The National Register.
London, England, 1811-05-19 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

CO pulpit,

aPe, ~

No. XL M.

.0.•.. m.....

I't7/Melte late scandalous clamours against the Olt}loges were raring
firm one end of the king•doin t the other, there were, i believe, only two
dirrXyCeilm of the Church of England who opposed it—the Biswer or Noe.
and Dr. Knox. REV. SYDNEY SMITE'

RIGHT REV. HENRY BATHURST, L. L. D.

11113110 P or NORWICIL

(Concluded.)

Estimating the clerical abilities of the Bishop of Norwich by
the sermon Fri:ached by him before the House of Lords, January
the 30th, 1808, and by that which lie delivered, April the !.'Bth,
1811, in the Philanthropic Chapel, for the benefit of Society,
/kis Lordship is at least entitled to the praise of being intelligent,
judicious and impressive.
Ilk Lordship chose for his text, on the latter occasion, the
13d vt rse of the 13th chapter of the book of the Prophet Jere-
Can the F.! hiop:an change his skin, or the Leopard his
spots ? then May ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.'
I-faving remarked that the business of preaching was not so
much to discover new doctrines as to enfotce those truths which.
were already ascertained and assented to, the Bishop of Norwich
insisted on the neceasity of early infusing. into the youngnsind
principles of religion and industry, and of impressing such prin-
ciples at the only period of life when the understanding was
open to the free communication of knowledge, and the memory
likely to retain the impressions that were received His Lord-
ship seemed clearly of opinion, that unless children were pos-
secsed of NI gioas sentiments, and induced to habits of industry,
before the tenih year, there remained but little chance of their
being afterwards disc ipliued in that triode of thinking and acting
which could alone reticle' them beneficial and estimable through-
gent life: Combatting the arguments of those reasoners who
have st) n;iaer4bbi philosophised against the inculcating of reli-
gions.opinions during t4tit years of life, and leaving the more
=wand mind to acquireNem; the mitred preacher said, with
indisputalide truth, that it was impossible for the human intellect
to retrain in a negative state, quiescent as to opinions; that some'
opinion's, right or wrong, bad or good, must be formed by young
Irinds long before. the understanding was arrived-at the state of
perfection, which, according to his opponents, t' as required in
order to enable persons to decide for themselves on the moment-
ous subject of reli4,ln, lienee the indisputable imporial!ce of
religiously instructi g young minds. Sitters pry judices of some
sort must he inibibt.d, it was at least desirable, obsc rvcd- his I
that the prejudices hnbihed in early life, if prejudices such
sentiments were, should be favourable to individual vi, rue and
happiness, and conelueive to the welfare of states. It house
is not Ilia.tb!ted,then (added the lii,hop) a legion of jt:VilS
,talto posseasi an of it, whom it will he if at all practical). e
t drive entirely out of it. Eddcation is of infinite importance
rca the mate ; and his Lord-hp, therefore, eery justly salmon-
ished the afilnent of the imperious necessity, setting relietioaa
. ob4;gitioit aalde, which thty were under to instruct and protect
the ioc

areey isi3cl powerfully as his Lor3ship had contended for
. •
sinpuarng religion to youtlg tn.titis, his prai,e. of the 4.Aucatste-
Atu nrstern of education, to far as connected with this pint
appeared quite incongrJous. Time was when the 13i41t,,it of
Vorivi,it did not think thus Referring to tE lystem inhirprima

wit .n charge, IEO6, his Lordship then iiidispuably
▪ d ia.tly extolled, " the plan of esiticatiou cbtablishcd by our.
pious ar.;;;;ldicious forefathers at the rel<irrr.ation; s plan which,

t' Itia of the. Chu, eh of England, I,' deciareoltiiii prelate,
2." nat. ttx ittsr...ittcd to r iLfur to the a+ ratio Impliell.9/ Mr.
. •

