The National Register. — London, England, 1813-09-26 00:00:00

No 8. Broad is the toad, ncr d:fficult to find, ‘Vhi,:ti to the house of Satire leads niatiLind ; Narrow and or frequented are the ways, Scarce found out in an age, which lead to Praise ! CHURCHILL. REV. TI7O.IIAS SMITH, MINISTER OFTRINITY-CHAPEL, IN LEATHER-LANE, HOLBORN. • MASON has some remarks on preaching, towards the con clusion of his Ticatise on Self-knowledge, which may be deemed not unacceptable at this moment. Sonic," cab serves this author, 4 6 are best pleased with those discourses 11 that are pathetic and warming ; others, with what is mote r: solid and rational ; and others, with the sublime and mysti cal: nothing can be too plain for the taste of some, or too 'e fined for that of others. Some are for having the acld'ess only to their reason and understanding; others, only to their affections and passions; and others, to their experience a"d consciences; and every hearer or reader is apt to jodze ac cording to his particular taste, and to esteem him the best preacher or writer who pleases him most." While he admits, howe'er, that " it is natural for every one to desire to have his own taste pie .sed," respecting preaching, he thinks it most unreasonable for any one to " expect that he who speaks in public should always sneak to his taste " Amidst these diversities of taste, our author adds. neve , theless, that de it is the preacher's duty to adapt his subjects' to the taste of his hem ers, as far as fidelity and cons( ience will admit ; because it is well known, from reason and exrerierice, as well as the advice and practice of the apostle Paul, that this is the best way to piomote their satisfaction." Edification of the bearers being the true end of preaching, and the adaptation cf the preacher to their mental and spi ritual taste, consistently with conscience, being the method by which to accomplish this end, there can be no question but that the popular preacher, if honestly so, is most calcu lated to benefit the people by his instructions. Now who popular preachers are, concerning our own country, can scarcely admit of doubt. There may be diversity of criti cism in point of taste, but there is no discordancy of opinion on this head. Ministers are no longer popular, though many such there clearly are. who do not preach the funda mental andtdistinguishing doctrines of our most holy faith, whether men will hear or forbear, from an assured convic tion of the truth, and with the impress of their ihiportance. The night of ecclesiastical sutierstition is now past. Talents must . in some sot t distinguish the mind, and faith animate the heart, of that preacher who would now adorn his voca tion himself, and be the hallowed instrument of turning others to righte,:usness. Ethical pulpiteers have had their day ; - Men now look for christian preachers. The Rev. THOMAS SMITH, formerly of Wymondlcy, afterwards 'preacher at Ila•ton Chapel, and now Minister of Trinity. Chapel, in Leather Lane, near Holborn, presents, happily for himself and hearers, an evangelical exception to those model n teachers who either do not apprehend or can not inculcate the principles of religious truth. Such a • workman' has not to d-ead the criticism of men. Gifted with the best gifts,' he will not shrink from the ordeal of opinion, by pleading the sanctity of his function in bar of posi• ive deficiences. Criticism will not deprive that preacher of the respect of his people, who is at all qualified to dis charge the demands of the station which he undertook to sustain; nor would immunity from criticism, provided it AL REGISTERS S. could be enjoyed, long serve to shield an incompetent in structor, although his offs( e itself were sacred, from the contempt and neglect of his flock. The sheep will not hear his voice ;—a stranger, theologically estranged, they will not follow. Attention is indispensable to preachers. Scripture lays much stress on the hearing ear;' and it is known that sntne eminent ministers, among whom was Mr. Cecil, have conceived it of the greatest moment to obtain the attention of their auditors in the very outset of their sermons He must first gain the ear, who would fix the though's, and aims to reach the heart. Eccentrici'y is not necessary to this end ; for, certainly, en eloquent preacher may at once command the listening multitude, even in the gay season of .he spring, without having recourse, though a ' fisher of man,' to the stratagem of crying mackarel from the pulpit ! * The Rev. Thomas Smith may well disdain such arts. His person, his manner, his matter,—the dignity of his ap pearance, the gravity of his deportment, the solemnity of his address.—all combine to impress the hearer with an in stantapeous fee!ing of respect; and rrepare him to expect something more than is ordinarily collected from those, who, far from distributing the bread of life, cannot izatbet up the fragments, nor direct to the crumbs that fall from the mas ter's table, and which are apportioned even to the dogs. Such is not the Rev. T. Smith. Rich it, hope and in truth, completely armed with the gospel panoply. he fights the flight of faith. Putting on as it were the whole armour of God, like the true soldier of ("hoist, whose weanons, though not of this wrld, are mighty in the warfare to which they are consecrated, thus this preacher goes forth, and, mustering his whole powers, makes full proof of his commission, by defending, asserting. ad vancing, and maintaining the great cause in which he is enlisted, and preparing the way for that kingdom, to whose sovereign all enemies must be subdued. Such is the Rev. T. Smith. his voice is powerful ; his action always impressive, and frequently striking; his language, though intelligibly plain, sometimes highly figurative; and, what seems more im portant than these things, his sermons arc scriptural, search ing, convincing, experimental, conso'atory, efficacious. lie has received the truth, the whole of the truth, and he dis penses the truth. Preachers like him, indeed, are not numerous. Ws have many teachers, it is true; but we have few who are entitled to the hallowed distinction of being considered as fathers in faith ! Preaching has become a system in regard of learning, and a trade with respect to practice. Men will see the effects of this ere long. Preaching must cease to be what it has become—theological trafficking—before we can reasonably look either for honesty in the pulpit or for piety in the nation. The wheat has seldom needed fanning more than now. ON ESIMUS. • This was actually the case. Not - many years since, the Rer. Rowland Hill °llene(' Ont . of his Discourses, at Surrey Chapel, with the singularly attractive exclamation of Aliiekai el 0!' He in stantly caught the attention of the congregated throng. One day bet week a private Of the 1 th litissarg, stationed at Lewes, led the fair object of his affection to the, altar of Hymen, and th nce to one of the barrack huts to celebrate the wedding ; bat ere the hour of r.lisminuation had arrived, the hride'i, breast was, born some canse or ,o ti t r, a ioflamed with ,jealousy and revenge, that she suddenly seized the sabre of her husband, which %%as han ; :ing in the tonal, and with it ii;fl eted wounds on one of his arms, wlcch tor a time ihre:,tened put at ; but the bleeding being at length with ditficully stopped, the operation was delayed. and we tire glad to hear that strong hopes 111 11 II OW entertained of saving the poor luau's limb. etit —tim,mololllm THE "VON =2ll;ram===kamilloqi. put.