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piness of so large a portion of our fellow-creatures:

"That with the deepest concern we find, as in the last year, vessels under the French flag trading for slaves along the whole extent of the coast of Africa: at home and abroad, proposals are circulated for slave-trading voyages, inviting the smallest capitals, and tempt. ing adventurers by the hopes of enor mons profits:-That the few ships of war of that country stationed in Africa offer no material obstruction to the trade; nor do the governors of her colonies appear to be more active; and all this while the French government reprobates the traffic in the strongest terms, and declares, that it is using its utmost efforts for the prevention of so great an evil :That it is deeply to be regretted that a government which has been generally regarded as eminent for its efficiency, should here alone find its efforts so entirely paralysed:-That, meanwhile, we can only continue to lament that a great and gallant nation, eminently favoured by Providence with natural

advantages, and among the very fore most in all the distinctions and enjoy. ments of civilized life, should thus, on its restoration to the blessings of peace, and to the government of its legitimate sovereign, appear, in fact, to be the chief agent in blasting the opening prospects of civilization, which even Africa had begun to present, and in prolonging the misery and barbarism of that vast continent!

"That, on the whole, we conjure his majesty to renew his remonstrances, and to render it manifest that his interference has not been a matter of form, but of serious and urgent duty:-That this country will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that we have been active and unwearied in making reparation to Africa for the wrongs with which we ourselves were so long chargeable, and we cannot doubt that we shall ultimately be able to congratulate his ma jesty on the success of his endeavours, and on his having had a principal share in wiping away the foulest blot on the character of Christendom."

ECCLESIASTICAL

Lord John George De-la-Poer Beres. ford, Archbishop of Dublin, to be Arch. bishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland.

Rev. Dr. Magee, Bishop of Raphoe, to be Archbishop of Dublin.

Very Rev. Archdeacon Bissett, to be Bishop of Raphoe.

Rev. R. Lawrence, D. C. L. Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, to be Archbishop of Cashel.

Rev. A. Nicol, M. A. of Balliol Col. lege, to be Canon of Christ Church, and Professor of Hebrew in the University of Oxford.

PREFERMENTS.

Rev. J. Hall, Great Bedwin V. Bucks. Rev. J. M. Colson, jun.. Peatling R. Leicestershire.

Rev. Richard Corfield, Upton Parva R. Salop.

Rev.Mr.Crossman, elected Incumbent of Christ's Church,in the Forest of Dean. Rev. W. H. Deane, Hintlesham R. Suffolk.

Rev. J. N. France, Stayley-bridge Perpetual Incumbency, Lancashire. Rev. G. R. Gleig, Ivy Church R. Kent, Rev. G. Dixwell Grimes, Emildon V. Northumberland.

Rev. G. Heming, Thundersley R.

Rev. G. Gaskin, D.D. to a Prebend Essex. in Ely Cathedral.

Rev. S. Briscall, St. Mary, South Kelsey, with St. Nicholas, South Kelsey, annexed, RR. co. Lincoln.

Rev. C. Campbell, Beechamwell R. with the R. of Shingham annexed, also Weasenham All Saints V. and Weasenham St. Peter's V. Norfolk.

Rev. T. Chevallier, Lecturer of Great St. Andrew's, Oxford.

Rev. H. Lowther, Bolton R. Cumberland.

Rev. T. Silver, D. C. L. Great Staughton V. Hants.

Rev. W. S. Whitelock Gedney V. Lincolnshire.

Rev. T. Hale, Domestic Chaplain to the Marquis of Salisbury.

Rev. R. B. Paul, to be Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Falmouth.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

OXONIE COMMENSALIS; F. A. S.; T. B.; D. R. N.; E. M.; ANNA; SCRUTATOR; MEDIATOR; B. X.; B. R.; and PATRUUS; are under consideration.

"A Young Man" will find the late Mr. Scott's Commentary, especially the "Practical Observations," well adapted to his purpose.

ERRATUM.

P. 441, col. 1, line 1, in some copies, for sidered, read considered.

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CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 248.]

AUGUST, 1822. [No. 8. Vol. XXII.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Christian Observer. PRESBYTER'S APPEAL TO

I

HIS BRETHREN THE CLERGY, ON

SOME OF THE PREVAILING INIQUITIES OF THE TIMES, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR

SUPPRESSION.

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(Continued from p. 402.)

