Abingdon. Is this what Dr. Marsh wishes us to understand by the words "more successful in his in quiries?" We think that Mr. Nor ris himself will agree with us in the persuasion, that an enemy hath done this," under the guise of a friend*.

6. In this ponderous volume of 440 pages, the Editor professes to give us the several documents which relate to the Hackney Meeting: yet he has omitted one paper of considerable importance. It is entitled, "Hackney and Newington Auxiliary Bible Society." If our readers will peruse the following extract, they may possibly be induced to think that they have discovered some reason for the omission.

"It is emphatically stated in the Protestant Catechism, sanctioned by the Heads of the Established Church, That all people not only may read

• After the preceding pages had gone to the Printer, the subjoined Advertisement appeared in the London newspapers :

[Advertisement.]-The following notice has lately been given in the Cambridge Chronicle, which we are desired to copy : The Margaret Professor requests all gentlemen, who, in consequence of an advertisement in this paper, may doubt the authenticity of the Abingdon letter, to call upon him and see that letter, an examination of which will convince them that it is authentic.""

We are ignorant of the reason which induced Dr. Marsh to keep open house for the inspection of his letter. Without waiting upon him on this occasion, we shall assume that he did receive a letter with the Abingdon post-mark. But by whom was that letter written? By the person whose signature it bears? Where is that person? Neither Dr. Marsh nor his correspondents have been successful in their inquiries: they have not found a Quaker of the name. "Nay," says the Doctor," I have proof: here is the letter to testify." To testify what? Its own

existence; and that is all. Our readers probably recollect the story of a lady walking upon the battlements of an Italian castle,

and hearing from her maid terrible stories of a ghost." Where was it?" said the lady. "By that cannon, Signora." What proof of it?" "What proof, Signora? why there is the cannon to testify it,"

the Scriptures, but it is their duty to read them, or as they have opportunity, to hear them read, for our Saviour has expressly com manded to search the Scriptures→→ and St. Paul orders his Epistle to be read to all the brethren, that is, to all Christians, and the Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures:' and in the same Catechism, in answer to the question, 'Are not the Scriptures obscure and hard to be understood?' we are taught to answer-As to whatever is necessary to salvation they. are plain and easy to those who read them with due care and suitable dispositions; if the Gospel be hid, it is hid to those that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not.' And the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge,' usually called the Bartlett's Buildings' Society,' have very properly and powerfully enforced this doctrine in one of their admirable tracts, in which it is said, Christians there are innumerable who are almost entirely ignorant of the Bible, because those that have the rule over them, suffer it to be read only by particular persons, and with the greatest precaution, as if it were a dangerous thing to put the word of God indifferently into the hands of all men.' It is then stated to be a great misfortune and a shame to Christians, that the number of those who cannot read should be so great among them :' it is added, "that many do not read the word of God, because they are unable through their poverty to purchase that divine book,' and proceeds, those to whom God has given riches should supply this defect, by dedicating some portion to the pious use of providing Bibles for the poor. The infinite wisdom and unbounded same tract proceeds, God in his goodness, has supplied men by the revelation of his will, with the most perfect means of instruction: he inspired the prophets and apostles, and was pleased their writings

should be preserved, that in them truth might always remain pure, without being corrupted by the forgetfulness and inconstancy, the carelessness or malice of men. The Scriptures, therefore, are the most valuable blessing God ever bestowed upon us, except the sending his Son into the world. They are a treasure, which contain in them every thing which can make us truly rich and truly happy.'

"Again: the tract proceeds Supposing the Scriptures were regularly read in the churches, this alone would not be sufficient, unless Christians read them likewise in their own houses. The express declaration of God's word, the practice of the Church both under the Old and New Testament, and many other reasons which it is not expedient to mention at present, prove the necessity of doing this.

Be

sides, private reading is attended with some advantages, which public reading is not; in private one may read with more leisure, consider things more closely, repeat the thing more than once, and make a more nice application. Private reading is likewise the best way to improve by what we hear in public, it being impossible rightly to comprehend what is said in public discourses and sermons, without being well versed in the Scriptures; add to this, that private reading keeps up a spirit of piety and devotion, whereas those who neglect this, inevitably fall into an indifference and disrelish for Divine things, which must be attended with remissness in the duties of religion, and with a slavish subjection to the passions.'

"The preceding extracts sufficiently illustrate the duty of all men to read the Scriptures, and the binding necessity upon all Christians to furnish those with the means, who from poverty, or other causes, are destitute of so great a blessing."

