BROWN. 217 iuto all parochial matters at his visitations. He gave the example himself by constantly attending divine service twice a day, and by preaching every Sunday evening at the several parish churches alternately. During his residence at Cork, he was involved in a contest with one of his clergy, of the name of Dallas, on account of the latter not complying with the orders of his superior. The faet was this : The ceremony of marriage, before the bishop's time, was equally performed in the private house of the parties, or at church, just as they themselves settled it: Dr. Brown issued out general direc- tions at an early visitation, and by the usual official notices, "That no clergyman in his diocese, after such a day, should marry any couple in his diocese, but in the body of the parish church of one of the parties." This order was inadvertently broke through by Mr. Dallas, who was persuaded, by the influence of his pupil (a gentleman of considerable fortune), to marry him at his own house. Dallas perhaps thought the particular occasion might make the bishop overlook it; or, at the worst, a slight apology would atone for his transgression : bat Dr. Brown was not of a temper thus easily to forgive so marked a dereliction from the path of duty. He summoned Dallas to appear before him, and he not willing to make such an apology as his bishop dictated, a spiritual law-suit com- imenced, whieh, after travelling through all the courts, finally rested in a confirmation of the bishop's sentence, which was a suspension from all ecclesiastical duties. Blame was attached to both parties at the time: to Dallas, for the first breaking through the positive orders of his diocesan; and to the bishop, for pursuing an offence of so trivial a nature with such rigid perseverance. This apology, however, may fairly be made for the bishop, who, beside having officially a fault to correct in his inferior, had to give an example to the rest of his clergy, who might on other occasions plead apologies for transgressing his orders. The issue, however, was fatal to poor Dallas,
