The National Register.
London, England, 1811-02-03 00:00:00

TTIE NATIONM, REGISTER.

11941,pit.

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/Disc'
xxxrii.

PitOBATIONARY SERVONIZING;
oittcANDi 6#Tis LICTURERSIIIII!
Deviating someWinst fkielitilfelisual critiques On individual
clergymen, it is this Week /motif, under the "article the pulpit, to
consider the nature andeffects.of those Profiationary Discourses
which custom requires of such ministers of our religion as hap-
pen to become Ceriediukites fir Lectureships in the metropolis.
Were our church-livings and lectureships always at the disposal
of intelligent and orthodox individuals, or in the gift of select
bodies of men of this stainti, it might, notwithstanding all the
arguments in favour of election by the populace, prove the
r.'lore eligible method of diStributing the preferments of the
church. But this, all of us ion well know, is not the case; nor
can it, there is cause to fear, Soon be the case. Reform may
Partially take effect. Look• Are for something more than this ?
Flatter themselves men may, and will, with more hopeful re-
Regeneration seems. however more difficult than re-
formation.
Amongst the evils still attending the elections of clergymen
to lectureships, passing over minor defects, observation is
enabled to discover two fallacies, or evils of magnitude. There
an evil in the mode of thus choosing a preacher, and there is
in the choice so made. Both these evils, although but
errors, are great.

Clergyman becomes pitted againii 'clergyman ! What chris-
timi can say he is unapprised of this sad and shameful fact ?
Yes, preachers are brought before us, almost like players, soli-
citing our admiration, ',teaching on tEliti, if haply.they may ob-
tain votes. Thus are they Made men of the day,—publicly de-
grading the clerical character .!..thus are they made men of the
mob. as it should be ? Considering the heat of rivalry,
and'the high jealousy of talents, and the uniform mortification,
after hatred, engendered by disappointment, during public
struggles, however moderitO,' between public porsons,—con-
siderirg this, assuredly chrlidan preachers, subjected them-
selves to like passions with Other men, should be excused this
sort of competition.


Vsrhile'itich will cotntriofilf be found the predicament of him
whoinilithi--the proposed candidate for an .established lecture-
ship;eqttaily•iittsatisfaetory is the customary situation of those
who ire to'determine as to his qualifications by their_ votes..
Anx'obit() obtain such votes, the clerical candidate will na,'
0:rally-endeavour to do biS best; he will be sure, at least, not
to fiefiltir'hithearers with one of his " rainy-day sermons :7. ifx
thereat; thbse have never heard him preach beforelwhile they
heat filth for once at his best, and it must frequently be the cue;
hovt' Aye the congregation competent to judge of the general
character Of the candidate's discourses ? Another kind of eh-
jectihn seems as ob:Vicius. ;Supposing the candidate to be young,
tretri: sling and diffident of his Success, yet emulous of obtaining
it,eitLer his very efforts to excel will dad, him to, overdo:his
Lsk L.f probation. or his. Wain of confi,dence in. himself will
counteract the due exertion of . .
Sometimes these probation 'discourses are ridiculous. Ima-
gine
two clergymen out.of five, patina up as candidates for the.
same lectureship ; one of whom r 7; r curate of it, had, now
and then, preached in the same ..ourch, whilst the other, from
his lengthened officiating for. the preceding lecturer, was more
tally known there ; and yet, although both are thus known as
preachers through the whole of the'Parisli, both are required to
deliver" probationary sermons !!" This moreover is no ima-
gined case. This strange case happened, some few weeks since,
not beyond one half-mile west of Temple Bar, nor is the lot de-
termined-to this day. After five protracted weeks of rivalAkip,
which numerous congregations were selectttl try !)zn-

II

day, collected to decide the varied merits of candidates; it is
hot known (by him who now "whites) whetter the reverend
Messrs. S—s or . I--..... 4 (21'i titiily well kilowp•ta,the :pa.
l'ishioners), or the reverend
~ pars. W-4b, or F.r....-11, or •
13---4, are either of them Lticiten W supply " the vacant Dial-
ing Lettureship." One onlYcip.‘btain it. How will the four
rejected candi4cites feel as to hiM? Patriotism may teach them
• • • ~
religion. LeCus hope, theiefore, that they will rejoice, as the
heathen patriot once dia.,. when • tke people's choice had not
fallen on him, that his country could produce another "indiri-
i 'dual who was deemed better qualified to promote the interests
'of the State. Since a Ronan Irak! so act, how ought a Chris-
tian to act. ON Esamvs•
I ,
SACRAMENT..
......walik„—.... .• . i.”l ...”...;• .r e :!-- •
QUALIFICATION OV THE Remote
, ~4 4i, :al '

,:;:,~~~~4 7

Kin-, se

On Saturday se'nnight it was
the Lord' Chamberlain's Office, and to.thoso Ito""
have the management of tha Chapel, that+ was. the'
intention of his Royal • Highness the. prince' et,
Wales to take the Sacrament on 8-tinday. at the'
Chapel Royal,-St. James's Palace, agreeably loittid st
directions in the 114111 to qualify himself to' asstlie".
. ~.,
the office of Regent.
About twelve o'clock, his Royal Highness,'
accompanied by Earls Moira, Lords Dundas '
and Keith, arrived in the Palace-yard of St. James's
in his carriage. The guard' of the day was drawn
out, with their colours flying, and the drums and
fifes playing. The Prince was received with the .
same honours as his Majesty would have been. His
Royal Highness proceeded up: the grand staircases
and entered the royal • cl6set. His Royal Highness.
took his seat in the front of the right side,. when
the service of the day, commenced, which was
read by the ltev.Mr.Priddeo, as was the Litany by
the Rev. Mr. Hayes. On, the . Bishop of London
(the Dean of the Chapel) and the Rev. Mr. Holmes
(the Sub-Deah) . entering the Altar to read the
Communion ServiCe, they turned to the - Royal
Closet, and made their. obeisance to the Prince, in a
similar Manner that they would .have done if the
King had. been there... An excellent sermon was
preached by the Rev. Mr. Mialey) from the 4th'
chapter of the Acts of . the Apostles, and 12th
verse : • • -
0 Neither is there salvation in any other : for there Is nonee,
other name under heaven given ;anon men whereby we mull
be saved.". . .
. . The Dean, after taking the sacrament. himself,
administered it to his Royal
.Highnesss. and dim.
. gave bread to the three Noble Lords, ant Mt. Mad.-
• ley, who had preached. The subiDemi fol,lowte4-1,
I.& ,ti .. ..: Ii .1.,.. i.:
,t, .. ... . . .
with a cup of wine; '-'7 - . • ~
Dean
At the conclusion of the service, the D bowed,,,
to his Royal Highness, who left the altar, and whenvgri,
he got into the aisle, then turned and bowed to. thsei -1.!
Dean and Sub-Dean, as did the Noble Lords. . Chi; ai
his Royal Highness's leaving the Chapel to get ingv, -
to his cartia e at the Palace-yard, he was receive&
with the s - ' ',Military liononrs as when he enterecifr
'and 'die yar vi as pearly filled with spectators) -sugar-;
. greeted his kijal Highness with acCiatnationg, And
cheered hintwahluzzas as heigft it.
,*. •.• !,,,i 4: ..
••,., — ,.
,„ . . • - 7 .. . • • sl:i 7:1 .•
A gentle'marr, who,threeireart ago, received wool. -ta. pal- ..
lone guinea per day till the three jseetcents.were at ba, hag, Wit; il9
these few days, paid four:cc:la hlind,red zumeas to get rid uf th, •
' bareain. - .

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