Imatges de pàgina
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And thus, continued our lay-gentleman, I have finished my quotations, which I have been necessitated to bring in my own defence; to prove to you that I have asserted nothing on this head of religion, faith, or the sacred mysteries, which has not been justified and confirmed by the most celebrated churchmen and respected divines. You may now proceed in your invectives; bestowing as free language of that kind, as your charity and breeding will permit. And you, reverend sirs! who have assumed a character which sets you above that of the mere gentleman, and releases you from those decorums, and constraining measures of behaviour to which we of an inferior sort are bound; you may liberally deal your religious compliments and salutations in what dialect you think fit; since for my own part neither the names of heterodox, schismatic, heretic, sceptic, not even Infidel, or Atheist, will in the least scandalize me, whilst the sentence comes only from your mouths. On the contrary, I rather strive with myself to suppress whatever vanity might naturally arise in me, from such favor bestowed. For whatever may, in the bottom be intended me, by such a treatment: it is impossible for me to term it other than favour; since there are certain enmities, which it will ever be esteemed a real honour to have merited.

P. 338. A certain Indian of the train of the ambassador-princes "We will suppose

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the dogmatising practice in divinity has ever been. then, that about the time, when universal ignorance, and the genuine daughter of it, (call her devotion or superstition) had overspread the world, and the generality of people were strongly inclined to believe strange things; and even the greatest contradictions were recommended to them under the notion of mysteries, being told by their priests and guides, that the more opposite any thing is to reason, the greater merit there is in believing it: I say, let us suppose, that in this state of things, one or more of the most eminent then in the church, either out of design, or out of superstitious ignorance and mistake of the sense of our Saviour's words used in the consecration of the sacrament, should advance this new doctrine, that the words of consecration, &c. Such a doctrine as this was very likely to be advanced by the ambitious clergy of that time, as a probable means to draw in the people to a greater veneration of them. * Nor was such a doctrine less likely to take and prevail among the people, in an age prodigiously ignorant, and strongly inclined to superstition, and thereby well prepared to receive the grossest absurdities under the notion of mysteries. . Now supposing such a doctrine as this, so fitted to the humour and temper of the age, to be once asserted either by change or out of design, it would take like wild-fire; especially if by some one or more who bore sway in the church, it were but recommended with sufficient gravity and solemnity. * And for the contradictions contained in this doctrine, it was but telling the people then, (as they do in effect now) that contradictions ought to be no scruple in the way of faith; that the more impossible any thing is, the fitter it is to be believed; that it is not praiseworthy to believe plain possibilities, but this is the gallantry and heroical power of faith, this is the way to oblige God Almighty for ever to us, to believe flat and downright contradictions. ** The more absurd and unreasonable any thing is, it is for that very reason the more proper matter for an article of faith. And if any of these innovations be objected against, as contrary to former belief and practice, it is but putting forth a lusty act of faith, and believing another contradiction, that though they be contrary, yet they are the same.'

sent to us lately from some of those Pagan nations, being engaged one Sunday, in visiting our churches, and happening to ask his interpreter, who the eminent persons were whom he observed haranguing so long, with such authority from a high place? was answered, "they were ambassadors from the almighty, or (according to the Indian language) from the sun."

Whether the Indian took this seriously or in raillery, did not appear. But having afterwards called in, as he went along, at the chapels of some of his brother ambassadors, of the Romish religion, and at some other dissenting congregations, where matters, as he perceived, were transacted with greater privacy, and inferior taste, he asked "whether these also were ambassadors from the same place." He was answered, "that they had indeed been heretofore of the embassy, and had possession of the same chief places he had seen: but they were now succeeded there by others." "If those, therefore," replied the Indian, "were ambassadors from the sun; these, I take for granted, are from the moon."

Supposing, indeed, one had been no Pagan, but a good Christian; conversant in the original holy scriptures, but unacquainted with rites, titles, habits, and ceremonials, of which there is no mention in those writings: might one not have enquired, with humble submission, into this affair? Might one not have softly, and at a distance, applied for information concerning this high embassy; and addressing perhaps to some inferior officer or livery man of the train, asked modestly, "how and whence they came? Whose equipage they appeared in? At whose charges they were entertained? And by whose suffrage or command appointed and authorized? Is it true, pray sirs, that their excellencies of the present establishment, are the sole commissioned ! or are there as many real commissioners as there are prentenders? If so; there can be no great danger for us, whichever way we apply ourselves. We have ample choice, and may adhere to which commission we like best. If there be only one single true one, we have then, it seems, good reason to look about us, search narrowly into the affair, be scrupulous in our choice, and (as the current physic bills admonish us) beware of counterfeits; since there are so many of these abroad, with earthly powers, and temporal commissions, to back their spiritual pretences."

It is to be feared, in good earnest, that the discernment of this kind will prove pretty difficult; especially amidst this universal contention, embroil, and fury of religious challengers, these high defiances of contrary believers, this zealous opposition of commission to commission; and this din of hell, anathemas, and damnations, raised every where by one religious party against another.

So far are the pretendedly commissioned parties from producing their commission openly, or proving it from the original record

or court rolls of heaven, that they deny us inspection into these very records they plead, and refuse to submit their title to human judgment or examination.

A poet of our nation insinuates, indeed, in their behalf, that they are fair enough in this respect. For when the murmuring people, speaking by their chosen orator, or spokesman, to the priests, says to them,

"With ease you take what we provide with care,

And we who your legation must maintain,

Find all your tribe in the commission are,

And none but heaven could send so large a train."

The apologist afterwards excusing this boldness of the people, and soothing the incensed priests with fairer words, says to them, on a foot of moderation, which he presumes to be their character. "You with such temper their intemperance bear,

To show your solid science does rely

So on itself, as you no trial fear:

For arts are weak that are of sceptics shy."

The poet, it seems, never dreamt of a time when the very countenance of moderation should be out of fashion with the gentlemen of this order, and the word itself exploded as unworthy of their profession. And indeed so far are they at present from bearing with any sceptic, or inquirer, ever so modest or discreet, that to hear an argument on a contrary side to theirs, or read whatever may be writ in answer to their particular assertions, is made the highest crime. Whilst they have among themselves such differences and sharp debates about their heavenly commission, and are even in one and the same community or establishment, divided into different sects and headships; they will allow no particular survey or inspection into the foundations of their eontroverted title. They would have us inferior passive mortals, amazed as we are, and beholding with astonishment from afar, these tremendous subjects of dispute, wait blindfold the event and final decision of the controversy. Nor is it enough that we are merely passive. It is required of us, that in the midst of this irreconcilable debate concerning heavenly authorities and powers, we should be as confident of the veracity of some one, as of the imposture and cheat of all other pretenders: and that believing firmly there is still a real commission at the bottom, we should endure the misery of these conflicts, and engage on one side or the other, as we happen to have our birth or education; till by fire and sword, execution, massacre, and a kind of depopulation of this earth, it be determined at last amongst us, which is the true commission, exclusive of all others, and superior to the rest.

THE END.

'Printed and Published by RICHARD CARLILE, 62, Fleet-street, where all Communications, post paid, or free of expence, are requested to be left

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No. 15. VOL. 4.] LONDON, Friday, Oct. 9, 1829. [PRICE 6d.

LONDON RADICAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Of all the political associations, which I have witnessed, or of which I have heard, I have found none more contemptibly devoid of intellect and useful purpose, than this, called the London Radical Reform Association. This is below the Co-operative Association. I attended the monthly meeting, at the Mechanics' Institute, on Monday night last, that I might have the proper information to convey to the country reformers, who are likely to be deluded with the notion, that Mr. Hunt is doing something here that is useful. The newspapers find nonsense enough here for their columns, and reports go forth as if there were really something respectable in these Radical Reform Meetings. The truth is this: Last year, some Irishmen in London, genuine Roman Catholics, encouraged by the noise which was making at Dublin, set up a London Association, nominally about civil and religious liberty, but really Catholic and indicative of nought but religious slavery. Monthly meetings were held, in the theatre of the Mechanics' Institute, and two or three of them, at which I was present, toward the end of the last year, exhibited the very worst political spirit that can be imagined among mankind. The majority of the members present were ferocious slaves to religion and drunkenness. The question generally under discussion, was the merit of some person and not of some principle. Such a scene as may be pictured of an Irish row, short of blows, and little short of blows, was the common scene of the monthly meeting of this association for civil and religious liberty. Unembellished and uninspired with any of that intellect and energy which distinguished the proceedings of the Dublin Association, this London burlesque upon political utility and practical reform, this

Printed and Published by R. Carlile, 62, Fleet Street, No. 15. Vol. 4. 2 G

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stage for the boiling-heat oratory of Grady and Murphy, for the cold cataleptic figures and bulls of Cavanagh and Clarke, for the solemn, pompous, hollow, ever-dying and ghost-like effusions of Daniel French, and the arithmetical eloquence of Henry Hunt, left its attendants, as little instructed and as little stimulated to any useful accomplishment, or to any kind of change of character, as Eldon, or Castlereagh himself, were he living, might have wished. Such was the pretended association for civil and religious liberty, and with a change of name only, such is the present Radical Reform Association. The same persons are the figurantes. They have so constituted themselves, as to have appointed speakers, and you hear drawling as solemn, as dogmatic, and as ridiculous, as any thing to be heard from a pulpit. discussion. The meeting is professedly consulted. are put and shows of hands made; but if any one attempts to speak from the body of the meeting, he is denounced as an intruder, as no member, and turn him out is the cry. On Monday night last, I more than once heard the cry, in the upper gallery, of Burke him, Burke him. I feel it a disgrace to be proposed a member of such an association, or I should much like to try what this sect of brawlers would bear in the shape of discussion. My present opinion of them is, that they would shrink from discussion with well-informed men, as instinctively as do the priests. If they do not, if I misrepresent them, let them send me an allowance without calling me a member, and I will come and try them.

Resolutions

If they would only discuss the question" What are the more immediate means of producing a change in the constitution of the legislature of this country," which almost all agree to be desirable, instead of what shape shall it be, when the means are found to change it, they would be acting as practical reformers would act. Now, they resemble the pauper, who is ever talking about what he would do with such and such an amount of fortune, without taking any step calculated to procure him the smallest part of that fortune. Your present Radical Reformers are dreamers and not thinkers, they snore; but they move not.

On Monday night last, the whole evening's discourse, all on one side, was, that it would be contrary to the spirit of Magna Charta, to disfranchise the rotten boroughs and transfer the suffrage to the larger householders of the large manufacturing towns. It is decisive of the character of a political simpleton, of the lowest degree, to talk now a day of the value of Magna Charta, or of its having any relation to the present state of society. It is a sure indication that such a politician is destitute of all knowledge of political principles. This was the motion of an Irishman of the name of Cavanagh, who did not trust himself to say a word upon it; but left the silliness of the thing to be kept in countenance by a rambling irrelevant speech of Mr. Hunt's; by

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