All 5 Uses of
clergy
in
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- While I liv'd in Boston most of my hours of leisure for conversation were spent with him, and he continu'd a sober as well as an industrious lad; was much respected for his learning by several of the clergy and other gentlemen, and seemed to promise making a good figure in life.†
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- The piece, being universally approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the Continent; reprinted in Britain on a broad side, to be stuck up in houses; two translations were made of it in French, and great numbers bought by the clergy and gentry, to distribute gratis among their poor parishioners and tenants.†
- Those, however, of our congregation, who considered themselves as orthodox Presbyterians, disapprov'd his doctrine, and were join'd by most of the old clergy, who arraign'd him of heterodoxy before the synod, in order to have him silenc'd.†
- He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refus'd him their pulpits, and he was oblig'd to preach in the fields.†
- This gave the clergy of the different sects an opportunity of influencing their congregations to join in the association, and it would probably have been general among all but Quakers if the peace had not soon interven'd.†
Definition:
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(clergy) formal religious leaders (typically in Christianity)editor's notes: Clergy is typically used in reference to Christian churches; however, clerics (members of the clergy) are referred to in different ways for different denominations. A Catholic priest is the equivalent of a Protestant minister. A pastor is any Christian cleric in charge of a congregation or parish. The clergy is distinguished from the laity.