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doctrine (whether by laws ecclesiastical or civil) whence the former practices spring, as that kind of sedition, stubborn disobedience, disloyalty, scandalum magnatum, or privy conspiracy, under whose heavy burden this state and church doth now sigh and groan. These and diverse other like branches of the devil's service, are as true and proper effects, or natural issues, of the forementioned preposterous belief, or doctrine of special faith or division of all mankind into two sorts; as Christian charity, humility, obedience, penitence or contrition of spirit, are of the true and well-grounded belief of Jesus

Christ and of him crucified.

5. The best instructions that can be given for rectifying the former errors, is that of our Apostle, Rom. 4. (though we follow the interpretations or hints of those writers whom these zealots most admire.) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Verses 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.-(Jack son's Works, vol. iii. p. 273.)

ON INFANT SCHOOLS.

The schools of the National Society, which are now in full operation, are amply sufficient, both in design and execution, for the education of the poor. In these schools the children are received at an age when they are capable of discrimi nating between good and evil when they most want employment to keep them from the ways of the destroyer-and when they are most able to profit by the instructions which may be given them. A few extraordinary instances of precocity in evil, such as those alluded to in the speeches at the meeting, are not sufficient to make us decide on the incompetence of the present system of national education, to effect its high object of scattering the seeds of sound religion and morality through the land.-That we must consider a right system of public education, which is formed to the general standard of human nature-which will most effectually leaven the whole lump.—If, then, at a certain age, youth is most subject generally to impressions of good and evil, and most able to turn those impressions to good or bad account that is the time which we should fix as the commencement

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. of our labours. And as the Na

SIR,

A MEETING, I observe by the report of the papers, has lately been held at the Freemasons' Tavern, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of forming a Society for the Education of the Infant Children of the Poor. Whilst I approve the charitable intentions of the originators and promoters of the undertaking, I cannot but consider the measure itself as objec tionable in its nature, notwithstanding the triumphant unanimity with which it was carried; and beg leave to state the grounds of my dissent, through the channel of your useful Miscellany.

In the first place, I consider such a measure as altogether unnecessary.

tional Society, I conceive, has, in its wisdom, fixed on such a period, I see no reason for innovating on the good and wholesome plan already established, and sanctioned by the favourable testimony of experience.

But the measure is not only unnecessary-it is also inexpedient in itself. It is an attempt to accomplish by art, that which nature already performs better when left to herself. During the earliest years of childhood, education proceeds rather through the heart than' through the understanding not so much by direct precept, as by insinuation into the affections, that the infant character begins to be formed. But such a mode of proceeding requires that division of

it is

labour and care, which, through Divine Providence, is admirably ensured by the distribution of infants in private families, under the guidance of instructors peculiarly allotted to themselves-instructors, it will be allowed, in many cases, but inadequately performing their important functions-but still possessing means and opportunities, which belong not to the collective and sys. tematic operations of a society. The effect of the present system of national education has been however very considerable, in diffusing a de. gree of intelligence and right feeling amongst the poor, beyond the immediate objects of its discipline. The instruction of the children has caused a beneficial reaction on that portion of the community from which they are taken-a reaction, which will be still more forcibly perceived, as the system acquires strength by continuance. The mothers, and the elder girls of families particularly, on whom so much of the care of the young children is devolved, are gradually becoming of a better stamp, and more qualified to attend to the domestic training of the little inmates of the cottage; so that we are not reasonably to expect such frequent grounds of complaint against the parents for neglect of their duty, as may have already occurred. Wherever instances indeed may be found, in which parents are culpably remiss in the early education of their infants, there the provident exertion of such a society, as that lately formed, might probably have prevented the evil thus derived to the child. And were its object limited to such cases of evident desertion on the part of the parent, then, I think, there could be no objection to an institution thus restricted.-But the question is, whether, in order to meet these extraordinary cases, it is worth while to derange the natural course of things, by inviting all poor parents indiscriminately, to put their infants under the care of the instiREMEMBRANCER, No. 67.

tution. Now, the evil incurred appears to me, greater than that which it is proposed to avoid. We should establish a sort of general Foundling Hospital, where each may deposit his burthen, and consider himself exonerated from further trouble and responsibility, by the kind interference of others. The children would thus, in a manner, be appropriated by the institution itselfthe parents would be degraded in their own estimation, as unfit to have the early direction of their children and for one child who might be saved from the contagion of evil precept and evil example, we should have many a parent exposed to the temptation of abandoning his offspring to the care of those who are not its own, and many a child to the risk of being weaned from those family endearments which are the powerful auxiliaries to our hap piness and our duty.-The case is very different, be it observed, from that of older children who are sent to the National Schools for instruction. These obtain by this means advantages which their parents have it not in their power to bestow. The parents are either too ignorant, or too much employed in the business necessary for their mainte nance, to be able to communicate actual knowledge to their children. But however illiterate, or much occupied, they may very well teach their infants to repeat with their earliest accents the Lord's Prayer and the Creed-may impress on their miads not to lie, not to steal, not to blaspheme, to love God with all their heart, and their neighbour as themselves--may set before them the light of a good example. To relieve the parent of this task, is, in my opinion, to relieve him of that which makes him at once a better man and more useful member of society-it is to accomplish by mecha nism what may be done by spontaneous feeling; and to substitute calculations of policy for the unsophis ticated dictates of nature. 3 H

