The National Register.
London, England, 1808-08-28 00:00:00

Nrctivr Is.

"7"-

,
• ;POPULAR. PRILACHIItd. . .
• • • • No.
• m*:worlolf FAITS will brat aloft tbe noted,
" Andleasq the buys at good works trebled I"
Darns,.
WILLIAM HUNTINGDON, S. S. AND PASTeIt OF
PROVIDENCE-CHAPEL
• DOUBTLESS it is a strange transition, from having at-
tempted to appreciate the merits of one of the most dis-
tinguished prelates of our national church, to proceed now
to investigate the pretensions of one of the sturdiest'
preachers of seetarism. The respective feelings of the two
charades arC as opposed as their situations are dissentient.
While one, honourable as is the sphere of his exertion,
conspicuous as is the purity of his conduct, humbly and
tremblingly implores the mercy of his Creator ; the other,
pernicious as is the tendency of his teaching, and proble-
matical as may be the complexion of his character, con-
fidently asserts his superiority in the scale of salvation, and
glories in declaring himself above the possibility of spiritual
reprobation I—S. S., which, according to his own defini-
tioe, purports Sinner Saved, announces the degree that he
presumes to have attained in the school of christianity. I
should not wonder, if the daring audacity of such a man
urged him still further; if, with that monstrous immo-
rality characteristic of the age in which we live, he shortly
declared himself (giving to his theological diploma another
interpretation) the Saviour of Sinners ! There is no end to
the
.perversity of the human mind, there are no bounds to
the infatuation of the human heart; and
44 He that WU be cheated to the last, - •,
" Dtbuions, strong as Hell, shall bind him fast I'.
Lord Vanillin., adverting to Mahoinet, makes some
profound observations on those characters who are emu-
lous of propagating any particular species of belief. He
considers such persons as actuated by spiritual ambition ;
and labouring to acquire and consolidate a dominion over
the minds at men, which (he justly asserts) is infinitely
Int rc flattering to the pride of its possessor, than any ex-
tof power affecting their persons only. Writers and
b. ators, philosophers and poets, legislators and politicians,
have alike contended for the empire of intellect. It is,
therefore, by ne means difficult to conceive that so uni-
versal an incentive to excellence, so uniform in its opera-
tion 4, must mingle, however imperceptibly, with the
purest passion for publicity. If it be not even the original
stimulus to action, it will at least be engendered by success.
Few men, indeed, enjoy inteNeetnal domination so con-
siderably as the leaders of religious sects. Methodism is,
is this respect, very closely allied to Popery. Like the
priest, the preacher is every thing; he is the arbiter of
Tamil es, and the controller of consciences. Secrets are
open to his observationi atd actions are determined, or
annulled by his fiat. Ile must be more than mortal who
is unaffected by such circumstances. How inefficacious are
the efforts of external force, compared with this consen-
taueous subjection of the mind ! These reflections obtrude
themselves upon me. when I am considering the origin,
the preteuoione, the progress, the rapid success, and ulti-
mate establishment, of the extraerdinery individual them
I have selected as the subject of this to I shall not stray, however, info tbe regions of contem-
bi?Frapby. With many. events in the life of
wicciAn Hipwrinnnow I have, at present. no concern.
The world Wit bisiut confessional; to which be has
made known, with. a frankness worthy of Rousseau, his
various wickednesses: His admiring followerf have, most
devoutly, eiteeitio6 him from all pa,* obliquities and be
esteems himself freed, by an 4 isspeeel regliteeense“."'
from the efects of any subsequent transgrewions. Ad-
mirable sinner 1 wonderful saint " Faith can re-
" move nioantsins ;" mid be bas a " Rank of Faith."
There are arecebasactoristic causes, which suite we as

THE NATIONAL IttGISTER.

hails% essintially
Ukustingdoe. His
OVLAILITY. I shall
ignorance or creduky
have conduced to I.:
remark from my
" furtherance, to
" when they have _ . disposed
This is an incoutestibk fact. Let the reader apply it.
When has the Etfroniers of this individual been exceeded I
Look at his history. Boasting, as it were, of the imams•
reality and impiety of his early life, lie suddenly mamma
the garb of holiness, pretends to special providential is-
terferences on his behalf, and in his minutest and most
unworthy concerns ; and, thus working on ignorance and
credulity, partly indebted to the suttishness of men and
partly to the weaknesses of women, he establishes himself
as the infallible dictator of divinity. Him and his ad•
hermits are to be esteemed a 'chosen and immaculate peo-
ple; while he openly arranges, and eternally anatheme.
tises, all who differ from his spiritual dogmas. When Ho
leader of our present Arminian., the late Rev. Jobs
Wesley, died, it was then that William Iluntingdoa dr
dared, from his pulpit in Providence-Chapel, that Jobs
Wesley was burning iu Hell !
As to the rulgarity of this Apostle of Antinomianians,
it is impracticable to describe it adequately. He has emi-
nently learned so to " condescend to those of low estate."
Whether he is contemplated in the familiar intercourse' of
society, or in the exercise of his public functions; 'whether
you attend him in the arrangement of his agricultural
concerns at Ealing, or surre him employed in the pious,
and still more profitable, offices of little Titchfield-street
meet with him and listen to him, when or where you
may, he is the same, and always the same. He has loot
nothing of the rudeness of his original blackness.
It is to hicSingularily, however, that he seems princi-
pally to owe his celebrity ; and, of course, much of his
opulence. His career has been singular ; many of hie
opinions.are singular ; his personal appearance is rabic
singular; his chapel is singular; his manner, as ak
preacher, is entirely singular; and his fate is also spial4
.gular. Whatever be his defects, WILLIAM 11UXTIMMINIIF -
is a man of penetrative genius: he knows, perhaps as well
as most men, the value of singularity. Nature has en.
dewed him with considerable vigour and originality of
mind, but he has, at the same time, wisely extended this
originality to_ all he does. I shall chiefly dwell on his Sisk
and Manner of Preaching.
Extemporary eloquence, I remarked in my last num-
ber, is most agreeable to the taste of the generality of
hearers. The effects of this eloquence are instantaneous.
and decisive. Deprived of the connectedness and solidity
of studied elocution, it insinuates by its colloquial case,
interests by an appearance of ingenuousness and veracity.
and animates by being susceptible of incidental illustration,
and adventitious aids. 'Till audiences become more exten-
sively enlightened, or their instructors know how to blend
the fruits of premeditation with the graces of delivery, it is
probable that this species of oratory will always obtain the
suffrages of the multitude.
Mr. Huntingdon not only excels is what is called public
speaking, but his peculiarities likewise distinguish hint
from other preachers. With a bulky bible under his arsrig;,.,
in the old dissenting style, he enters his pulpit his text,
once announced, the bible is then closed, and put aside,
with as much method as it was first introduced. Here is
one secret of Huntingdon's success. Whether it arise from
due reverence to the Snored Scriptures, from the undoubted
necessity of being correct in quetetimis from them, or
from anxiety to impress their eeagesegations, by imme.
diately referring tEem to chapter and verse, with the ac-
curacy and propriety of such quotations, the clergy, of :
I every denmaination, consider it incumbent on them to -
I give to biblical citations the sanction of aitthcaticity, by
grounding them ei!..:r on transcribed or prtated 'dont=

•

• &via
'MT
contributed to the prosperity of Yr:
WiIIONTIORT, his rOLOARITY s kis Op.
111. not particularlj insist either ee the
haiii of his discipla, though these also
r his success : for, to borrow one more
Lord Verulam, it is 'ill part of special
all such as have achieved great things,
found matter disposed to remit,* form.