hills, or in curacies like Sydney Smith's on Salisbury Plain, or
wandering sadly by the shore of Shetland fiords, there may be men
who had in them the makings of eminent preachers; but whose powers
have never been called out, and are rusting sadly away: and in whom
many petty cares are developing a pettiness of nature.

I have observed that in those advertisements which occasionally appear
in certain newspapers, offering for sale the next presentation to
some living in the Church, the advertiser, after pointing out the
various advantages of the situation, frequently sums up by stating
that the population of the parish is very small, and so the
clergyman's duty very light. I always read such a statement with
great displeasure. For it seems to imply, that a clergyman's great
object is, to enjoy his benefice and do as little duty as possible
in return for it. I suppose it need not be proved, that if such
were truly the great object of any parson, he has no business to
be in the Church at all. Failing health, or powers overdriven, may
sometimes make even the parson whose heart is in his work desire a
charge whose duty and responsibility are comparatively small: but
I firmly believe that in the case of the great majority of clergymen,
it is the interest and delight they feel in their work, and not
its worldly emolument, that mainly attach them to their sacred
profession: and thus that the more work they have to do (provided
their strength be equal to it), the more desirable and interesting
they hold their charge to be. And I believe that the earnest pastor,
settled in some light and pleasant country charge, will oftentimes,
even amid his simple enjoyment of that pleasant life, think that
perhaps he would be more in the path of duty, if, while the best
years of his life are passing on, he were placed where he might
serve his Master in a larger sphere.