The Sun.
London, England, 1821-01-11 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

Assaut.T.—Yesterday Robert Jeffries the elder, and Hector
Jeffries the younger, were• indicted for assaulting •13eniatnin
Sefiolfield, one •of the street keeperS of the paristy.of St, Mary-
lelmne, andTvAth
,several others, -attempting to rescue
ragiatit he had in his custody. They were found guilty
Tile jodgment of the. Court -was, that Robert Jeffries pay a.
fine of .201. to the • King,. and be imptisoned till the fine by
paid, and that Hector Jeffries pay fis. qd. and be discharged.

-FIRES.--An alarming fire broke out soon after
eleven.O'clocfC'ofr Tues'day evening, at the cabi-
net manufactory: orMr. Dow,biggen, in Adam's
Mews, Mary-le-bone, which threatened much
destruction. The parish engine and those of the
County'and Sun arrived in;the infancy of the:
'flames, and with a good supply of water the con-
gagration was confined -to the grouud floor, and
the workshops of the first floor, which were de-
stroyed, and the flames were then subdued.—
Another fire, 'more extensive in its devastation,
broke out early on Tuesday evening, at the Villa
of Montague Barnes Storey, Esq. Basinghill,
Oxon: It was .occasioned by some pitch and
turpentine boiling over on the kitchen fire, which
was heating for some repairs in the stables. The
wood-work of the kitchen immediately caught the
flames, and there was no chance of extinguishing
them. In less than ten minutes the house, which
was only one story high, was in
.ono blaze, and,
in less, than half an
.hour was a heap of ruins.- •It
wa.4 recently enlarged, and was. chiefly, built of
wood. The inmates had a difficulty in making
their escape. • -11(4 .vestige of furniture was
saved; nor had the water, which_was plentiful,
any effect upon it.

On .iiir.l3llo telij'AM'; F, ,f)I-5 CAT .10 N BILLS.

A' LETTER to a MEMBER-oe- PARLIAMENT; on the SE-
- RIOUS and DANG.k.;ROGS 31,4iFEcTS: of
_the Bill IsU
and FOREIGN •SCHOOL; and of Mr. IiItOUGHLAM'S
BILL for the general EDUCATION of the POOR.--By
the Rev. RICHARD LLOYD, A. M. '
• (Continued from our Paper of Monday last.)
It may, and has, indeed, been virtually objected, Is not
truthatinnipotent? Is it not founded upon such luminous and
incontrovertible evidence as blight to tranquillize all
gloomy fears concerning its progress? Do trot its. advocates
continually assert, that it shines. with a meridian salietidoor
which no sophistry can obscure ? And if this he:the fact,
enee those apprehensions about its interests, those multi-
plied guards and fences against the encroachments of error;
that jealousy and anxious care to -pre-occupy the minds of
children with religions creeds. and catechisms?. Do not such
precautions betray 'secret misgivings, add deity in pi actice
what is cOnfidently•ativaneed in words ? -If the way to heaven
be so clear, let the children be taught to rearlaind to write,
and,. with this acquired ability, leave them with confidence
to the independent operations of
.their ownininds.; Do not
insult' the Moral dignity of -their nature by an illiberal at-
tempt to enchain, their understandings and." to shackle"
'their free Stich liigiurY:is no init letion upon the
inherent right of human nature, and is fit only for the night
of atiperstitionrit cannot be tolerated•tinder the empire of
reason and philosophy. This objection presents an imposing
aspect, and would cat ry coriviCtion with' it. upon the double
asstrinpi inn, tinti Man -is not a fallen; corrupt- ereantre; and
that the truth shines with such 'a convincing splendour as
to compel the assent'. of the mind: and. to preclude CV" the,
pos-sibility of doubt. But as these 'n4.stiiiiptitinS ate 1101
tenable, as -both -Scripture - and expei ienee 'proclaim aloud
the tall of 1015)1, it appears that his conviction of the
troth does. WA necessarily depend upon the • bright=
tress of its evidence. There must by iiii. honest,ser l-
ints. spirit of inquiry, a docility -of temper., anti a con-
sequent apt it vide to receive it dependent npou the 'aural state
of the bract ; othetWise,l he. light May shine in darkness, and
the darkness comprehend ii new. Weitnow npon what ant ho-
y it has been declared, that. " is ennie into the world,
and men lined darkness rather than light, liecauso their
deeds were evil." Here lies the latent and pregnant Solllce
of infidelity. Ever since ;,.the. Fall, man's nature, owing to
his innate cort•uption,. is inclined to evil His understand-
ing, as well as heart, is exposed to continual temptations in
a world where error, in. various seductive forms and
t ions, prevails, as well as vice, in its Minim Crabl4 allurements.