MUST next allude to PUBLIC LOTTERIES, as productive of vast mischief, and rendering us, in their measure, obnoxious as a nation to the displeasure of God. The lottery appears to me an evil of the first magnitude. It avails itself for the most part of the ignorance and the covetousness of its dupes. Few of those who purchase tickets or shares are aware how large a proportion of the sum subscribed goes to Govern ment; and fewer, of the artful expedients resorted to by the contractors and schemers to indemnify themselves for their enormous expenses, and to secure a rich surplus. In this species of gambling, the gambler plays at most unequal chances. A prudent man therefore, even uninfluenced by religious principles, would not buy lottery tickets, since the chances are so much against him that in the end he must lose. Now is it right thus to take advantage of the ignorance of our fellowcreatures? Is Government justified in permitting the contractor and his agents to hold out a tempt ing lure to the public, whose ignorance of the plan prevents their perceiving that the magnitude of the gain is unequal to the risk encountered in attempting to obtain it? And yet the pecuniary loss sustained by the public is amongst the CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 248.

least of the evils of the lottery; which, as before remarked, avails itself of some of the worst principles of hunan nature. It fosters the desire to be rich without là

bour, and without giving an equivalent; and, in addition to covetousness, idleness also, and selfish. ness, and ambition, are encouraged by its instrumentality. If a blank be drawn, the issue is disappointment and discontent: if a prize, especially one of considerable amount, the result is most probably still worse; and it is well if it do not involve the destruction of the gambler's happiness and usefulness in this world, and his eternal welfare in the next. The Divine blessing may be confidently looked for, under one form or another, by every man who industriously follows his lawful vocation in the fear of God; but by resorting to unwarranted expedients for getting rich, we tempt Providence, and may expect, even should we attain our object, that our apparent success will be frowned upon by the Almighty, and prove a curse instead of a blessing." They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.)

There are few vices which carry with them such immediate wretchedness as gambling. It deeply excites the passions: if it did not, it would be uninteresting: and what are the passions it excites? Some of the 3 P

most tormenting in the human heart,-pride, anger, envy, and covetousness. How great the evil, then, of a national gaming-table, or gambling-house! And in what other light can we look upon our lotteries? So sensible is the legisJature of the evil tendency of gambling, that laws have been framed and penalties enacted for its suppression, so far as the state of society will admit; and yet, with strange inconsistency, the legislature opens lotteries for the whole nation nay, the public are suffered to be systematically drawn into it by a thousand artifices; and even where a previous passion for gambling scarcely existed, or at least lay dormant, such a disposition is engendered, or is aroused and cherished, by every possible stimulant. Hand-bills with conspicuous letters and figures, and every typographical art of allurement, meet the eye in every street and alley, specifying the time of drawing, and the enormous prizes to be drawn. Trifling articles of purchase, down to an ounce of tea, or pennyworth of tobacco, are wrapped up in a Jottery paper: and the public prints weekly, and daily, and monthly circulate the precious intelligence; and, lest the frequency of the appearance of such articles of information should fail to obtain regard, invention is put to the rack to invest them in new forms to arrest the vagrant attention. And all this has the sanction of a Christian legislature and government! Should this conclusion be deemed unfair or uncharitable, I would ask, why then do they not prevent the evil? Why have they declined even to restrict the advertising of lottery tickets to the fair Gazette state. ment; as if conscious that the system could not be kept up but by the arts of misrepresentation and deceit ?

Surely no arguments of expediency can justify such a procedure; and it behoves the clergy respectfully, yet decidedly and boldly, to

reprobate the whole system. The just expenses of government ought to be provided for by taxation. To what extent imposts should be carried, or how far increased economy in the public expenditure may be practicable, are questions beside the business, and far beyond the ability of the writer of these pages to estimate. But that it is bad policy in a state to replenish its coffers by the sale of indulgences to the bad passions of human nature, there requires but little penetration to perceive: and there needs no over-refinement in religion to lament and deprecate the adoption of such expedients.

But all the blame of the lottery is not to be thrown upon the legislature and government. Much is to be laid to the account of the nation at large. The revenue which government derives from the lottery, arises from a voluntary tax : none need pay towards it. Now, persons who are accustomed to gamble in the lottery, would doubtless be disappointed if this means of speculation were withdrawn: the various agents also concerned in the traffic would be displeased at the suppression of this source of their gain: and many of the public themselves would murmur at the exchange of this voluntary tax, for some compulsory one of a more legitimate nature, but not less productive. It is incumbent, then, on the clergy to exert their efforts to generate a better feeling with regard to this matter in the nation at large: and thus, whilst they protest against the establishment of lotteries, to give Government such support as may obviate the pecuniary inconvenience of their abolition; though, after all, that inconvenience would be scarcely perceptible, as the gains of the lottery form but a trifling item in the finances of the nation, and certainly bear no proportion to the injurious consequences arising from the system.

I might enumerate other evil practices, which partake more or

of the influence of about sixteen thousand men, who, even one of their own order needs not hesitate to assert, are, as a body, esteemed for their learning, respected for their morals, and venerated for their piety; and who both move amongst, and in a measure themselves belong to, almost all gradations of civil life. To this also is to be added the consideration, that they are supported by the nation for the very purpose of promoting the interests of morality and religion. This is acknowledged to be their express duty and business; and hence a licence is given them, by the general con

