Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

fference to ani"thê doétrinal Articles of as their burial of the dead. or their hymns the Augustan Confession, so as they were it may perhaps be said, that they comprereait on the 26th of June 1530, in the Ger hend the greatest number, as well as yaa man language, before the electors, princes, riety, extant in any language, including in an cities, and delivered to His Imperial a regular series, every subject from man's Majesty, Charles V. because they are.con- falt and recovery by divine grace, to his corfant with the Holy Scriptures*." The final glorification in heaven. The melody Brethren likewise delivered in this Cönfés- of their choirs is peculiarly sweet and so sion to the British Parliament, in 1749, lemn, and leads the delighted bearer to which was accepted pa

fancy himself, while he listens, to be tbe. But the subject on which the Brethren inbabitant of another sphere... love most to dwell, is the doctrine of the At tlic close of every year, the whole Cross of Christ; and though this constitutes congregation assemble together, to spend ündéed the fundamental principle of every the remaining hours in reviewing past meratler true church, vet the love of Christ cies, and making them an alternate suband the death of Christ is exhibited by ject for praise and humiliation. As soon them with a simplicity, affection, earnest- as the clock strikes twelve, the organ, by ness, and unction, that proves how déarly its solemn peal, announces the entrance they appreciate this great act of Divine into another year; when each individual, gráce. Hence it becomes the unceasing with an emotion which penetrates through! aabject of their prayers, praises, and of cvery heart, unites on bended knee in adoras every public ministration; so that their tion to the Most High; after which all rise, whole doctrine may be truly said to be a and, in lymps suited to the occasion, burst commentary on the words of the Apostle : forth into one general expression of de« Wherefore I determined to know nothing vötedness and love. ! among you save Jesus Christ, and line 'Nor should another custom of the Bies crucified.”

thren pass by unroticed ; that of celebratTheir manner of preaching is character ing the resurrection of our Lord, on Easterized by its simplicity, and seens to be as day morning. At sun-rise, the congregaremote from legality on the one hand, as tion repair to the burial-ground, remarkfrom the error of Antinomian principles on, able for the privacy and neatness with the other. The former posures to them. w bieh it is kept, and there prcclaim that the peace of the Gospel; the latter keeps Christ is risen from the dead. The sweet them from dishonouring it.

melody of so many voices, contrasted with Their form of worship is liturgical. the silence of every sumounding object, Their church Litany is a venerable speci-' and the solemnity of the place itself, inspire men of intercessory prayer and supplication, every_heart with impressions that purity and not unlike that of the church of Eng- and exalt the soul; while there is someland. They adopt the rite of infant bap- thing inconceivably, sublime and great, úsm with sponsors, which is duly followed thus, amidst the ravages of the tomb, to by confirmation.

sing the triumphs of the resurrection, and Their mode of administering the sacra to announce over, the ashes of the dead, Bent is a most impressive service, as well that death shall be swallowed up in vic* See Crantz's History, page 343.

These ceremonies of course appear to the of Ibid. p. 352. Likewise Acta Fra best advantage in what are called the contrum, &c.

gregation-places of the Brethren, such as It is well known, that, at the Reforma- Fulneck, Fairfield, Gracehill, &c. where, tion in England, the Augsburg or Augustan, being, gathered together in communities, Confession was used as the groundwork of the opportunity is afforded of more general the Thirty-nine Articles, as is evident when and unrestrained worship. But it is in they are compared ; and all the Protestant Germany, the principal seat of the Brea churches in Germany, both Lutheran and thren's settlements, and where their church, Reformed, accede to it, so that it contains is in high estimation, that these solemnithe doctrinal system of all the established tics most excite the admiration of the bes, Protestant churches. Bishop Bull, in holder * * speaking on this subject, observes, “ Con- . fessionein Augustanam, utpote omnium ,* Many other ceremonies and customs reformatarum nobilissimam, ita secuti sunt such as their memorial days, love-feasts, ecclesiæ nostræ proceres, ut qui illam igno, the lot, &c. in imitation of the Apostolical ret, articulorum nostrorum mentem et sen- ages, are in use among the Brethren; but tentiam vix recte percepturus sit.” The to enumerate them, would far exceed the purport of which is, that the Thirty-nine proposed limits of this account. Those Articles of the Church of England are to who wish to be more generally acquainted be understood and interpreted according to with their history, doctrine, and customs, the sense of the Confession of Augsburg. the writer of this article refers to Crantz's

