Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

the stupendous doctrine of atonement; for which our Church has wisely provided a most solemn service, and which is calculated more than any other to lay us low before the Throne of God in penitential humiliation, and to fill the soul with thankfulness and love. All these points he touched upon in so strong, so impressive, and so affectionate a manner, as could not fail to have the happiest effect. It was indeed even greater than he had reason to expect; for, not only was a more devout observance of Good Friday produced in his own parish, but, as he has himself observed, "on the very next return of that day, the shops were all shut up, the churches were crowded, and the utmost seriousness and decorum took place, throughout the cities of London and Westminster, and their environs."

In the year 1769, he had the honour of being appointed chaplain to His Majesty, and soon after he obtained the mastership of the Hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester. This piece of preferment had been selected by Archbishop Secker, as one of his options, and the presentation to it, when it became vacant, was left to the discretion of certain trustees, to whom he gave authority for that purpose. The two persons, who were considered, on mature deliberation, as having the strongest claims, were his Grace's chaplains at the time of his decease; and it was determined that Dr. Porteus should have the mastership, and that he should resign his prebend of Peterborough to Dr. Stinton. In consequence of this arrangement, he for some years afterwards resided occasionally at St. Cross. The place had nothing

D 3

nothing very striking to recommend it, especially after the beautiful scenery which he had in such perfection at Hunton but there was yet a stillness about it which pleased him. The neighbourhood afforded excellent society, and he had the satisfaction of improving, in some degree, the condition of the poor brethren in the hospital, by adding a small increase of salary to each.

About this time a circumstance occurred, which then excited considerable interest, and in which the part that Dr. Porteus took has been much misinterpreted and misunderstood. The fol lowing statement, in his own words, will place the fact in its true point of view. "At the close of the year 1772, and the beginning of the next, an attempt was made by himself and a few other clergymen, among whom were Mr. Francis Wollaston,

Wollaston, Dr. Percy, now Bishop of Dromore, and Dr. York, now Bishop of Ely, to induce the Bishops to promote a review of the Liturgy and Articles, in order to amend in both, but particularly in the latter, those parts which all reasonable persons agreed stood in need of amendment. This plan was not in the smallest degree connected with the Petitioners at the Feathers Tavern, but on the contrary, was meant to counteract that and all similar extravagant projects; to strengthen and confirm our Ecclesiastical Establishment; to repel the attacks which were at that time continually made upon it by its avowed enemies; to render the 17th Article on Predestination and Election more clear and perspicuous, and less liable to be wrested by our adversaries to a Calvinistic sense, which has been so unjustly affixed to it; to improve true Christian

D 4

Christian piety amongst those of our own communion, and to diminish schism and separation by bringing over to the National church all the moderate and welldisposed of other persuasions. On these grounds we applied, in a private and respectful manner, to Archbishop Cornwallis, requesting him to signify our wishes, (which we conceived to be the wishes of a very large proportion both of the clergy and the laity) to the rest of the Bishops, that every thing might be done, which could be prudently and safely done, to promote these important and salutary

purposes.

"The answer given by the Archbishop, February 11, 1773, was in these words: I have consulted severally my

brethren the Bishops, and it is the opinion of the Bench in general, that nothing can in prudence be done in

'the

« FöregåendeFortsätt »