The National Register. — London, England, 1813-09-12 00:00:00

C. Iq. R Cbe 0 Ipti 4 . No 7. Lo! chapels, where, with clue consent, S ute preach by Act of Pallieunent ; Aid chapels where, with canting tone, Sonic preach by no act save their own! Norio. MP 41.,.... PET: 'GAD IILTIVINGTON, M. G. FROM LEWES, IN SUSSEX. %dlr. Judging by what has transpired of late years, and especially by the present aspect of the religious world, it would seem as if all who imagine themselves to be ' the Lord's people,' are, according to the exclatna!ion of the prophet,, at length become prophets,' or, in plainer terms, preachers. it can no longer be said, even of the flock of Chi ist, that it is a . little one; " nor is the election of grace a remnant, but a large piece. Study the Daughter of Zion is not now left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumber:, or as a besieged city ! We live at a period, indeed, when the state of religion is extensive, and the profession of it has become quite fashionable." Surveying the religionists of our times, it is evident, if the foregoing representation be just, that chtumstances suffici en!ly justify some inquisition. Wheresoever we tint' our • eves, the abuses of relijon, amidst professions of peculiar sanctity, at once strike our observation and demand our iavestigation ; whether tiey nose us in " the stupid ctilisions and rank nonsense of the impudent self-taught mechanic'," cr pain us in " the satyric eloquence of reverends and right. reverends . • The Rev. GAD HUNTINGTON, M. G. Is the eldest son _of the late celebrated preacher whose surname he heals, by his first wife, Mary ; and was horn in the counts . of Surrey. Being by his•fitherdeAgned for trade, he was 'appi enticed to a sadler and harness-mal;er, which business lie followed, for some years, at Lewes. Ile ha , ,howevet - , left his original calling, and, taking tin with that of preaching, come to try his strength amongst those who are distinguished as the religious world. His place of meeting (chapel it cannot be :called) is an assembly-room in Princes-street, at the end of Coventry-street, near Leicester-square. It was first a news room, next a debating-room, and is now alternatelyapplied to the purposes of dancing and devotion : it is, however, a handsome and capacious room. It his also a pulrit, which aupears to have once answered the ends of auctioneering, but avbiLli is hardly large enough for the speaker whoth it now holds. Although the father of the present preacher is reported to have formerly ti ied to prevent him from embracing the ministerial profession, yet, doubting his father's opinion, ..h has, at length, determined to make proof of his inims!ry, Elijah's sons will not be satisfied, however, as the late William Huntington otwe said, unless they find a double poi don of his spirit resting upon Eli:ilia. Comparisons arc thought invidious. It will be expected, nevertheless. that a Son of the renowned Minister of Provi . &nee Chapel, presuming to tread in the. foot7s:eps of ch • a parent, should possess some prominent qualification for so duous an enterprise; more especially since it is attempted by I-im when the impression•of his father's talents is yet lie tollowing presents the literal transcript of an application for ence as Preacher,made to the Magistrates of Surrey, by wee of our . many .of-taught mechanics of the above stamp.- I. M. both .4.leur by A Ply for a Lisuns to Prish the liospeil of Crist the Lord. BS/ strongly cherished by his numerous followers, .and will con sequently lead them to cat:vass the merits of that preacher who shall affect to rank as his successor amnrg them. The Rev. (lad Huntington must prepare himself for an inquisi tion of this sort. Reliuionists will not fai! to investigate his pretensions for the sacred office that he aspires to sus tain while • the children of this world' will naturally exer eise,• in the same way, their powers of observation and ra- tioci nation. This preacher's voice is against him. Not only is be feeble in voice, however, fiis enunciation is slow without being clear; and his manner is not merely unimpressive, but awkward, hesitating, and embarrassed. He has no em phasis, no discrimination, no delivery, no action. With Fespeo to these requisites for public speaking, the Rev. Gad Huntington is not negatively gond—he is positively had. Whatever may be his progress as to improv ement, should he continue to plead), his discourses are at present by no means distinguished for that oratorical equability which ehatacteried those of his Maher, and which, rhetorically considered, Was their chief excellence. Ilis divisions want that natu,alness which sometimes atones for the absence of art ; and though he is evidentiy as•isted by head-notes, which notes.are concealed beneath his left arm, he loses the ,thread of big discourse,' bewilders himself, and perplexes and Larrasscs his auditors. lie also as frequently recalls and repeats his sentences. He is given to lapse his text. Suddenly some pasFageof Set ipture occurs to 'his mind, apparently by way of illustra tion, but which he•instantly proceeds 'o take up, exactly as though it had formed the . toxic on which he•was . preaching. His discourses, in fact, consist almost of bibticatquotations, not alwaysin the most obviouscOnnexion.witb the subject matter,- bran-ailed with:the greatest skill. Praying is that Om of public wotslitp in the performance of which the Rev. Gad Huntington seems the least excep tionable. Ills manner of appendicing our Lord's P ra y er, is . not wititAanding, most slovenly and indefensible. He gives the valedictory benediction, likewise, hastily and unimpres- Ile cannot hope indeed, for pulpit fame. He has mis taken the inclination tor the ability to preach. Without :he wish of plucking stones from the monument of the father, in order t'- hurl them at the head of the san, we may venture to predict of him, already, that the Rev. Gad Iltintington will disappoint the expectations which have been excited iespecting him; and that the greatest distinc tion to which by the remotest possibility he can reasonably look to rise. of er much effort, is the honour of being pain fully contemp!atcd as the ghoit of his father ! Dispo:,cd to have viewed the outset of this preacher in nn unfaveuiable point of view, allowing for his inexperience and his situation, it is not without some regret, I can with truth say, that I have animadverted so pointedly on his inca pacity for the priesthood. I mpArtiality has compelled me. thus , to dclineate.Gad Huntington. ONESDIUS. ' A Collo/Int lleaclur ' been duly received ; and will find the Subject of Ili% communieEti , n attended to; is due time. Onetri. inus has heard the Clef . " ppan 14 1;•honi he alludes. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER. Si rt Fig I ever hi your Paper of this day, I think it is p 0 i uiiy wsertioli ill regard 1 0 most SECT A. R I Gs - may '.e inter p: eted in:9 a sarcasm on all sectaries : this I dis..yow Vis e have all a vigil t,) our own opinions, but none to dt.spising . nor neigh!iours for differing from us. 1 alluded to the uutuerou , s wets which have sprung up,