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It may be urged, that, as things now are, it is very common for the parents to consign the care of their children to other hands, while they are themselves employed at their work. This is true-but how different again is the situation of a child thus placed, from that which it would hold in a regular establishment for its education. The child, so placed, is still under the superintendence of the parents-the parents still hold them selves as the responsible persons, and only depend on those to whom they thus entrust their children to take care of them for a certain portion of the day. The charge is very much the same as that which in respectable families is committed to the nurse who attends the child, only that the poor, not being able to support a nurse at home, are obliged to send their children out, to obtain occasional assistance and relief.

If we are to prosecute, indeed, a system of education generally, such as that which this meeting has resolved to commence, which thus ❝orditur ab ovo," there is no saying where we ought to stop consistently. We must lose no time in securing the infant from being enveloped by any of the evil and demoralizing atmospheres, with which every man yet born has been surrounded." We must not only have our schools, but we must have our nurseries-we must have our succession-houses, into which we may progressively remove the young ideas as they shoot, and expand to greater luxuriance. What real practical good would result from this forcing system, is at any rate very doubtful; and surely, therefore, it requires some hesitation at least, before we adopt it generally. But the misfortune of opposing any particular design of charity is, that we, may be construed by a most unjust fallacy, to be opposing the general charity of educating the infant poor; and little weight, therefore, may be attributed to such objections as

these-whereas I am only contending for one species of charity, instead of another-for the charity established by nature, instead of that which art would superinduce.

I have, you will observe, Mr. Editor, considered the question entirely on general grounds. I have not, therefore, entered into the examination of that portentous particular in the arrangements adopted at this meeting; the pledge, namely, which was given,, that "whilst the children sent to these schools were educated religiously, they should not be taught any particular catechism or creed,"'-a feature in the plan which appears to have been most acceptable to the audience, from the " great cheering" which followed its announcement;—but I cannot forbear asking what rare abstraction of religion, "expurgatis continuo differentiis," short of deism, these new academicians can purpose to teach their infant disciples! Your's, &c.

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Times, Place, and Numbers Confirmed
in 1824.

May 3, St. John, Hackney..
4, St. Mary le-bone
5, Kensington

10, St. Paul's.

.....

1450

1174

1074

621

195

777

815

1150

12, St. Magnus the Martyr..
13, St. Botolph, Bishopsgate
17, St. Mary, Whitechapel..
18, St. Andrew, Holborn
19, St. Martin-in-the-Fields..
24, St. James, Westminster..
25, St. George, Hanover-sqr. 907

612

for the distribution of Bibles and Religious Tracts among the Troops; and, considering that such a duty belongs solely to the Chaplains of the Army, who are attached to Garrisons, or Brigades, and who are the proper and only channel, with the approbation of the Commanding Officers, for all Communications of this nature, His Royal Highness 608 strictly forbids Military Officers from accepting or executing any such Commission, under the penalty of His Majesty's severe displeasure. His Royal Highness feels it essential In giving this Order to the Army, to declare, that Military Chaplains are always ready to perform the Duties for which they are held responsible; and that they will never fail to issue to the Troops, underregular Authority, whatever it may be proper to distribute among them. By His Royal Highness, The Commander-in-Chief's Command, HENRY TORRens, Adjutant-General.

THE following General Order has
been issued from his Royal High-

ness, the Commander-in-Chief to
the Army.
We understand that a
similar Order will shortly be issued
by the Lords of the Admiralty to
the Navy.

GENERAL ORDER.

Horse Guards, May 18, 1824. IT has been reported to the Commander-in-Chief, that, in some instances, Regimental Officers have been employed by certain Societies

MEDITATIONS.-(FROM BISHOP HALL.)

Upon a fair coloured Fly.

What a pleasant mixture of colours there is in this fly; and yet they say, no fly is so venomous as this; which by the outward touch of the hand corrodes the inmost passages of the body.

It is no trusting to colours and shapes; we may wonder at their excellency, with out dotage upon their beauty. Homeliness makes less shew, and hath less danger; -give me inward virtue and usefulness; -let others care for outward glory.

