Letter to the Friends and Subscribers of the Church Pastoral-Aid Society

A fervent appeal from a senior clergyman, this pamphlet opens a public dispute that erupted in the early nineteenth‑century Church of England. When Rev. Dr. Molesworth published a scathing letter accusing the Church Pastoral‑Aid Society of misconduct, the author steps forward to counter the charges, insisting that the accusations are more about personal ambition than genuine concern for the Church’s welfare.

The Society, he explains, was created to support parish ministers by providing modest financial aid for additional clergy, lay assistants, and new chapels. Its statistics show a reach of over two million souls, hundreds of incumbents assisted, and dozens of new worship spaces opened. Critics claim the Society oversteps by vetoing appointments, yet the defender argues that its role is strictly to fund and verify, leaving all decisions to the incumbent clergy.

In a measured, scriptural tone, the writer urges subscribers and friends to reaffirm their support, warning that abandoning the Society would weaken a proven instrument of pastoral care across the nation.