Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

cessary, the Committee had long directed their attention. They determined in these times not to agitate the country by requiring their civil rights, but to be content with protecting, their religious liberty. They also resolved not to become the tools of any political party, but to conciliate the esteem and invite the support of the existing Government and of all illustrious men in both Houses of Parliament, who were friendly to civil and religious freedom. On these principles they applied, on December 6th, to the late Mr. Perceval; they obtained an interview with him, at which they explained the situation of the Dissenters and solicited his aid; and at his request they transmitted a written statement of the apprehensions they entertained, and the interposition they required. To that application, they received in April, the frank and liberal reply before stated, and they acquiesced in his suggestion that an application to Parliament should be postponed until a decision in the Courts on the depending cases should be obtained. When that judgment was pronounced during the present month, on the cases of Mr. Packer and Mr. Brittan, it was communicated to Mr. Perceval, and an interview occurred in the morning of the day on which he fell, generally and justly deplored, by the hand of an assassin. At that interview he expressed his conviction that Parliament ought to interfere, to protect the Dissenters, and his inclination to ensure to them all the relief which the counteracting prejudices of other persons would permit him to recommend.

Under existing circumstances Mr. Wilks could not venture to prognosticate what proceedings would occur. He would not assist Dissenters to rear a structure of hope which might not be realized; nor would he agitate them by apprehensions which might be equally chimerical. As soon as a new Administration was formed, the applications of the Committee would be renewed, and some measure would be probably submitted to Parliament during the ensuing Session. The Committee desired to obtain relief by the repeal of all statutes interfering with the freedom of religious worship; and if that could not be obtained, they at least would not concur in any measure which shall not legalize the past practice, and effectually prevent any novel magisterial interposition, hostile to the rights of worshipping his Creator according to the dictates of his conscience, which every professing Christian was entitled to claim. In the pursuits of that end difficulties might arise-difficulties which might demand not only the energetic exertions of the Committee, but the concurrent and immediate efforts of every congregation of Dissenting Protestants, and of every friend to religious liberty. If such necessity should occur, experience demonstrated that such aid would not be withheld; and that in their just claims and prudent labours, the Committee would receive, not only the. strenuous assistance of the numerous members of their own Society, but that unanimous support, which would probably prove a torrent sufficiently irresistible to bear away every obstacle which timidity and prejudice might collect..

After this exposition by Mr. Wilks, which excited much attention and produced much pleasure, but of which, only an imperfect sketch can be introduced, the following resolutions, proposed by the Rev. Messrs. COLLISON, BOGUE, GRIFFIN, COCKI, SLATTERIE, M. WILKS, THOMAS of Chelmsford, TOWNSEND, Dr. NICOL, and others, were unanimously adopted.

I. That an abstract of the satisfactory statement of the proceedings of the Committee of this Society be prepared and circulated to all the members with all convenient expedition,

II. That this meeting highly approve of the conduct of the Committee during the past year, and the zealous attachment to religious liberty which they have displayed. That they particularly applaud the liberality with which they defrayed all the expenses incident to the prosecution of the rioters

at Wickham Market; their vigilant attention to the individual and local applications for redress which they have received; their interference to prevent the Acts for regulating the Local Militia, and the Registration of Births aud Burials in England, from containing clauses injurious to the rights of Protestant Dissenters; their efforts to ensure liberty to Missionaries to promulgate Christianity to the nations of the East; their promptitude and perseverance in resisting the attempts of Magistrates in Suffolk and Gloucestershire, to violate the provisions of the Acts for Toleration; and especially the energy and pru dence with which they have hitherto, conducted their exertions to obtain the Legislative repeal of all penal laws affecting religious worship, and to exempt places appropriated to that purpose from parochial assessment.

III. That this Meeting learn with much anxiety the opinion respecting the construction of the Toleration Act, as to persons pretending to holy orders, intimated by high legal authorities, and being convinced that such explanation will expose thousands of pious and useful ministers, students, and other persons to ruinous penalties to an immense amount, and to the horrors of imprisonment, and being firmly attached to religious liberty, they instruct the Committee of the ensuing year to persevere, by every legal means, to obtain the repeal of the Five Mile and Conventicle Acts, and every other Statute which prevents any individual from worshipping God according to his conscience, and from promulgating his religious opinions: subject only to such restrictions as public security and the national welfare imperatively

demand.

IV. That this Meeting consider the exemption of all places exclusively appropriated to religious worship, as a measure calculated to prevent vexatious charges and litigations-to afford universal satisfaction-and to promote morals and piety by the encouragement of public instruction, without imposing any new burden on individuals or on parishes; and that the Committee be therefore also instructed to endeavour to obtain an Act for that purpose.

V. That the experience of the past year having demonstrated the necessity and advantages of this Institution and the excellence of its plan, this meeting recommend to every congregation of all denominations throughout England and Wales, to become members of this Society, and to perpetuate or to afford their support.