Upon the sight of Grapes. Mark the difference of these grapes: there you see a cluster, whose grapes touch one another, well ripened: here you see some stragglers, which grow almost solitary, green and hard. It is thus with us, Christian society helpeth our progress. And woe to him that is alone. He is well that is the better for others; but he is happy by whom others are better.

Upon the sight of a piece of Money under the Water.

I should not wish ill to a covetous man, if I should wish all his coin in the bottom of the river; no pavement could so well become that stream; no sight could better fit his greedy desires; for there every piece would seem double, every, teston would appear a shilling, every crown an angel. It is the nature of that element to greaten appearing quantities; while we look through the air upon that solid body, it can make no other representations: neither is it otherwise in spiritual eyes and objects; if we look with carnal eyes through the interposed mean of sensuality, every base and worthless pleasure will seem a large contentment; if with weak eyes we shall look at small and immaterial truths aloof off, in another element of apprehension, every parcel thereof shall seem main and essential; hence every knack of heraldry in the sacred genealogies,

and every scholastic quirk in disquisitions of divinity, are made matters of no less than life and death to the soul. It is a great improvement of true wisdom to be able to see things as they are, and to value them as they are seen. Let me labour for that power and staidness of judgment, that neither my senses may deceive my mind, nor the object may delude my sense.

Upon Wasps falling into a Glass.

See you that narrow-mouthed glass, which is set near to the hive, mark how busily the wasps resort to it, being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is bated; see how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it; and fall down suddenly from that slippery steepness into that watery trap, from which they can never rise: there after some vain la bour and weariness they drown and die: you do not see any of the bees look that way; they pass directly to their hive, with out any notice taken of such a pleasing bait; idle and ill disposed persons are drawn away with every temptation, they have both leisure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin, and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts till they fall into irrecoverable damnation; whereas the diligent and laborious Christian, that follows hard and conscionably the works of an honest calling, is free from the danger of these deadly enticements, and lays up honey of comfort against the winter of evil. Happy is that man who can see and enjoy the success of his labour; but, how ever, this we are sure of; if our labour cannot purchase the good we would have, it shall prevent the evil we would avoid.

an happiness is it, that, without all offence of necromancy, I may here call up any of the ancient worthies of learning, whether human or divine, and confer with them of all my doubts? That I can at pleasure summon whole synods of reverend fathers, and acute doctors from all the coasts of the earth, to give their well-studied judgments in all the points of question which I propose? Neither can I cast my eye casually upon any of these silent masters, but I must learn somewhat. It is a wantonness to complain of choice.

No law binds us to read all; but the more we can take in and digest, the better liking must the mind's needs be. Blessed be God that has set up so many clear lamps in his church.

Now none but the wilfully blind, can plead darkness; and blessed be the me mory of those his faithful servants, that have left their blood, their spirits, their lives, in these precious papers; and have wil lingly wasted themselves into these during monuments, to give light unto others.

Upon the tolling of a passing Bell.

How doleful and heavy is this summons of death? This sound is not for our ears, but for our hearts; it calls us not only to our prayers, but to our preparation: to our prayers for the departing soul; to our preparation for our own departing. We have never so much need of prayers, as in our last combat, then is our great adver sary most eager: then are we the weakest, then nature is so over-laboured, that it gives us not leisure to make use of gracious motions. There is no preparation so necessary as for this conflict; all our life is little enough to make ready for our last hour, What am I better than my neighbours? How oft hath this bell reported to me the farewell of many more strong and vigorous bodies than my own; of many more cheer

Upon the sight of a great Library. What a world of wit is here packed up together! I know not whether this sightful and lively spirits? And now what

doth more dismay or comfort me; it dismays me to think that here is so much that I cannot know; it comforts me to think that this variety yields so good helps to know what I should; there is no trner word than that of Solomon-there is no end of making many books; this sight verifies it; there is no end; indeed, it were pity there should; God hath given to man a busy soul; the agitation whereof cannot but through time and experience work ont many hidden truths; to suppress these would be no other than injurious to mankind; whose minds like unto so many candles, should be kindled by each other. The thoughts of our deliberation are most accurate, these we vent into our papers. What

doth it but call me to the thought of my parting? Here is no abiding for me: I must away too.

Oh! teach me so to number my days, that I may apply my heart to true wisdom.

Upon the sight of a Bladder.

Every thing must be taken in his meet time; let this bladder alone till it be dry, and all the wind in the world cannot raise it up, whereas, now it is new and moist, the least breath fills, and enlarges it; it is no otherwise in ages and dispositions; inform the child in precepts of learning and virtue, while years make him capable, how pliably he yieldeth, how happily is he re

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