The National Register. — London, England, 1816-03-24 00:00:00

" 5 11fitl., - *lf 1110 l `11), our %ling, contitution anb itatoo. No. 429.—V0r.. VIII. kunbiap 2ElllllOcmcitt,:l. TILE OBSERPATION OF TIIE SABBATH. ABSTINENCE from secular employment is the first p. rt of the duty enjoined on the Sablrath,---attcntion to the exercises of religion, and to moral cultivation of the tatind, is the second obe:limee to the firmer, is necessary to the due pertiommice of the latter; and when they go hand in hand, this sacred institution tnlfils all its objects. Salutary refreshment from bodily toil, and rapid progress in mental improvement would thus become the beneficial fruits of the same politic and benevolent arrangements._ The allotment of so large a portion of our time as the seventh to rest, and the appointment of regular instruc tors at proper distances, to expound to the assembled people their dutici to open their understandings, or to lead their devotions; leave nothing either to be devised, o: desired for ameliorating the physical condi tions of tiv labouring classes, or exalting their intellec tual capacities. Accurdingly, where the observation of the Sabbath approximates most to the injunctions of scripture! and the practice of the first christians, the people are always thund the most regular in their habits, the most improved in their understandings, and the most prudent in their conduct. An appeal on this subject need only be made to the inhabitants of Scnt'an 1, of Switzerland, and Holland. A scale exhibiting the gmlations of intelligence, of moral cultivation, and of relitions attainment, discoverable viliong the lower orders of different countries, might almost, with tolerable accu racy, be drawn up from an attentive observation of the mode in which they respectively fulfil the duties of Sunday. The experiment may be tried very successfully, we are convinced, with respeLt to our own empire, thc. nations of the continent, and the States of America. It is almost unnecessary to add, that the rule cannot be ex pected to apply universally, excepting to the lower orders cotton in m their youth, and who have access to books or (Oat. sources of knowledge during almost every day of their lives, ioe not so dependent upon this institution; but the labouring and less affluent orders, who have almost no 'cisme excepting on the Sabbath for acquiring moral iastruction, and no teachers but the clergy, if they impiously crime= the provision made fbr their benefits in this appointment of their religion, or negligently fail to take advantage of them, are likely to remain in hope lo ss ignorance, or to advance in unchecked depravity. The breach of the Sabbath is with them not a solitary crime. Its thrgetfulness is with them not an ouiission of duty, the effects of which can 'Le soon repaired, the con sequences of which can be easily limited. Sabbath breaking in their situation, is bath ti test of the commence ment of certain irreligious and criminal habits, and a prognostic of others; it both indicates that they have made advances into the regions of vice, and that they have cut the best fintmled hopes of their return. In - short, it is equivalent to the extinction of the best guard of the morals and religion of humble life, it is a renunciation of the antidote when the principles of action arc poisoned. Accordingly, we find that those unworthy members of :.:;ciety Who have been led on from one degree of wicked b.ss to another, till they have rendered themselves the victims of criminal jnytice, lament, in their confessions, their contempt of the duties and employments of Sunday as the first and most heinous of their offences. All re ligious obligation, all serious reflection, all moral amend. ment, UR progress in piety and virtue anumg the lower orders, arc in this country identified with the punctual ob.. servance of the thurtit eminnanament. When we see it, then bee, neglected by them, we may consider the neg lect as a symptm o` . general corruption, and may infer that those who abuse the rest which the hoc allows them for strengthening the:r principles, fiar improving their hearts, and acquiring the knowledge of the truths of christianity, are not likely to secure any other less favourable opportunities for accomplishing these grout purposes. While we show the importance of attending to the duties of the Saidstth, we do not mean to represent it us a sea.:en of unreiax;sl seriousness, or to recommend its oh foCrYWIL!CS a; a syaem of gloomy restraint. Nothing can be more "oriel than the manner in which it has been hallowed by 4ilti.rent nations, and in different me es; but the true mcii:nn between licentious freedom, and ex cessive strictness, has, we believe, s.!idom been found. To work on the seventh day, was with the Jews a tar& I SIJNI)AY, MARCH 24, 181 G. tal offence, &valise, according to the conjecture of Gro tins, this abuse of it was supposed to imply a disbelief