Their discipline is formed upon the mo- and the venerable Bishop Porteus, &c. have del of primitive times. An immoral cha- been numbered amongst its eulogists and racter cannot find admission among them; friends. To the above might be added or if any subsequently prove so, the power, the names of Dr. Watts, Whitfield, and as well as practice, of excommunicating, Wesley. Thus a cloud of witnesses, how is retained among them, and inflicted erer varying in doctrine or in disciplines whenever necessary.

unite in this, that the Brethren are an They are a religious body. Their aim is Apostolical Church, maintaining the pure to be true and living congregations of and primitive faith and discipline of the Jesus Christ, and to build themselves up first ages. Nor should it be omitted, that unto a house of God. For this purpose, so far back as the time of King Edward VI. they pursue those means which are most the Brethren were known in this country, compatible with such an end; such as re- and one of their bishops was appointed by that tirement from the world, and the daily monarch, superintendent of foreign Propractice of assembling together for public testants. They likewise experienced the worship; and the means of doing so are kindness of Charles II. ; and George I. by no means difficult; as in most of their gave orders, in council, for the relief of this settlements they live together; and their ancient Episcopal Church, and issued letbuildings are so arranged, as to forin se ters patent for their support *. parate habitations for the young and old of Such is the brief sketch of the Apostolie both sexes. Thus the congregation may cal Church of the Brethren, in behalf of be assembled in a few minutes; and, while whose missions an urgent appeal bas lately the day is employed in works of useful in- been made to the public Since that time dustry, the evening never fails to occur the writer of this is concerned to state, that without its allotted period for public devo intelligence has arrived of an additional tion. In thus contemplating them engaged debt being incurred for the year 1812, in communion with Christ and with one amounting to 17931. t, forming a total of another, forsaking all, that they may follow 39731. exclusive of the disastrous events of him, and resigning the world, because the late year, the results of which cannot they have found something better, one may yet be ascertained; but the overthrow of apply to them the saying of the Shunam- some, and the spoliation of other settleitish woman,“ I dwell among mine own ments of the Brethren in Germany (whence people;" or rather one is reminded of the the funds for the missions are principally description given of the primitive Chris- derived), afford a melancholy prognostic of tians, Acts, ii. “ And all that believed what may be expected, and that, unless some. were together.”—“And they, continuing great effort is made, their missions are daily with one accord in the temple, did likely to be left in a lamentable state of eat their meat with gladness and singleness destitution. of heart, praising and glorifying God."

The friends of the Brethren have already It is not likely that a church so con- to acknowledge, with heart-felt gratitude, stituted can ever cease to exist, or fail to the receipt of upwards of 13001. for the beobtain testimonies from the wise and good. nefit of the missions, and about 1701. for Accordingly, in former times, Erasmus, the sufferers at Moscow; an evident proof Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Martin Bucer, (though proof is not wanting), that the &c. have borne the most honourable testi- cause of God, and of humanity, never was mony in its behalf. And in latter days, and never will be pleaded in vain in this Archbishops Sancroft, Wake, and Potter*, country. In this hope, it may not be inap

plicable to conclude in the appropriate History of the Brethren, Spangenberg's words of their Bishop Comenius, in his Exposition of Christian Doctrine, or to a “Exhortation of the ancient Church of the more brief and compendious summary of the Brethren to the Church of England," and whole, by the Rev. C. I. Latrobe. Crantz's presented to Charles II. in times of great History of Greenland, Oldendorp's History difficulty :-" If then, by the grace of God, of the Missions in St. Thomas, &c. &c. and there hath been found in us (as wise men the Periodicals of the United Brethren, will and godly have sometimes thought) any furnish information on the subject of their thing true, any thing honourable, any Missions.

thing just, any thing pure, any thing to be * The latter styles the church of the loved, and of good report; and if any Brethren, “ Sanctam, vereque illustrem virtue, and any praise; care must be taken cathedram” (sacred and justly celebrated). that it may not die with us when we die, Crantz's Hist. page 216.

so that the generations to come may not be to the library of Lambeth Palace is to be able to tell where to find it. AND INDEED found a public, writing from the Chief Patriarch of the Greek Church in 1740, ac * See Acta Fratrum, &c. knowledging it to be originally descended - t This will be officially laid before the from the Greek Church.

public. CHRIST. GUARD. VOL. VI.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

....:.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

THIS CARE IS TAKEN, AND PROVISION IS

£. $. d. MADE ON THIS BEHALF, BY THIS OUR Mrs. Wm. Hoare, Broomfield.. *5' 0 0 TRUST, INTRUSTED IN YOUR HANDS *.” Lewis Way, Esq........... 14 5 0 , A FRIEND OF THE BRETHREN. Rev. Joseph Hughes, Battersea 2 0 0

A Friend

*i 0 CONTRIBUTIONS FOR TIIÈ RELIEF OF THE Mr. Smith, of Foy.......... *10 MISSIONS OF THE UNITED BRETIIREN. Some Friends..............