VI. That the part of the original plan for electing the Committee be dispensed with for the year ensuing, and that the former Committee constitute the London Committee for the ensuing year:--and that as all country members and deputies are members of the Committee, they be particularly requested, when they visit London, to attend the regular monthly meetings on the last Tuesday evening in every month at this place.

VII. That, but for the mournful catastrophe which has excited their sincere regret, and has prevented the exercise of their wishes, this meeting would have been most happy to have expressed their public acknowledgments to the late Right Honourable Spencer Perceval, for the prompt and polite attention which he has invariably manifested to the representations of their Committee; and for his promise to bring forward or to support an application to Parliament, for the purpose of rendering legal the former practice under the Acts of Toleration.

VIII. That the harmonious and active co-operation of the Methodist Society in the connection of the late Rev. John Wesley with the Committee in their various exertions during the past year, entitles them to the continued esteem of this meeting.

The reverend gentlemen who proposed the resolutions, introduced them by several eloquent addresses. They concurred in expressing their high satisfaction at the proceedings which had been adopted by the Committee during the past year. They considered the formation of the Society as a most providential event. They perceived that union and zeal were most imperatively required from all friends to Toleration and to Evangelical Truth, for that their enemies being active, powerful, and decided—their exertions to prevent the pro gress of vital religion, could only be defeated by similar and consentaneous efforts. They, however, lamented that many ministers were insensible to the importance of this Institution, which had already been proved to be the firmest bulwark of their rights during the unprecedented storms, by which, in the past year, they had been assailed-and they expressed their hope, that as the contribution towards the support of the Institution positively required, did not exceed £2 annually from each congregation in England, and £1 annually from each congregation in Wales, those sums would be transmitted by even the poorest congregations;—and that, as by the report of the Treasurer, the funds were considerably diminished, the opulent congregations would immediately make annual collections, and not permit protection to be withheld from any deficiency of pecuniary resource.

Resolutions were then adopted, expressive of the approbation of the meeting, of the able and intelligent exertions of the SECRETARIES-of the zeal and attention of the TREASURER-and of the liberality which the CHAIRMAN had displayed:-And the meeting adjourned, after an animated and impressive address from the Rev. J. COCKIN, of Halifax, in which, after acknowledging with regret, the apathy which pervaded his mind as to this Institution-he declared that he had heard their labours with delight-that he considered their prosperity as essentially connected with the progress of religion-that the knowledge of their existence, and of their zeal would animate him with confidence when exposed to persecution by village preaching-and that he most sincerely and with all his heart wished them GOD'S SPEED. A wish in which the meeting, deeply affected, devoutly and universally con

curred.

At the request of the Committee, whose expenditure has been unavoidably great, we avail ourselves of this opportunity to remind ministers that the annual subscriptions of their several congregations must be transmitted to ROBERT STEVEN, Esq. the Treasurer, No. 101, Upper Thames Street, London, before the end of Juue, or that they will discontinue to be members of the Society:and also that any case, requiring the advice or interposition of the Committee, will experience immediate attention, if addressed to either of the Secretaries, T. PELLATT, Esq. Ironmongers' Hall, or J. WILKS, Esq. Hoxton Square, London..

[merged small][ocr errors]

Congregational School..

On Tuesday, April 28, the Friends and Subscribers to the above useful Institution, held their Half - yearly Meeting at the King's Head in the Poultry, to elect six more children. The following is the List of Candidates.

1. Jones, J. aged 13, son of the late Rev. W. J. of Namptwich. The widow has two children.

2. Milward, J. aged 13, son of the Rev. J. F. M. late of Mansfield, who has three children.

3. Griffiths, J. aged 12, son of the Rev. J. G. of Carnarvon, who has five children.

4. Whitehouse, J. aged 12, son of the Rev. Jos. W. of Wilmcote, Warwickshire, who has seven children.

5 Houlton, C. aged 11, son of the Rev. Jos. H. of Finchingfield, who has eight children.

6. Jones, S. aged 11, son of the Rev. T. J. of Lambeth, who has five children.

7. Barton, J. M. R. aged rr, son of the Rev. J. B. late of Sheffield, who has seven children.

8. Sloper, S. aged 11, son of the Rev. C. S. of Wilton, who has six childreu.

9. Dobson, J. aged 11, son of the Rev. J. D. of Chisshill, who has five children.

10. Corbishley, J. aged 10, son of the Rev. J. C. of Abbotts Roothing, Essex, who has nine children.

II. Seaton, W. aged 9, son of the Rev. W. S. of Woodbridge, who has three children.

12. Clift, S. aged 9, son of the Rev. S. C. of Alfreston, Sussex, who has six children.

13. Harper, T. aged 9, son of the Rev. T. H. St. George's Fields, who has four children.

14. Waddell, J. aged 8, son of the Rev. J. W. of Nayland, who has five children.

The successful candidates were Numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, 13, 14. The period for another election, and the number to be admitted, must depend on the

amount of subscriptions and collections received during the present summer. Bermondsey. J. TOWNSEND.

