The National Register.
London, England, 1813-10-31 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REG

700

ebe pulpit.

Nn. 11.

Ray your, g Religion wears a gloomy grace ;
huieen in her eyes, or langnor in her force ?'
Behold tire man v. ho travels in her ways,
And gives to Gott the portton of his days
Titron'tf on his brow sweet cheerfidness is seen,
Warm is his bosom, tind his soul serene !—HoLLowAy.
40NdiNaP.
RF.I7. JAMES GIBSON, M. A.
CHAPLAIN TO THE LOCK HOSPITAL.

" We labour," remarks the late William Huntington, in
one of his published Letters; ti but the time will come
When others will enter into our labours, and reap what we
have done." This remark is not inapplicable at the present
time. Where a Malian, a Decoetlogon, and a Scott have
laboured, scripturally as successfully, other's have entered
into their labours, and reaped the harvest which they had
Sown. Let us enquire, .however, what are the pretensions
of that clergyman who is now raised to an eminence on
which the greatest preachers of the last age were contem-
plated with admiring awe?
The 'Rev. J A M Es GI BRON, M. A, is from Wadham College,
Oxford, and of which he was elected a Fellow in July 1812.
His first appearance in the metropolis was as Curate to the
Rev. Basil Woodd. lie obtained his present situation (Chap-
lido of the lock Hospital) towards the close of the year 1 SI I.
potwithstanding some competition,' on the resignation, and
w!th the recommendation, of the Rev. Mr. Fry; who has
been preparing himself for the pulpit of the Episcopal Cha-
pel, now building at Bethnal Green, on account of the Lon-
don Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews.f
Every thing has here its fashion. It is partly owing to
this circumstance, undoubtedly, that the Lock Chapel, to-
gether with its Hospital, has been for some 3aars in a de-
clining state ; but it must be admitted, at the same time,
that such declension may have been accelerated by another
cause, which, although not so obvious, demands the atten-
tion of those who al es empowered to controul the concerns
of this charity. Fashion is not alike fatal to all societies.
The supporters of this hospital, therefore, no less than the
frequenters of its chapel, might act wisely in putting the
following question to theii unbiassed minds.—What sort of
preaches have latterly occupied the pulpit of the Lock?
Chapel char:ties will be advantaged or deteriorated by
their stated preachers. Not only must the talents of the
preacher have an effect upon their sabbath gains, either by
attracting or repelling of hearers, but his influence extends
far beyond this. Occasions there are, on which he is ex-
pected to plead for the interests of the institution thus com-
mitted to his care ; and who is not apprised of the essential
difference there is between having an able or an indifferent
advocate,—between the efficacious or ineloquent asserter
of our tights or onr'pretensions ? Be who attracts hearers to
the chapel, moreover, may acquire subscibers to the charity ;
for men naturally identify the one with the other, and are
not parsimonins of their purses where they feel themselves

• Rev. Mr. llowels; now Citrate of St. Ann's ltlnekfriars. Upon
the ele4 of the Ballot for this Chapl,•:iucy .the nntn►aere were—for
Mr.-Gibson 63, i'►'l ti►r Mr. Hovels 13. •
t The foimdaticit stone Of tho.'iewiNik Eri;copal Chapel was laid
by the Duke of Rent, Apri► the ISi2 ; and it is expected to be
*Ito! earl) in the approaching Spring. Pcrliaps it may not be
tmayersalli known, especiaily amongst our ge►:eral readers, drat his
k Patron of the London Society, and has (Aran-
Vuted to its ptcutiiaryaicl, •

STEIL

OCT: 31.