less of a national, and in some instances legal, character; but I forbear to intrude further. Comparatively, much may be said in our favour as a people, as contrasted with some other nations; but as long as, in addition to individual sins, practices such as we have been lamenting, are countenanced by men esteemed respectable, and sanctioned by the very legislature of the country; as long as vice in various forms continues to sap the foundation of our national morality, treasuring up the Divine anger against us as a people, and involving the souls of individuals in eternal perdition; shall the watchmen of Is-sent of mankind, as well as by the rael sleep at their posts? Shall they be uninterested spectators of the storm which is perhaps gathering around us? Shall they continue "dumb dogs that cannot bark?" Rather should they not "cry aloud, and spare not ?" Should they not "lift up their voice as a trumpet, and tell the people of their sins ?" Should they not protest against the abominations of the land? and, "weeping between the porch and the altar," deprecate the Divine vengeance? Surely their feelings of common benevolence; their patriotism; their gratitude to the state which protects and supports them; consistency with their ordination Vows; concern for the spiritual welfare of their people; the honour of their God; and the love of their Saviour, should all concur in exciting the clergy to withstand these national iniquities.

Now, there are various means by which such evils might, I conceive, be hopefully opposed by the clergy. Some of these I proceed to suggest.

1. And, first, I would mention their private influence.-Nor is this of small amount. Urgent as bave been the endeavours of evil-minded men to bring them into disrepute, the clergy of this country still stand high in the public opinion; and it would be a wide miscalculation to estimate at a small amount the sum

word of God, to speak on these subjects with great authority and bolduess; and in so doing they have a faithful co-operator in the bosom of each individual whom they address, the voice of conscience silently, but powerfully, seconding the warning and expostu lations of the man of God. Above all, in the faithful and zealous discharge of their high office, they may derive encouragement and confidence from the many promises which the word of God contains, of the Divine blessing upon their exertions.

The influence, then, of the clergy, in a moral and religious point of view, is very considerable; and the satisfaction which men of the world seem to derive, when they would set their consciences at rest in some doubtful matter, or respecting some object which they are unwilling to give up, in pleading the example and sanction of a clergyman or a clergyman's family, may serve to intimate not only how cautious the clergy should be in their own conduct, and the regulation of their household, but also how important it is for them to protest everywhere against whatever is evil, and how forcibly their faithful remonstrances would operate as a restraint upon the public mind. If every clergyman would use his utmost endeavours to promote, by the blessing

of God, amongst his parishioners, and his own circle of friends and connexions, a right sense of the prevailing iniquities of the times, who can calculate the amount of good that might be effected? The leaven doubtless would silently, but powerfully work, and who shall limit the extent of its operation?

2. I would next mention prayer, as a powerful means of checking the evils which have been mention ed.-Prayer for their country is indeed so obviously the duty of the priesthood, that it would seem almost needless to insist upon it, were it not that persons are too prone to be remiss in its performance, even while they acknowledge that from it great and valuable benefits are to be expected. If the prayer of " one righteous man availeth much:" if the uplifted hands of Moses, in the instance before alluded to, en sured strength, and courage, and victory to Israel; whilst his cessation from prayer restored to Amalek the superiority over his fainting countrymen: if at the earnest prayer of Elias, " a man subject to like passions" with ourselves, it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months, but when he prayed the heavens again gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit; what might not be expected from the united fervent prayers of a devout national clergy? Abundant are the passages of Scripture enjoining upon us to pray for our king, our rulers, and our country: and urgent is the necessity and great is the encouragement so to do. If iniquity" cometh in like a flood," let us by prayer engage "the Spirit of the Lord to lift up a standard against it." Let us secure the aid of Him before whom "satan as lightning fell from heaven." Is not the whole order of providence under the control of the Almighty? Cannot He who "stilleth the raging of the sea," still also "the tumult of the people?" Is it not His prerogative to change men's hearts? and cannot his power check and

suppress the iniquities which have been lamented? Does be not expressly require us to call upon him to do these things? and does he not promise to hear and to answer us when we do so? Let us then apply more frequently and fervently in supplication to that gracious and Almighty Being, who is ever

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more ready to hear than we are to pray," and is willing to "give more than we either desire or deserve." Did we but duly appre ciate the privilege of access to God by prayer, how great would be our ardour to avail ourselves of it to the utmost; how anxious should we be to "pray without ceasing ;" always to pray, and not to faint.” 3. The PRESS is a mighty engine of evil or of good; and who should be better skilled to direct its powerful machinery than the clergy? The present is a reading age: books are purchased with avidity, especially such as bear a reference to the passing events of the day. We have somewhat recently seen with what zeal, and, unhappily to a considerable extent, with what success the enemies of our holy faith have avail. ed themselves of the press for the dissemination of infidel principles. We may indeed contemplate with some measure of satisfaction the counter zeal of Christians of various classes in resorting to similar means for repelling the poison, and promoting the best interests of their fellow-creatures; but whilst the agents of satan continue active, the servants of God must not relax in their vigilance in withstanding their endeavours.

By means of the press, a clergyman may visit in his study those who will not resort to his instruc tions at church; and, even when incapacitated for active exertions, may virtually preach and extend his other benevolent labours (if he be duly qualified for the employment) far beyond the limits of his own parish. Besides, the "litera scripta manet," whilst preaching is, in too many instances, but the

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