The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-01 00:00:00

"rT7:I

purpose of shelving the
an h:ylpily escaped.
Illelltlr wag not only one
avio.ct ; hat it was also
There were,
rathunce in the course
moral heaven, which
Milli at length the w,
light of the Holy Script..
which led to such posse&
the study of Holy Writ
like a rock in the ten

perilou.ly .trot ahited
vulgate tongue, cud I
tellectusl and moral .
this he suffered the malikaant opprobeinni of into'
Want and superstitious resentment. He euraresll
disinterment 30 years after his death, arid hip bones
were burned and icattereql before the wind. Je-
rome, and Huss, and the Waldenaes, were equally
exposed to the fires of persecution, is the pursuit
of their good mud glorious work. The worthy Gen-
tleman concluded by giving a glowing eulogium on
the principles of the Reformation. which was re-
ceived with great applause.
Mr. Damp Brno, seconded this Resolution.—
He said. they were like travellers looking back on
the point from wbich—they hod set out. and en-
joying the advantaps to which they had hap-
pily arrived. They had now attained the moral
light amid truth which was the great Min of their
pursuit. England lied had the great benefit of
this Reformation ; she had grown not only great in
arms, but in moral light and feeling—in fact, iii
the cultivation of every virtue which made human
nature lionourable.— ( Great applause.)
The Rev. Mr. Cox here announced a commu-
nication he had received from the Rev. Doctor
Schwabe, apologising fur his absence, cud con-
taining an account of the late tri-centenary meet-
ings in Germany. lie had casually cast his eye on
one of the Resolutions at these Continental meet-
ings, which he would read, viz. " A true Protest-
ant knows how to respect the opinions of those from
whom he differs, and to do so with a pure mud
Christian feeling."—(Applouse.
The Rev. Dr. NEWMAN proposed the eighth Re-
solution
" Rut that it is the peculiar and important object of this
Meeting to celebrate, at this tri-ceutimial period, that glorious
Reformation, which, in 1517, commenced in Saxony : which
exchanged- knowledge fur igoorance—ficedom fur oppres-
sion—and a parer Clifiltlianity fur corruptions—antichrlatian
sod absurd."

He said that those who commemorated the Refor-
mation were so placed, that they must either stand
still, go back, or go forward. They could not
stand still if they Meant to be consistent in their
admiration of the Reformation, while so large a
portion of the world remiO:eed in darkness, and
strangers to the blessedness of true Christian love.
',risk, for instance, at Portugal and Slraiti *rid
Italy and Turkey. If they were even to stand
still, what security had they that Ins Holiness the
Pope would I,e dormant ? It was impossible, there-
fore, they could stand still. Did they imagine
that Luther or WicklifT would, if now alive, re-
commend than to adopt such a course? Early
when the light of truth shone. history told them
that some people were eager to return to darkness.
In the year 1549, in the reign of the pious Edward
she Sixth, a resolution broke out in Devonshire,
the malcontents were headed by priests, who car-
ried crucifixes, and who submitted a number of ar-
ticles as the terms of their allegiance. One of these,
the 10th, was, that all the Bibles printed in Eng-
lish, 111 mild be called in, for otherwise the priests
conld not confound heretics. It required a large
military force, headed by Lords Russell and Grey,
to quell this riotous assemblage. fie earnestly: con-
jured the Meeting to urge inactive distribution of
the Scriptures, and to hail the auspicious moment
when they could do so under the auspices of the
House of Briiiiswick.--(Great applause.)
The Rev. Dr. STYLES pa:posed else Moth Re.o-
halm) :

" That the Reformation having prnatoted the recognition
of the great principles which this Meeting maintain, has
(aided by the art of printing) emancipated many nations
from such superstitions and tyranny—bas bestowed or the
people ronsiitistional freedom, and restored to Magistrates
lawful authority—has burst asunder the fetters which en-
chained the human mind—has ameliorated the destiny even
of those countries which have not yet yielded to its influ-
ence—and has contributed to that improvement in social
happiness at which this Meeting can rejoice !—although
society may lint yet have attained that state which Piety must
desire, and Philanthropy approve."