• • . • ••
most disposed to' give their presence. Our enquiry is, there-
fore, an important one. Pati.ons should oftener take the
trouble to attend to the interests of the charities which they
Support, particularly when connected with preaching, by
personally ascertaining the qualifications of such ecclesiasti.
cal candidates as, time after time, solicit their votes ; seeing.
that it may be of moment what kind of preacher they elect,
even though they should never intend to sit under his mi-
nistry. Such persons should not endure to have tnetr
(rages bespoke, in the first instance ; nor yet weakly disp.,se
of them, at last, in compliance with musty precedent or with
modish example. Importunity should be silenced, partiality
dismissed, and conscience alone consulted.
Where, indeed, Madan and Decoetlogon, both luminas les
of the first magnitude in the religious world, once filled the
pulpit, and where Cecil and Foster, though only lesser
lights, were content to move in the circle of the readin
desk, There clerical declension must, whatever may' be its
occasion, he palpably seen, and seriously felt.
Amiable in temper, gentle in manners, and sincere of soul,
the Rev. Mr. Gibson seems happily qualified for discharging
what may not improperly be called the domestic or ordinary
duties- of his situation. Ile wit not quench the smokitg
flax ; be will not break the bruised reed ! Called two!) to
impart consolation to the desponding, and evince sympathy
for the afflicted,—called upon to relieve and console that
sex whose sufferings stil awaken and must always claim our
Most tender regard,—this duty he appeals calculated to fut..
fill with' honour to his own humanity. advantage •to the
afflicted. and credit to the philanthropy of the institution to
which he at present belongs.

These excellent dispositions are even of c.msequence to
his Impression while moving in- another appEopriate sphere.
Gentleness and tenderness and sincerity, and accompanied ai
they are in him with an of voice, really prove most
interesting qualifications for the reading-desk. It is during
this portion of divine service, accordingly, that the unaffect-
ed devotion of the present rearkr is communicated to all
around him, and subdues and delights those who with pure
hearts and humble voices accompany him to the throne of
almighty grace! Here, indeed, his piety and ability are
eminently seen.

Preaching is that, however, in whidt the Rev. Mr. Canon
is not eminent. Here be tai's to charm. Deficient he
not, as to certain personal requisites,—being tall, not un-
gracefully built, and possessing an agreeable countenance ;
yet is tie inefficient, comparatively estimated, as a preacher.
lie betrays no originality of conception, nothing striking as
to subject matter; and, while his thoughts are common-
place. -his language is equally so. ills delivery, at the same
time, is. languidly tame. Con4idered with reference to the
pulpit, though he can excel in the desk. he is. neither in-,
forming nor interesting.

There is a species of negative perfection, of something
that is commonly good only because it is not positively bad;
which baiiies all attempts to define its genus or repress its
growth. This weed is radical to the vineyard of our day.
Our spiritual labourers cultivate, rather than extirpate, this
weed ju:t as if ;hey expected, contrary to scripture and
regat'dle:s of expe,tieuce, that meu could gather grams,
from thorns. Let 1.1, then, fervently implore the -Lord
of -the vintage, that he would send forth other labourers
into his vineyard;—men specially qualified for their
great woi k, and whose exertions may yield us some foretaste
of that whw which shall. be drank at the marriage-supper
ctf the ON EliIMUi.

OCT. 31.

EXTRAORDENARr PROPHECY.

