The Reverend Mr. Scott, in his Family Bible, condemns the practice as "a very criminal deviation from simplicity and godly sincerity," and I confess his remarks have considerable weight with my mind; but as there are many who are of a different opinion, I think a further investigation of the subject might be useful. We are strictly enjoined to "abstain from all appearance of evil;" and, therefore, no question can properly be deemed trivial and insignificant which concerns our religious profession, and the satisfaction of our own conscience. PHILALETHES. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. READING in your first volume, page 565, a wish, expressed by one of your correspondents, for some farther information respecting Mr. Conon, I take the liberty of transmitting to you an extract from a lettter written by that venerable man, which I found among my father's papers. Perhaps its insertion in some corner of your miscellany may oblige your corre school of Truro. Though I was very young at the time of his death, I have strong traces of his personal figure on my mind, which will probably be coeval with life. He died at an advanced age very suddenly. A short time previous to his decease he had a dangerous fit of illness, from which, however, he recovered, and during which he was delivered from some distressing fears respecting the pain of dying, which had long harassed him. On the day of his death, which was a Saturday, he dined, according to his weekly custom, with H. P. Esq. and drank tea, on his return homewards, at my father's. It was the first visit he paid after his illness; and he was congratulated on the recovery of his looks, and an hope was expressed that he had obtained a new lease for a little longer continuance in life. He had ventured out without his cloak, which he usually wore; and as the evening was cool, it was proposed that I should fetch it for him, to which at length he consented. My father's servant attended him to his own door, where Mr. Conon wished him a good night. He then went into his school room, rung his bell for evening prayers, and sat down at his desk with a Bible, which is now on my table, open before him. His housekeeper came to him, and said she would assemble the family so soon as she had seen her daughter, who was unwell, into bed. She was absent about ten minutes, and on her return, found the venerable saint on the ground, to which he had fallen in a fit of apoplexy. He groaned twice and expired. His funeral was attended by the little train of his scholars, several of whom, and among them the writer of this article, were greatly affected. His remains were deposited in the church-yard on the south side of Padstow Church, and a plain stone, with a Latin inscription on it, designates the place*. *In spe beatæ resurrectionis Literarum humanarum præceptor, spondent W. R. I was one of Mr. Vir priscæ virtutis, et christianæ pietatis, Conon's scholars, during the time that he instructed a few young persons in the town of Padstow, after his secession from the labour of the public Fidei, modestia, et charitatis in bomines Exemplar; Et idem propugnator eximius, Vitá jam Christo patriæque impensa "In all our intercourse with worldly people, even with relations, I think we are to look up for the direction and assistance of the spirit to act towards them both with humility and boldness; avoiding all slight and neg; lect of them, having a regard and concern for their spiritual and secular concerns, a readiness to hear and a meekness in hearing what they have to say in regard to both these things, and yet a zeal and becoming boldness when the interests and honour of Christ and his kingdom and our duty relating thereto call for it; making the world sensible that we ought not, and must not, be afraid, when our glorious master's honour calls for the exerting of our courage in doing our duty, or the poor services we, at the best at any time, can do in his cause. But as to those whom in charity we have ground to think real members of Christ: here, I think, our conduct calls for some difference, and I am apt to believe, on too many occasions, we have a more difficult part to act. Self more slyly and undiscernedly steals into the dispositions of our mind towards them: we think often we love them when we only do ourselves. The image of Christ in them (so far as it is or we can discern it), is, or ought to be, the object of our complacency; but we substitute the pleasing of our own humour or self Placide licet subito Piam animam efflavit VI. Cal. Junii, Etatis suæ LXXIV. This inscription, if I mistake not, was written by the Reverend George Burnet, Mr. Conon's particular friend. esteem in the room of that, and hence proceed frequent coldnesses, jealousy, misgivings, and heart-burnings, one against another. O what a pity that they who shall love and praise together to all eternity, that they should be jealous of one another's love in the short period of time allotted to them for their journey to heaven, or that they should fall out by the way G. is displeased. and thinks A. loves her not as she ought: why in truth it is because G. loves herself too much, and loves not A. upon proper grounds. She ought to love her chiefly because she discerns something of the image of Christ in her: but, because she loses sight of this, she wants always that A. should come up to her standard, i. e. to what she wills, not to what God has given her grace to be; for then she would rejoice in that she saw any thing good in her. The same is the case with A. to G. They both love