The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-06 00:00:00

ATIONAL REGISTER•

such careleas beings. to see, they just look up, but to relapse into
their state of sloth. They nod, mutter something, and sleep.
What is all this to them ? Things will last their time, which is

•
all they want!
The reverend THOMAS CLARE, M. A. has now held
nearly six years the vicarage of St. Bride's, near Fleet-street.
Considering the operative importance of this church, together
with the respectability and intelligence of its present Vicar,
it is to be regretted that lie should have entered into the preva-
lent contention between evangelicism and episcopacy. This he,
unfortuately, has done. Censures on evangelical schismatics
are, indeed, remarkable enough from one who annually throws
opens the doors of his church to their most prominent insti-
tution, and suffers their preachers to plead its cause in his pulpit.
Mr. Clare holds the Articles and Liturgy of the Church of Eng..
land in the highest estimation, as being in their study perfectly
conducive to salvation, and, perhaps, superior even to preaching;
so that it seems surprising be should condemn those, who, com-
monly with the establishment, esteem them almost in the same
way. But are its articles generally preached in the church ?
It is one thing to subscribe thirty-nine of them, but quite
another affair to teach and preach them. It is one thing to hula
fast a form of sound words;' it is not the same thing to hold
them as mere form !

Avoiding as he does every circumstance savouring of schism,
it will readily be credited that Mr. Clare's sermons are not
extemporary. Yet he inculcates his sentiments with zeal. One
cannot, moreover, mistake him. He means what he says, and
says what he means. If not eloquent, he is vehement; if not
conclusive, he is decisive. _ _

Preachers must be suited to their hearers. Unevangelical
parishioners require unevangelical instructors. There are some
parishes where the leading persons are either doomed to sit
under evangelical clergymen against their choice, or else com-
pelled to relinquish-the parish church ; whilst there are nume-
rous parishes, on the other hand, whose churches are deserted
because the great majority of parish9ners find their pulpits occu-
pied by ninist:rs who are unsuited to their taste. Neither of
these evils should so occur. The churc.l suffers through them—
the state suffers through them. What is to be done ? The cure
is difficult just now, though most desirable at th:s time. Pastors
will be chosen by the people.—Parishes should choose, therefore,
their own ministers.

Charity would induce the !lore that some benefit must accrue
to society from the instructions and exhortations of those esta-
blished clergymen whose principles and discourses are of the
same stamp with those of the gentleman who introduces this
article. They keep men reputable in the course of their lives,
should they fail to make them religi(lus in their hearts. This is
the use of preachers of this guise or sort. Those who like their
preaching, should hear them; and may still profit by what they
hear. Civilised society is much indebted for its respectability
to the admonition so far extended by its clerical instructors.
ONESJMUS.

Lieutenant Charles Cobb, who was killed on board the Cas-
tilian gun-brig, in the late gallant action with Buonaparte's
flotilla off Boulogne, was the second son of Benjamin Cobb,
Esq. of New Romney, Kent. Although our naval annals are
replete with instances of heroLm and fortitude, they will not
furnish a brighter example of intrepidity and devotedness, than
those which marked the fall of Lieut. Cobb. While carried
front the deck in the arms of the Surgeon and Purser, he
directed his eyes towards his shattered arm, and observing it
hanging by a small portion of the flesh only, he exclaimed,
with the greatest composure, " never mind, it is only an arm ;"
and although in addition to this calamity he had his ribs frac-
tured, and his lungs contused, he evinced such spirits and
cheerfulness, that it was hoped his arm would have been the
only loss the service should have had to deplore. When suffer-
ing under the pain of amputation, it was made known to him
that one of the praams had been taken; he exclaimed, with
the greatest fervour, " thank God, I hope we shall have more
of them ;" but in a few minutes after the amputation was
completed, life appeared to be fast ebbing, and in about fifty
Minutes ;titer he first fell) he resigned his spirit without a sigh.