. * 0 18 In addition to the sums we were per- Mr. Walker, Chester ...... mitted to announce in the last Number of Mrs. Scott. .......... this Periodical Work, we mention, with Miss Scott......... great gratitude, the receipt of the fol- Mr. L. B. Seeley.....

1 0 lowing Donations towards the support of R. Marsden, Esq. ..... 20 the Missions of the United Brethren among T. G. ......

11 the Heathen, and feel ourselves the more Mr. Springbelt, Newington excited to praise the Lord for inclining so Green ...... many well-wishers to his cause on earth to Horatio Cock, Esq. Colchester 10 0 come to our assistance, as what we feared Rev. Philip Yorke, ditto...... 1 0 0 has really come to pass ; for, by the al- Rev. Henry Bull, Littlebury... 1 0 0 most total ruin of the outward prosperity Colonel Carey.............. 1 0 0 of the Brethren's settlements on the Con- Wm. Blackbone, Coggeshall... 5 5 0 tinent, their contributions have unavoida- Collection by the Independent . bly fallen so short, that at the close of Congregation at Stowmarket, 1312, the deficiency in the general account Suffolk, by Rev. Wm. Ward 16 17 8 of the missions had inereased to 39731. 145. Wm. Skinner, Esq. Bristol. ... 20 0 0 2d. We therefore return to all and each Wm. Hall, Esq. Huddersfield.. 10 00 of our generous benefactors the most cor. Rev. T. Grinfield, jun. Bristol.. 1 0 0 dial thanks for the very considerable relief A special Juryman.'......:. T o afforded unto us; the donations already Right Hon. Lady Catharine received amounting to nearly 20001. to- Graham ....... wards covering the above-mentioned arrear. Mr. James Taylor. .......... *0 10 0 The effects of the devastations by the war Mrs. Neale, St. Paul's Churchcontinuing to be most severely felt, we yard ... ................ 10 10 bumbly request a continuation of the help A Friend, by Miss Wadé ...i i of such as regard the labour of the Bre Mrs. Jesse Gouldsmith....... 1 thren's Missionaries with favour.

A Friend, by Ditto.......... . .. C. I. LATROBE, Secretary, Llewellyn' of Wales ......

10, Nevils Court, Fetter Lane. By the same ..............i

J. L. WOLLIN, Treasurer, Mrs. Roberts ............. * 5, St. Andrew's Court, Holborn. A Friend, by Mr. Leach!....

Thomas Platt, Esq. ......... The sums marked, with an asterisk are des- A West Indian Planter, for self tined for the relief of the sufferers at. and Friends......

............. Moscow, mentioned in the Appeal. Mr. J. Richardson, Bristol ....

£. $. d. Mrs. Bellows.........
Abr. Spooner Lillingstone, Esq. 5 5 0 Her Children ........
Dr. Kilvington, Rippon...... 10 10 0 Widow's Mite .............
A Juvenile Society at Sheerness,

Anonyinous...............
by Rev. Mr. Mullingar..... 2 2 0 Mrs. Protheroe, Westbury.c.. 2 2
Mrs. Ross, Rochester. ....... 3 ó 0 Mr. Edward Jenkins, at Pontne-' *
Penzance Union Bank ....... 200 vidd Works, Newport, Mon-
John Chambers, Esq. Minster,

mouth....1

...... 1 1 0 Sheerness ..

........ 1 1 0 Mr. Job Jenkins, Ditto ...... 1 1 0
Mrs. Joues ................ *1 0 0 Silvanus Beran, Esq.....
Mr. MIDowall.............. 1 1 0 From the same .........
Collection at Collingham, by

David Beran, Esq.........
• Rer. Anthony Kidd ....... 5 0 0 From the same ..........
A Gift by Mr. Turner, ....... 2 0 0 Miss Hillyer..............., 1
James 0. Oldham, Esq. ...... 5 0 0 Mr. Shatwell, Macclesfield::.: 5 0
Mr. Marriot ............... *200 Rev. Mr. Smith, Leather Lane
Mr. James Carlisle, Paisley, se-

A Friend to the Moravian i cond Donation ........... 10 o o Mission.......i

..... 1 0 Bliss Harriet Hope, Liverpool.. 10 0 0 Rev. George Burder......... 1 0 A Rev. Nich. Newcombe, Oak

Robert Owen, Esq.' 'by Mr. os bampton. • .......... 1 0 i Corston

Three Friends.............2 * See Acta Fratrum, &c. &c. " Rev. Mr. Rooker, Tavistock... 1 0

0 000000.0 0.0 0.0 0.