of creation for celebrating the conclusion of which the Sab bath was instituted. Instances have occurred in the history of this people, where being attacked on the Sab bath day, they made no defence, choosing rather to submit to certain destruction, than to transgress a posi tive commandment by o&ring resistance; and we learn from the questions they put to our Saviour, with what reverence they viewed it even at that late period. The followers of Christ and his Apostles, though they changed the (lay, continued the institution, and laid down the true principles of its observance, which they strictly ad hered to in their own practice. When the corruptions of Christianity began to prevail, the Sabbath depending only on positive appointment, was the first institu tion that sufferial front ignorance and perversity. It was no longer a day set apart for receiving instruction, and forwarding the interests of enlightened piety, but became a season devoted to the exhibition of unmean ing pageantry, or the licentiousness of dissolute pleasures. The Reformation restored this divine institution to its former objects, and converted it into the most effective instruments of human improuements; but the first re limners in renouncing the abuses to which popery had subjected it, passed to the other extreme, of formality and restraint. The severest laws were enacted against Sab bath breakers ; the most innocent enjoyments were pro scribed ; no person was allowed to appear on the streets or the high roads, during divine service r in some places the windows of private houses were ordered to be shut up : and, in short, every method was taken to associate reli gions improvements with penance, mortification and gloom. The Puritans, in the time of Charles 1. and of the Commonwealth, had proceeded so far in this literal inter pretation of the command in this unnecessary and morose strictness, that, according to the saying of a learned judge, they were disposed to prevent, even the working of small beer upon the Sunday, ifthey could have accomplished it. other days of the week. When we walk within and around this metropolis,—when the see erery vehicle and animal that can be tZnind engliFed to curry its population from their homes and their duties,—when we observ: , the haunts of pleasure full, and the places of worship almost deserted,—when we hear the noise of riot fix* tie nu. merous houses ()flow dissipation,—and consider the insig nificant prfreortion of the poor, and the labouring classes oF the community that take the benefit of rel4;tous in struction, or devote their leisure to the concerns of their spiritual nature, we may see reason to dread that this country is hastening to the situation of the Catholic na tions of the contimu., where the Christian Sabbath is (oily considered as a festival, or day of amusement, and honoured only with full sights, with horse-races, with tire-works, with reviews, with concerts, and dramatic ex hibitions. If the people of England should ever arrive at this state of dis.ipution, Crewell to our national gran deur, our public virtue, our constitutional liberties. The foundation of them was laid by our revered ancestors in religion ; upon this foundation they have stood, amid the tempests ofrevolution ; and, by its removal, they will be shaken and overturned. Let, then, every futility be granted to the tewerorders tier attending divine service ; let every inducement be held out to them to enter the temples of their Maker. Sunday is peculiarly allotted for them,—they stand most in need of its instructions, and if its advantages be pro perly improved, they must rise in the scale of virtue and intelligence. The &hi in which the ministers of the Gospel are allowed to expatiate is extensive,--the topics they are called to discuss are su numerous, both in his tory, govermnent and philosophy,—the moral and divine truths which they are required to expound and enforce arc so important, and so universally interesting, that in the dis.•ourses from the pulpit, a great portion of human knowledge may be communicated to those, who, under other systems, would hare remained in hopeless igno rance. The Christian religion, from its professed reve lations, its prophetic and historical character, fitrnishes an opportunity of going hack to the origin of the world, of tracing' the migrations and Ix>livical coneition of the first inhabitants of the earth,—of following the fin-tunes of a particular people through a long succession of ages, --of surveying the pmgress ofmoral improvement, wider the influence of new eircumstame•.--(XobS , zrVing the in tentions of (;eel in his great dispn.:Litions of judgment and tuere,y,—a ea - Omitting the nature, the relatiuus, and • Ottr+ Pricy 9 'd the hopes of man,—and of gratifying our imagination with the prospect of the teizlity chan..x•-; and revolutions which we, and the sy,t..na in which we ;tre placed, have vet to undergo. Out of each, or all of these, many im pormnt questions arise; and by each of them many re searches are ruggested, which , - -- nc:7e the understand ing both of the teacher a• r.e t'•_ ;.:t. The minds of the poor, the illiterate, classes,.—of the young, the thoughtlem, and the inconsiderate, if they Rion- the reasonings and speculations of their instructor in a range lilac that above stated, must be insensibly eti largcd ; while, by the exhortations and persuacions that. he mixes in his discourse, their hearts must be ameliorated, and their aims exalted. Neither Pluto nor Cicero could have imagined, that the time would ever arrive, when, by the simple institution of the Sabbath, and a Christian ministry, the lowest of our p.ople could gain access w the knowledge of truths, or the conduct of researches, which, in their time, were confined within the breast, or the schools of the learned. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, 110179 E OP LORDS, MONDAY MARCH I. Counsel were heard in the case of. ir W. Lewes •. Morgan. Farther proceeding, on eduesday next, Petitions against the Property:fa x generally were presente from Berkshire and other TUESHM, %RCN 19. The Earl of Shaftesbury brought up the Report of the Select Committee on East India judicature. The Earl of Lauderdale presented a petition from Rir rtford against the Property Ordered to be laid on the wine. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20. Counsel were finally heard in the appeal of Sir W. Lewes t. Morgan--Judgment postponed. The Marquis Chohnondeley took the oaths and his seat. l'he Mutiny 11111 went thronzit a Cournitte,7. MtRCII 21. Mr. Came pre;ented several accounts :lam the Ordnanea, Office. The Mntiny fill, and the Marine Mutiny Mil, were real a third time and passed. —Adjourned. FXID %V, Mann: 22. a__._• • a 5..., am- riga YTICIACIII, anti gape of (;unil Hope Trod, mu, Lord DERN% presented a petit:on front the nantilacturers and others or the town of Lancaster, ag.tio,t the Inaolvent Debtors 11111. FIN Ixcr. The Marquis of L tasnows.t: rose to deprecate any endea vour that his 31ajesty's Government might make for the exten sion of loans. Ile contended that Parliament ought to watck amt btkii earn thkt the system of raising supplies by loan dig( not involve the ccuntry iu distresses more serious, if possible, than it laboured under at present. The Earl of Liven root. said, there was no disposition on the part of Government to rake supplies by any means beyond tue establishment required for the country. The Earl of LAI:M.:RIME took the opportunity to impress on the Hoase the necessity of an early investigation respecting the state of the currency. He considered the Government and Parliament bound to meet the question fairly, and to give the public all possible information upon that important subject. sT.vrr. OF lIZEI.AND. The Marfinia of LA PI!DOWNE cave notive of the intention of the 3larquil of Iteckingharn to make a motion on Friday next on the State of Ireland. EAST INDIA ACCOUNTS AND SLAVE. TRADE. Lord GRENVILLE. previous to making hi.= motion on the Slave Trade, which stood on order, gave notice of his intention to x proposition on a future day respecting the coedit situ' which hail long occurred in the account kept of the politi cal and commercial affairs in the Ea.t Indies. His Lordship then adverted to the state of the Slaves in the West India Cola nits, and observed that it eta necessary the House be put in possession of infiirinatien respecting the operation o f the Abolition Bill. The Noble Baron intimated his intention to introduce such a measure, iniel come Imde il by moving for (topic' of laws and estilatiens in f!iee e in th e West Indies for the Ea vermeil! of slaves; also for ail docionvinsrebpectitiz ate egert produced by the Abolition Bill on the Black population of the Colonies. The motion, after a few observations from Lord Holland :aid Earl Bathurst, was agreed to --Tiny House adjourm,,t. HOUSE OF COMMONS, lio►nAr, ll[~Rrn ifs. Prtitiona R.gaing the Property-Tax were pkv:zeitted fro, Ab,•rk!e(ll, \l'oreeter, The Marine Mutiny Hill was read s third ti me an d pa•sed. E Sir W. I.mon P . resentintz a retit.on :isainst the Propt rty. T*% 6011) ealliUglOU, Stated his sent iniehts to be in unison wait the petitioners. Mr. limn Guam asked whether any As , istaint Surgeons had be e n Appointed, since the peace, in the Dock -card : Sir G. Warm Laimn replied, that there had been three ap pointed, the expellee of nitich appointments would be tiwnd is th e E.ntininte,. A petition was presented from Southampton against the Pro. perty•Ta•. Lord Four FSTON said, in consequence of what hail passed, respeeling the South .4444.1044 Petition hero:; In t, another meet ing %ram railed 4.n Satimtlity and to a minutes many hum. duet' , had signed it. A Rt. I ton. Geinle 'lnn had eased the persons signing the petition paupers. 1 , 444.4 w, whether they I "I-' vor-o 411,sgyop.