The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-14 00:00:00

THE CORI C--LAWS AND THE ME. I
TIODIS'I'S.

TO THE : EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin—The universal cry of the labouring classes for
food at rationol i ;n(1 natural prices having led to much
public discussion,
4:-,as effected a complete and disgusting
expose ofth the
ni
'r Creator " has made of one blood
all nations of nit m, to dwell on the face of the
Forgettingtheitat l 24 elfishness of our landed aristocrats,
4
earth ;" and that, (ht 'inanely speaking) the accident
has elevated them abc •ve the rest of their fellow-
creatures, these lords ( )f the earth trample upon the
industrious, and grind th e faces of the poor ; surely for-
getting their owns respoi isibility to God for the use or
abuse of their privileges ai
id their wealth.
These are trite and 'stale truths, but still truths of the
disgrace of our rulr.,rs, at, d the condemna'aon of our
country. before God. •
Condemnation ? Y' is ! We are nomio Ally Christian
people ; and the weal thy and
.great anion, / us are gene-
rally th best educate d in all 'mg's' and i
_religious truths.
But does their cond Bet, or their profession only, recom-
mend the doctrines of Christianity to the ignorant
and poor?
Are they indeed exalted by their ra u',, and, as cities
set on a hill, dou .bly conspicuous to their inferiors by
;
their virtues, or 'oy th eir vices, as a. e Jess ?
Do they set :An example of pietg.,- tow-Ards God and
man ? The ans.wer is on every it an's lips—No.
" You tell us, " say the poor, " that God is good ;"
but you impiously place yo,arse Ives between us and the
bounties of Iris provideu e, securing for yourselves
luxurious profunion, and co o.si?,uing us and our children
to hunger and despair.
You tell us, that " Mal l's heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wiecked." Your own conduct is
a daily commentary urjon. the truth of the Sacred text.
You say that Oar, ist's mission was primarily to the
poor and wretched' , and that from among the labour-
ing class he chose the fir st preachers of his Gospel : also
that Christ declat .ed the ldoor should always be with you;
bu t you in crease / .heir nu? Albers, and aggravate their misery.
You lift up fo Med hands to Heaven, and piously exhort
us to endure or a. lot, as the appointment of God. What
is this but blat ;phemy, while yourselves are the sole au,
thors of our n iisery ; while you add chains to Our tall
and contempt to privation ? Yet "He that Ospiseth '
the poor, repro 'acheth his Maker."
Much has be en said, justly and severely said, respect- 1
ing the eolidue4; of the tit asleyan preach.'er;, in reference I
to the taxes o a food. i

We have re cently had a Confetrir.;e here, and I have
had many opportunities of convers-ng with the prek ii t'r s
as guests; and ..1- am compelled v ath sorrow and shame,to
avow, that the j anior parish_e-4 are the tools of their su-
perintendents, :mcl that the
.latter are but the locomotive
engines of the Conservp
...A.re laymen;
fre-
quent and exten live and in their . pr"regrination.s, se influence the ma-
jority of the Sof aetv, as to neutraAize the labours of the
upon relig3.Ous grounds, petition the
'ner advisr.;rs
few who won/ d,
to give the poor their daily
bread. I Piaci '4 befor,.; my
Sovereign and
Reverend teachers and guests
the example of o' s:'-:4:ist himself, his compassionate regard
for the poor.;
Kid inflexible requirements from the rich
and power 0:1 The preachers spoke of various conflicting
interests
~ contradictory opinions, and perplexing argu-
qentrs • , and, above all, their own inability to study the
ues, .ton. I said, " the workman is worthy of his hire."
T 1
ey thought " VESTED INTERESTS" might suffer,
I said that my foreign trade was so diminished during
i the last three or four years, that I was less able to contri-
-1 bute to the endless calls of the Society for pecuniary aid.
They did not see how my export trade would be bene-
fitted by the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Our Sunday schools are deserted by many pupils, their
parents being able only to provide a scanty supply of the
coarsest food, but not to clothe their children decently.
The preacher spoke of the drunkenness and improvi-
dence of the operatives. I inquired how they should learn
the best motives to sobriety and economy, if excluded by
their destitution from a place of worship?
The men of God answered, " Let us pray," and took
their leave.—l am, Sir, your obliged and constant reader,
A METHODIST