ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

attributes to him "artifice and dishonesty," [p. 259. ;] "bad faith, unchecked by learning, and unabashed by shame," [p. 262.;] and direct violations of known truth;" [p. 311.] and, on statements principally respecting Mr. Belsham, ascribes to Unitarian writers the "calm and deliberate purpose of falsifying the word of God;" [p. 113.] we cannot waste contempt on such an antagonist, but will only in compassion remind him, that the day is coming, when for such malignant and outrageous calumay, he must render his account to God.

But the charge that Mr. Belsham rejects the notion of prayer, it should be remembered, is made against one, who in conducting the religious services of a christian congregation, performs the stated worship of the place in the substance of the Liturgy of the church of England, improved according to the plan of Dr. Samuel Clarke; against one who has published several prayers, delivered on particular occasions, "and which," says Dr. Carpenter, "if the Lord's prayer be admitted as the Christian's model of adoration and supplication, will bear a close comparison with the devout effusions of any modern writer:" against the author of several practical discourses before the public, which manifest the sentiments of rational, enlarged, and elevated piety and in whose other writings, not solely controversial, striking indications occur of strong pervading religious principle: finally, this accusation of rejecting the notion of prayer is made against the individual, in whose charge at the ordination of a friend, we find a passage, like the following. Let it stand as an answer to the unprincipled calumny of Bishop Magee.

"And O, what will be the temper and conduct of that Minister, who sets God always before him; who in every action of his life and ministry, doth, as it were, behold the eye of the Supreme Being fixed steadily and invariably upon him for purposes the most interesting, the most awful, the most encouraging; to pity, to guide, and to succour under every difficulty; to aid every generous exertion, and to mark and frown upon every wilful neglect of duty. Under such impressions, with what earnest solicitude will a minister prepare for the duties of his office, that he may not in the sight of God, do or speak any thing unworthy of his character, that he may not offer the sacrifice of fools, or utter crude and indigested rambles in the name and in the presence of God! With what plainness and freedom, with what fortitude, with what dignity and energy, with what infinite superiority to mean and secular views, with what indifference to human applause, with what unconcern as to personal consequences, will he declare the whole counsel of God; not daring to conceal what he believes to be important, that so he may be clear from the blood of all men. With what diligence will be seek, with what eagerness will he embrace every opportunity of promoting the

1

great ends of his ministry; instructing the ignorant, reclaiming the vicious, recovering the wanderer to the paths of wisdom and virtue, administering consolation to the afflicted, confirming and establishing the sincere Christian. How will the apprehension of the divine inspection rouse him to unremitting exertions, whatever difficulties he may meet with, whatever temptations to negligence and supineness, with whatever indifference or neglect his services may be treated, whatever ungrateful treatment he may receive, or how little soever his apparent success may be! And what a tendency will this persuasion have to engage the Christian Minister often to lift up his heart in devout aspirations after a divine assistance and blessing, and to ascribe all that is good in himself, and all the success of his ministry, to the favour of the Almighty. Rejoicing in the confidence of having laboured faithfully, abundantly, and successfully, he will humbly and thankfully add, Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me. "I cannot then, Sir, conclude with a better advice or wish to you than this, that you would set the Lord always before you, and that in the whole course of your ministry, you would study to approve yourself to God, to glorify his name and accomplish his will."

In addition to this admirable passage, we can only refer our readers to some forms of prayer in Mr. Belsham's "Plea for Infant Baptism," and will then ask, "Is this the language of a man, who rejects the notion of prayer?"

We will add no more to the proofs already adduced. They might easily be multiplied; though as the author of the work before us remarks, "It is one of the worst features in the controversial system Dr. Magee has adopted, that his misrepresentations are frequently so subtile, and his perversion of our arguments so refined, that what occupies him perhaps only a few lines, may require pages to develope; and that some of his most injurious charges wear the form of insinuation." Our readers will at least perceive, that if they would learn the views of Unitarians, they must rely on other testimony than that of Dr. Magee. In truth, he is not to be trusted: and we are utterly astonished, that a man, holding for years a most responsible station in the education of youth, designing his work especially for the use of students of divinity, and since promoted to one of the highest dignities in a rich and powerful church, should have descended to artifices, which in the common intercourse of life, and estimated by the lowest standard of integrity, would be regarded only as base and dishonourable. We can admit some allowances for vanity, some for prejudice, some for the spirit of party, and some for a dignitary's contempt of a dissenter. But charity itself knows no apology for wilful misrepresentation. Religion disdains it; error cannot long be sustained by it; and when the tumults of controversy are past, and the voice of con

science is heard, we believe his Lordship will not congratulate himself on this portion of his labours, though they may have purchased for him the honours of a mitre.

ARTICLE VIII.

Report of the Board of Counsel to the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance, presented at their Eighth Anniversary, June 2, 1820. Boston: Sewell Phelps, pp. 20. WE presume that no apology is necessary for again bringing the subject of the suppression of intemperance before our readers. It loses none of its importance, and ought therefore to lose none of its interest from being repeatedly and earnestly pressed upon the notice of the public. Indeed the more there is known and written of it, the more worthy does it seem to excite the attention, not merely of those who have the good of mankind at heart simply from motives of benevolence, from a love of virtue and a desire of seeing all their fellow-creatures happy, but of those also, who look upon virtue and vice in a more philosophical and calculating point of view, as affecting the constitution of society, the institutions of government, the foundations of public confidence; as elements entering into the composition of political character, and of course influencing political establishments.