The art of printing was, he observed, a glorious
epoch in the history of the world. It was every
thing, if rightly recognised. Protestant Christians
rallied round it us their strong armour, while Papal
power attempted to circumscribe its influetice.—
Before the art of printing, 500 crowns was the price
affixed for a copy of tlw Holy Scriptures ; after
the use of printing the price fell to sixty crown. ;
but now (blessed be the progress, of human light !)
the poorest man in the Empire was rich enough to
have the Book of Goff. The Rev. Gentleman
here begged to recall the Royal Chairman's at-
tention to au interview winds he hail formerly
with him on the part of the Sussex Auxiliary Bible
Society. Ile' had then an opportunity of :wore-
timing his Royal Highness's patronage and virtue,
when lie deigned to tell him that he loved the cir-
culatiou of the Scriptures, because their study
made the poor peaceable, and enabled them to
sustain, with patience, the difficulties under which
they laboured, and furnished au example to the
whole world of the patience with which, Christians
endured the privations they suffered.—(Applausc.)
—The Rev. Gentleman expatiated in eloquent
terms upon the value of Scriptural knowledge—
it acted like a gilut against superstition, mid how-
ever it was to he lamented that in some instances
the spirit of the early Reformers.hud nut been sof-
tened by the mildness of their doctrines, yet their
general example had furnished alight which could
never be extinguished. The tree of liberty—nut
of revolutionary but rational liberty, had been
planted, it was watered by their fotefather's blood,
and they of the ',remit time quietly enjoyed its
salubrity and its shade.—(Appluusc.)
Ilene the H. v. Mr. Cox intimated, on the part
of the id Chairman, the necessity, as the day
was ion dr:twilit.; to a Close. of proposing the re-
loaloitig: Resolutions in a brief 111Unlief.—(40-
plunge.)
The Rev. Mr. FLETCUM then seconded the 9th
Resolution to a brief but eloquent speech, in which
he forcibly asserted freedom of opinion and wire-

4
, t

Ice. ire concluded
as •H ritv-
ibesty wisited lot this
(be Refortuatisou.—(Groit

in propos;ng the tenth

excessive praise on Lather,
amt the hand of itrettisen •
. this beneficent event, and
condoet, or all the 4...orines
Ai-cling must r.g.rd them as great
or. .o•• y most recollect with scito-
' Went*, their industry, their
heir eh iMe.n soil their coil-
lheirdauull6l/0 l'Oiefltre, their
uwentio;dabite obadieute to
.•••••ClMCOllolucis.they stably displayed,"
said, that if he could not speak es well its those
who preceded him, be would, i;, ob,riLence to the
hint hoot the Chair, speak sli-sier.—(A tough soul
apylause.)—He admired the mouse taken lie the
illustrious founders of the Ittiforuiation. 'Flory
made thrones shake that previously shook their sub-
jects by their intolerance, or bowed down rulers by
their own subserviency, like llenry the Second doing
penance for Thomas i Beckett. Luther took a de-
cisive character—he adopted the maxim. that when
a man made up his mind to carry a particular ob-
ject, lie should at once do en act that would commit
him on his l -iple. Su when Luther was advised
nut to attend the Council at WOWIS, he said, "I
will go, if there lire as many devils at 11'orins as
tiles on the houses there"—(Apploare) —and be-
fore he set out he burnt on a !abbe scaffold, at
Witteinberg, all the Bulls and Papal Ordinances to
which he had previously adhered.—(Applause.)—
By this act he resigned from the Cialioli: Commu-
nion, and fairly judged, that, hay* resigned. lie
could not be turned wit.—(:l laugh).—lle also
skewed, that as he was not to be deterred by the roar-
ing of • hull, lie was not likely to he frightened from
his purpose by the braying of au ass.—(3fach
laughser and applause.)—Luther was ready, us lie
said, " to give unto Crew that which was time In
Caesar;" but lie required the protection of the Civil
Power, us he said Ire was collided to it. lle ob-
tained it from one of that illustrious House whose
descendant iv now 14 widowed mounter in this 4:QUM-
try, with all that sympathy bestowed upon Will
which the luso of the virtuous object of his grief so
well entitled him to receive.—(This allusion to.
the Prince of Saxe-Coburg, tie: dem-rodent of
the Elector of Saxony, was received wills great
enthusiastic feeling by the Meeting:l—Rut,
thiough he obtained it, the rancour of poorer:lotion
rendered it unavailing. When the doctrines of
Luther became felt by his-followers, they Hocked
round him to ask permission to break the idols
worshipped in their time.—" No," said the grrist
Reformer, " pull not down their idols, but let us
preach to them, so as to enlighten the 'muds of
the people themselves, and then they will pull
down their own images."—((:reat applanse.)—
This was true liberty of conscience, mid a freemen
gloried in it. Seldon well said, " Give us flee-
dona—above all give us liberty, civil liberty, !eh-
gious liberty, that liberty which we derived from
heaven, from sacred blood, mid whirls was sealed
on earth with the mime token."—((;reat applause )
The Rev. Mr. FRERE seconded this Itesolution.
Mr. J. DAVIS (of the Common Council) then,
for brevity sake, proposed the I Ith, 11:11), 13th,
14th. nod 151 Ii Resolution+ together. as follow
" That whilst this Meeting render cordial homage to the
memory of illustrious turn, who were 11w1.111;1111r111S of other
tries—they never can forget those men or gr. at and
kindred minds, who in their native land, amidst ilas
obloquy, proscription, sad death, proclaimed the same great
troths, and by whom equal triomplis arse utasiard—and
that to the wondrous and isitiema Knox, in :44103nd—to
'fyinlale, Latimer, and the Holy Martyrs and Conf. ssues of
the k:uglish (lurch, they would thus rear a monument on
which they would record their veneration nod esteem."
" That this Meeting are exhiliraled by intelligence, that
during this Tri-Leutenial year similar inaitilllollll been
expressed by the Protestants who cultivate those German
plains %here the Reformutiou so happily hvgaii—and tearn
with joyt,lhat approximating towards each other with liberal
and enlightened mind., they are adding dignity hi the carn-
tion cause of the Reformed—and are preparing its further
successes by their augmented union, and well ululated
seal."

