Star.
London, England, 1829-08-19 00:00:00

DISSENTERS.

We always have been of opinion that a man of no
religion—that is, from indifference—is ready to embrace
any tenet—no matter how preposterous—from the same
cause which prevents him from professing one in parti-
cular: so, when we see a whole people careless on the'
subject, we are prepared to behold them the next moment
blindly plunge into the very extremes of fanatical ab-
surdity. The example of France partially proves the
justice of our principle :—from irreligion she slid to no
religion ; and from no religion she is now inclining to reli-
gious extravagance and bigotry. So, on the otherhand, we
hold that a people divided into as many sects as com-
plexions, lightly assuming this or that creed, as they try
on a suit of clothes—by capriciously giving so serious a
thing the character of mere mode—depending on general
caprice, tend to bring fundamental truth itself into disre-
pute ; and do more to encourage scepticism than all the
arguments which the free thinking philosophers can de-
vise to overturn religion altogether.—ln consequence of
the general census of sects, ordered to be made through-
out these realms by Mr. PEEL, the Manchester report
on the numbers of the various Dissenters in that town,
Classed under their respective denominations of sect, pre-
sents a most melancholy picture to the mind of the gene-
ral disunion prevalent throughout the country on the
grand matter of religious opinion ; and in support of our
argument it will be found, that the Unitarians have
gained ground upon all the others—save the Wesleyan
Methodists, who still, as yet, muster an equal number.
The subject is food for much serious reflection. We quote
from the Manchester Advertiser :
" The following is the number of Dissenters associated with the
various bodies in this town. The numbers are taken from the re-
turn made to the Clerk of the Peace for the County, in obedience
to an order transmitted by the Secretary for the Home Depart-
ment s—The Particular Baptists, 700, (William Gadsby) ; Bap-
tists, 400 ; Baptists, 156, (William Jackson) ; Partkulaelleptists,
SO; Catholics, 22,240; Catholics, 5,490; Ditto, 41,000; Bible
Christians, 600, (Rev. James Seholefield); Society of Friends, 640,
(Jno. Bradshaw) ; Independents, 1,200, (Rev. W. Roby) ; Inde-
pendents, 800, (Samuel Bradley) ; Independent Methodists, 279 ;
Independent Wesleyan., 70; Wesleyan Methodists, 1,300; Wes-

!cyan Methodists, 500; Ditto, 500, (Robert Watson) ; Ditto, 900,
(William Lord) ; Methodist New Connexion, 258; Calvinistic
Independents, 500, (Jno. Pyer) ; Primitive Methodists, 400, (T.
Aspinall); New Jerusalem Church, or Swedenborgians, 240, (R.
Jones); Presbyterians, 760, (Rev. R. Jack); Wesleyan Methodists,

4001 " Israelites," 264, (Rev. Abrahams) ; Unitarians, 1,000, (J.
G. Robberds) ; Ditto, 300, (Jelin James Taylor) ; General Bap-
tists of the New Connexion, 100 ; Welsh Calvinistic Baptists, 200,
(George Williams) ; Welsh Independents, 250, (Jno. GriMth) ;
Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, 503; Independent Methodists. 134 ;
Independent Methodists, 350,( William Dakin); General Baptists,

23 ;, Indepeodent Methodists, 74.
Some confusion will arise in reading the above state-
ment, from the absence of some of the Ministers'
names. The only return wanted to make this list
complete, is that of Mr. M'All's Church, in Mosley-street.
Allowing his number to be six hundred, which, we
have reason to believe, will be found near the truth,
the total number of Dissenters in the township of
Manchester will be 64,032. It should be recollected
that, as it respects the Protestant Dissenters, these num-
bers merely include those who are joined in church
communion, and not the congregration who attend at the
various chapels. Upon what principle, or in what mode
the number of Catholics is ascertained, we are at a lose
to conjecture.