It is not now necessary to say any thing to set the facts on this subject in their true light. This has been already done repeatedly in the most satisfactory manner. The extent, the progress, the causes and the consequences of intemperance have been sufficiently developed. We are fully aware of the magnitude of the evil, and of the imperious necessity of devising and adopting efficient measures for its removal. The inquiry only remainswhat are these measures? This inquiry is one of great moment. and involves a variety of considerations.

The means which may be used to deter mankind from becoming addicted to any species of vice, or for reforming such as are already its subjects, are of two general kinds :-1. Those which operate by a direct appeal to the moral feelings of the individual; which are addressed to his conscience, his sense of right and wrong, his responsibility as an accountable being, his regard for religion, and for the dignity of his own nature; and 2. Those whose influence is upon more extrinsic and external considerations, which are enforced by law, by threats of civil punishment, by the fear of disgrace, of public contempt, by the loss of rank, wealth or reputation. These different means of reformation. it

must be obvious, are applicable, in the first instance, to men of very different characters, who have arrived at various stages in the career of vice. Those of the first kind, cannot have their due effect, except upon individuals who are still possessed of some delicacy of moral feeling, some susceptibility to moral impressions; for it is only through these that we can expect to amend the life by improving the internal character. Where these are obliterated, we must have recourse to those different measures which enable us to prevent crime by the arm of external power; and thus, through that indirect influence, to which human nature is always susceptible, correct bad habits and restrain evil passions, by checking their actual exercise.

Some crimes have been thought to be more properly the subjects of legal interference than others, and have been in consequence vigilantly watched by public authority, and efficient measures taken for their regular detection and punishment. These have been generally such as directly affect the security of life, of property, of personal rights, or the institutions of society. There are others which seem to have been thought the concern rather of the individual than of the public; their immediatè bad effects relating to himself, his own character and situation, it has been judged right to leave them to be taken cognizance of by his own conscience, or to commit them to the operation of those moral means to which we have alluded. It is true, laws have been sometimes made with a direct view to the punishment of vices of this class, since, although primarily affecting only the character of the individual, their ultimate effect is always to encourage and promote crimes of the other stamp. But the difficulty with regard to these laws always has been, that they have not been so met and supported by public opinion, as to ensure their effectual execution. There is, in every one, a certain jealousy of public scrutiny into the minute details of private life. Men have the feeling that their characters are their own property, that their virtues and their vices are wholly their own, so far as they do not interfere with the regularity of society, that the world has no more right to controul, or even to inspect them, in the indulgence of inclinations where the consequences affect only themselves, than they have to dictate the course of their thoughts and lay down laws to govern the associations of their ideas.

In devising means for the suppression of intemperance, we are to judge of the comparative efficacy of these two methods of procedure; and it is not difficult to see, that in this particular instance, both may be probably employed with advantage, if each is properly adapted to those cases and characters on which it is calculated to have an influence. They must be applied to diffe

rent individuals, according to the different stages at which they have arrived in their career of vice. Moral means can only be expected to operate when the habit is just forming, or when there is merely a tendency towards its formation; before that, which is at first a propensity, shall have been converted into a necessity; before the body has become tainted with disease, or the mind obdurate by custom. But even in the earliest periods, it is melancholy to know how little can be done by these means alone; and it is in fact only in the way of prevention that we are to expect much from them. In that way, however, they are, capable of rendering the most valuable service. We can arm those against temptation, whom we could not rescue were they already involved in its toils; for if they have once yielded, like the wretched victim of the fascinations of the serpent, their struggles, their resistance are in vain; dragged on by an irresistible impulse, which seems like one of the inevitable laws of nature, they are plunged into a gulf, from which there is no escape, and beyond which there is no hope.

Even those measures which depend for their influence upon external considerations, although applicable in some degree to subjects of every class, must yet have their principal effect upon those who are novices in crime, who are not absolutely hardened by habit, but only on the verge of the ruin which is prepared for them. A confirmed drunkard is irreclaimable; and it is fortunate, that in this state his example has ceased to be pernicious. So far as it has any influence, it must rather tend to deter than to invite. It is the cheerful, the social stage of intemperance which has such attractions, and is so dreadfully contagious. A thorough sot is at once the most loathsome, the most despised and the most miserable wretch, that crawls between earth and heaven. The vice in him has lost its jovial and mirth-inspiring character; it is no longer a delicious and luxurious enjoyment, but the selfish gratification of a debased animal propensity. He seeks not and finds not satisfaction in his indulgencies, but a mere respite from suffering. Excess has fixed a worm in his heart, which gnaws upon the very seat of life; whose cravings can only be appeased by draughts, to which he turns like the victim of a fever, to quench, but for a moment, the thirst by which he is consumed, and cheat a short relief from intolerable agony. His life is a dreary waste--a waste he has himself created-through which he wanders as if possessed by some terrible demon; a restless, discontented being, with but one passion to gratify, and that gratification his slow but certain destruction. How horrible an existence! capable of receiving even a moment's miserable enjoyment but from one source, and every in New Series-vol. II.

27

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »