The National Register.
London, England, 1809-01-22 00:00:00

JAN. 22.

THE. NATIONAL REGISTER,

PRINCEKS AMELIA.

A black velvet petticoat, with a drapery across of gold tissue.
ornamented with wreaths of gold currant leaves in stripe. The
drapery supported by gold cord and tassel; ground-work sprigs
of currant leaves in matted gold, and brilliant gold fringe at the
bottom. Train of black and gold tissue; bead-dress of dia-
monds acid feathers.

Tnit WYCHE% OF YORK,
with her usual taste and elegance, displayed a mazarine velvet
dress, the petticoat of which was covered with a most beautiful
real gold net, richly spangled all over, ald trimmed with costly
Maltese fringe ; gold corel and tassel to correspond: A head-
dress of ostrich feathers, with a collection of precious stones ;
the neck adorned by a collection of the most precious stones
fever seen in this country, and set in a most curious manner,
which is peculiar to the great taste and elegance of this amiable
Princess.

PRINCESS SOPHIA OF GLOUCESTER.
Blue satin petticoat, superbly embroidered with silver; bine
and silver train, elegantly ornamented with silver; head-dress
diamonds and feathers,

Princeis CASTELCICA LA.—A dress of white satin, trimmed
With beads; full turban draperies of satin and crape in festoons,
with ropes of beads, and tied together in bunches of the same,
handsome bead tassels, &c. Robe, green velvet, trimmed with
point lace. •
The Duchess-of NORTIIOHBERLAND—A white satin Petti-
tont with draperies of purple Anglo-Marino cloth, richly em-
broidered with lame and Chinese tassels; Spanish Robe °rim-
with gold; bonnet a l'Espagnole, with diamonds.
The L.toir MAYORESii—Dress of white crape, with a rich
and elegant silver oak and ivy border; a brilliant diamond neck-
lace,; Maltese Cross, ear-rings and bracelets. Her Ladyships
head dress consisted of a. superb diamond terra feather sur-
mounted by a beautiful plume of lofty white ostrich feathers.
This was altogether one of the most splendid dresses exhibited
at Court, elegantly neat, and excellently set oil by the youthful
elegance of the wearer.

POPULAR PREACHERS.
No. XXIV.

Thy actions to tby words accord ; thy words
To thy large heart give utterance, duet thy heart
Contains of good, wise, just, the perfect shape.--MIL2ON.

RSV. SAMUEL CROWTHER, M.A.

OF

; -
onuses cmoacm, NEWGJTE-ST RBET.

ADVERSE as some respectable individuals appear to be
to what is now called Popular Preaehing,, my sentiments,
forinerly favourable to it, become daily more confismed
as to its eli%ibility and importance. Charm he ever so
wisely, since human nature still turns her deafened car to
the voice of the spiritual charmer ; since, though he speak
as it were with the tongue of an angel, the preacher is fre-
quently unhteded,—is it difficult to conjecture the injury
resulting to our religion from the incompetency of those
who undertake to explain and enforce its most holy doc-
trines and precepts ? Unfortunately, indeed, the conse-
quences produced by the inability of some clerical instruc-
tors, and the,indifference of others, are no longer chime-
rical. Schism has every where erected her decoying and
destructive standard. The brazen serpent is again lifted
up, without' the camp ;. not to heal, but to afflict the peo-
ple I behold with pain, therefore; a disposition to resist
the only measures likely to counteract the progressive in-
fluence of such calamities. Samson has disclosed to us
the secret of his strength ; and let it not be proved that,
from any feeling of false dignity, any infatuated notions of
superiority, we disdain to profit even by our enemies.
"Out-preach and outlive Us," exclaim
antagonists of the national church t—Churchinent if they
conceive rightly of it, will fully avail themselves of this
admonitory motto g which, by the way, savours as much
a- the pharisee as of the. evangelist. Many, very many .1

: ti

belitste, thse"ektibliilied clergy:nem --alrtiady gamut
" outlive" some of their self-riOtteous 'Opponents; - kind
many, very many,- " out-preach" them likessites .• -
It is to the essential biisir:_.ss Of out-prephinteilmea
lical preachers, however, that I wish'partiendirly to direct
the exertions of the milif:w..rs of theestablidinient. *els
it is where they are still most wanting. Lvt then 4 ea t 4
endeavour to preach back• hito rrreasiir-iikhor*
impracticable--those-who • have been preached friten-Ikt
bosom of our mother-church ! The disposition tif:the
people' is turning strongly in favour of this ii•opo*AL,
and the circumstances of the times are equally aus-
picious. Evangelical hearers begin decidedly to prefer far
their preachers, if • possessed of talents, those who have
been trained in the universities of their country ; partly
supposing them more respectable characters as gentlemen,
and partly because the diffused - intelligence of the age,
owing to the liberalised system of education now. •predo-
minant, inspires the rising generation with disgust for tha
ignorance and elfrordery of self-taught religious pastors.
Aware of this commencing revolution in the minds of their
congregations, the evangelical preachers are sedulonsly
adapting themselves to the new situation in which they are
constrained to appear, and studying the character it will be
necessary for- them to assume. If they are supinely suf-
fered to establish themselves in intelligence,. and conciliate
the confidence of their new order of hearers, the vratest is
•,-'.
decided.

Some sentences, which fell from the Rev. SAMUEL
CROWTHER, last Sunday morning, suggested to IPC the
propriety, if, not necessity, of again adverting to the
question of popular preaching, as it respectively -con-
cerned the evangelicalians and the establishment. I can-
not agree in thinking, with the present excellent
Preacher,. that the thinness of the congregations, .attend-
ing our national churches and chapels is to be attributed
to the iedifference of the people towards divine worship,
Hoilesty becomes the pulpit on all occasions. Let us ba-
lance the ma!ter candidly ; and, since we must try it in the
balance of the sanctuary, while we are loading cue ,cale
with t!;e inthlierence of hearers, let us nut omit to th,'ew
the idahPilN preaehers into its opposite. Mr. Crow thug's
experievec contradicts his own conclusion. Re, ‘t no is aft
able prea.7her, always preaches to attentive, and often nu-
merens, hearers. It is not for him to complain either of
vacated pews or unattentive hearers.
Mr. Crowther. accomplished his preparatory studies at
Winchester, whence he was sent, on the Foundation Pre-
sentation of that celebrated seminary, to New College,
Oxford. After being tome years Curate of Barking in
Essex, he was induced to place himself in nomination for
the church in which he now principally officiates. Ho
found, however, a competitor for the vacant pastorship, iu
no less formidable an opponent, whether cwsideri.al as to
pretensions Or interest, than the respectable Mager of the
Eltie-coat-Sehool. So powerful, nevertheless, were the
spontaneous testimonials pres,:!:ited from the people among
whom be had till then ininistred, and so decisive was the
evidence of his public ability, that Mr. Crowther was im-
mediately chosen to be the new Vicar of Christ's Church.
He is
.also ,Aitmtate Afternoo:Aecturer of Bishopsgate.
He has, I think, printed one or tw=o single Sermons ; hut,
as I never met with them, it would not become me to
pretend to characterise theni. •
Some admirers of extemporary preaching would be dis-
posed to undervalue the exertions of Mr. Crowther. His
sermons are always recomposed ; and, he reads so atten-
tively, as not sufficiently to look at his auditors. His voice
wants variety ; nor car he be jeAly .represented as dis-
playing the advantages of unembarrassed action in tiie
pulpit.

While, however, such are the deficiencies observable in
this Preacher, they are most amply counterbalanced by the
the real and numerotm excellencies NI hick he noirertnPy
•
uispys. .