He got into some difficulties at this time in consequence of reporting to his bishop a clergyman who would not listen to his remonstrances; but mutual explanations succeeded in making everything right. The clergyman in question lived away from his cure, and thought proper to enjoy unclerical, but otherwise harmless, sports. Mr. Spencer, of course, was against this, but did not succeed in imbuing the other with his sentiments. Notwithstanding these notions of self-righteousness, he was far from incurring much censure for officiousness. His character and mode of life gained him so much respect that he could administer even reproof without provoking anger, except where it was too richly deserved. A letter of Dr. Blomfield's to him after this visit, bears out this remark. The Bishop says: ... "I hope you will look back on your visit to Chester with pleasure. You may have the satisfaction of believing that you have done good to many _young_ clergymen, who had an opportunity of conversing with you, if not to many _old_ ones. I was very glad to set before them the example of a young man of rank and good prospects devoted in singleness of heart to the duties of his holy calling." That his single-mindedness and piety should have thus led him astray is not to be wondered at; for, besides the want of a state where such virtues could be properly cultivated, he had to breathe a religion whose first principles tend directly that way. The exercise of private judgment in what primarily concerns salvation must always lead one astray, because articles of faith are not creatures of human intelligence, neither are they within its compass to understand. He had, of course, a private judgment shackled by contradictions, as every subscriber of the Thirty-nine Articles has. He had an authority to obey which gave a dubious sound, and he was told plainly by the same voice that itself was defectible; the only tie to obedience was the condition on which he discharged his clerical functions; it was natural that he should see through this, from his very single-mindedness, and overlook the conditions while trying to unravel the knots with which they bound him. His birthday reflections this year, 1825, show that he did not begin to retrace his steps. They are as follows:-- {133}