Brian Condon: Letters and Documents in 19th Century Australian Catholic History
[Source: Adelaide Archdiocesan Archives copy]
24 September 1823
Gentlemen,
To learn from your address that for some time past it has been in contemplation to erect a Presbyterian Church in Sydney, gives me great satisfaction. You will find the intention of easy execution, I trust, since the number of Presbyterians in these Colonies you state to be, at present, very considerable and increasing daily.
Of the Church of England one of the glories is her toleration. If therefore there be aught in her Ritual in conforming to which you feel any repugnance, this Church would be the first to recommend to you to adopt for yourselves the public ordinances which in your opinion might tend the most to glorify Religion. It is on this principle that the British Government has liberally encouraged Presbyterianism in the many Countries enumerated in your address, it is on the same principle that she has afforded in this Colony, Pastors of their own persuasion to our Roman Catholic Brethren, and it was in furtherance of this view that the Colonial Government deemed it advisable to lend her support in the erection of a Roman Catholic Chapel.
You state the hopes of your present address to be founded upon this precedent, but before you had touched upon this example, it would have been well to have rendered its application complete. It was not until the British Government had determined upon pensioning Roman Catholic teachers of her nomination. It was not until two Priests had been resident in the Colony for more than three years, nor until they had proved by the Spirit of Christianity that animates their actions the care and direction with which the choice had been effected, it was not until the Roman Catholic Chapel had been carried forward with ardour for eighteen months and an elegant building to which thirteen hundred pounds had been privately subscribed, languished for want of a further fund, it was not until all these circumstances had preceded that the Colonial Government considered herself justified in extending her munificence to its support.
When therefore the Presbyterians of this Colony shall have advanced by the means of private donations in the erection of a Temple worthy of Religion where in the choice of their teachers they shall have discovered a judgement equal to that which has presided at the Selection of the Roman Catholic Clergymen, when they shall have practised what they propose, "To instruct the people to fear God and honour the King," when by endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, in a Colony requiring it more than all things they shall have shown through their lives the Influence of the Holy Religion they profess, then assuredly will the Colonial Executive step forward to extend its countenance and support to those who are following the Presbyterian Creed.
Signed,
Thomas Brisbane
Government House Sydney
Wednesday September 24th. 1823
[Note: The most extensive collection of transcriptions of Fr Therry's correspondence remains Eris O'Brien's The Foundation of Catholicism in Australia; life and letters of Archpriest John Joseph Therry, Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1922]