The National Register. — London, England, 1814-03-27 00:00:00

ITARCH 27. erbe Jutptt, No. 13. Twist not, with a tedions length, 0; proofs •external. The strong leading facts CQ:Jcil , ely representing, quickly bring The it; tcrnal evidence to light, that strikes Ctinviction—while it sinks into the heart! PoLWHELE. REV. JOHN ALLEN, PAiTOR 9F A DISSENTING CONGREGATION AT EXETER,. Exhortation has greater influence than ratiocination. For cue individual that is to be argued into an acknowledgment of the truth, there are thousand who are more easily to he persuaded of it. *Extemporary preaching has in this point of view peculiar advantiges. The preacher thus addresses himself naturally, and of course, to the feelings of the hearers, and is consentaneously and efficaciously heard. Whatever of defect may be attached to this mode of inculcating religi. ous truths, therefore, it seems practically superior to that sys tem of teaching which fails either to rivet the attention or engage the affections The REv. JOHN ALLEN, who belongs to the extemporary school, has been for several years settled over a numerous Congregation of Protestant Dissenters, in the city of Exeter, and seems entitled to the estimation in which his pulpit la bours are there held. He is likewise known as the translator of a new edition of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Reli gion, emecuted acoording to the original Latin, and collated with the author's last edition in Gifted, as be certainly is, with abilities of no ordinary kind, this preacher is nevertheless found exposed to one of those censures that generally attaches to an older of divines who are in no sense eminent for their talents. "Itis a mat ter of great delicacy," even as the authors of a New Direc tory for Nonconformist Churches observe, 6 ' for ministers to introduce, as some arc ever prone to do, their own per sonal or domestic concerns into the public devotions, or to Teak of themselves at al+.. Now, then, the present preacher does sometimes so far ()fiend against what these writers not improperly consider to be the law of delicacy, regarding public devotions, by praying for himself in the pulpit, and intermixing his own personal concerns with those which affect only the church. Owing to the want of delicacy on this score, indeed, " we have sometimes heard cases of so peculiar and so trivial a nature brought into the public in tercessions, as (if at alt fit matter for prayer) ought to be confined to the closets of the persons themselves." ‘Vhen one asked Demosthen• s what constituted the first requisite for an orator, he is said to have replied—" hold mess ;" and to have given this decision with an authoritativa weight, by repeating it thrice. Emphasis is to the present preacher, then, what boldness was in the estimateof the great orator of antiquity, though he is far from wanting, at the same time, in the last qualification. His emphases are re markably distinct, and communicate to his sentences an as tonishing force. But this anxiety to be useful, to be heard and felt, stimulates him to over-exert this talent, if not also his strength. Considered doctrinally, Mr. Allen adheres to what is de nominated Calvinism. His language is theologically dis tinctive, and his discourses are truly experimental ; but he is postulatory, rather than disquisitive, and hortatory, rather than persuasive. Thou g h he carries his guiding notes into the pulpit, yet ke is not fettered by them. He delivers himself with A free- ~~.. mar N, THE NATIONAL REOISTIM. l dolt that bespeaks his tLorough knowledge of the inspired text, and his perfect reliance on that promiQed assistance: which is imparted to those ministers who aim faithfully to expound it. He has likewise mastered the great art of re taining " the thread' of a discourse, without the ungracious toil of mechanically enumerating the heads. • Amongst the defects of this preacher, may be mentioned the practice of sounding " we have," 8:c. as though it were proper to express the words as "we hay e"-ur ; laying the stress, also, on the final syllable iu such words as received; turning too much round in the pulpit, and elevating his tones to something very like shouting. Mr. Allen is not, however, one of the still-voiced minis ters of the day, accustomed to the " well-bred whisper," and cautious of speaking out. Ile is not a charming, but a rousing preacber, Conscious of the awfulness of his charge,' and the responsibility attaching to him, he feels it imposible to trifle with the souls of others, as he would shudder at the dreadful result to himself. Ile is, accordingly, in earnest ; searching and impressive ; careless of miner effects ; and " mainly anxious" to acquit himself in the eye of the great shepherd and bishop of souls Whoever has endeavoured to comprehend the just im portance of the ministerial %yolk, ‘vill not think lightly of such a preacher, whatever may be his blemisheQ, while bene ficialitv is acknowledged to be the test of excellence, even in human concerns, and while, alas ! there is no superabund ance of those scriptural workmen who need not be ashamed' Multitudes still want such ministers. ONESIMUS. TO THE EIIiTOR OF 'I/1E NATIONAL rzEt-nsTErt. Sts,—The prosecutions now carrying on against the Clergy, having led to discussion on the disc/id/ire of oAr Chmelt at the present :era, 1 hope I may be a;lowed, as a member, to feel an interest in it, and to express those fek ings publicly, without offending my brethren. As a clervty man and natural friend to the Protestant Church, I lament tic.. many causes which conspire together to wound and crip ple the venerable structure, and shlke the fabric to its very base: but I feel with equal regret that a spirit of opposition to the laws should direct the councils of these of cur or./r, who, by negligence, have rendered themsel' es amenable. not heeding the admonition of the apostle Paul —" Let et:Li% l soul be subject to the higher pi;wers,"—“ ror rulers ore no! a terror to good 7:-orks but to the evil." (a) had every one been constant and faithful in the exercise of his parochial dut;.:„ this disgrace conl4 not have fallen upon us : the misconduct of aftio brings the body into disrepute, and gives a colour of truth to the general charge of sectaris , s, that the love of pleasui'c and attention to our secular affairs, superscdes our diligence in spiritual concet n, ; " far where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (b) There are many exemplary Christians among the Clergy of the present day, " labourers in thevineyard," who feel alike for the honour and true interests of the Church, Ole zeal and godliness of its ministers, and the prosperity of establishment; yet are we compelled to /tcknowledge that some idle and unworthy members have been admitted t(i the ministry, whose unworthiness brings into question the sanc titv of others. "A little leaven learenet/i the whole ian;p" (c) I would have those examples of supineness and profligacy held up to the indignation of all good men, arid the just punishment of the laws. Suffer them not, my breams, to choke their iniquities by consorting with those whose lives are irreproachable.—" Be not deceived : etil c ommunications corrnpt good mannePs. Aiwake to r iehteo,l7ness oral sin rot ; / I i I • .1 !!