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have been indebted to its labours, under the divine blessing, for that which is better than life; and the light of the Gospel is now dawning upon millions and tens of millions, who would otherwise have been immersed in hopeless and impenetrable gloom. If He, who alone can controul the unruly passions of sinful men, be pleased to direct and give success to its efforts, the lapse of ten years more will have a greater effect in spreading the knowledge of his name and the blessings of his religion, than the last two centuries have been able to accomplish. To this subject I may confidently accommodate the language, which was applied by an eloquent and distinguished member of both Societies to another most important and most interesting question. "How gratifying is the consideration, that, in the present instance, not only is the ultimate point the seat of security and happiness, but the way by which we travel to it is a way of pleasantness and peace. Its effects cannot be produced at once: but we are all the while tending to their complete enjoyment with an uniform and uninterrupted course. The whole will be like the progress of vegetation the effects are not at first perceptible, but the great principle, operating in ten thousand instances, will gradually change the whole face of things, and substitute fertility and beauty in the place of barrenness and desolation *."

*Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, by W. Wilberforce, Esq.

SECTION VII.

AND here Í conclude what may be considered as the leading points in the question between us. My object has been to embrace every topic, deserving of attention, to which yourself and your coadjutors have adverted. Some remarks I could have wished to add on matters of inferior moment: but I did not think it expedient to interrupt my plan, and I therefore insert them here.

I shall begin with a few general observations.

1. The manner in which you have come forward to address Lord Teignmouth, is with me matter of sincere regret. An enemy to you would not fail to represent it as abounding in scoffs and unjust insinuations; and an impartial spectator would proba bly consider it as exactly the reverse of that which it ought to have been. The name and character of Lord Teignmouth can suffer little, I am persuaded, from such a warfare. It would be difficult to point out any nobleman, in modern times, more respected than Lord Teignmouth, by all who are truly respectable, and who have enjoyed an opportunity of knowing his character: and still more so to name an individual of his rank who has done more to promote the best interests of mankind. Do not imagine that his Lordship "buckled on his armour,'

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and left his "throne of state*," because of the ar

* Dr. Wordsworth, p. 5.

.

3. The reflections which you cast upon the understanding of Lord Teignmouth, because he believed the reasons which you gave of your dislike to the Bible Society to be the true reasons, and left your dark and mysterious hints to be explained hereafter by their author, must be recorded as among the most singular occurrences to which this or any other discussion has given birth. The case is this. A man writes a book, the Letter of "a Clergyman to a Clergyman," which his friends consider as rather wide of his purpose; which he does himself admit to be nearly unintelligible†, except by the adepts; and of which I, who am a clergyman, could understand no more than it was pleased to tell me: and then he points with the finger of scorn at one of the most respectable characters in this country, because he could not discover what the writer himself had so adroitly concealed!

4. Much of the reasoning of your pamphlet proceeds upon three general suppositions, of which only one is correct.

The first supposition is, that the Church of England affords the best possible training and instruction to her members. In this I heartily concur with you: but it has no concern with the question between us.

Your second supposition is, that all her clergy are faithful to their solemn charge, and conscientiously perform every duty which the Church requires. Your brethren in warfare, with the exception of Mr. Daubeny, lay great stress upon this second hypothesis; and scarcely seem to consider a

* See Antijacobin Review. + See Dr. Wordsworth, p. 7.
See Dr. Wordsworth, pp. 33, 34.

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man in a salvable state, who doubts at all of the excellence of his priest, and the purity of his doctrine, ex officio. Mr. Daubeny is of a different mind; and, by the fashionable method of hypothesis, charges many of the clergy with neglect and inattention; with what justice, it is not for me to decide. But I must beg leave to say, that, whilst human nature remains unchanged, your large supposition can never be admitted by those who prefer experience to theory. Of one thing I am perfectly assured, that if the clergy throughout the kingdom would discharge the duties of their station faithfully, assiduously, conscientiously, dissent would rapidly decrease. But this change is to be effected by other doctrines than those of "a Country Clergyman," and by the display of a very different spirit. A man who places his religion chiefly in forms, and esteems the doctrines of Christianity as of subordinate importance: who supposes the mouth of the priest to be every thing, and the word of God comparatively nothing; is not calculated to make. converts: No the poor in spirit need other instruction than this, and those who seek for salvation must inquire elsewhere.

The third hypothesis, which is interwoven with the whole of your Letter, is this; that the Society in Bartlett's Buildings was, in respect to management as well as to principle, perfectly blameless. This proposition will probably not be repeated: but is it not extraordinary that it should ever have been made, by any person who possessed the Tracts and the Reports of the Society, and had access to the parties by whom its affairs are conducted? I can

only account for this oversight by imputing it to your eagerness for accomplishing a favourite object.

5. I observe next, that, in consequence of your manner of statement, your readers are not unfrequently, by some accident, left with an impression of facts and arguments very incorrect.

Let me present you with one or two examples, "If it were possible for me to follow your Lordship through this argument of authority, and in the unbecoming introduction of personalities" (which, by the bye, Lord Teignmouth has not introduced), "might I not ask, have you forgotten the names of Douglas, and Hurd, and Horsley? Does your Lordship know nothing of very eminent and excellent men, who, being once its members, have designedly, withdrawn from your Society? Or of others, who have refused its proffered honours *?"-Now, what has been inferred from this statement? Why, truly, that Douglas, and Hurd, and Horsley, either had been members, and withdrew, or had been invited, and refused to join the Society. I have made diligent inquiry, and am assured, by those who are most likely to know, that neither of these conclusions is 'correct. Those prelates never were members, and it is believed were never invited.

Other instances have already been adduced. I will therefore bring forward only one additional example.

In page 134 of your Letter to Lord Teignmouth, I find the following sentence marked with inverted commas. "As for the Established Church, and its profession of religion, we have nothing to do with * Dr, Wordsworth, p. 16

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