The National Register.
London, England, 1808-12-18 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Sit

is 66 the young minister of the present-day," the wonder
of elders and the admiration of juniors; followed, preach
where he list, by promiscuous crowds of both sexes;
eiteemed by umnkind, and beloved by womankind,
while astonishment gapes at him, affection is absolutely
(loafing. upon him ! This is no exaggerated description of
the honours attending the profession of evangelical preach-
ing.. It is the broad way to popular preferment, and the
narrow path to private gratification.
There remains, however, another point of view in which
it may be serviceable to place our present incidental dis-
quisition. If what we call evangelical preaching is be-
coming daily more alarming to our ecclesiastical establish-
ment, it behoves us to enquire into the causes which
assist its progress,. and which may contribute to its perma-
nency. We are too often deceived by mere epithets.
ai.gelical preachers, generally spe iking, are no longer
what once they were ; they have divested themselves of
those. characteristics which once exposed them to the ridi-
cule of the commen people, and the contempt of the
higher orders. It is this circumstance that now constitutes
the danger of their opposition to our national church.—
The improvenieut of this class of religious instructors
having kept pace with the refinement of the age, they
tease to be iuconsequential ; they have thereby acquired
so► ic. stability, and are not to be estimated as contemptible
competitors for popularity, or, perhaps, ascendancy. Their
places of worship are seldom inferior to our church chapels,
and sometimes surpass them, even in splendour; they
always render the melody of devotion' captivating ; many
of them, possessing talents, are making, rapid advances in
literature, and, at the same time, cultivating, those accom-
plishments which must make their society acceptable.
Since these sectarists are deriving so many advantageous
I.s.sons from their clerical superiors, perhaps those su-
periors would do well not entirely to disdain to investigate
the pretensions of their opponents. Our enemies are
sometimes 'our most beneficial monitors. It is many
puerile to talk, as many people still talk, about the igno-
rance and impotence of the sectaries; who are, in fact,
*Lady (Awing the imputation of being ignorant, and who,
it will hardly be denied, are far from being impotent.
Consistency dictates what line of conduct is to be pursued.
Is it not better to emulate the excellencies of an opponent
than to appear to disclaim his merits, without pretending
to dispute his success ? 1 shall venture to deliver my senti-
ments more explicitly.
Evidently too much importance is by many Divines at-
tached to acquisitions merely mental. Human learning is
excellent, if cultivated with reference to religious know-
-if, and 1 am speaking immediately of ecclesiastics,
philosophy is engaged only as the hand-maid of divinity.
Something more than mortal erudition, however, is justly
cliected from those who undertake to illustrate the system
that " brought life and immortality to light !" Though
the voice of prophecy has ceased to be heard among men,
and the pages of inspiration are completed, the teacher of
all truth still vouchsafes, by his spiritual illumination, to
enlighten and direct the minds of those who devoutly im-
plore his assistance and guidance. There is no mysticism
m this pious dependence. It is the ground of earthly
prayer, and the foundation of the hope of glory, so to
confide, and, in this holy confidence, to be enabled to live.
Here, notwithstanding, is the rock upon which too many
teachers of our religion, anxious to avoid the imputation of
steering towards fanaticism, continually split. While they
denominate themselves, in the most solemn manner,
4, stewards of the masteries" of faith, they nevertheless
d'ecline the illustration of those mysteries; as if they were
fearful of involving themselves in difficulties, and of ob-
scuring, instead of illuminating, the understandings of
their hearers. Christianity, after all, is mysterious; but
its " mysteries," though seen " through a glass darkly,"
are still seen and apprehended, as far as the nature of
ionnanity will permit, by those who study them " after
•, inner man." Why then do so many Stewards of these

Mysteries shrink from the duty of imparting
ledge of them to those concerned in their divi
shi ? If they will leave this task to their rivals
and if these men, however inadequately, em
discharge it, they must expect that the result
some way or other, unfavourable to themselves.
of much avail that these enemies of cur establ'
represented as so many evangelical empirics.
pears undoubtedly culpable in them is the in
gun e, the 66 words without meaning," by
continually gloze things otherwise plain, and th
ed obscurity even around palpable brightness,
then, this deception. Strip truth of its fahricat
divest doctrines of their assumed difficulties,
refuse to recognize the truth, do nut reject lb,
Regular practitioners should disclose the if
their aniagonisis without giving up the syster
abuses have been only attached.
Having thus thrown out some incidental re
topics which have lately excited considerable
the religions world, I proceed to give my prop(
of the Gentleman whose name now stands at
this article. He is intimately connected with
just discussed. With no inconsiderable shaft
nor without considerable defects, he altcrua,
plifies the genius and the errors of the mini

WILLIAM BrNGO COLLYEIt, who has a
for himself the title of .‘ au t.z angelical Preaci
of the most genteely distinguished ministers of
professing christians to which he belongs. 1
long the popular Pastor of a Meeting, at Peel
owing to the continual interchange of ministe
among evangelical teachers, he is also extensi
throughout the metropolis and its environs.
the parentage of Mr. Collver, I am iminformi
his education, I am told, he is indebted to the h
demy,—a species of College. supported by th
and subscriptions of Evangelical Calvinists.
stcrial nursery is tolerably productive, if an esti
importance mar be formed from the nuinhe!
which it yeilds for the edification of its pious pf

Of these Mr. Collyer is not the least conspi,
literary acomplishments, if not attainments, arm
respectable ; his person is inoffensively pleasing
in the pulpit, is winningly graceful ; his voice
pathetic and his eloquence is, on the whole.
resting. He is, as the ladies would say, an amiab
I fear, indeed, that he too much values the coin
the fair-sex ; and that, under this predilection,
as indifferent to the opinions of men. Le
fore adjnre the lovely admirers of this desirai
minister," saying, in the laagmage of the p
pulpit,

64 Ah, spare your idol ! thick him human
" Charms he may have, but he has frantic.
" Dote not too much ; nor spoil--4% hat ye

There is one perfection in Mr. Coliver, as a
which he merits to he distinguished from 0
preachers to which he is attached, and which,
time might still be copied with advantage by in
men of our established church. --lie really
Lord's Prayer ! I am anxious to learn, however,
thority he makes what to ►ne appears an un.
deviation—from the generally adopted words
excellent form of devotional intercession ? Col
pray, " Forgive us our trespasses, as we fc,
that," &c. Now, Mr. Collver saes, "
trespasses, and enable us to forgive those
pass against us." Here, indeed is his miser
tion from the evident design of this imp(
tion ; which, placing our own pardon On I
that zee forgive the offences committed by of
ourselves, exhibits one of the happiest moral
anti enforces one of the sublimes! practical dui