JOANN % SOUTHCOTT's LETTER TO THE NATION.
Joaiwa Southeott. have been more than twelve years pith-
liely warning the nation of what the Lord bath revealed unto me,
he will do upon earth; and the events have been daily flailing
abroad and at home, which causes aome to believe the visitation to
he from the Lord : while others, with the most infamous abase and
falsehood, have publicly declared me to be's an ImpOstor: and
others. with the same ignorance and folly say, that my writings
ere fiwn. the devil, fill! of blasphemy, and wondered that the
sh .std have :suffered me to go on in this manner. I have
borne the mockery and abuse of men : but now let all their wonder
cease ; for I shall return to mock them, as they have mocked me ;
nod prove It is the devil, in the tbrm of men, from whence all this
malice and persecution proceed still : and now I shall say with
David, if I have been vile, I will he viler; and, if I have bevu
bold, I will be bolder. To my other prophecies, I have added
two books, lately published, entitled " Books of %Vaulters ;" and
five more will appear hereafter, which I defy all the Bistaps in
Fogland, the Member• of Parliament, and all Judges in the land.
witn ail tip judgement they can form together, to be able to prove
thew two books of Wonders, 'with the other Prophecies, were
ever hrought round by the wisdom and knowledge of the devil,
or by the wisdom and knowledge of an impostor. Let the Mishops
come forward, with the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy, and I will soon
convince them. that I could as soon make the world as I could
make my v.ritings' and bring them round in the manner they have
been brosight round to be fondled. lam not so wise as the nark!
make me; therefote I shall give onto the Lord the honour and
glom. that is sine unto his name : and those that say they are from
the devil, I shall torn their blasphemy upon their own heads ;
because it is blasphemy, to say, that such wisdom, knowledge,
and power, can be ni the devil. And I was answered this morning
that if nt4n scut' on this way, and the Bishops did not awaken,
to proet. the calling is from on high, to stop this blasphemy in men,
that awfai juketnents should now come on, upon them and
upon the nan) ; tom these are the words said unto me :
" I sit laugh at their calamity i I will mock when their fear
conical ; when yam- fear eonteth as desolation, and your destruction
cometh as a tshielwind ; distress and angnish come upon you : then
shall they call upon me, but I will not answer ; they shall heck nit'
esrly, hut they shalt not timid me : for I have looked, and there is
none to help ; and I wondered that there was none to uphold;
therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury
upheld me : and I will tread down the people in inioe anger, and
male them drunk in my ffiry ; I will bring down their strength to
the earth."

'Phis i, the voice of the Lord unto me, from the Scripture
Prophecies The watchmen are blind ; they are all ignorant ;
they are all dumb dog* that cannot balk; sleeping, laying down to
slumber."

But this is the answer of the Lord to me :—" They shall i.e
visited of the Lord of Hots with thunder, and with earthquake and
great noise, with storms and tempest, and the time of devouring
fire, Stay yourselves and wonder ; cry ye out ; and cry, they are
drunkest, but not with wine; they are staggered, but not with strong
drink. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man ; lie shall stir
no jealousy as a man of war ; he shall cry, yea roar ; lie shall
prevail against his enemies. I have long time holdeu my peace; I
have 'ueen still and refrained myself; novi I will cry like a travailing
woman ; I will destroy and devour at once."
Here are the threatening.', that I am now ortlered•to bring home
to the nation, of the scriptures that the Loid will fulfil, if men now
carelessly sleep, after this warn* ; but it they awake, as men out
of sleep, and obey the call, then they may look to the promises in
the following chapters: Isaiah, 1, tl, 9.—chapter xlvi. chap. lxv.
aid chap. lxvi.
This I am ordered to put in the public papers; and if I have no
nit to come forward to plead my canse for me, the Lord is work-
kw a way for me to plead it myself; and shame all that shamed me,
and confound all that couluunded me.

NOW, as R H called my friends " three-and-twenty
mad fools," for believing that my 'visitation was from the Lord ;
let him bring forward three-and-twenty mad tools, to prove these
two books, which I have lately published, with my other prophe-
cies, were ever brought conivi by the wisdom of a wonum, or a
wisdom of the devil;--then they must he mad fools indeed, it they
attempt it ; far it, has been none but mad fools that have ever writ-
ten a, hook against me yet, by Satan's forming himself in than; and
that their publications Lave proved.
October 28, 1813. JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

VONAt REGISTIR. .

MOCK AUCTIONS.

