gregations even of
existing churches. But the want of church extension, and the dearth of
ministers, tends to produce and increase this heathenism, and therefore
it indirectly tends to diminish the numbers of the present attendants
upon divine service. And what a mockery, in some instances, has the
so-called divine service hitherto been! The director-general of roads in
Van Diemen's Land, some years ago, chose to place catechists and clergy
under a ban, though there was no great risk of his gangs being much
troubled by them, when they had so many other duties to fulfil. And what
was the system which this wise manager of roads chose to substitute for
the teaching of Christ's ministers? At every road-station, daily,
morning and evening, readings of the sacred Scriptures were established,
and "devotional exercises" were added on the sabbath. Well, but who
officiated? Let Archdeacon Hutchins reply in the very words used by him,
when the matter was brought before the notice of the government in 1837.
"These readings of the Scriptures were performed generally, if not
always, by _some of the very worst of the convicts themselves_,
selected, no doubt, for the purpose, not on account of their wickedness,
but of their abilities. They are the best readers, or the cleverest
fellows; and therefore, amongst rogues, generally the greatest. These
are men by whom, as far as the director is concerned, the seed of
religious knowledge is scattered among the road parties. How far
there may be a rational hope of the Divine blessing accompanying such
endeavours, I leave to be declared by any one possessed of common sense
and some little acquaintance with Scripture."[209] Even Jeroboam, the
son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, only "made priests of the _lowest_
of the people;" he did not, that we read of, appoint the _vilest_
characters he could find to that office.

[209] See Speech of the Bishop of Tasmania at Leeds, Nov. 28,
1842, p. 16.

The greater part of the settlers in New South Wales and Tasmania have
been derived from those classes, who, in England, except in the rural
districts, have, until recently, been well nigh shut out from their
parish churches; and, in many instances, their mode of life here was
little likely to lead them to a regular attendance upon the public
worship of God, even where there was room for them. But nothing more
surely produces distaste and carelessness in this matter than the total
absence of all regu