their mouths praise is perfected; we have deepening holiness, enlarged self-denial, stricter self-discipline, deepening humility, both in individuals and as a Church. There is an earnest

yearning for something better than we are; all are amazed at it, forcing a R[oman] C[atholic] after so long separation (to) look with interest and attention towards our Church, begin to acknowledge it, and to think individuals safe in it. One can only say, 'This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.' I can hardly understand how people, who see what God is doing, can think of leaving the place of His Presence. . . . I may say (though this is very subordinate, knowing the tempers of many who have gone over and those who, being tempted, have stayed) I should have no doubt, on this ground only, with whom I should wish my portion to be . . . I have, I think, found it most useful when people's minds have been disturbed to lead them to look back in what this disturbance originated. The most peaceful, dutiful, humble minds are not disturbed; how is it that I am?'... Does our friend know Mr. N[ewman's] sermon, 'Obedience the Remedy for Religious Perplexity'? Then his three articles in the British] C[ritic] on 'Geraldine,' 1 the Catholicity of the English Church, and on private judgment, are the best I know for settling a mind perplexed on this point. . . .

"Remember me very gratefully to your father, whenever you have an opportunity, and believe me, "Yours most faithfully,

"E. B. PUSEY.

"Vigil of S. Simon and S. Jude." [1842?]

Mr. Carter kept a copy of his answer to this letter.

"MY DEAR SIR,

“Burnham, Nov. 2.

You will

"On returning home after a rather long absence, I have been fully occupied with arrears of parochial business, or I would not have so long delayed writing to you to thank you for so kindly complying with my request, indeed so very far beyond my utmost expectations. excuse me, I hope, for saying that I have ever had cause of deepest gratitude to you for your publick writings, but above all, now for your great help to me personally. I have thought much on your views, and hope to act upon them, trusting that I may not myself be insensible to their power.

1 A religious novel, which Dr. Pusey considered "likely to do extersive mischief."