701

Friday a Court of Common Council was held al terildhall, to take
into consideration a report of the Committee for Generel Put-
poses, detailing their proceedings relative to prusecuting, in the
last Session of Parliament, petitions against Mock Auctions.
Mr. Warritatex stated, that had this subject been brought for-
ward on a former dey, his duty as Chairman of the Cooanittee. in
laying the report betbre the Court, would have been extremely
easy; but to-day it was likely, there would be considerable oppo-
sition, The Members for the City, though they would receive ulb
political instructions from their cunstituerits, led professed them-
selves ready to attend to any that might be given them on matter:
of local regulation. On the present subject there had been no scant
of caution an the part of the Committee, who had waited. on the
City.llfembers to ask their support. A Bill was then in couteihple-
tion to prevent frauds, and the traders were told, that their caw
might be embodied into that Bill. That, Bill, however, had been
thrown out. Another Bill wow then brought forward, and some
Gentlemen had waited on Mr. Wharton, to state what redress they
wished. It had, however, been asserted by a certain Gentleman.
an auctioneer, that that Bill was the Act of a Junta only, and lie
would get 40 Members to vote against it. That Bill lie thotiglit,
however, would have clone some gaol With respret Rd tin. hot
bill by 'Mr. Lockhart, there was not in the whole of it a single
clause in favour of the traders, but all in favnur of. the parties com-
plained against; one of whom had been made the dope of a fraud,
and had sold goods fur one-thitl =pre than their actual value, as
the property of a naval officer. The good character of the gentle-
man in question, made in favour of his argument. Irish linen had
been likewise offered as 'German, and the Captain bad said, we have
gat Mut rell on our side, and no matter for Waitliman. (The wor-
thy Member here produced a paper having on the back or it, " To
Mr. Waitliman," and which he said would enable him to athivipate
the arguments that would be used.) The present was a question of
character ; and the practice of mock auctions enaldea at reauts to
rob their masters, and debtors to cleat their creditors. Mi. W.
here alluded to some recent instances of fraud, and particularly the
case of Mr. Chapman, who had been robbed of :,:00 gross of screw*.
These stolen articles were exposed for sale, not by itinerant bat by
resident auctioneers, who had regular rooms as specified in the Act
of Parliament. An auctioneer had stated, that he was in the habit
of buying the property of noblemen, and selling it again as such ;
but this was converting the auctioneer into a pawnbroker, and not a
broker. A young man in his own employ bad confessed to him that
he had robbed him of 3501. and prosably the amount was muck
more, and he had seen the goods of which he had been robbed in a
regular auction room. Such practices loudly called for reformation.
Mr. IVaithman then moved, that the report of the Ccuunittee of
the 'list of July, 1811, be read. [The report was accordingly read,
as also that of the Sub-committee, amid went to state, that a meet-
mg held at the house of Alderman Atkins, the clauses in the 1Ji:1
awn pending in Parliament, by which auctioneers might introduce
property of their own into their sales. were reprobated by the trade!,
present, and that the City Members had concurred in tee objection
then made, but, nevertheless, when the bill seas read a third time its
the Cominons, bad made no attempt whateser to have the obnoxious
clauses left out.] He concluded with moving, that the Court de
agree with time report.
the. BROWN admitted the evil of mock-auctions, but saw nu
reason to throw imputations on respectable characters, who in
fact deserved the thanks of their country, "Co sign such a r port
was infect an act of iefatuation. Should this report be agreed to,
the Common-council would sanction a gross breach of conti,icisce.
He should move, as an amendment, that the Report do lie on the
table.

Mr. Munn EL seconded the motion, and stated tlv mock auctions
had much decreased in the course of the last twenty yeaN.

Mr. Dixon lamented, that the report had been brought forward,
and thought Mr. W.liimself would do sc in his cooler motnt-ivs.
Mr. Qum condemned mock auctions as most injurious to the
nation at large. He, however, strongly opposed the adoption of the
Report.
Alderman ATM NS. at considerable length, defended his own con-
duct, and cotiteneled that the statements in the report were com-
pletely unfounded.
Alderman Woon was sot ry the Report had been
should move as an amendment, that it be referre I to
prepare a petition to Parliament, for the purpose
Auction Marts, founded on the Resolution of tht.
Mr. DAVIS seconded the motion.

brought up. ;ma
a Committee to
of doing away- •
lth of Ma!-.