—Helier his security is in prevention more than in erne; the
latter is precarious when inveterate ,prejudices and habits
have been contracted and bare obtained ail unhappy dominion
over hint. Hence the necessity of an. early acquaintance with
the great.. and - fundamental, principles 'of •Cliristianityt—
Hence the ooligation of putting on the Christian armour
betimes, and ni-ne especially the sword of which
is the wand .'t Gtt; and of teaching children how• to tinder,
stand anti apply it for their personal benefit and seem ity ; for
wit bout such instruction, they will not he able to handle this
mighty weapon WI heir spiritual warfare in their own defence.
Some skill is necessary. How easy is it for a mere Tyro to
propound diflicultirs which wily profound learniinecan solve,
aad to ask questions in the great science of •J'hencogy, which
no Divine, however welt farriiislied, ran answer..• Nitti these
questions often relate to the dark ortinrevealed side of those
Christian Doctrine's which ate essential to salvation,—but
which are-held forth -in Scripture-tor our faitliOn the bright
,fstidicettsho;:a):teyulpitoi.
possible
bilunen tdrtetreri iarttitiunteiy, on't te; tnit'o doers 01. e sublimexist tan7ed,• nor in
reunite cOiwriiities. or ultimate
eMiserpteiteei which. are known only to God,. and in the
kmrwledge of which out future happiness may, in some
nteasure.consist,—and in tlre ignorance of.which, part of our
present intelleetnal discipline does consiSt , for the pride
Of the understanding' mtist be linhjugateit•to the
itsavell as the corrupt propensities or as, heart. And even of
these facts,' and the duties.. :raising out of. them, some
clear arrangement is expedient,and- even neeessiry,---:sonie
Comprehensive, thought simple, sunimary, as a seettrity against
damnable heresies, and as guards against partial views. and
statements of the trtith,---against a `‘ zeal nofaccording to
knowledge," and which does-not deny the irtith; but•distorts
and perverts it, and thus-, engenders many art-ions errors di-
rectly repugnant to the spirit and genius of our hoty,
and to the purity Of its Morals; Error is nianif9M and vari-
ous, and iS Must subtfa and, tfarizerous when Satan., assumes
the character of an aligellOf light, and becomes,- as of late, a
bold expounder of scripture. 'Hence title wide road to de-
struction not seldom lies'tbroug,ll the sacred territories of
Christianity, and the professed .saint, under..his,delstsinns.,
aidguras
.and detases the
~ruatt, exhibiting him to ait the
lounty severity of superstitimi, or in ail the licentionsness
rr Atifitionrianisni. And yet. under all- these circtsinstances
of danger front, within and. svithotit,Jrtini the treachery of
a Wicked heart, and the temptation& of Is wieitett vvorld, these
,at e
tr,itt e,titi,tcmusr,
iitym,vtlgeari
nost-t4r presents,ccil ~inedos nos
ft die.:
ptiiiiictt
'tst,/riedrunit es
rs-
tion,
in
doctrine, but leave the rising generation almost destitute of
that linowledgb of the Christian- Religion which. affords an
internal strength to the -mind, anti the only sure refuge
againstimpenditig. evils. And 4111 s reprehensible . plan is'
e .when the enemy is, with rualiguant.craft
useti
d
'of those very children. who:are-tanght: to read and- to
'Ptd''ilt,e(fidnts'lltiti:Y.:;n:vi cup?' si ;Tie =tit raci uni seditioustfar atr.la) u rti fd.tei r ma-
nualstlte
write .tiv the public benevolence.. it our Madras System of
Education, which more than Combines all the Mechanical ad-
van . taGei of •lie Lancastrian, with the.addition.of •wholestime
and daily-instruction in. Christian faith amtprirctice„ -as ad.'
