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Notes explanatory of certain parts of the Protestant Dissenters Catechism, designed for the use of young persons of the Established Church in whose hands that work may be placed "in order to instruct and establish them in the principles of Non-conformity."18mo. 1s. Syle, Barnstaple. No London bookseller's name mentioned.

It too frequently happens in controversy, and more especially on subjects of peculiar importance, that the party who is on the wrong side of the question, probably conscious of the weakness of his cause, evades the principal points, employs much pains in controverting minutie which are comparatively oftrifling importance, drawing inferences which are disowned and reprobated by his opponent, and indulging in language as unwarrantable as it is unjust. We were naturally led to these rcflections by the perusal of the pamphlet before us, the author of which most carefuly avoids the grand points of controversy between the Established Church of England and the Dissenters, imputes principles and practices to the latter which they and their ancestors have uniformly reprobated, and strives to blow up the coals not only of hot and rancorous dispute, but of persecution.We should scarcely have thought it possible, had we not the evidence before ns, that a pamphlet so replete with ignorance, bigotry, fanaticism, misrepresentation, and falsehood, could have proceeded from a minister professing the christianity of the New Testament, in the enlightened nineteenth century!

As this pamphlet has been industriously circulated in the West of England, and that for the purpose not only of libelling the Dissenters in general, but of injuring a Sunday School, purposely set on foot for the benefit of children without distinction of sects, we shall pay it

greater attention than it would otherwise have deserved.

In the Introduction the author gives the following account of his performance.

"A publication, uuder the title of "The Protestant Dissenter's Catechism," designed, as we are informed, to instruct and establish young persons among the dissenters in the principles of non-conformity," having been circulated in this town, under circumstances of rather a peculiar nature, it becomes necessary to consider in some measure the tendency of the publication, and the means which are resorted to, in order to promote the design of the writer.

"The title of this book would lead a

plain dealing man to suppose, that it was a manual of religion, or, in other words, what it professes to be, a Catechism explaining the doctrines of a particular class of christians. I say what it professes to be, because a catechism to tradiction in terms; and it will be establish dissent is an absurdity and conscarcely considered uncharitable to conclude, that the title was adopted for the purpose of giving currency to a work of a civil and political nature, under the sanction and cloak of religious instruction. The word catechism is confined solely to a particular mode of exaligion. It is to be used in no other sensemination, upon the fundamentals of re(apud profanos vor rara) and indeed was originally confined to the trial of the Chatechumen, vivâ voce, as the meaning imports.

"The nature or merits of the work itforth the following comments, had not self, however, would never have called the means practised to give effect tot, in a particular instance, demanded the interference of every man who considers religion in general an object of interest, and the establishment of this country in

particular of importance to the well being of the state and the community.

"The facts appear to be, that a proposition was made by certain dissenting teachers in this town, to afford the rudiments of education to the children of the lower classes of the people, whether of the established church or of their own

religious persuasion; there being at that period no Sunday School established in the parish.

"The offer, which abstractedly might be considered both liberal and praise

worthy, was embraced by many of the members of the establishment, and nothing for some time occurred to break in upon the quiet progress of the institution. At length, however, it came to be observed by the parents of certain children, that the hours of attendance were so arranged as to preclude the pussibility of their attendance on Divine service in the church; and that they were consequently obliged to be present at the service of the conventicle.

"The application of the term Conventicle to the dissenting meeting house has, it appears, given particular offence to particular individuals of the sect in this town. The best apology that can be offered upon this occasion is, that it would be difficult to find another word so appropriate or characteristic of what it is intended to express; history and common usage having sanctioned and exclusively applied it in the sense in which it is used above. It is strange that these gentlemen should be so much scandalized at the expression, since in the very Catechism upon which we are about to offer a few comments, it is used indifferently as a meeting house or dissenting place of worship.

"Conventicle, in point of fact, signifies a little meeting, and however anxious those gentlemen may be to remove the distinctive epithet, by adding to its numbers, I shall still contend for the propriety of the appellation, for it is admitted by the ablest Lexicographers, that the term in England has, ever since the time of Wickliffe, "been used to signify religious assemblies of all who do not conform to the established doctrines and worship of the church of England."

