er is a gentleman, and my house-maid a lady; and if other circumstances occurred, I might imagine myself a queen, attended by maids of honour and gentlemen in waiting. I was, therefore, not surprised, when I called one morning to speak to a poor woman who keeps a petty, chandler's shop in my neighbourhood, at being told by a girl at the door, that the gentlewoman within would wait on me presently: but I confess I was really hurt when ordering some peas at my green grocer's, a question arising respecting their boiling, she very grave ly said, she would enquire of that young lady, pointing to a servant of all work, who was come to buy a bunch of greens. When the girl was gone out, I asked her, how she could be so ridiculous? her reply was, "you cannot imagine, madam, how careful we are obliged to be not to offend these kind of people." So it seemed that it might have been an affront, had she called her a young woman! In the year 1784 I was in Paris, and visiting one morning the beautiful works at the Gobelins, I inadvertently inquired of the person who attended us, if any women were employed there;" he replied, "Madam, we have only gentlemen, (messieurs) and no ladies." I perceived my error, and supposed he would attribute it to English grossiérté. Now, sir, if the attempt to introduce French follies, French taste, and For the Christian Observer. THE celebrated ecclesiastical historian Mosheim first adventured to trace the wild reveries of the Gnostics to a source, which he denominated, in a restricted sense, the oriental philosophy. His opinion has been generally adopted by the learned, although not upon the same evidence, nor to the same extent. He conjectured, with much reason, that, if the contents of the Indian scriptures, the Vedas, were made known, they would throw con siderable light upon this obscure, but interesting subject. Sir William Jones has presented to the world some "extracts from the Vedas," in the vith vol. of his works, which I am acquainted; but they conp. 423, &c. And these are all with tain nothing to the purpose, although upon the subject of religion. there occurs something like the system In the institutes of Menu, ch. i. § 22. of emanation, which distinguished the philosophy of the Gnostics, but nothing like the pedigree which constituted their Pleroma. If any of your readers, conversant the sources from whence some inforin Asiatic learning, will direct me to mation may be acquired on this subject, or satisfy me that none is to be found, he will much oblige, SIR, P. R. French modes of dress, had been al- To the Editor of the Christian Observer. ways considered as an invasion, and been resisted with as much unanimity and spirit as the present one, the good sense of this country would have appeared equal to its courage: however I hope it has still enough left to see the necessity of calling things and persons by their proper names; for though it has been said, that "names alter not the nature of things," they evidently have altered, and evidently tend to alter, the state of a nation; an evil I sincerely deprecate for the -British isles, being, and hoping to remain, A PLAIN ENGLISH WOMAN. P.S. If London is too far depopulated to be repeopled (which I trust is not the case) I hope men and women may yet be preserved in country towns and villages, where doubtless they still are to be found in great numbers. I AM the same old lady who wrote to you about a twelve month ago, out of the north, and whosent you the extract from the book of my grandmother, about the mistake of supposing people's salvation to depend on the strength of their wit in matters of religious controversy; and who told you also so very freely of my daughter Anne's having more of this wit, though rather less perhaps of true religion than any of the other girls (vol. 1. p. 701.) Sir, I perceive that you published the whole of my letter. You cannot think how strange it seemed to see my poor piece of performanceship in print; and yet, as my eldest daughter observed, there could be no harm in printing it, if you thought it could be of any public service. But, sir, there is one ill consequence of taking so much notice of what we women say, which perhaps you did not think of: it encourages us to write again. In truth, it has occurred to many of my family, that it may be of vast advantage to you to hear, at the year's end, all that is thought about your work by us simple people in the country. But I believe that first of all it will be needful to tell you a few more particulars about myself. I lost my ever dear and valued husband just ten years and a half ago. He was a good man, though he said rather less than some do about religion; but there is a vast difference, as he himself would oftentimes observe, between saying and doing. He trusted only in his Saviour, and was of a truly humble spirit as all might see who knew him I have no doubt that he is now among the blessed. Would to God that his children may all arrive as safely at a better world. That was his chief wish when he came to die. "My dear, (said he, with almost his last breath)" I don't want my children to be rich nor very learned; neither learned for this world, no, nor very learned in divinity. It is a plain business is religion." And at another time he said to me, "I would advise you not to carry the girls too much