The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-01-05 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TIM ATAI'ESMA,Y.

Sta— As the Church Pulpit has, in several instances
of late, been made the vehicle of political matter within
riv own observation, I cannot but view it as 'an en-
creasing nil, at all times to be deprecated. In the of-1
termunt of Sunday last I attended divine service at the
Church of St. Deorge the Martyr, Sotithu ark. The
sermon was by the liev. Dr. Thorpe, from the words of
the Psalmist, " Teach us so to number our slays, that
mty apply our hearts unto wisdom ;" and though]
am loppy in adding my humble testimony to what
belit ‘c to be the general feeling of the parish as to the
evellence of his discourses, yet I am convinced that the
sant- feeling is decidedly opposite to the introduction of
topics totally unconnected with religion ; but, Sir, how-
ever I may lament this practice, my object is not so much
on the present occasion to dispute its propriety, as to oss
pose a doctrine so fallacious, that it has only its loyalty
to recoannend it. I will not charge upon the Doctor's
pditieuf exertion, preferment for their object ; although
he Irmo feel the delicacy of his situation in this respect,
since the reward which Jlinistcrs have, iu the face of an
effeeded country, conferred on a Neverend Magistrate of
Manchester notoriety—hut I will concede to the Priest
the Ate of political inquisitor, in the hope that I may
be allowed, through the medium of your excellent Paper,
to address a few remarks, by way of comment on the
Sermon in question. It began well, and was admirably
adapted to the peculiar season of the year. I confess,
however, I was not prepared from its tenor to expect any
II ing in its conclusion of a political nature, much less
to hear a; opinios inculcated, mis-timed, erroneous,,
and dargetotts in its tendency,—yet bold and unequivo-
-4.1!:y deliiered by a Minister of the Gospel, from the
l'ulpit,atul with the sacred volume openbefure Itim,which,
if I hare not mistaken its spirit, it holds forth a libe-
rality more extensive, and has more for its object the
general dignity of man ; whom Dal created in his own
intalre, and for an equal participation in all the privileges
of the present life. as well as that of the future. The
position laid don n by the Rev. Dr. was this, that the
affairs of the State ought to he exclusively left to the
Comment, that we (the congregation) constituted of
what may he termed " the people," and amongst which
were (as is the ease with all such congregations), many
persons of considerable intelligence and respectability,
and who not only pay heavy taxes, hut who have great in-
terests at 5..11.e, that we ought not to meddle with, inter-
fere in, '.r piestion the measure of the Administration ;
ti-at is to say, the great bulk of the people for whom the
laws art• made, should take no cognizance of what is
legislated for them, although they are entrusted with

the election of those who legislate—that they are to pay
their taxes quietly. and not trouble their heads about
what becomes of the money ; need I say that this is
totally dissonant to every principle of moral right, to the
test policy of the Government itself, and to those re-
ciprocal ties between the Prince and the People whieli
can alow, trivestahl!ity to the Throne, and happiness to the
Country Shall we be mocked with the appellation of

frpc ionic, and he told that we ought not to queatii
co u art of Iliulsters, however imbecile—however
—or however unjnat that conduct may µ'

• ibi. Rev. ()Heim ats) bee isppeistedebe Ach
lout has not appointed us ;"—lbis may be