Inn-ably set forth in our Church Catechism, and other appro-
.-. hi. ,a.ios:hialpi. Sze.—is even entlatigered- by these inlet nal
t •
macbiliatlons of abe deviloand tif inspirei.i.aoents ; how
can We contemplate, without painful apprehension, those
naked .scheines of education, .which offerno.elleetnal barrier
against
the-•itifictel• and • denoiralirinit doctrines 'lcf the
times? The enemy of mankind, whose clement is
sin, :and -whose good is evil, is alive to tbis strange and
lamentable defect, rind neglects no opportunity to sow
his • tares in it-' soil
.so superficially
exposed to
tOof jelii•sroir7ant's9di9tlnte.'hc"set fon'retlickaitli"o'n7aglltiTitisttitfets4aVacikes,
is a sound knowledge land' belief of the truth. Unldeeirs pure
and tii,cominaring-liglit, all-those sc-eptical and politi&vi ar-
guments which tt tid to kindle-an insurgent andao in-
flame the passions against God and man, lose thew attiac-
theyfiltd-no predisposition' favourable to their recep-
tion in !Muds imbued with Christian princ,iplesi
piined by its holy precepts. ..Hence :the auhtiety. of our spi-
ritual. adversary. is as. great as hiS iii his attempt to
undermine the' vladrits tiystielit of:Education, by tither a syse
tematic exclusion of, or by it frigid .indifference to, all-rtS
principles, •except suet) as are common to discortlant'sects
and parties; and what these are, ;it will be ditlicultto aseer-,
tain'in this age of innovation, when our numerous contro.yer-
sies about religion seem to be bringing, at length, religion •
itself into. doutit.and controversy. Thin is, indeed, a species
tif that Annuonian and univei sat philosophy which endea-
voured to harmonize. heterogeneons opinimis, and to
_vedtict
theta to a perfect agreement, and whickproved, in the primi-
tive times, so injurious to. the interests of Christianity, and
mks- monsuav, nirder its new ininlifivatienysimilar
We do not wonder that the modern- demagogue trinnwils io
so generalizing a systern of 'instruction, or that a lax, desul-
tory sort of piety, that looks for conversions, not so much
through the nteaiuneof early instruction and appointed-nit-ink.
and-ordinances, as through sudden illapses of-the spirit, and
irresistible. interpositions of Providence,—should counter
natter public schemes of charity' which so strongly militate
against the doctrines and discipline of our Ecelesiasticalllier,
arcity. But it is a matter of set ions concern -.and surprise,
,to see sonic individuals, both of character and of talent,
advocating- such jejune and Pagan plans of-education, Inc
basis of
Giber, which
that .st't.o twide. on the
i -c:11 use
si.teutly with his ;!cots.
ed principles, can .possibly.possiblyti npuu it. I can attribute
it pm)? to -a want of due - consideration,' -or ter a morbid,-
illegitimate 'candour, and. that febrile. ;thirst--for popula-:
rity winch it excites; and in stone cases, ,perhaps, to air early
prejudice in favour of the Lincastriiiit System, of which they
are either not conscious, or have nut the magnanimity to'
renounce.

In the contemplation of the blasphemous and damnable
heresies that have been lately broached, and have so astound-•
ed the moral .sense- of the kingilont,----rintl,of the will fanati-
cism of Aspirtatious sects, which has sti.vitjated and defornitd:
the Christian faith,—sonic . honourable arid worthy charac-
ters have. of late, been. led to look !Sack with-complacency,.
and even with preference, to Mriner days of ignorance ar;th•
comparative simplicity, and to regret their own laudable ex-
ei Lions, as well as the public Munificence that has beet, so
splendidly displayed in the education of the rising generation.-
We cannot bug bold in respect the moral feelings and con-
scientious conduct of such persons, when the frightful phe-
nomena of the times constrain us to admit, that knowledge,
in itself, is no blessing. Its value consists in its proper rep
plichtion and direction, hod not in the mere possession. It
may be an,engine of vast and tremendous mischief, as well as
of extensive good. The devil; who- was .o.nee an angel of
light. still setains.his great intellectual powers for the exclu-
sive purpose of opposing the will of God, and of destroying_
the happiness of titan. Acrd tinder the influence of this awful
tewark, it may be fairly asked, Does tlts instractioa_consnau-

nicaitd by the Britistr at toreign..S.Cliool, or he slight addi.
lion lo it provided by Mr. kijongliaill'i , in their
tratUre and degree, to what is properlyter,,,o_ a Christian
etith.:atilinr? Or, are they, i.ipinot he-just assinfiption of the
fall of man, and the perilotts eircontstemeesrot the country*,
preferable to , ignorance? are strung amt pungent
•questions, which I
do nut scruple lti tansy, r• in the negative.