Z.isrph Lancaster, who is now so much talked of ; of which sys-
tem, notwithstanding whatever merit it may have in other re-
spects, the distinguishing doctrines of Christianity make no part,
&c. I should," continues his Lordship, "be exceedingly sorry
to see his institutes of Christianity, whenever they make their
appearance, supersede the use of our incomparable Church
Catechism; and be substituted in the room of the CI red, the
Lord's Prayer, and the Tea Commandments." Such an avowal
as the preceding quotation:contains of this prelate's opinion on a
subject of vital import to the church, h-rwever much becoming
his situation and chau.cter, produced, we are told, sane animad-
version from " ti!,;* ger.emli6ing" gentlemen of this day ; who
will pee be appeased, as well they may be, whenever the
Bishop shatl thi:dt fit to favour the public, through tlic press,
with the praise he recently bestowed on that plan of education
which was forrncrly condemned by him. Otti;:rwise the I3Fhop's
late sermon was apposite. He had to plead f•-)r " the most
useful of all useful institutions," and he pleaded its c?..r.se with
truth and force. Where he fell short, for there was something
of this kind, t cause made up.
Future preachers would act benevolently, it struck me, if not
wisely, in sparing the objects .of this excellent institution
throughout their sermons, from the pain of hearing any distress-
ing.or humiliatlng allusiln to the unhappy or profligate pasts
Which their parents act d. Preachers shotilti not \ isit thus the
• sins of the fathers on the children. " Couvicttd criminate'
though the parents of many of these children weie; it seems but
charitable to spare the children the mortification of being re-
minded, reminded publicly, that their pari.r.ts were " convictid
criminals !" -Expressions like these, doubtless, are quite unin-
tended. They are applied of course, with no meaning at all.
But, are public chapels the fittest places for haranguing such
hapless children on the obligations which they owe to their be-
nefactors, and admonishing them as to the manner 'of life they
are expected to lead ? Are not these lessons best given them,
within their own walls ? One might think that they are.—
Catechists and Overseers seeni to be their moralists and directors.
Let us spare the feelings of those vie aid. Severity should not
mix with charity. Is there not one who " loves the cheerful
giver;"‘ giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not" those
to whom he gives ? ON Esimus..
_ .

CLERICAL NOTICES.
TUE RECTOR OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.

Strangers will doubtless be surprised to !e dm that a ti-cular
rater has been recently directed to the inhabitant Householders
of the.. Parish of St. Clement Danes, informing them, that, " con-
trary to the ideas which have been prevalent wit's repr,l to VA,
ample support afforded the RECTOR, his It; come. entirLly de-
pends onthe SURPLICE FF.E4, and a Cor.tecTl?N F..ts-rEa;"
that, the monies accruing from these means being inadequate to
the end, the Churchwardens express their hope that " every
Inhabitant will :mitt (this year) ht a manner su;tvd to his means,
as (coniinues the ChurchwArdens) •it is 'very poinfu/ to those
who are collect, and much more so -t., the Re‘.:lor, fur
whom the collection • is m:Ade, to fiod the Income s, =re', an I
unequal to the rank he mien to hold iriseciety as Rector of such
a pariskas this." Ct ttainly it'seemS somewhat disparaging to
such a parish as that of St. C en-milt-Danes to compel their Rec-
tor to maku an appeal of this sort,--especially when it is Itio,wn
that he is a Chrgyman of orthodox principles, of urrolemished
ilte,,,rity, of excellent ability, of unwearying Lssiduit.;•., and of
diffusive benevolence., Rectors like him shou:d never want
support .
SUNDAY (this day )--The Rtght Reverend the Bishop of
Cloyne, at Bow. Church, Cheapside; in the morning.

• A young wornan, nalncd Szniford, was rallei hp a fall from
the Bath stage on • Fues lay. She was seated on the 'l'e kg;
with Whir, n, w!lilT. her mistress Wits in th.t in41.1%-, and
one of them f..11.ng, Cie, in the act of saving It, fell, uliihtti WI
I he r head, FAJ &Wed outhr: ipot.