" That this 'Merlin!, convinced that the principles of the
Reformation promote individual happiness and social peace,
nurture inquiry, and bless mankind, • stout those putt
nations, who in Europe and America poorers a congenial
faith, to cherish those principles ait h an unabated :sedum.,
appropriate to their worth—to transmit them with hallowed
reverenee,to their posterity—and to protect those who also
cherish them in other c ssssss triers f all persecuting Powers :
—and that such attention they now especially
monastic institut iuus are restored—when dangerous ancients
are reamed—when the circulation of the Ilidy Si riptiors
without note or comment is forbidden—and :rhea Inquisi-
tions are continued, or re-established, to perpetuate the em-
pire of delusion—by imprisonment, by torture, and by
death."

" Thal. amidst their own security and Pali4lol )))) this
Meeting feel the deepest interest far thus* %miller and 1t,.,
protected communities, who, amidst the villages of Pied.
muist, in the kingdom of France, or throngh t the earth,
exist in nations generally hostile to their faith—unit that to
them this Meeting would address ussuraisces of the kindliest
sympathy and of fraternal love."
" That whilst this Meeting thus celebrate that lit:forma-
tion, whose influence they desire should he ro-exteitsise with
the globe, they seek for that extension ottly by the energy
of argument and through the force of troth; and Internls
those Catholics whose errors they regret, and whose priuri•.
plea they disapprove, they disclaim all sentintents which
Christian charity could censure, or religions freedom would
condemn:"
unit accompaiiied hits motion by suitable continents
on the purport of these Resolutions.
The Rev. Mr. J. TowNsEN u. in seconding this
string of Resolutions, ao l i 11l adverted with much in-
dignation on the proceedings of some of the Con-
tinental illonarchs. Louis the Eighteenth, he mid,
Iced not shrunk f tending himself to the pet-
sccution of Protestants—though both lie, his
priests, anti nobles, bad front Protestants received
shelter and protection in this weenies.—(Great
applause.)—Until the restoration of Papal Power
and the Bourbon., there were Protestant emigre-
gatiotss at Route awl Naples, hut they were
punt now permitted to !mires, openly their .faillt.-
111 the South of Fratice it tuns well known that
two Protestants were tined, 81111 the sentence after-
wards affirmed w ith Tolls. for trot holding out the
Catholic insignia, during the passiirg of the host.—
Iripplaette.)—This was dour too in a country
where the King had but recently hound himself
by charter to give full toleration of religious opi- '
moses.—lApploase. j—lt became
necessary. thro,
Old Englishmen should express an minima on the
Continent. that they evil/Tied for their country-
men the some toleration abroad, which they wire

ihe evils from which they hail stricted right of comriance.
The period liefoire the Refer- hog that constitutional libeit
oue uf darkness in its tepral ceuvirey by the mouth of the
so the darkness of she ctsiitnet• uppAasse.)
hur. tier. occunith6.l kstAtears 4' Rev. Mr. iVANEY, i
rye of iiine emitted Dom the Resolution.
cheered the solitary sufferer, "That without conferrinz say
way was open to Imp by the . AlLlauttlsts,
ripturee, these oracles of truth, inn Originated nut promoted
witOiout op,laorting nil their et
nwerful cenisequetke"- rt "L• 'which they titO4 'nee
Veit that ftkuule ickliti wend . Alpo mg tine gi tide,/ or , "'",
or corruption. Hr iii'bly and I ni,dlmetit and rokaiirar;on fiber.
I the Holy'Scriptures into the teat ; amt 'mist reeo tttttt end lo .1
extended and eulingtel the in- dream arildorm an ail
For steady peroeversurce, and that
1 vigour of his country.
thu doetataa of their
—I. • ' ;••1•1A