to London. I have a sad dread of London. It is a place where people of all sorts seem to me to get their heads turned." My income, Sir, proved but small, and taxes, as you know, coming on about the time I speak of, my girls and I agreed that we would not so much as talk of a London journey until the war was over, though we have a relation in town; and to say the truth, as the peace proved to be no peace, we have not been there to this day; and therefore, sir, you will be pleased to bear in mind, that there is not one among us that rightly understands the London ways, either in respect to dress, or as to the best modes of writing or of speaking; or that altogether follows the London fashions in divinity. But to come to the chief business, we all like the Christian Observer; and happy is the sister, who, on the third day of the month, when it is regularly delivered to us, can first snatch it up from the breakfast table. And yet, to tell you the truth, I believe there is hardly one of us who ever reads fairly CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 25. through it. Could you not contrive Sir, to make some parts of it a little more entertaining to us women? I think my girls commonly begin at the end, which, as I often tell them, is not fair. I mean that they look for something which is to affect them in the obituary. The death of Finley drew tears from us all, and we were struck with a great deal that was in those letters of Senex. Pray, sir, have you altogether finished your modern characters? We like something after that manner. It suits us ladies better than that way of yours of arguing so much about religion. One of my daughters desires that I will ask, who is Eusebia? Is she a real character? and if so, can you tell us when she comes to town? for perhaps we could travel up the same winter, and get acquainted with her; I think you have somewhere said that she only visits town occasionally : She is somewhat like us in that particular. Theodosia, as we think, has twenty great faults put together. We only wonder how she can fancy herself a christian. But, I suppose, that in London it is easy to pass for religious. You have only, as I am told, to talk of doctrines, and go about hearing preachers, and you may live almost as you like; for in that monstrous city nobody knows any thing about you. Devout at one place, and dissipated in another; spiritual with your pious party abroad, and all out of humour in your own family: is not that the character of some of your London people? My daughter Anne would be glad to make acquaintance with Amanda, and if Amanda were to become our neighbour in the country, I am sure I should not object to visit her; but, as was said before, London spoils every body. Pray, Mr. Editor, how long shall you go on with the question between the Calvinists and Arminians? After all, we do not exactly understand the dif ference between them. What is the meaning of that word, "Calvinist ?" Does it mean the follower of Calvin in every thing, or only in some things? and ought not people to explain what particulars of Calvin's doctrine, and how much of it, they mean that we should agree to? This part of your work is very dry and difficult; though I except the paper of N. D. in your last number. O Sir, the writer of that letter must be a very good christian! E You have a correspondent called B. T. Though he is sometimes nice in his distinctions, we almost always think we understand him; and I wish that some of your other friends would come down to particulars as much as he does. And now, my good Sir, what should you say to my proposing a few things for your discussion? To be sure we are all for ourselves; and therefore the points to which I shall beg to call your attention, will be suited to just such people as me and my children. First then I would entreat that you will give us, as often as you can, something that will teach my girls not to mind a little ridicule; for though I assure you we are all true to the Church, yet, through some cause or other, many people will call us methodists, and one or two of my daughters, in order as I suspect to avoid this nickname, are inclined now and then to say and do rather too much like other people. What think you, Mr. Editor, about amusements? It seems to me that we, who keep back our young folks from balls, and races, and card parties, should take care that they are not dull at home. Now I am sure you could write something very good and useful on that topic. Might you not also say a great deal more than you have done about education, and with an eye to the children of us middling people in particular for it is now the fashion to train up every ordinary girl, (no matter whether she is to have fortune or no fortune,) to be an idle useless sort of gentlewoman. What signifies French to any one of my daughters, or to more than half the girls who learn it? Will they keep their accounts in French, if they should become good honest shopkeepers wives; or give their orders to the plough boy in French, if they should prove to be the wives of farmers; or talk to the poor about their souls in French, if they should be so favoured as to marry among the clergy? Might you not observe, that our young women, instead of learning how to paint screens, and tiring you with their bad music, should be instructed how