MA s om

0.0005

[ocr errors]

000 20

...

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

A Collection by the Rev. Mr. £. s. d. the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, Redhead, at Horton, York

for which he returns the most grateful shire, on Thanksgiving Day 6 11 O thanks of the Foresters. · A Friend at York........... 5 0 0 Subscriptions received by the Bankers, A Friend at Leeds ..........! 5 0 0 Messrs. Hoares and Co, and Sir John Lub: Rev. Josiah Pratt ..... .. 100 bock, Forster, and Co.; by Mr. Hatchard; Two Friends by him ........! 2 2 0 Mr. Seeley; Messrs. Condell' and Clarke, Mrs. King, London Street. ... 100 New Bond Street; and by your much Friends, by Rev. C. Jervis,

obliged and most obedient servant, Windsor ............... 3 0 0

PAYLER MATTHEW PROCTER. Newland Viçarage, Colford,

Gloucestershire, Feb. 19, 1814.. '

DONATIONS TOWARDS THE ENDOWMENT OF

THE'CHAPEL IN THE FOREST OF DEAN(Continued.)

LONDON SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGE

£. s. d. MENT OF FAITHFUL FEMALE SERVANTS, The Right Rey. Lord Bishop of

No. 71, HATTON GABDEN. Landaff........ ........ 10 0 0

A GENERAL Meeting of this Society (of The Very Rev. the Dean of

which we gave some account in page 179 Gloucester .............. 2,0 0

of our last Volume) will be held at the Nevy Wm. Ambary, Esq. Bicknor... 10 0 0

London Tavern, Cheapside, on Monday the Miss Hughes, Glasbury, Hay.. 3 3 O

29th of April, at six o'clock in the evening. Mrs. Wood, Staunton........ 1 1 0 We sincerely hope that a Society, in the sucThe Children of, a Lady....... 2 0 0

cess of which heads of families are so deepBy Chs. Bridges, Esq. Queen's

ly interested, will meet with that general College, Cambridge. ....... 21 0 0

patronage and encouragement, which, Congregational Collection on

yiewed as an endeavour', it may justly claiin the Day of the General

from the Christian liberality of our age Thanksgiving, by the Rev. T.

and city. Its objects are to promote muC. Helm, Vicar of Tythering

tual good-will and confidence among the ton, Gloucestershire ....... 4 10 6 superior and subordinate branches of a fa

By Messrs. HOARES and Ço. Bankers; mily, and to excite such sympathies, as, The Right Rev. Lord Bishop of

when hrought into action, tend so mateDurham ................ 20 0 0

rially to prevent vice and mişery in both

sexes, to maintain the virtue and character, By Sir John LUBBOCK, Forster, and Co.:

and consequently the usefulness, of female The Right Rev. Lord Bishop of

serrants, and thereby our own domestic · Chichester......

... 5 0

comfort and safety--The chair to be taken Rev. Thomas Coney......... 5 0 at half-past six precisely, when the attend. . By Mr. SEELEY:

ance of every well-wisher to the Institution

is most earnestly requested by the ComRight Hon. Lord Gambier ....... 1000 mittee. Mr. W. Blackbone ,...,::..... 5 00

By Mr. HATCHARD .. i Henry Thompson, Esq. Kirby

i ! SOUTII PANCRAS AND BLOOMSBURY Hall................. 10 10 0

AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY. B. T. Holbrook, Esq......... 2 0 0 Tue Annual Meeting of this body was Mr. Charles Stewart. ....... 20.0 0 held Feb. 25th, at the Freemasons' Tavern,

By CONDELL and CLARKE : and was very numerously attended, espeJerem. Dyson, Esq. Palace Yard 500

cially by the fair sex, who bore a proporBy William Cardale, Esq. Bed ,

tion of five to one to the other person's preford Row : ASubscription is

sent.

