CONSIDERED IN THEIR PRACTICAL. INFLUENCE, SHEWING THE CONNEXION
OF CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY WITH THE CHURCH; AND THE
IDENTITY OF THE VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLE WITH DEMOCRACY.

II.

THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED ON THE BIBLE;

OR, THE DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH SHEWN IN THE
ORDER AND CONNEXION OF THE YEARLY SERVICES APPOINTED
FROM THE SCRIPTURES.

III.

THE CATECHISM, EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED,

IN CONNEXION WITH THESE APPOINTED SERVICES.

IV.

PSALMS AND HYMNS ON THE SERVICES AND RITES OF
THE CHURCH.

BY EDWARD OSLER,

FORMERLY ONE OF THE SURGEONS TO THE SWANSEA INFIRMARY.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER AND CO., CORNHILL.

1837.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY STEWART AND CO.,

OLD BAILEY.

TO THE

BATH CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.

I DEDICATE to you a volume which owes to you its existence; and I do so with peculiar pleasure, because the Conservatives of Bath and its neighbourhood have been honourably distinguished for the spirit in which they have maintained their principles. Acting always upon the conviction that the constitution and character of England are identified with the Established Church, they have been forward on all occasions to vindicate that Church, to maintain her rights, and to promote her usefulness.

to be required to support an Establishment; and it is unjust to tax Ireland and Scotland for upholding a Church in England. Do they indeed think so? Then how dare they tax England and Scotland, to support that system of education in Ireland which the Protestants of the whole Empire have so emphatically denounced-not to speak of Maynooth, and of grants for promoting Popery abroad. Is it that they support the principle of an Establishment only where Popery is concerned?

Whatever may be their real views, nothing Upon this point the whole question has at can be more clear than that the principle length centred, and here the battle of the they have avowed is fatal to a national reliconstitution is to be decided. Dissenters gion. Let the Legislature affirm that a Church, say that the Established Church in England from which any parties may dissent, ought shall be put down; the Papists, that a Pro- not to be assisted from the public funds, and testant Establishment in Ireland shall no it leaves the religion and morals of the Counlonger exist. They join to accomplish their try to the voluntary care of individuals. Howrespective objects, swelling their ranks with ever poor and demoralized any district may the anti-christian of every name; and the be, this principle would bar a grant for King's ministers have become their leaders. reclaiming it. Nay, it would restrain the Against them all we declare that the Establish- State from employing a single clergyman. ed National Church shall be maintained! nor The colonial bishops and clergy must be cast maintained only, but extended. The State off. Chaplains can be allowed no longer to which acknowledges the principle of a Na-jails, ships, or regiments. The Church must tional Church, confesses its duty to provide be thrown entirely upon the resources she religious instruction for all. We will call has derived from private liberality, thankful upon it to perform the duty. if spoliation should not find the wolf's

Always equivocating in their professions, plea even for these. And though the muland hostile in their actions, ministers have attitudes, thickening around, perish in their length committed themselves, the avowed ignorance by millions from generation to gepartizans of the voluntary system. They ob- neration, the State is required, in the name ject to a grant from the public purse in lieu of religious liberty, to abstain from any atof church-rates, because dissenters ought not tempt to save them.