Assassination of Mr. Perceval.

Monday, May 11, about a quarter past five o'clock, as the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval was passing through the lobby to enter the House of Commons, he was shot through the heart by a man of the name of Bellingham, who immediately surrendered himself,

XX.

and was taken into custody. Upon examination, he protested that he had neither personal enmity nor political animosity to Mr. P.; but he had been an injured man while in Russia; and having in vain addressed his Majesty's ministers for relief, had determined to revenge himself and punish them. On the Friday he was tried at the Old Bailey, and made a very collected defence; still denying any malicious intent, and depending confidently on that plea for his acquittal. He was, however, found guilty, and executed on the Monday morning. On the Sunday intervening between his sentence and execution, he was visited by Mr. Butterworth, and other gentlemen, with whom he conversed freely, engaged in devotional exercises, and appeared by no means ignorant of the gospel method of salvation, yet still justifying his conduct to the last minute of his life, and revolting at the charges of murder or assassination. His counsel pleaded insanity on his behalf; and it appeared that he was once in confine ment on that account; but he spurned such a ground of defence, and evidently thought his conduct rather meritorious than criminal.

What reflections crowd upon us in reciting this event! a man of amiable manners, and of splendid talents, filling the highest office in the British empire, surrounded with an affectionate wife and I children, cut off in a moment by assassination, while the criminal himself (also with a wife and several children) is hurried into eternity under the awful influence of selfdelusion, to meet that God who hath not only forbidden murder, under the most awful sanction, but hath expressly said, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it.'

(Omitted in our last.) LONDON.

March 25. At a Meeting of the Wards of Farringdon Within, Farringdon Without, and Castle Baynard, and also of the parishes of St. Andrew, St. Sepulchre, and Clerkenwell, Alderman Smith in the chair, it was agreed that a Lancastrian Institution for the Education of the Poor' of all denominations, be formed within the above district. Alderman Smith, G. Longman, and P. Grenfell, Esqrs. M. P. Vice Presidents; R. Slade, Esq. Treasurer, and B. Blundell, Esq. Secre tary.

K k

April 8, was held the Annual General Meeting of the Society for the Support and Encouragement of Su day chools, W. H. Hoare, Esq. V. P. in the Chair.-The Committee reported, that since the last General Meeting 239 Schools had been added to the Society's List; and assistance repeated to 92 other Schools formerly established; for which, and the new Schools before stated, they had distributed 26,723 Spelling Books, 5056 Testaments, and 132 Bibles. That since the commencement of the institution, 1785, they had issued 329,695 Spelling Books, 70,537 Testaments, and 8801 Bibles, to 3730 Schools, containing up wards of 303,000 Scholars. In the course of the past year, numerous testimonies of the utility of this institution have been furnished from various quarters, many gratifying instances of which were read by the Secretary. Wales appears to have felt the moral influence of Sunday Schools throughout the Principality; and Ireland is rapidly advancing by means of them to a state of civilization and religious light. Applications have also been made to this country for the establishment of Sunday Schools at St. John's, Antigua; St. George's, Barbadoes; the Cape of Good Hope; Sicily; and Gibraltar: in consequence of which, the Society resolved to extend their patronage as far as they may be enabled throughout the British Dominions,' and have designated them selves accordingly as above, upon the presumption, that in prosecuting an object that promises such extensive benefit, both moral and political, the liberality of the Public will not be found to desert them.

Extract of a Letter from a Minister in Wales, dated March, 1812.

THE prospect in South Wales, in a religious point of view, is most delightful. In some parts was truly presented to us a faithful representation of the day of Pentecost; there was a rushing mighty wind that bore down all before it. Into one Society, above 140 were received in the space of about two months. All the young people in

a large district, were under religious impressions. The Associations at Aberystwyth and Haverfordwest were very pleasing and profitable. The congregation at the former, amounted to about 20,000 persons; and great order and solemnity prevailed during the whole of the meetings. I have seen something similar in former days; but nothing like it for years past. Preaching was as easy as opening the lips, and divine influences on preachers and hearers, were felt mightily. Without being in the work, and partakers of the influences, no one can form any conception of it For myown part, whilst I have any memory, I shall never forget it! It is the more delightful to me, as I view it, in a great measure, as the happy fruit of our Sunday Schools. I pray the Lord it may spread wider and wider, till it cover the land! More has been done in a few weeks since the work began, than was done before in many years painful labour, although perhaps it is the produce of those years of faithful labour.

The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad! Our mouths are filled with laughter! Excuse my warmth in writing on the subject, when I think of it my whole soul is kindled in a flame.'

-

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinua »