504 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF THE LATE REV. DR CHALMERS. 



of Scotland. However ample and effective had been the supply of these elements 

 of human improvement in the agricultural parishes and districts, the commercial 

 and maniifacturing population had quite outgrown them, and the work required to 

 be recommenced, and taken in hand in good earnest. He was, therefore, a strenu- 

 ous and constant advocate for carrying out the system of territorial suBDrvisiON. 

 There was a vitally important principle in the accomplishing this great end, and 

 one which Dr Chalmers established with great ability : it was the principle of 

 providing for the work being efectuaUy done, in the particular portions or dis- 

 tricts chosen — not only the taking in hand the worst localities, but in every one 

 of these laying a sufficient foundation or substratum of good, so far as you go. 

 I think this principle was first taken up by Dr Cualmers. It is of immense im- 

 portance, and I know was adopted from Dr Chalmers by the Bishop of London, 

 in consequence of consultation with him regarding the plans for providing churches, 

 schools, and parsonages, for the recently-formed masses of the destitute popula- 

 tion of the great metropolis. The experiment was tried in Bethnal Green, where 

 ten new parishes were formed, dividing the population into sections manageable 

 by a pastor, and curate, and school. For Avant of attending to this principle, a 

 grant of a million of money for church-building in England had been rendered 

 comparatively ineffective. Churches and schools Avere set down here and there ; 

 lost in the mass of surrounding poverty and destitution, their influence was little 

 felt, — in some cases almost unnoticed.* 



I have now to notice, in connection with the political economy of Dr Chalmers, 

 an important incident of his life. And I must allude to an achievement which 

 exercised the greatest influence upon his own views of the parochial system and 

 management of the poor, and which excited astonishment, admiration, and scep- 

 ticism amongst his contemporaries. I refer to the remarkable effects produced by 

 management of the poor in St John's Parish, Glasgow, under his direction and su- 

 perintendence. I Avill endeavour to make a plain and distinct statement of the 

 FACTS, as established by the evidence of the parties concerned in the operation. 



It is Avell known how exceedingly Dr Chalmers was opposed to the support of 

 the poor by a compulsory assessment; that is to say, the ordinary wants and the 

 ordinarv support of the poor. He approved of assessments for disease and casu- 

 alties, for supporting infirmaries, dispensaries, and lunatic asylums, also for ex- 

 traordinary emergencies of famine, pestilence, or catastrophe ; but general poor- 



* This principle of territori.al subdivision, for which Dr Chalmers, as a Christian philanthropist, 

 so long contended, is at last acknowledged as the essential preparation for bringing spu'itual instruction 

 to bear upon the worst portions of our crowded and demoralised population. Lord Ashley, the en- 

 lightened friend of the poor, has, ivith the full approbation of the Premier, moved for a commission 

 to inquire into the best method of dividing all parishes in England which contain a population of 

 10,000 or upwards. 