About one o'clock, Mr. Charles Grant, for Prayer Books, Homilies, and Tracts; with which 358

sen, was called to the chair, and havirig. Prayer Books, &c. were par.

thanked the company for the honour they chased by Mr. Cardale for the

had done hin, which he could only attri

bute to the absence of those from whom Congregation at the Forest ,, Chapel.

more efficient exertioas were to be ex... ......... 39 13, 0

i In addition to the above opportune and The Rev. Mr. Arnold read the Annual excellent gift, Mr. Procter received twenty- Report, which contained a niost tlattering five Prayer Books from an Episcopalian, account of the progress of this branch of and twenty-five ditto from the Society for the Bible Society. It stated. also, that

pected, . ...

practices.

whereas reports had been circulated that in a very eloquent speech, and observed, the Bibles distributed by the Society were that the mind was so sickened of tales of often dispsoed of at pawnbrokers', they had horror, which of late had been so frequent, taken measures, in which the pawnbrokers that even the sacred cause which called cheerfully co-operated, to prevent such forth the arms of Europe could scarcely re

concile us to them. The Spirit of God, The Report having been read,

which brooded over this mass of desolaThe Rev. Daniel Wilson proposed the tion, would, he trusted, call it forth into thanks of the Meeting to the Committee, unimagined forms of happiness and beauty He remarked, that the enthusiasm of the The Bible Society aspired to be an instruMembers of the Society was superior to 'ment in this new creation; the book which conduct regulated by reason alone; for, it was its object to distribute was of the, when actuated by reason alone, men were greatest private and public importance; for, left hesitating, when they ought to be act, while it instilled obedience to kings, and ing. It reminded him of an allusion in a the exercise of rightful power, it contained work pretty well known, written by Ma: a complete code for the moral conduct of dame de Stael Holstein, in which imitation man, and a source of consolation in all ad(in comparison of nature itself) is 'likened versity.' to the borse which Orlando is said, by : The Rev. Mr.' Townsend rose to proAriosto, to have described as possessing all pose thanks to the Secretaries of the Instipossible good qualities, with the unfortu: tution, and observed, that they had benate exception that it was dead(alaugh). stowed their time, a commodity more pre The objections to the Bible Society were cious to a wise man than any other. only formidable in heated minds--this The Rev. Mr. Arnoid, and the Rev. Dr. brought to his recollection a most excel- Winter, returned thanks. . lent painting, which he had lately seen at Mr. Philips remarked, that though the the British Institution, the subject of Committee and other members of the Sowhich was Lot and his Family leaving ciety were deserving of all praise, it was Sodont, over which the artist had diffused possible to be tiresome by too much even & most terrific giare. Such an unnatural of a good thing-a laugh). He hoped that colour was thrown on the Bible Society, the female part of the Meeting would not by the minds of its opponents ; but when content themselves, when they went away, exposed to the clear light of day, all the with the pleasure they had felt, but would calumnies vented against it became as use all their exertions to extend the blessnothing. After some further general re- ings of the Society.. . marks on the Society, the Rev. Gentleman Sir Digby Mackworth proposed the concluded by proposing the thanks of the thanks of the Meeting to the Secretaries of Meeting to the Committee, which was car- the parent Bible Society, who had fávoured ried unanimously.

the company with their presence; and to Mr. Stevens, jun. on the part of the Com- the Rev. Dr. Brunnmark, who had assisted mittee, returned thanks in a very eloquent during the absence, through indisposition, speech, and expressed a hope that the fu- of the Rev, Mr, Steinkopff; which vote ture progress of the Bible Society would was carried unanimously. realize the expectations of those philoso- The Rev. Mr. Hughes congratulated the phers, who, in their lofty visions, had pre- Meeting on the unexampled progress of the dicted the approach of the human race to institution, which united in itself five perfection. These men, however, had no Princes of the Blood, a majority of the instrument by which to produce so desir- English Bishops, and a large extract of able an end; it was the Bible alone that every thing else that was great and good. could control the evil passions of man- Twenty-nine auxiliary societies were insti

kind. One objection made to the Bible tuted across the Atlantic; and in the old - Society was, that it would be injurious to and new capitals of the Russian empire,

tbe Church of England. Though bie had societies were established. If such were spent his childhood, as he hoped to pass his the progress of the Society in so short a manhood, in the bosom of that Church, he time, what would be the progress when was willing that it should be shaken to the they should have to celebrate the jubilee ground, if it formed any obstacle to the dif- of the Society? fusion of the word of God. He concluded The Rev. J. Owen returned thanks in an by moving a Resolution of Thanks to the animated speech, and disclaimed all praise Duke of Bedford and the Marquis of Tavi- for the great effects which had been prostock, the Patrons, and Charles Grant, jun. duced by the Bible Society; for they had Esq. the Treasurer of this branch of tlie been as little foreseen by the founders as by Bible Society.

any persons not at all concerned in its proThe vote passed unanimously.

gress. Sir Egerton Brydges returned thanks on Thanks were voted to the district Presi. behalf of the Noble Patrons.

dents and Secretaries, and to the ChairMr. Charles Grant, jun. returned thanks man; after which the Meeting adjourned.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »