French writers have emphatically called Onction. The whole scheme of redemption is laid down with admirable perspicuity; and the promises and consolations of the gospel are so clearly and so warmly displayed, that we could wish to see them printed in a small and cheap form, for general distribution." "After

copious extracts we have made from these Sermons, no farther character of them from us would be necessary, to recommend the volume to those who have a love for rational piety and sound principles."

No. XIII.

Extract from the Anti-Jacobin for April 1806, vol. 23. "This sensible writer follows Mr. Lancaster through that part of his plan which relates to religious instruction, and shows, (as, indeed, Mrs. Trimmer had sufficiently done before) its total inadequacy to instill the principles and the duties of Christianity into the infant mind." 66 Our prelates are most earnestly, and impressively exhorted to bring all the dangers of this innovating system before the constitutional head of our Church; whose attention, we know, has already been called to it. And he reminds their lordships, that a systematic plan has been long set on foot, and industriously acted upon, for the purpose of sapping and undermining it (the Established Church); and that funds, ample funds, are privately provided, with the view of carrying separation from the Church of England to the utmost possible extent, by multiplying meeting houses in all parts of the country →whilst, on the other hand, your lordships must know, that single effort has been made to counteract the growing evil, by bringing forward a proposal for erecting places of worship, under the establishment, in some degree proportioned to our increased population.' This, alas, is a melancholy truth; and the evil, we are sorry to say, is daily increasing. Every effort to excite the vigilance of our pastors to the dangers which threaten us, and to direct their attention to matters which

not one

call loudly for reform, is highly praiseworthy; and we trust that this letter will meet with the attention which it so eminently deserves."

No. XIV.

Education was a subject in which the Archdeacon had always evinced the greatest interest; considering it as involving those principles which are of the first importance in a national and religious point of view. He had exerted himself successfully some years previous, in opposing a plan which was brought before a Committee of Sunday schools, by an influential gentlemen distinguished for his zeal and piety, but whose sentiments on Church government and discipline differed essentially from his own. The proposal was, that the superintendence of the Sunday schools, which had been entrusted to the Clergy of the establishment by the subscribers to that charity and by the parents of the children, should be transferred to a select number of ladies, who were to be uncontrouled in their management of them that instead of limiting the admission to children of the establishment, the schools should be open to children of every denomination, who were to be allowed to attend at whatever place of worship their parents might prefer-and that the books used in the school, were no longer to be confined to the list of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, but left to the choice of the ladies governesses-or, if any controul on that point should be thought necessary, that of the Bishop of London might be sufficient.

Connected with these important deviations from the plan upon which the schools had been originally established, an opinion was incidentally expressed by the proposer of them, that the admission of Sectarians into the Committee of Management, might be anobjectionable.

The substitution of such a plan, for one that had originated with, and been supported by, the friends of the Established

Church, was not likely to meet the concurrence of one of Mr. Daubeny's principles. He opposed it decidedly, one part only excepted-viz. the proposed admission of children of all denominations-but this on the express condition that the children so admitted, became subject to every rule of the schools.

Mr. D. stated his objections to the other parts of the plan, at length-and in exemplification of one of his arguments, adduced an instance in which a very respectable quaker who had been admitted as a member of the Committee of Management, took an opportunity to paste a blank leaf over the Creed, in the prayer-book used by the visiting Clergyman in examining the scholars-and on being expostulated with for having done so, answered, "Why, friend, thee would'st not have the children learn what thou do'st not believe!"

In the course of this discussion, the conversation digressed occasionally; when the word episcopacy happening to be used, there appeared an entire opposition of opinion upon that point also, between Mr. D. and the gentleman alluded to. It was therefore less a matter of surprise that they should have differed so materially on those other subjects, for the consideration of which, at his particular request, the meeting had been convened. It is scarcely

y necessary to say what was the eventual decision of the Committee.

The following letter, on the subject of education, was addressed to Mr. Daubeny by a very respectable and benevolent Quaker, in the year 1798.

ESTEEMED FRIEND,

When I had the pleasure of conversing with thee last week on Schools of Industry, I understood thy assertion to be, that neither thyself nor any clergyman of the Church of England could (consistently with his profession) superintend any School of Industry, unless the peculiar doctrines of that Church were taught and enforced in it. Now as this assertion tacitly condemns my conduct in this respect, who, as thou

well knows, have been very active in superintending Schools of Industry, in which none of those tenets peculiar to the Church I profess with are inculcated; but, on the contrary, almost the whole of them profess to belong to, and accordingly with great regularity attend, the establishment—I shall be greatly obliged by thy informing me on what principle of Christianity it is that thy objections are founded; and I am the more earnest to be set right in this matter, because from an apprehension of rectitude in this point, I am with great solicitude pursuing the same line of conduct in Bath, which I most certainly would not do if there was the least impropriety in such conduct. I am, respectfully, thy affectionate friend,

Bath, James-street, No. 7.

SHURMER BATH.

SIR,

From Mr. Daubeny, in reply.

I take the earliest opportunity of replying to your note, which I received last night, in the hope of convincing you, that however our ideas upon religious subjects may differ, it is my wish to give you every satisfaction in my power. If I understand you right, the scruple communicated to me in your note stands upon the following ground-that in consistence with my assertion, that no clergyman of the Church of England can superintend any School of Industry in which the doctrines of that Church are not inculcated, you, as a person dissenting from the Church, and connected with a different form of public worship, cannot, upon a similar principle, superintend schools where the peculiar doctrines of your persuasion are not only not inculcated, but where, on the contrary, those of a Church from which you dissent, are inculcated.

Upon the supposition that I have stated the above position properly, I proceed to give the following answer to it; which I hope may prove as satisfactory as a short answer of this kind may be supposed to be. You ask me upon what principle of Christianity it is that my objections are founded—I answer :-

The principle by which my conduct in the ministry is governed is a solemn engagement entered into with the Church of which I am a minister, to preach and propagate certain doctrines, which are believed by me to contain the essence of Christianity, and to have been graciously revealed to man for the purpose of his being made acquainted with the way of salvation. The directions given by St. Paul to Timothy, I consider, mutatis mutandis, applicable to myself and to every minister of the Church of Christ. His words are these: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbyter. Meditate upon these things, give thyself to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself and thy doctrine; continue in them. Preach the word; be constant in season and out of season, with all things, make full proof of thy ministry." The engagement which I entered into at my ordination, strictly corresponds with the above apostolic charge to Timothy. To engage in the promotion of any plan, of which the religious education of the parties constitutes an essential part, irreconcileable with the tenor of the above engagement, is what, according to my best judgment, cannot be done without a desertion of that principle, by which, not only as a minister of the Church, but as an honest man, I ought to be governed. You, Sir, I conceive, do not stand in the same predicament with myself. You have entered into no public engagement to promote and propagate any particular doctrine; nor are you held bound by any solemn trust on this occasion. Our cases, therefore, not being parallel, no proper judgment can be drawn from one to the other. If you, as a private individual, can be instrumental in doing good, I think the consideration of children being educated in the principles of the established Church of the country in which you live, ought not to throw a stumblingblock in your way, because the real purpose of doing good to your fellow-creatures, will more than balance against the possibility of your promoting what you may think to be the cause of error. For we are told, if there be first a willing mind, it is