This introduction affords a tolerable specimen of the author's general mode of reasoning; and may serve to convince his readers how necessary it was for him before he took his pen in hand to have consulted that too much neglected book, a Dictionary. Our great Lexicographer, Dr. Johnson would have informed him that a catechism was simply" a form of instruction by means of questions and answers, "concerning religion," and that the word was equally applicable to the instruction of any religious sect. The phrase Portestant Dissenter's

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ters, in the principles of non-con"formity; a design," he adds," which "it is hoped will not be thought

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unnecessary or unimportant." The Catechism so far from being" of 66 a civil or political nature," is wholly confined to what its title signifies Plain Answers to Questions as to the Reasons of Dissent from the Established Religion; and which the writer had by the laws of his country an equal right to assign for his Dissent as any minister of the church of England for his Conformity. The only allusion to any thing political is in the concluding section, which it is a pity the author of the "Notes" did not quote for the benefit of his readers, that they might have judged of the "civil and political nature of the Catechism." We beg leave to supply the omission. The author of the Catechism in his Inferences from the whole, thus expresses himself,

"The Dissenters ought to be exceedingly thankful to God for, and diligent to the utmost to improve the liberty they enjoy, of separating from a national church, which they think so corrupt, and of worshiping God in places of their own, in a manner agreeable to the dictates of their own consciences, and as they think, to the rules of God's holy word.... They should also be grateful to their civil governors, the

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King and those in authority under him, through whose clemency they enjoy privileges (though no more than their natural rights) far superior to what their ancestors enjoyed in former reigns; and to testify their gratitude by approving themselves good subjects, endeavouring to promote the prosperity of their country, and preserve its peace, in every instance, consistent with a due regard to the liberty of the constitution." Who, therefore, is chargeable with "ignorance, absurdity," and we will add misrepresentation, the author of the Catechism, or the Notes, requires little sagacity to determine.-The reader will likewise judge of the effrontery of the Annotator, who copies Bishop Horsley's falsehood-" That "the Catechism is calculated to in"stil notions of sedition and rebellion "into the minds of our youth!"

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The application or definition of the word "Conventicle" by the author of the Notes, if it be not the result of that gross ignorance which would in any school-boy drawn down merited chastisement, is we fear, the result of something still worse. The word " Conventicle," we are informed, signifies" a little meeting;" and that "history and common usage has sanctioned and exclusively ap plied it to the religious assemblies of all who ever since the time of Wickliffe do not conform to the established doctrines and worship of the church of England!" In contradiction to these bold falsehoods, we affirm, that the word " Conventicle" has nothing to do with the number of a public assembly; which determines neither its legality or ille gality. As to the writer's "exclusive "sense" let us again turn to Dr. Johnson. "Conventicle. An assembly for worship, generally used in an ill sense, including heresy, or schism

A select assembly; an assembly where conspiracies are formed. Conventicle. One that supports or frequents private and unlawful as

semblies." Should there be another clergyman in the church of England so wilfully ignorant on this subject as the author of the Notes, let him be informed on the authority of Judge Blackstone, and other eminent lawyers, that by the Toleration Act, the worship of the Protestant Dissenters is equally legalised with that of the national worship, and that the word "Conventicle," so far as it has an ill meaning in our statutes, being no more applicable to religious assemblies in chapels or meeting houses, than in churches, no man of common sense or common candour can possibly use it as a term of reproach, although it is never used otherwise by such high flying tories as the author of the Notes and his party.

The clergy of the establishment will not in general be fond of the definition of the word" conventicle" adopted by our author. If it signifies

a little meeting," and refers to the number constituting an assembly, it may be a curious inquiry whether the majority of our parish churches may not be termed "conventicles?" How many of them, even on the Sabbath, contain more pews than auditors? The methodists, as well as all the congregations of dissenters where the number is considerable, are certainly obliged to the author for so completely exempting them from the imputation of holding "conventicles," should they even neglect to licence their places acco ding to law; although it is to be hoped not one of them will place their security on this wise legal definition-" CONVENTICLE-A little meeting!"

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With respect to the conduct of the Dissenters in establishing a Sunday School at Ilfracombe; it has, like the conduct of the Dissenters in many other parishes, been highly meritorious and praise-worthy; and it redounds no great honour to those clergymen

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and professed friends of the establishment, who have, in many instances, not only entirely neglected their duty in this respect, but have absolutely shewn their dislike to the endeavours of others, who, feeling for the interests temporal and eternal of the lower classes of the community, have endeavoured to rescue them from that state of "Ignorance" which Shakespeare justly terms "the CURSE of God." Although the author of the "Notes," is obliged to confess that the conduct of the Dissenters in the institution of a Sunday School equally open to all denominations, "abstractedly, might be considered both liberal and praise-worthy," it is a notorious fact, that he has in his own parish church, preached against the school, although no other Sunday school has been opened by the members of the establishment; a proof of the lukewarmness, if not of the enmity of this revered divine to the instruction of the poor in the first and most important branch of knowledge that of reading. As to the hours of teaching, which "it at length came to be observed by the parents of certain children, were so arranged as to exclude the possihility of their attendance on divine service at the church, and that they were obliged to attend the service of the Conventicle," these hours are the same as at the first institution of the school three years since. As the hour of beginning service in the morning is the same at both places of worship, we cannot conceive how the" possibility" of attendance at church is precluded." Although the Dissenters have a right to set up schools of their own, yet we recommend to the managers of all such schools, in parishes where the established priest and the supporters of his church are totally indifferent to the grand work of Sabbath instruction to the children of the poor, to provide for the friendless outcasts; at the same time per

