The National Register. — London, England, 1814-03-06 00:00:00

~~~`~ ~ ¢ .. 151 ine papa. ND. 11. boetrinet that sear our hearts, or swell our pride. Troths that ought be—though Christ had, never died %P.P4P' ANON Y 31011 0 ... REV. T. F. DIBDIN, F. S. A. NOTTNLY PAZ:dell-ER AT QUEBECK CHAPEL) NEAR OX FORD-STEEL:T. Nothin/ appears more plain, than Than it is to the poor that the gospel is chiefly preached. Hence we find. indeed, that not many rich, not many noble, not many mighty, are commonly enrolled amongst the followers of him who was acquainted with grief,' and are found sitting at the foot of the cross ! Subject as they nevertheless arc to the vicis situdes and afflictions of this mortal state, although exempt- . ded from some of its more frightful calamities, it is strange that most of our polished preachers should treat their accom plished .auditories as though they were elevated above both 'the instruction and the promises of religion; as though - their hearers had but little to fear from the denunciations of devine revelatlon, and still less to hope from its consolations. 'et there is not crne gospel for the poor, and another gospel Tor the tich. There is but one war, one truth, and one hope of life Vet tain preachers would here do well to exa mine themselves on this head, the' efot e, as they must solemnly account for the souls of their revertive auditors.- The Rev. Thom AS FltoG IV A LI. D 111 DIN, F. S. A. has ren Acted his name long since familiar to the literary world, though out as a theolozian ; the character in which it re mains to emu eciate his acquirements and his rank. Poetry at first engaged his chief attention. But though his earlier tilorts were thus dedicated to • the softer flame,' and his subsequent 'volumes have been mostly productions of taste, 'he has not thereby been induced ta forsake the task ht. norleitook, Deert his flock, anti break his ptoerat crsok ; Alol, waHerinz o'er the. Vlu-es' 11.1, Let the salvation of onankiad sttsocl still.' Instead of sulleriug his hibliogra2hical avoratioos to su p.._rsede his professional claims, or even idly wandering o'er the Mu , ,es . hill, we perceive Mr. Dibdin to be assid.otslv culiivatii=g those properties which seem already to have ten : - skied him somewhat eminent in preaching. It way with re ference to this, no doubt, that one of the daily critics, re roiding Mr. Dibdill'S Pncce.i; iri the pulpit a 1 the .("hapel ;f.L.-..0,1 at Brighton, riming the month of July, l'Al 0, pro 'pranced hint to have been tic ma...rtet wh i rr attraction -was so nowca•fully felt!" Such Nra, it may be , t h e fait?. .I::xcepting that he " dolivcred a very e!winent discourse , " •.."!iowever, to " a numerous mtg.' cgation," Mr. Dibdin's eulogist has not conceived it necessary to specify is wlv.t his attraction did consist. The mignetic preacher, then, if the present ;)reacher be . one, is him who appears to aim rather to charm the fancy than. to ; probe .the bosom ; and who suppoes that his work is done— if be can make but some passing impress on the sen sibilities of taste, while he fails either to propose. or enforce the demands of divine truth. Ile is one, this magnetic preacher, who may allure, but who cannot attach ; who may chance to amuse, but. cannot look to improve men. Imagination is suhversive of edification. Ile who thus indulges in the illusions of sentiment, when his business is with truth, will become less and less acc urate it: his estimates of perions and things, and will find that his instructions have no abiding iwpression either on the understand ug or the heart. Conscienee is the peculiar clement of the ji!" • - Trir, NATIONAL REGISTER. MARCH' 6. NM L. preacher. When conscience has performed , i4,,part, how ever, and the heart of stone,is..,turned to au heixt of flesh, still the preacher's office is not to soothe, except to save ; he is n't p flatter, but to console. Yet, forgetful. of these • great ends,' how many a preielter wanders wild ("Yerliumati life, exhibiting his dranghts Calin.'d alai transitory ; le distract Th . attentive eye, that with vain g:se.pwrsaes P Tber - e are persons, doubtless, who admire such sketches of mat; ; and they might be left to enjoy the pleasure de rived from" this source, were nest their gra'itication experi enced at the expence ref tbat- which will be found of inde scribable importance to them. Roused they must be, how ever, fi mil their beguiling views; roused, if not now by the voice Of mercy, at lengli, by the trump. of. •judgment ; roused, if not in life, its death,—if not in time, in eternity. Their delusion is, unhappily, an immortal one.— ' ilear the just boy, the jittignselit of the skiet, lie that shims truth, sits!i be the dupe of lies; And those that wt l t'e cheated to the Inst. Delusions strop . . as HAI •hal bind them fast 1' Whether Mr. Dibdin is yet unexperienced in, or has some icluctancc to press home. the requirements of the inspired word. kilo: to he decided in this plaz - e , but, setting this con sideration apart, lie may certainly claim some pre eminence above many of those clerical teachers who have diiported theimelves in the snnshine of fashion. llis literary attain- MCIIZS are conie,sedly respectab!e; his acquaintance with biblical criticism is sufficiently apparent ; and, together with a fine itna.;in.tt ion, he commands an highly captivating;llis appearance, also, is pleaiing, if not ; and his delivery k studkuly gracelul. Perhaps, his mats lin the pulpit is not ahcays strictly devoti•mal ; :bud he as evidently over cities hip part in reading the altar portions tle the church service. Let him appear less declamatory at the altar, therefore, and he less consequential when inONLS the IMUS. THE iNfLUENCE .OF' EDUC.LTION ON THE 'ORAL AND POLITICAL WORLD. No. 2. Focigite ut mores renew% came dicat s Vt si quis cera inulttim facit.—Juv. • The formation of manners is so connected with canna**, and so essential to men of all ranks and conditions, from the highest to the lowest, that it would appear incongruous to separate them. Advantues, attendant on these principles, being inculcated at an early age, as the only enjoyment of a terrestrial existence and hope of future reward, are suffici ently obvious. Their beneficial results daily unfold them selves in our commerce with mankind. A polite educatioe tends to. weaken the more violent and fierce.emotio»s. • kg-view dOeisse fide!iter wits Einollit mores, necsimit esseferos " Orid de route, ii. 9. 47. Without information the farmer would be iAnorant of seed-time and harvest, And unacquainted with the manage ment and culture of the soil, from the produce of which we derive our very nutriment. Without knowledge, the me ch4nic would be unable to bring his invaluable discoveries to "perfection, so necessary to khe comforts of his fellow crea tures; without learning ministers could not propagate the word oT God, nor explain the hidden mysteries contained in holy writ to the spiritual 'comfort of their hearers; neither could statesnaen harangue in the senate, nor enact and pro mulgate wthlesonle and salutary statutes for the happiness of