Knowledge is power. It tends, by the ant hot i s and influence
it confers, to repalize distincteurts, mid the meellanism'of this
new system of instinction is directly calcoi.ited to awaken into
vigorous exercise till the latent faculties 01 youth, and to lead
them to assert themselves, and to acknowiedge no Empire '
but what is founded in mental superiotity Not rt
particle of their nature is permitted to slumber itridei its jea-
lons and incessant operations: By a constant- collision of
tellect, and -the kindlisigs tit emUlation, they rapidly pass from
dull, vegiOative, state 'of life, to an intellectual existence,
and acqttite an early Maturity for it more extended sphere of
action. No creature, tinder strong, exciting, eircuinStanees,
is more inclined tai imitation or is more active than
That same beitio.,' whose; oscitancy,' in the form of a savage,
iS routed only by the imperious deniands of hunger, beconlei
most zealous awl instelatigable tinder the various stimuli of
civilized life. \V hat an elastic spring and energy does he •
display aniisiSt all the pressures and vicissitudes of the world !
%Vhat a curious 'and ardent irropensity to investigate the re-
condite causes of tiling', sstell as is iti no living creature he- •
side himself l At one Hine you behold hint traversing the
heavens, tracing the revolutions of `thee planets; at another
time, exploring the deep caverns of the earth, cornhating the
raging billoWs of the deep. I:e is ever impatient of rest, and
of whateeer tends to rept oSs his spirit of enterprize, onto cir-
cumserilie the range of.. his desires. l'his view of •
man, combined With his to ott tendency, as a fallen •
ereatire, to depart from the great viol EA" his being, and tie
hecunte his own! indepetidetit a: to., sorely b1)01)111 itiduce
great care and:Vioilittice in the !whit, Anil principles of his
edUcation.' ituchaiii his intent:et by an 'early cominiinica-
tie,' of. Itoowledge, • to excite, and itivi;ot ate his lOISSioII3, is
surely perilous iii a world aneoridioo with sill and teriona,
coo's, unless you els arty open lo two- the way it; evbrelt ht.
should walk, and constantly direct him to that Saviour, is he
has promised him sifength to walk in it. The lion is not tie
tie 'oozed, miles. lie be under ilisciplioe and r4.311,1i,.°•
see that coninion people one, nillarnetilly the violent speecheS
•of disappointed ambition; and the seditious hat:town,. arirl
appeals of noisy dear leooties, soon lisofio to ealcoir•te 0., tii4"l:-
nittlieficalsttenigili,lfiot4,ttlik,e plans of reetilitt or,, and to Moir-
aloud their menaces all the ceostitutrot ant loonies of. •
the rt.llllll. ni,siMe-s is cmpriat eil Iv ta...ibt: of lite
se,, and Well it may, tor tier" litait of man is desperately
wi,liesl,-airiC deceitful above' all. things," and of late
evolved into ertmesad socii.gi,rieoe matzpit tide, oositelt
calm, studied. titril infernal marginiy,
the wildest savage, and which 'could tint have been tevisediA•
perpetrated, except in a state of light and civilization.. Light
unimproved and perverted, great temporal anti spiritual •prie
'alitissol, deep; ;depravation of tarots, and a
subtlety and-refine:tont its willtedness, unlinov,tt teethe earlier
;toes of ignorance. This consideration renitorces thin wisdom
and absolute' nectoosity of not arming. the great mass of the
population with an augmented power of doitie orocntiet,
you combine that power truth priocirdes which tray regulate
its exercise, and direci it to its proper end. We riterieradi.ti,'
eates for igniirance. Under attluidlie apprehension of thoSii
important issues which attach to all :;teat solijems, ere tin not •
imagine, with a luau barons sort of•poltcy, that our security lies
itt ignorance. Thai. man has a vulgar and illiberal Mind : he
iS.destitute of all nobility of soul, who coulterviihrs to
the•eapaleilities of the poor., or• refuses to int'est them air!)
the faculties of improving their original siationii, awl of creel
rising into spheres. atiove til'eino It twist be ollowed, in ti
highty-civili'zed country like tbis,, where every Man is, ill
qualified Sun.', ,the itras*er ed• himself, the guardian' of his
family, and endowed from his- birth with many civil oriii-
legeso that degree of lutelleetiral attaitia-ent ,:nif.;
moral culture is highly expedient uniting the lower oidess•
Ikiides; poi extensive teethe and numerous 111Orntantere
(which constitute so gi,ot a' sourer of our national: health.)
derpotol not only indtistritios, but: intelligent persons in the
inferior depat topsoils of the community ; ,and a degree of in-,
st ruction among this chess seems necessary Id the enjOy-
ment and presettalion elliberty itself. It 'serves to check
the encroachments of:l:pryer, aird the lawlessoess of bar-
tsarist», and without it the goverontent would soon ultra
generate into au abstiloie Moron:11y, or the svild domi-
nation of "the' Molt it ode. ' While I dins • freely toitice lc,
that ignorance affords no soil congenial to the .eittoee
of 'humble life; has nip io. tendency to controul the eii•leocii
of men's' passintss;' their of restraint, or tit •
tranquillize the swellings and itisnitectiorts of ptide, box •
rasher serveA to renllitr 1101/r the more cosy elopes of
impiety -srilitiOn, 'by concealing flout
retiions •anet-trrosive-s-• vs-i•Trro.... •
governinent,-.f still contend, that Literary lostroction,
iris it he associated oit h the cull ivatioo of 'Religions prison!.
pies, is 'pi eimaiit'tkji dander; anti alfureJs in an 41,C 'A'l,c't
impiety and rebellion, are reduced to a perfect science. and
disseminated under such a vanity of popular. and captivating
fortit;',. greater faciliries for ear, nig into effect the imicliioa-
tions of wicked arr• 4 designing men. It would be better to •
descend front coarnonorlig station in the
iilliations;*tinieto he curtailed of some of ,;tie hixitriesthrouol
the want of those acquirements its the Jotterthan- Sir
purchase-theist at the' expense of the politic, nihrals-o Brij:lto ••
enlightened and.ChriStian station is driven to nit suet, aitertia7
It'does'not'Seeli. reft)ge ignoraitc•e, Which is neit!ter •
the snottier. of devotion, nor Of palriotisio, but foutids its secto:,
rity and aggrandizement in light and knowledge,—but it ii ilt
a kitinviedge well principled and Well directed. The diffusion
of such knots ledge •wail bring' its own reward ; it Will siien
return with accontolated ititerest, in the antelioraterismatiOes
of the etnomonit, Fur what is Christianity, but a Religion
according to giolliness ?" Its: flint is • that• " righteim s otss
which exatteth nations." The Christiati, as far as he- is
such; is fallen notil in his renewed and best state. All his•
potvers ore restored to. their ditelotereise; sited tlite.eled jt
to the gi eat ni bis creatno Hello longer lives to inn,-
self, hut t.l'Otu,t,ii!Y tilt.res harrntioy with the laws of les
being; liaviiig the will of thin who made him. As •
wx.calinot, it we werett •dispose,d, Cochttin the tin'
derzoondine, like a slave, io the gloomy dominions of thoo,o-,
tisiti; as we cannot retrograde at this advanct•d period the
-World', or even at rtiSt the march '(as it is called) Of' the lineour
intellect, it heroes a duty of still logher moment than vet<
and of the-roost intro huts obligation, to reguialeOs fair as
its;bold Mid adventurous Operations. Whilst an infidel
philbstothy,, French growth, which has, of hate years,'
so awfully corruieed, debased, and brutaliFed nu small part •,
of our British popillatioo, world teach us that we live in
fatherless, 'deserted world,—that death' is an etettial sleep,
and final extitict.icinrif•aor -being; and ,even seeks, mode l. ts•
satanic ittspiratioo, to .obliterate that moral, instinct; ter
'selise' of a 'first Cause, so indelitily iiirpressett open) the toe-
onto inind,'oold.to.erishi oust the world once more in starkness'
and chaos, le us confront, with a bole determination Awl
Courage, their rriiinetrlons effojeniS of bliespbeiny ; let us.
oispost^to ilium that shield of faith, which cull ;done repel
the herr:slat is tut the devil, ttild cultivate• with redonlited zeal.
•
and diligeece, in 'ourselves and drliesonotts,.,sound chloo,ort,
piety, ev'er reirtertilieritio t hat religion' is t basis 6f,'ati'd the
only security for, good inorals.—yo be cositinued.l
-*-Theftilitalturgh' 'ltsiview, in its!disenssion and defente
of Mr. liroughatu's Bill, remarks, hat .` reading,
and accounts, teach .prOllble TO lb /ilk fur themselves."—And,
'again, the ‘• 'Mili al eri:Ct of the Sy.iitern IS, to increase, be-
yund the power ',in& euergy of the people ge-•
tierallyoand -especially to into tuts, in each intlitidual instance,
rile ~ery antidote Most :1041/led to counteract any tendency,
which the mode of tuition might base, unfriendly to perfect
independence.'''