The National Register. — London, England, 1816-03-31 00:00:00

r• I Our ging, eonJtitution anU 31.a11)6. So. 4.30.—V01.. I X. AlinDap Anntornirnt4. a Divide 51.11 DAY from the Week."—MottivirsAtt*. OBSERVITION OF THE 5i1111.1771. ALTHOUGH what we have already written on this anilject on two former occasions, may appear enough to some, and more than enough to others, yet we cannot aancluae our remarks without taking an opportunity of s i ddressing some observations and advice. to the young, on the mode in which they ought to testify thuir reverence fur this sacred day, which their religion has coannamied them to hallow. These observations may partake of the lesiottsness of the pulpit ; and we hope they will not be the less regarded, because they do not come from it. f roan the time, then, our young friends, that " the even ing and the morning were the seventh day," your .Maker has claimed the seventh portion of your time to himself, to meditate on the structure he then ended, and the laws he then established; to raise your minds and your wor ship to his throne, and to anticipate in brighter regions . snore exuberant displays of his perfectimu. In your earliest infancy you have witnessed this appointment— you can remember its observance befine you knew any of the reasons on which it is finuttled. You saw as a particular day recurred, a change in the employments of mankind, and an alteration in the scene around you. The hum of labour ceased; the toiling labourer disap peared from view; the animal that assisted him in his operations partook of his repose, and nature, undisturbed by the noisy activity of maa, conducted in silent majesty her magnificent designs. your own little sports and amusements were interrupted, and your attention turned, by the afftsetionate piety of your parents, to 1)ooks less diverting, to employments of a graver and more dignified east. You beheld those, on whose wisdom you relied, land whose conduct you were taught to rex (-team, assume a composure more sedate, and occupy the domestic circle with more serious conversation, or more sacred topics of reflection. Abroad, tranquillity, and almost solitude, reigned, and the heavens and the earth, reposing in the silent solemnity of Sabbath, exhibited a more sereue and impressive grandeur. As the day advanced, those ex ercises osmmeneed, in which it was destined principally to be spent. Social worship called your friends to the meetings of the thithful, and the united song of praise that rose from the temple of your Maker, or the dev.)- tional attitudes that you observed within its walls, assured you of the existence of a hallowed day, and impressed on your imagination the observation of the fourth comnumd mem. Never allow this impression to be effaced, never permit a duty which your reason must approve, to be de prived of the assistance that it must derive front early as sociations. But, if on the other hand you have unhap pily observed no reverence paid by the friends and the guardians of your youth to the recurrence of the Chris. Can fustival—if " Sabbath has shone no Sablrath-thty to you" in early infancy, endeavour as sOOll as possible to create an influence in its titvour in your mind, by repre senting the innumerable advantages with which it must be attended, and the indispensible obligation you lie under as Christians to engage in the exercises it suggests. You muy see it despised by the Heathens who reside in this Chris tian country, you may hear of improper modes of observ mg it among the Christians of other countries, but let not their example influence your practice, nor their reasonings mislead your understandings. One day in seven is as small a portion of your time as you can reasonably allot ihr thiitking of what you ore and what you will be, tbr viewing the grand urrungementS of the system in which you are placed, fiir reflecting on the perti.etion of the Being who has established them, tier recognising your relation to spi ritual existences, and anticipating the change which will assimilate you to more exalted natures. By detaching yourselves from the influence of the senses, by neglecting at stated periods present impressions, and exercising your mind on the Fast, the future, or the distant, you must rise in the scale efsvisdont and intelliganwe, you must ap proximate higher beings, and widen the interval between you and the less perfect animals that possess the earth along with you, and partake of your bodily instincts. The very existence of the Sabbath, and the associations with which it is connected, introduce to the mind the meg interesting and sublime reflections. The occasion of its original appointment, and the cause of its subse quent change, suggest a train of thoughts that embraces the whole of natural and revealed religion—thecreation of the world and its redemption, the Jewish and Christian Cispensations. Hallsw the Sabbath, says the voice of the ALLraw oracle, " fur in six days the Lord wadi) Iluayun sI7NDAY, MAllcii 31, Isl 6. and Earth, and all that they contain, and rested the seventh day ;" hallow the Sahhath re-echoes the gospel, fiar it was the day of your Saviour's triumph, when after his labours of love on earth, he ascended to his rest amid the acclamations of angels. You may pursue these re flections either at home or in the field, either in solitude or in the asismibly of tansy worshipper+, either with the book of Scripture or the book of nature before you, be careful not to neglect the public and ostensible duties of timidity, by attending public worship and per the volume of inspiration. Many difficult questions have been startel concerning the extent to which we ought to observe the command of rest on the Sabbath, and much subtle casuistry has been expended in settling them. Listen not to any rea soning that would tend to diminish the range of your duties. The point generally to be determined by thaw who enter into such disputes and cavils, is, not how we may hallow the Sabbath best, but how we may do it most easily; not what is our most acceptable sacrifice, but w hut is the least sacrifice that will be accepted ; not how we may most conscientiously fulfil our obligations, but what is our most plausible apology for neglecting them. Our Saviour has justly said, that tit:: Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath ; or, in other words, that it is a positive institution for his advantage and im provement, and when it interferes with duties of a higher claim, he is justified in fulfilling these duties at its ex pence ; but you ought to view with suspicion, every at tempt to narrow the number of forbidden enjoyments or amusements, or to increase the list of indulgences, and works of necessity. Your reason will be a had casuist, when, misled by your prejudices, or bribed by your pas sions ; and the Sabbath, if left to its discretionary arrange ments, may soon be stripped of its honours, and appointed an undistinguished place amid the other days of the week. The intimations of Scripture, and the general consent of• the religious part of Your countrymen, have drawn a cer tain line, within which, every thing is allowed, anti be yond which, except in peculiar cases, every thing is tbr hidden. Sonar of the actions within and without the line may be equally innocent, and this would happen where e•er that line was placed ; but if; upon the plea of ne cessity, or at the instigation of caprice, you were allowed to alter its sitilation, or to shift the objects that it divides, there is no reason e.-by another person, equally sagacious, should not follow likewise his views of expediency. Your claim of indulgence for a favourite amusement, or an ur gent business, may justify a corresponding claim from him, and if you erect your reason into a judge of its propriety, you cannot refuse him the benefit of your example. After you have sanctioned the introduction of one new prac tice, an equal innocence might be plended in behalf of another, till, by repeated invasunts•, the boundaries of the holy day would be entirely broken down, and there would not remain an employment or tin amusement in the whole range of human activity, which might not be followed without a suspicion of improper conduct. Thus, all men upon this principle might break the fourth com mandment, and ple.ul innocence for the breach. Beware, therefore, of ilaimirg a privilege so dangerous, and so liable to abuse ;—resolve to pursue your duty, and you will not require much casuistry to settle its terms or ex tent. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," as much as you can, and you will feel no difficulty in ab staining from labour as much as you ought. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. itousr, Or LORDS. Nothing of any iaterest orenrred on Monday. Mmtrn 2G. The Doke of St OVA preiCllted a petition from the Lord 'ayor, Aldermen, and Common Conixil of the Citv. of L ondon, praying for a redaction of the large Military E , taCliOnnent. The Earl of Li% I.IIIPUOL brought iu a Bill fur uaturalizing Prince Leopold of Saxe Cuboor;•. VenstsnAy, MAncti 2T. On the motion of the Earl of Lis Lit POOL, the standing order re: ding to Bills:of Natundization %%ill! dispensed AA itil, and the nuttiralixine the Prince of Cithourg nws read a second and third time, mid passed to the Commons. The House went into a Committee 011 Sir George Barlow's Dis twee Bill, and priweei(sies were postponed, to afford any Lord all opportunity of mos ing to leave out the clause which prevents Lady Barlow mart . ) ingthe adulterer.—Adjuiurned. Pnur•. 9'd The Lull 01 DeIiNLEY moved for ,us iterount of the Naval Estimates for the present )ear. Ordei ed.— Adjourned. F1L111.1%, titila 2 PRINCE. LEOPOLD. Cbe Royal Assent w t. given by commission to Prinre Leo. 'add at urali,ation lull, and private bill. Commissioners, Lords Edon, Slialleabury, and Mils ilk.— Adjoin lied. HOUSE OF COMMON 4, Alsrl9tY, MARCH 25. A New Writ wits mud I'm Droihvich,in the room of Sir T. E. Wioninzton. _ . A New 1% tit WWI Mtn( d fur Callow, in the room of H. La tomb, Esq. derea,oil. The Petition of the Common Coantil of thn City of London, praying a rtllisetiun in the prumist d Mittmry itatalitishmetito and retreuehinent in the enpeuditure, was prcn•utrd I.y tile Sherifls, read, and ordered to lie on the Intik. WAYS AN') ,MEANS. The House went into a CAnninittee of W , iy. and !q ua t . * . Itlr. VAN*ITTAILT Said, he had now to propose to the House ret min Resolutions, as part of the ays and Means to meet the expenditure of the oreSeur elms The eltitite ilgifiP upon the Consolidated Finial by the Loans of 1807, In. )9, and PI! )111101111:ed to above ti;760,004,11. He tilwlllll bOW propose that to defray that charge in Alton., the war custom duties not already expired, should he continued but the import dillies, he should submit to the Committee, it would be politic to con tinue, the a‘ erage produce of which would be, as he estimated them, about 2, , M0,0001. lie should also propose to continue cur taM parts of the war Excise Duties, but these he should keep distinct from the Consolidated Fund. The sum thus raised on I.:xcise, he would take at • 3,1{09,0001. The House having thonght proper to reject that system of finance which lie had proposed, he should tint now attempt to propose it to the House again, or to suggest the raising any large shin by new taxes. He would now conclude, by moving a resolution tUr continuing the war ditties on Customs for a time. Mr. lls ft ran said, the country, as in the case of a private gen tleman, expected, that the expenditure was to In. 20vcrw .,1 by the 11 .tea and Means. The present great expeuildure could not he continued, beediNe the public were alrtady too heavily burtliened. Lord C esTLEHE tMt thought the Iron. Gentleman had not viewed the question fairly. 'flie question was, w bat is the lowest scale of.expouditure which the country ought to be placed in, and what wile the caw thins which the people cnuid bear. commensurate with their ineate , ? The gis in; up of $,000,0001. of taxes brought the Government back to the Committee of Supply to provide for the detiriency. In the Committee of Supply the army had been voted, in the same manner his limn. Pinta it ould very shortly call for a vote for the navy for the service of the year. With the peace, certainly the great expo:nee of the war fell, by reducing the various battalions, thin ex.c. but what his Majesty's Govenunent desired was, that the House N11(11114 see the gradual reduction which must nece:,sarilo take place. To show the reduction which had aetually takea place in all the departments, a paper would be laid on the t a bl e shortly, which would satisfy the House. that his Mok s ty. s c o _ %eminent were disposed to exercise public ermooni.—The Dole principle Num which he was induced to act, V. as, that is isorsuinz economy, Government should take care out to com— mute the public interest. Mr. timmt rimmed a Committee of Enquiry was necessary to examine into every branch of the expenditure ' and m a k e such retrenchments as would be conducive to tie beat lulu.. ests ofthc state. The itebulutions were then agreed to. NAVAL ESTIMATES. On the motion fur going into a Committee of Supply, and fuer referring the Navy Estimates to the said Committee, Mr. TildeNEY Objected to the House going into a Conniiittee on the Estimates, as they had in fact no relation to the nasal service, but %sere founded upon the civil branch of that service. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went over the comparison 4 the different departments of the naval fervid., comprehending the navy-office, I ictuulling-ollice, and naval docks. The lust branch was the Admiralty, the item of which was Viji aware that there was a reduction of 15001. in that bran' --10001. of the damage fell on Mr. Croke r, and 6001. on the other Secretary. The estimate of 1814 was 71,7061. ; and here, in making the comparison, it appeared prima fuel', that a satin! , had accrued of upwards of 10,0001; but the fact was. that to exceeding upon the different brandies had actually taken place. The result of all this was, that it was clear the year of peace had cost the dietary 20,0001. more titan the last year of the war. He should therefore muse to negative their uiee to a Committee iu their oresent share. Sir (1. 11 Aautaur.a admitted that the flight Hon. Gentles• aim) had eNliiiiirleil this subject aide Itilich inenuit ,s but not wide much f a irness. The actual reduction in the Admiralty, in point of exist nee, wet .I 4 1. In respect to the not.petty these were greatly inereaseel in eXpellee by the number of stepe in ordinary, which amounted to 1 It!,01101. The amount of half: pay was increased 17.40001. making the total sum of 1,01P,7.1‘11. Ti•e in•xt head of e pence was the repairing mid budding sh: , , which was very large In its amount; but that would nut he surprising at the close of a war m) very long; and he would propose to take a vote of L 565,0001. Tlmw hole amoutit 'of the naval si:rviees for the present year would lie 1,140,0un1, chiding the side of seJtaell. with She addition of vie tualhiqz foreiznrarrisons and other items, would amount to the grand total of 9,110,0001. Mr. Got; nos thought that many points in these estimate might be reduced. Sir J. YONNE defended the keeping of our naval arsenals anti stocks hi the Mediterranean ' Halifax, and Lak e o. t a •i o . lie delimited the inereii.e of salaries to the clot ks, w hens he ailed Gent l em ,„ „t the Weill. Ali to the three surveyors, the seas in the room of the liuteetor•Getieral of Naval Worhe. The Its eiger of public seelsritis - IS WA% invessttr) het aux public were before coustaittly pilfered and bedevilled oat o f k their inoncy.---( laud cheseitii - .)—He 11411 been 20 yeas euika. Tilt 1010.1 Y, Mllll - n 2s. The Royal Avset;t;;;Vgi;tn far removing all ennws of.lebty with respamt to the naturalization of tht: Prince of S4•AP Cobourg. Another Bill wax sOOll alter brought np front the Csrnmonv by Mr. N'amittart. for the arson natnialization of the Pthire of Cobotirg. and siotfing his precedence. The suiil till will rota Om lint, ioraucti, anii tkittl dov and mowed is tie Cumeotei. _ - --------,-;---;.„---... • tar . ..tario ,1 • - ar S , tto nail Itk rattstry + . . . . . • • .• ~~