themselves too much, and love not one another enough in God, and for God's sake in Christ: they must be both more humbled, then they will expect less humouring from one another, think less of their natural deserts to and from one another, be glad at discerning any good in one another, bear one another's infirmities, as knowing that they themselves are encompassed with many. I was going to enlarge, but Mr. Walker, Mr. Vivian minister of St. Agnes, with about a dozen of the society, are come to join in social prayer for our own sins and those of the land; so that I hope you'll excuse my breaking off, but I am determined to send you a line by Mrs. G. and, therefore, shall let it go as it is, only I shall tell you that Mr. desires you to tell Mrs. G. that the way that you got rid of worldly attachments was, by declaring to the world the regard and attachment you had to the professed friends of Jesus, that by this means they dropt you: and now, Madam, I hope the last of these is more abundantly made up by peace of mind, a sense of the divine favour, and the glorious prospect of being for ever with Jesus. Death is daily drawing nearer; cry to God that your desires after the perfect enjoyment of him may grow greater. Look up on observing any decays of the divine principle, and beg that the spirit may breathe upon your soul. Remember that the seed of grace is a created nified," namely, an humble posture to denote an humble mind. Though the external deportment is of small moment when compared with the inward dispositions of the heart, yet both should be attended to; and an humble posture seems most appropriately to denote a humble mind. And when we remark the strict observance of every kind of ceremonial in our intercourse with each other, especially the outward marks of respect shewn by inferiors to those above them in rank or fortune, the neglect of it to the "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords," becomes the more reprehensible. It is possible that this custom arises with many from want of thought; in such cases, a great point will be gained by engaging persons to think. Let me intreat you, therefore, publicly to notice this indevout, or thoughtless habit, in the hope that some may be brought to think seriously of correcting it. R. MISCELLANEOUS. COSIN RADCLIFFE, PITTY me, for never came any man to soe mightily a lost businesse. The army alltogether unexercised and unprovided of all necessaries. That parte which I bring now with me from Durham, the worst I ever saw. Our horse all cowardly; the cuntry from Barwicke to Yorke in the power of the Scotts; an universall affright in all men; a generall disaffection to the king's service; none sensible of his dishonour; in one worde, here alone to fight with all thes evills without any one to helpe. God, of his good nesse, deliver me out of this the greatest evill of my life. Fare you well. Your ever most faithfull and most affectionate cosin and friend. Northallerton, 1 Sept. 1640. STRAFFORDE. CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 21. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER, DATED dangers besett, I beleeve, then ever I AM to-morrow to London, with more any man went with out of Yorkshire, yet my hartte is good, and I finde nothing cold within me: it is not to be beleeved how great the mallice is, and how intente they are about it, little lesse care ther is taken to ruine me then to save ther owne soules; nay, for themselves, I wishe ther attention to the latter were equall to that they lend me in the former, and certainly they will raike heaven and hell, as they say, to do me mischeif. The king hath given me greate demonstrations of his affection, and strong asseurances as can be expressed in wordes. The queen is infinitely gratiouse towards me, above all that you can imagine, and doth declare it in a very publike and strandge manner, soe as nothing can hurt me by God's helpe, but the iniquitie and necessity of thes times. 3 Y STRAFFORDE. COPIES OF SIR GEORGE RADCLIFFE'S LAST LETTER TO LORD STRAFFORDE, AND GOD's arme is not shortned nor his DEAR GEORGE, MANY thankes I give you for your great comfort you give me in this letter. All your desires are freely granted, and God deliver you out of this wicked world according to the innocence that is in you. My brother George will come to you, and show you such thinges as in this short tyme I could thinke of; imperfect they are, and, therefore, I wholly submitt all to be ordered as shall amongst you be thought most meet; and if the debts cannot otherwise be discharged, the landes in Kildare may be sold. The king sayth he will give all my estate to my sonne, sends me so word by my Lord Primate. God's goodnesse be ever amongst us all, this being the last I shall write, and so blessed Jesu receive my soule. I leave to your care that are trusted, that if you finde the state will beare' it, to raise the portions of my daughters according as was intended by my will. This is a copy of my last to my Lord, and of his to me. GEORGE RADCLIFFE. Examined per me Henry Watkins. WHOEVER has carefully considered To the Editor of the Christian Observer. the means by which the cause of vice and irreligion is promoted in the world, must have observed, that it prospers chiefly through the deceitfulness of the human heart; bad men being by no means aware of the iniquity which they encourage and commit, and even good men imperfectly discerning, and very falsely appreciating, the ill effects which arise from their imperfections and faults. It has occurred to me, that I