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their extemporaneous effusions in enthusiastical nonsense." William Kingsbury, M. A. minister of the independent congregation in Southampton, addressed to him a sensible dispassionate letter, entitled," the Manner in which protestant Dissenters perform Prayer in public Worship, represented and vindicated." Dr. Mant replied by the publication of his sermon, in order to shew that it was no virulent attack, and called for no serious defence. The same conciliating advocate for the dissenters wrote " an Apology for Village Preachers," who were supposed to be reflected upon by Dr. Douglas, bishop of Sarum, in his charge to the clergy of his diocese. The bishop, indeed, had done nothing more than became him, in warning his clergy of the increase of dissenting places of worship within the diocese of Sarum, and rousing them to zeal in watching over their flocks, lest they should be led astray. But Mr. Clift, a dissenting minister of Marlborough, having published "an incidental Letter” to his lordship on the subject; a controversy was kindled, which for a short time, and within a narrow sphere, was maintained with considerable spirit. A clergyman of the name of Malham, made up what he called "a Broom for the Conventicle," and an anonymous "Appeal," was addressed to the people, in behalf of the clergy: these were answered by dissenters in the neighbourhood of Salisbury.

The singularity of this contest was the appearance of a clergyman as the most strenuous defender of the dissenters. In a pamphlet, entitled, "the Scourge," by Clero Mastix, he boldly avowed that the peasantry of the kingdom were so neglected by the regular clergy, as to render the interposition of lay preachers absolutely necessary to snatch the souls of men from

ignorance and vice. In reply to the complaint, that tradesmen went forth on Sabbath mornings, well mounted to the village conventicle, and were often met by the country curate, who was trudging to his hallowed steeple on foot; this clergyman nobly declared, that if on enquiry he found that the lay preacher was a serious man, devoted to the genuine interests of the Gospel, while the curate was a drunken preacher of salvation by good works; he should rejoice to find, that Christ was so much kinder to his servants than the devil was to his. This was the keenest and most provoking defence of the village evangelists that appeared during this controversy, for the heat and bitterness of it may be fairly laid to the charge of the high church party.

At the head of this party appeared a champion of no inferior powers and of no small confidence in his own prowess, Dr. Horsley, bishop of Rochester. In his charge to the clergy, in 1800, he first inveighed against the French revolution, and then with more than the classical callida junctura, against methodists and dissenters, sunday schools and village preaching. After complimenting the eldest son of the church of Rome, and pronouncing the catholic nation of France "one of the most distinguished nations of Christendom, the most distinguished as a Christian nation," his lordship maintains that the revolution was not the effect of any real grievance of the people, proceeding from the rapacity and ambition of the clergy, but of a plot of infidels originating in mere malice." Thus a few infidels overturned an establishment of a hundred and thirty thousand priests, who, because they were established clergy, are pronounced innocent of any thing which could have led to the fatal catas

trophe. The bishop then proceeds to warn the clergy and the public that a similar conspiracy was carrying on in this country, to overturn the throne and the altar. Glancing at the socinians among dissenters, who are represented by his lordship as atheists, whom he has unmasked, and defeated in their first attempt; he says, "the operations of the enemy are still going on. Still going on by stratagem. The stratagem still a pretence of reformation. But the reformation, the very reverse of what was before attempted. Instead of divesting religion of its mysteries, the plan is now to affect a great zeal for orthodoxy; new conventicles have been opened in great numbers; the pastor is often, in appearance at least, an illiterate peasant or mechanic. Sunday schools are opened in connection with these conventicles, and there is much reason to fear that the expences of these schools and conventicles are defrayed by associations." The increase of these efforts, since the suppression of jacobinism in his country, is considered by his lordship a sufcient indication that the jacobins are now making use of the methodists, as the tools for the accomplishment of their original scheme. The best answer to this prelate was given in the Evangelical Magazine. The reviewer of his charge there asks, whether the discomfited socinians, the concealed atheists, have now made a league with the evangelical sects? "Has the patriarch of the sect been preaching at the Tabernacle, or the Foundry? Or have the orators and oracles of Birmingham and Essex-street been itinerating in the villages? It is said now to be the plan of the jacobins to affect great zeal for orthodoxy;' but will the bishop, who is strictly orthodox, say that this is likely to jacobinise the

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world? Among the sectaries it is said, the pastor of the newly-formed village congregation is often, in appearance at least, an illiterate peasant or mechanic.' As if they were more than they appear to be-men of letters, magistrates, nobles, ministers of state, sovereign princes; like the apostles of jacobinism on the continent of Europe. 'Surely my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God,' for no man living ever before suspected these men to be one whit more important or learned than they appear to be. That atheism and sedition are taught in the dissenting or methodist sunday schools is incredible; for the schools are always open, and children are not remarkable for keeping secrets. Surely infidels were never famous for devoting their time and talents to the gratuitous instruction of the poor, and if they wanted a covert for carrying on their pernicious design, they would be more likely to seek it in the bosom of a wealthy establishment than in a sectarian barn. In France, they filled the superior offices of the church, and there is not an atheistical apostle upon earth but would prefer a snug stall in a cathedral, or a warm living in the church to the hard fare and harder labours of a methodist." That the bishop provoked no controversy, was much to the praise of those whom he attacked; for there was so much of madness or intoxication in his rage, that one is induced to conclude that he had stepped over the fine boundary which separates genius from insanity, or had written and preached, as Burke, another alarmist in the state, is said to have declaimed, under the stimulating fumes of hot water, as a bishop cannot be supposed to be given to wine.

But when bishops lead the way, there will not be

wanting inferior clergy to follow in the attack upon dissenters. Francis Wollaston, rector of Chislehurst, Kent, wrote "a country Parson's Address to his Flock, to caution them against being misled by the Wolf in sheep's cloathing, or receiving jacobin Teachers of Sedition, who intrude themselves under the specious Pretence of instructing Youth and preaching Christianity." This teacher of forbearance was not ashamed to tell the world, that he wished he had "the power of proceeding in a summary way against such as intrude unasked into the fold committed to his care." His accusations of treason and sedition were thrown out so incautiously, that some of them fell upon respectable individuals connected with the government. The charge underwent full investigation by the highest authorities, the injured characters were honourably vindicated, and a severe reproof was given to the reverend calumniator. He republished his address, however, in a cheap edition, omitting only some of the grossest calumnies. He was answered by "a Letter to a country Parson."

This charge of democratic scheming was echoed by Mr. Atkinson, a clergyman of Bradford, in Yorkshire, whose three letters were answered by Mr. Parsons, of Leeds, in his "Vindication of the Dissenters." In Wales, two anonymous publications of the same high church defamatory cast, drew forth a tract entitled, "the Welch Methodists vindicated." One of the attacks, denominated "Hints to Heads of Families," gravely advised all good churchmen not to buy or sell, or maintain any intercourse of civil life, with those who separated from the church. It must be presumed, that the writer was not aware that the divine mind, which inspired the Revelation, had pre

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