re was not Pious; yet we are far from saying
that he had not all the credit of piety. His name, in fact, was always
conspicuous among the most bountiful contributors to the religious
societies. Indeed he looked upon most of them as excellent auxiliaries
to the cold and scanty labors of those worldly-minded or indolent
pastors, who think, when they have furnished every family in the parish
with a Bible and a sheaf of tracts, that they have done their duty. Mr.
Lucre, consequently, bore an excellent character everywhere but among
the poor, sick, and indigent of his two large parishes; and if a
eulogium had been called for on him, he would have received an admirable
one from the societies to whose funds he contributed, from the gentry of
his respective parishes, and from the grand juries of the two counties
in which they we're situated.

What more than this could be expected? Here was ample testimony for
those who required it, to establish the zeal, efficiency, talents,
integrity, charity and piety of that worthy and useful minister of
God--the Rev. Phineas Lucre, D.D.

Such were a few of the virtues which belonged to this gentleman. His
claims for preferment were, indeed, peculiarly strong; and when we
mention the political influence of himself and his friends, his wife's
powerful connections, added to his able pamphlets, and the great mass
of sound information regarding the state of the country, which in the
discharge of his religious duties, he communicated from time to time to
the government of the day--we think we have said enough to satisfy our
readers that he ought not to be overlooked in the wealthy and pious
Establishment, which the Irish Church then was. Still, in fact, we
cannot stop here, for in good truth Mr. Lucre had yet stronger claims
for preferment than any we have yet mentioned. He did not stand in need
of it. In addition to a large dowry received with his wife, he possessed
a private fortune of fourteen hundred pounds per annum, with which,
joined to his two large livings, he was enabled to turn out a very
primitive and apostolic equipage, such as would have made the hearts
of the Apostles rejoice in reflecting, that so many new virtues were
to spring up in the progress of society from the lowly-religion they
established.

Such is a pretty full sketch of a large class which existed at a former
period in the Established Church of Ireland. Mr. Lucre was, besides,
what may be termed one of the first fru