may be able to expose to view some of those obliquities, which are most apt to escape detection by the following expedient. I conceive, Sir, that by considering how professed friends and patrons of vice would be likely to act, we may be able to discover how we ought not to act. I am, therefore, about to suppose a society to be formed for the express purpose of promoting the increase of infidelity and wickedness, and occasionally to deliberate on the means of accomplishing their object. I proceed, without further preface, to report the transactions of the first general meeting. At a numerous meeting of the friends of immorality, rice, and irreligion, on Sunday, the 28th of August, 1803. The first business of the day being the choice of a chairman, the names of several gentlemen were proposed. The friends of one candidate observed in his favour, that he had always acted in a most manly and open manner in that great cause, for which the society was about to be instituted; that he was known to be total unbeliever, a very profane swearer, and a person of more than ordinary licenti ousness; and, moreover, that he had lately written a book distinguished by its immorality. This gentleman was of an advanced age, and it was insisted that few men were less likely to desert to the opposite standard. His nomination was warmly supported. The friends of another gentleman replied, that they wished not to detract from the merit of the candidate who had just been named, but that there certainly was one point in which his pretensions fell extremely short of those of the person whom they had the honour to recommend. Their friend, they remarked, was a clergyman, and as an equal degree of vice in such a character was much more rare, so also it was far more meritorious than in another person. The gentleman just named had written one book, but this clergyman had published several, some in verse and some in prose; and by the wit which he had mixed with his ribaldry, he had both advanced the general interests of vice and profaneness, and had also traduced by name some of the most virtuous individuals in this kingdom, a service which, as the mover humbly submitted, was of great importance. The election seemed likely to run in favour of this singular clergyman, when a shrewd old gentleman rose up and made a speech, of which the following is the substance: GENTLEMEN, "Allow me to call your very serious attention to that important duty, which you are now about to fulfil. I wish you to bear in mind, that your character in the world will depend, in a great measure, on that of your chairman; and that without some kind of decent reputation, this society can never hope materially to advance its interests. Gentlemen, the world is by no means apt to admire the complete perfection of iniquity. We ought to consider this circumstance, and to elect a chairman who will not shock the feelings of those who are as yet but half initiated in wickedness. A chairman of this sort will make twenty proselytes, where the men who have been proposed would scarcely gain one. Gentlemen, our party in this land is unquestionably large. It comprehends many who do not at all approve either of open infidelity, of extreme licentiousness, or of gross profaneness; many who would be ashamed of belonging to us, if they knew themselves to be enlisted under the banners of either of the two men who have been recommended to you. I admit that both of those candidates have done much for the cause; they have great merit in their way, but they are not fit to be our public representatives. Our chairman ought to be able, occasionally at least, to wear a very fair appearance. He ought, moreover, to understand religion, as well as to hate it. But what do either of those two gentlemen know of any one doctrine or principle of christianity? We must have a man who can mislead, pervert, and confound; can put virtue for vice, and vice for virtue; can give bad names to good things and good names to bad ones; who can prove, for example, that real religion is fanaticism, or that real fanaticism is the only true religion; who can set up works against faith and faith against works, or can so pretend to join the two together as to obstruct the posses sion of either; who can make true doctrines false by pushing them to excess; or by guarding men against extremes, can put them in dread of being extremely pious, and can convince the world that vice, in moderation, is the only practicable virtue. "Moreover, we ought to chuse a man who can encourage weaknesses in those, whom he cannot wholly pervert to our purpose; who can induce pious people to add a little cant to their religion, to contend about words as well as important things, and to suspect that fundamental truths are attacked when their own little faults are censured. Gentlemen, I know no better mode of facilitating our progress, than that of sowing dissensions among the body of Christians. Our motto should be, divide and conquer.' Let us throw down the apple of discord among them. Let us chuse a chairman who, understanding every little nicety about which the several sects dispute, will teach them to magnify what is trifling, and to forget what is important; and will save our labour by encouraging Christians to expend their zeal in counteracting and vilifying one another." The meeting applauded the general sentiment, and the chairman proposed by this sagacious old gentleman was elected by a very great majority. The important business of the election of a chairman being ended, a debate ensued on the subject of the |