to use their reason; and how to speak and write, so that every body may understand them; and how to keep accounts so as to and in economize their money; short, how to turn their hand to any thing? and, Sir, in what a low state is christianity in many of our boarding schools? Indeed, you should expose the irreligion and vice of some of those places. I have kept my girls at home through fear of the infection. There are also twenty little points in which I often think that you might be useful; I speak of points which are far from trifling in themselves, though they are thought too little and particular for the pulpit. I find it necessary, for example, to be often urging my girls to rise betimes, in order that they may be very serious and deliberate in their private devotions before they run down stairs; and I make them punctual to a moment when the family prayer bell rings, that the servants may not stand waiting; and I tell them that christians are to be tempe fate in their meals, and ought not to deal in dainties; and that since we ought all to covet the lowest place, there must be no little feuds and rivalships among them; and that all they do should be done openly and above board, since God sees them even when my back is turned. I moreover remind them continually, that life is short, and that they should therefore try to be always busy about something useful; and I bid them dislike nobody, for my young people are apt to take violent fancies both in the way of love and hatred; and I insist upon it, that they shall be kind and attentive to all who come in their way, and count nothing dull that is their duty. Could you not strengthen a poor old widow's hands in respect to a few such things as these; for we mothers feel very anxious about our daughters. Now I wish in particular that you would direct all young folks, and indeed the old ones also, to make it a constant rule to call to mind at night the particular sins of the day, both the sins of omission and of commission, and to be very strict in the duty; for I am convinced that this is the true way to humble them, and to make them, look to Jesus Christ for justification: It is more to them than twenty arguments about the doctrine. A vast number of other points might be put down. There is one which comes across me at this moment. I mean that we should all regulate our tongues in a way very different from that which is common. We have here, Mr. Editor, a most rash, exaggerating way of talking on almost all subjects; and even some who seem religious are not free from it. Why, Sir, it is nearly a kin to lying, and yet every body owns that liars are a most dreadful set of people. Little stories are so aggravated, that whole families are set at variance. Aye, and there may also come some national mischief from this cause. Why, the other day, it was quite confidently affirmed, that the French were come, and were within twenty miles of our village; and some said they were on the one side of it, and some said they were on the other, and all this dreadful news was found at last to proceed from nothing else than that mode of magnifying, which people have so long indulged in: for when the mayor of the next town came over himself to enquire, it appeared that one man had said the French were embarked; and that another then had thought he might safely report that they had sailed; on which a third asserted that they were come; and a fourth construed this to mean that they were landed; and then two or three men, who seemed to be half in joke, together with some wo men who were all alarmed in good earnest, began to talk of a battle that had been fought, and of the number of killed and wounded. What is to become of us women, Mr. Editor, if the French should really land? We shall be ready to die of fright through the false rumours which will be spread, and the waggons, which have been got ready to carry us off, will not know which road they must take to avoid the enemy. And may not this loose way of expressing oneself be at the bottom of half those religious controversies which you have so much difficulty in healing. O Sir, if people would but all agree to keep strictly to the truth, both when they relate facts, and speak of characters, true Christians would not be so misrepresented as they now are; and, if the goodness of their practice was acknowledged, it would not be difficult to know to what quarter we ought to look, in order to find out the sound doctrine. I beg pardon for being so very tedious, but we women, you know, must be a little long, and we are apt to run on one thing to another. Pray, Sir, what proportion of income do you think that a Christian ought to give in charity? I will tell you my reason for troubling you with this question. I suspect that we are all too mean and scanty in our liberality. Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Now I fear we have some who are bad at construing all such texts as these, however good they may be at other questions of divinity; for I lately heard of a very rich man, now deceased, (I believe that he had two to three thousand pounds a year without one child of his own to leave it to,) who, as plainly appeared by some papers found after his death, had not bestowed above one hundred pounds in charity in the whole of one of the worst years of scarcity. Surely, Sir, he should have given at least a thousand. And yet this same gentleman, as I am well assured, was thought on all sides to be quite religious, and even was used himself to talk in a general way of the great duty of being charitable. I therefore wish the Christian Observer to be very plain and particular, both on this subject and on all the various matters of practice. I will now conclude with a very serious wish, that a divine blessing may attend you. May you be the means of bringing religion home to many hearts which are now strangers to it. May your work afford at once amusement and edification to young people. May you assert the truth, rebuke error, and at the same time teach us to abound in charity. May you return good for evil to those who shall falsely accuse you; and may you strengthen that Church for which you are so very zealous. So prays your old friend and correspondent, FRAGMENTS, ORIGINAL SIN. MARGERY. THE Reverend William Jones, author of "The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity," thus expresses himself on the subject of original sin. "From the sin of Adam, and the effects of his fall, the state of man by nature is a state of sin. The scripture is so express in this, that it is not necessary to insist upon it; a disposition to evil comes into the world with every man, and is as a seed which brings forth its fruit, throughout the course of his life."-"With respect to God, the state of man is a state of rebellion, alienation, and condemnation. His ways are so opposite to the will of God, that he is said to be at enmity with him. He has no alliance with his Maker, either as a child, a subject, or a servant, but being under a general law of disobedience, can inherit nothing from God but wrath and punishment." (Essay on the Church,) pages 2—4.) It has become fashionable of late, even among persons who pretend to admire Mr. Jones, either to explain away, or openly to impugn, or even to ridicule this important doctrine. If a proof of this fact were wanting, I might refer the reader to the Anti-jacobin Review, and British Critic, (works which, on theological subjects, guide the opinions of many members of the Church of England,) for the last year; and particularly to the review by the former of Dr. Gleig's Sermons, and to the opinions broached by the latter on the subject of original sin, in the Review of Overton's True Churchmen ascertained. CHARITY COVERETH A MULTITUDE OF SINS. THE explanation of this text, by the Editors of the Christian Observer, in their review of Dr. Burgess's sermon on Charity, (vol. ii. p. 421.) has been attacked as at variance with the sentiments of the Church of England. Mr. Jones, the respectable author referred to in the preceding article, was of a different opinion; for his explanation of it is in substance the same with theirs. "Charity covereth a multitude of sins; that is, it hideth and concealeth the many failings of their brethren for the love of Christ, instead of aggravating their offences, and judging them unmercifully.' Essay on the Church, p. 12. ON THE CONSTITUENT PARTS OF A TRUE CHURCH. Ir has been asserted by a writer of no mean name, in the present day, that he is but a sciolist in theology, who has yet to learn that "that may be a true Church, in which the pure word of God is not preached.". The opi nion of Mr. Jones on this subject, may have weight with many; it is as follows: "The Church has been governed by Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, from the Apostles downwards; and where we find these orders duly appointed, the word preached, and the sacraments administered, there we find the Church of Christ, with its form and authority." Again, "The great use of the Church is to receive and minister to the salvation of those who are taken out of the world; but this it cannot do without the truth of the Christian doctrine; the Church is therefore an instrument or candlestick, for the holding and preserving of this sacred light." Essay on the Church, p. 30–31. MUTUAL CHARITY. THE following sentiment is worthy of nian way of thinking are very apt to its author. "Persons of an Armi consider all Calvinistic doctrines as of an antinomian tendency; and on the contrary, the Calvinist too frequently reproaches the Arminian for being of a legal spirit, and for denying the free and unmerited salvation of men by Jesus Christ. NEITHER PARTY SHOULD BE PRESSED WITH CONSEQUENCES WHICH THEY THEMSELVES DISAVOW." Milner's History of the Church of Christ, vol. iv. part i, p. 107. INDULGENCES. AN anecdote recorded by the last mentioned writer will serve to shew the almost incredible lengths to which, at the commencement of the 16th century the Popish agents proceeded in the detestable traffic of indulgences. "When Tetzel was at Leipsic, and had scraped together a great deal of money from all ranks of people, a nobleman who suspected the imposture, put this question to him, "Can you grant absolution for a sin which a man shall intend to commit in future?" "Yes" replied the frontless com missioner, "but on condition that the down." The nobleman instantly pro proper sum of money be actually paid duced the sum demanded, and in return received a diploma signed and sealed by Tetzel, absolving him from the unexplained crime which he secretly intended to commit. Not long after, when Tetzel was about to |