mitting them, (not to spend the hours of public worship in idleness) but to attend the established worship. If their parents will engage for them, it is all well; but if not, it is the duty of their instructors to insist on their attendance on public worship somewhere.-The opposition of this Reverend enemy to the instruction of the poor by the institution of Sunday Schools, has not, we are credibly informed, been confined to his own parish. By his conduct in these instances, one might be led to imagine, that he had adopted the once favourite, but we hope now generally exploded maxim of the church of Rome-" Ignorance is the mother of devotion."

But what appears to have excited not only the opposition, but the rage of the Reverend defamer, was the following circumstance.

"Soon after this, awakened suspicions of the propriety of allowing their chil dren to be drawn from the worship of their fathers by such means, came to be debated in their minds, which however might have passed away, had not a

book been discovered in the hands of some of the children (The Protestant Dissenter's Catechism,) which at once renewed these suspicions and excited their scruples. Upon enquiry it was found that several of these books had been given to the senior class of the school, consisting of children from ten to twelve years of age, and certainly in some instances at least, without any directions to consult their parents upon the propriety of their reading them.The nature of the work itself, and the propriety of placing it in the hands of children, will be better estimated after a perusal of the Notes explanatory of it. The parents alluded to, however, did not wait for so minute an investigation; but perceiving the Political Tendency of the Publication, forbad their children to read it, and withdrew them from the institution."

On this part of the subject we can assure our readers, that no attempt whatever was made to introduce the Catechism which has so alarmed our author into the school;

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but that several of the senior scho-. lars, who had been chosen teachers, complaining that they had been reproached as Presbyterians(a hacknied term which the lower classes of the establishment, together with many of their superiors, can explain about as well as they can the word abra cadabra) a respectable gentleman, a firm friend and supporter of the school, lent to three or four who occasionally visited him, The Protes tant Dissenter's Catechism, charging them at the same time to consult their parents, and not to read the book if it met their disapprobation: his sole design was to shew what the principles of the Dissenters real ly were. And was there any harm in such a proceeding? Are young persons to be reproached for their attendance on dissenting worship, and quietly submit to such reproach without being permitted to examine its foundation? We do not believe that any of the parents of the children forbad them to read it because they perceived its political tendency," for, as we have already proved, the only tendency of the Catechism, as far as politics are concerned, is to inculcate loyalty to the King, and obedience to the laws: whether some calumniator had not by misrepresentation of the principles inculcated in the Catechism, unduly influenced the minds of the parents, we must leave the parties more immediately concerned

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to determine.

The grand foundation of Dissent, it is well known is-The required subscription of an unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained in the 39 Articles and in the Book of Common Prayer: this subject the author of the "Notes" shuffles over in the most superfiicial manner, and what is still worse, interlards it with the most shameful falsehoods: the following paragraph may serve as a specimen.

"The author of the Catechism professes that the quarrel of the Dissenters

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with the 39 Articles is not about their sense, but the authority assumed by fallible man to draw up articles of faith at all. In answer to this it is only necessary to observe, that the modern Dissenters derive their origin from the zealous Puritans of the reign of Elizabeth, and although when those zealous reformers appear in the characters of persecuting bigots, or REGICIDES, they are gently reproved by their modern descendants, they are held in the highest estimation as models of piety and worthy examplars of future generations. It is rather a curious fact that the modern Dissenters reproach the church for suppressing the spirit of its articles, whilst their forefathers in the reign of which they declare to be Calvinistic, Elizabeth, and in subsequent periods, refused to subscribe these articles because they were not Calvinistic: be that as it may, in this Catechism is is asserabout the sense of the articles, but ated (page 64) that the controversy is not bout the authority assumed by fallible men to draw up articles of faith. Here the great archetypes are at variance with their successors, who however do not profess Dissent from the great scheme of their honoured forefathers Dissent, but boldly assert the consistency and identity of their opinions on all points save and except King killing and the Divine right of extirpating heretics!"

That the Puritans were not free from the spirit of bigotry, which they imbibed from the church establishment, although they, even when they had the power, never exercised it with the tenth part of its severity, is not to be denied; but to assert that they were King killers, or that they ever assumed the right of extirpating heretics, or, as the author asserts in another part of his pamphlet, "that the fathers of Dissent contrived by political intrigue to overturn the constitution in church and state, and not only would have established themselves upon the plea of divine right, but have shut the door against ali toleration, and were content to erect themselves into a church founded in persecution and

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