But did Mr. Norris know of this publication? He did: he refers to it in the following terms.

Meeting, whose proceedings were thus reported, the constituent resolutions with an Address of eight pages subjoined, from the Committee of the new Society, were circulated through the parish; the purport of which was in the first place to set forth the duty and the benefits of a private perusal of the Scriptures; which doubtless every conscientious member of the Church of England is ready to admit, and which, after the statement in the Vicar's letter, (App. No. III.) it is unnecessary to say that both he and his

curates had been endeavouring to inculcate and promote to the utmost of their power, long before the Bible Society had existence." P. 309.

We strongly recommend the circulation of the tract in question: it contains a decisive answer to those miserable sophistries, which certain individuals continually obtrude upon us under the assumed sanction of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. It is a happy circumstance that the Hackney Auxiliary Society itself has publicly refuted and disclaimed them.

We trust that by this time our readers will be able to form a tolerable judgment of the work under review. We have omitted many observations, which this singular production might be expected to call forth, because we exceedingly lament the condition of a mind which labours under so many and such afflicting terrors. We are verily persuaded of the sincerity of our author's views: we have no doubt that he believes all his facts. to be true, all his statements to be ingenuous, and all his reasoning to be full of demonstration. We perfectly believe him, when he asserts it as his persuasion, that the Royal Dukes are not royal; that Mr. Steinkopff went on a mission to Bonaparte; that the Bible Society is upon the system of the Puritans and the United Irishmen; and that our nobles and dignitaries, who support it, are deep in a foul conspiracy for the subversion of authority, and the utter demolition of order and truth and religion and law!

conjured from the pit! How wide have been its ravages! How terrible its mischiefs! Hence the contempt of the Scriptures! Hence the murders at Shadwell!* p. 375. Hence the attendance of Dissenters upon the service of the Establishment! p. 97. Sad is the neglect of authorized ministers, and treinendously daring are the notions of the poor! They talk about the Bible, as if they could unders and it; whereas their ancestors were contented to listen to their betters: they adopt words, which should never be heard but in the mouth of the priest-such words as no layman should presume to utter. How appropriate to this institution are the almost prophetic declarations of John Cade, Esq.! "Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm. And whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used, and, contrary to the king, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a papermill. It will be proved to thy face, that thou hast men about thee that talk of a noun and a verb, and such abominable words as no Christian ear can endure to hear!"

We much admire that Mr. Norris never undertook to prove that the Society is Antichrist. The points of resemblance are very numerous and striking; we could furnish him with several parts of the demonstration already and country Newspapers, or "manuscript accounts of public meetings," can easily supply the rest. Its antichristian spirit is obvious to all men: for if you should happen, in the mildest terms which the Hackney side of London Bridge can furnish, simply to represent it as hostile to church and state in its very aim, principle, and design; if you only describe it in the most ancient fish-like and delicate language of that part of the metropolis, as a villainous liar and a most horrible *Nr. Norris's reasoning would have been much improved if the murders at Shadwell had followed, instead of preceding, the establishment of an Auxiliary at Blackwall,

incendiary; it has the insolence to turn round and charge you with calumny! It has no reverence for the priesthood and no respect for spiritual fathers!

Mr. Norris has exerted himself with singular industry to collect every circumstance, however trivial, which can by any device be converted to the discredit of the Bible Society: and he believes himself to have made no small progress in the cause, if he can produce one instance of improper conduct among the thousands who lend it their support. At Uxbridge he has found a case perfectly delightful-proof positive logic infallible-demonstration in its essence. A Mr. Clarke, he tells us, Vice-President of the Uxbridge Society, has published some Socinian papers, and "makes the Bibles which he receives from the Bible Society the vehicles of their circulation."

We believe the fact to be greatly exaggerated; but we will reason on the ground assumed by Mr. Norris. We readily concede that nothing can be more infamous than the hand-bills attributed to this Socinian of Uxbridge. But what controul has any Bible Society over its Bibles after they are bought and paid for? We are members of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge: Suppose then, after purchasing Bibles and Prayer-books at that institution, we disperse them with noxious tracts, what power could prevent us? And would any sensible man bring it as a ground of charge against the whole body, that some individual had scandalously abused his privilege? We are extremely sorry that the conduct of this Mr. Clarke of Uxbridge should have given the children of sophistry such occasion of triumph. We know nothing of the man; and are therefore unable to decide, whe ther be be one of those who have been induced to profess himself a friend of the Society, in order, by these abominable proceedings, to stab it more deeply; or whether, from some peculiarity of constitution, he is rather deserving of pity

than indignation. If he be accessi ble by those feelings which govern the greater part of mankind, we hope that he will repent bitterly of this ungenerous and insidious warfare: we consider him as the worst enemy to the Bible Society that has ever yet blackened its character and impeded its progress.

This man is a Socinian: and Mr. Norris concludes, that the Bible Society tends to the growth of that sect. Demonstration worthy of the reasoner! -Does our authorised version teach Socinianism? Is not every guinea, which is subscribed to this Institutution, employed in the circulation of our own Scriptures? And could not the man circulate his unchristian tracts, whether he belonged to the Society or not? The Bible Society, as a society, gives nothing but Bibles: but the best gifts of Heaven may be abused; and Mr. Norris's friend, the co-collector of Hackney, might practise the same trick with Mr. Clarke, after his guinea was subscribed.

Another of this gentleman's objections arises from the circumstance of Auxiliary Meetings being occasionally held in churches; and he has got up a few stories on that subject, which he doubtless believes to be true.

We are of opinion that the church is by no means a proper place for any assemblies, but those of religious worship. The associations connected with the House of Prayer are serious and sacred; and we would rigidly exclude all secular concerns from the House of the Lord. We would recommend, in the strongest terms, to the friends of the Bible Society, to give no occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. Let every thing be done with correctness, order, and sobriety. It is plain that the Society can never be injured but by those whom it has cherished in its bosom. If their conduct be correct, then, in spite of sneer, and folly, and demonstration, the Word of God will assuredly proceed in its course, and will be

impelled more swiftly on its way by the very storms which assail it.

We view this subject with sentiments of delight, and with the language of warm congratulation. "Look on this picture, and on,this." What are the offences of the Bible Society? An enemy, under the guise of a friend has dispersed some Socinian tracts with his Bibles: and two or three meetings have been held within the walls of a church. We are astonished that no more can be said! It must needs be that offences will come: but how wonderful is it, that so little can be objected, where the blessings have been so unexampled and the operations so extensive! Not less than a million of Bibles and Testaments. have been circulated by this Institution. The glorious light of revelation has ascended by its means over kingdoms and empires, which were sitting in comparative darkness! The Sun of Righteousness has arisen to cheer at once the inclement regions of the north, and to give new life to the opposite hemisphere. A Socinian has given tracts! A meeting has been held in a church! Mr. Norris is angry!-We are sorry for these offences. But the blessings of Revelation are extending by this Society, not merely to the poor of Hackney and of the British Isles, but to distant shores and mighty continents. The flame is kindled, and it will spread wider and wider: it will grow and expand and dilate itself, and no power on earth can quench it.

But it is time to draw to a close: we began with Mr. Norris, and with Mr. Norris we will end. Our extracts have not been numerous; and as we wish to do him ample justice, we will select two passages, as spe cimens of his taste and style of writing. They appear to have cost him uncommon pains, before they acquired their polish and perfection: we consider them as among the most elaborate paragraphs to be found in his work.

1. Of his taste,

"Its involution of character is so exquisitely skilful that the full idea of it is not yet conveyed; for besides what it withholds, what it imperceptibly insinuates enters into its mystical composition. The Scriptures indeed, by the preliminary filtration which they are made to undergo, come into this vast reservoir, prepared for their general diffusion, purified from that particular tincture which they have received, as well from those who interpret them according to the truth, as from those who corrupt them according to their various imaginations: but they are not emitted in this purity to those to whom this splendid receptacle dispenses them again; for, in consequence of the various strata of which its channel is com posed, they undergo a sort of chemical proeess within it, by which they are impregnated with all those tinctures conjointly in their most subtle and least detectable forms

with which before they were separately coloured; and the truth is annihilated by the overpowering evaporations of error.”. pp. 379, 380.

2. Of his style :—an entire and detached paragraph.

"A more impressive demonstration than this of the reprobate state of mind to which the expedient of separating the sacred text ' from its true interpretation, criticism, and comment,' has so fatal a tendency to reduce those who adopt it, and of the despite against the Spirit of Grace which will too probably ensue, placed as it is upon the pages of the Sacred Volume which was thus made the ruin of those which it was designed to save, could not surely have been prepared to act as a preservative upon Christians, effectually to prevent them from stripping it again to that simple state,' and 'presenting it,' thus unprotected from injury and insult, as an object of universal circulation."" p. 382.

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