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happiest events of my life, and shall, I trust, rejoice in it, even in a dying bour, that I have been privileged, as a feeble, though willing, instrument of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to put the Scriptures into the hands of so many of my poor countrymen, and of others belonging to different continental nations, who, plunged as they have been into all the horrors and calamities of a long-protracted war, stand more than ever in need of the consolation of the word of God.

I am, &c.

C. F. A. S.

by inserting the word help instead of health, and omitting the words the merits of in one of the collects. Upon referring, we found these errors had accidentally crept in; but it was only in one or two of the editions, from the negligence of the compositor entirely, without the knowledge of Mr. Reeves or ourselves; and you must know, Mr. Editor, from your own experience, how difficult it is to guard against errors of the press. However, Sir, we have used our best endeavours to correct these errors; and as they occur in only one or two of the editions, it will be evident to your numerous readers, that they were accidental. No pains shall be spared in future to prevent a recurrence of the same; and from the acknowledged superiority of our editions, in point of paper and printing, we flatter ourselves the public will continue that liberal support which we have hitherto received.

We remain, &c.

SCATCHERD AND LETTERMAN, Publishers of Mr. Reeves's editions of the Common Prayer Book, Holy Bible, &c.

P.S. If I should have stated in Germany, that there was a want of Bibles in Britain, perhaps a nobleminded Englishman, jealous for the honour of his country, might have reproved me, and exclaimed, "Impossible! Bibles may be had in every bookseller's shop; and besides, there exist several most respectable societies, which make it a point to distribute them cheaply, and even gratuitously, among the poor." True: but it is as true, that the more these societies distribute, the more they find occasion to distribute; the more they inquire, the Ave Maria Lane, May 3, 1812. more they discover wants never thought of before. The Norfolk Auxiliary Society states, that upon the most moderate calculation, there are, at least, 10,000 families in that county destitute both of Bibles and Testaments. The Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, and other Auxiliary Bible Societies, have already supplied many thousand poor families with the holy Scriptures, and constantly receive and make applications for an additional supply.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. FROM the reverence in which we hold the book of Common-prayer, it was with extreme concern and vexation that we noticed, in your valuable miscellany, some remarks upon what was considered as an innovation in the editions of the Common-prayerbooks published by Mr, Reeves, CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 125.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I SHOULD be glad to see, from time to time, occasional articles of what may be termed "neglected biography," in the Christian Observer. There were, no doubt, many very excellent divines in the reigns of Elizabeth and James, of whom but little is known. I have lately met with an ancient volume, entitled, "The works of the Reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God, collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H. H. (Henry Holland), 1612." The volume consists chiefly of sermons, with a short form of catechising, 2 P

and a number of grave counsels and godly observations. I am sorry it does not afford a regular account of his life; but I have collected such as I can gather from the prefaces, &c. The book commences with a dedication to King James, by Elizabeth, the widow of Henry Holland, as follows" Right Gracious Soveraigne, I do bere humbly present unto your Highnesse, the holy labours of that worthy servant of Christ Mr. Richard Greenham, painefully collected, corrected, and published for the good of God's church, by my late deere husband, Mr. Henry Holland, which I am bold to offer unto your excellent Majesty, partly in respect of the author, a man renowned for his rare pietie and paines, and for his singular dexteritie in comforting afflicted consciences; partly in regard of the worke itselfe, so well accepted and approved in the church, that this is now the fifth time it hath been published," &c. There is a second dedication by Henry Holland himself, to the Countesse of Cumberland, and the Countesse Dowager of Huntingdon, part of which is as follows; "1 come (Right Honorable) as in the name of the faithful servant of Christ, Mr. R. Greenham, a man well knowne unto your honours, and to those most religious patrons of all pietie and good learning, the Right Honourable Earles (of blessed memorie) of Huntingdon, Warwicke, and of Bedford, which now sleepe in the Lord. Of them was hee reverenced in his life-time: of your honours much lamented after death, for that you knowe the losse of such to be no small wrack unto the church and people of God. Now so it is (Right Honourable and vertuous Ladies) that pietie in this declining age waxeth daily very faint, and impiety doth much abound," &c. "Such experience and good likeing have your honours had of this man of God, of his godliness and gravity, and of the manifold gifts of God in him, that I neede say no more, as any way doubting of your honourable acceptation."

Henry Holland, in his preface, writes thus, "I am the meanest and the weakest of many brethren to write of this reverend man's life, and labours in the church of God; yet I had rather be noted of some for want of skill, than of any for want of love and affection to so loving a father. I have knowne his life for many yeares, and rejoice in heart to have knowne it, for that most rare graces of God's Spirit did shine in him, all tempered as with faith unfained unto Christ, so with bowels of compassion and love towards men. In his holy ministerie, hee was ever careful to avoid all occasions of offence, desiring in all things to ap prove himselfe as the minister of Christ. Hee was the speciall instrument and hand of God to bring many, both godly and learned, to the holy service of Christ, in his ministerie, and to restraine, and to reduce not a few from error. When God had translated this Elias from us, then I sought to find him in his workes: for they do lively expresse the picture of his minde and hearte, and taste sweetly of that pure fountaine of God from whence they were derived. While he lived, his lips often refreshed my soule: when he was gone, I lamented much that I had not in Christianitie made that use of him, that a heathen does of a naturall wise man in humanitie.” « Hee feared much the preposterous zeale and hastie running of young men into the ministerie; because as judgement, so also stayednesse, and moderation, use, experience, gravitie in ordering affections, and having some masterie over corruptions, was needefull in him that should teach others. And hee observed the extreame in our age, to be contrarie to that in the first age, wherein men being but slenderly brought up, it was very long ere they were used in the church: but now education being bettered, they are too soone imployed. Too hastie a triall must not be made of men's giftes to their hurt that use them, and that have the use of them. He used to say,

Ministers should most frequent those places where God hath made their mi nisterie most fruitfull: they should herein be like the covetous man that where they have once found the sweetnes of gaining of souls, thither they should be most desirous to resort. He was alwaies desirous to be in the place of publike reading, praying, and preaching, even of conscience to God's ordinance, were the preachers never so meane. For if he spake with judgement, he either increased (as he said) or confirmed his knowledge. If the speaker had great wants, even these wants did humble him, and made him to me ditate inwardly of that truth, whereof the preacher failed: insomuch that sometimes hearing the wants, and then meditating of the truth, he could as well be enabled to preach againe of that text, as if he had read some commentarie."

There is also a dedication by Stephen Egerton to the Right Wor shipfull Sir Marmaduke Darrell, and Sir Thomas Bloother, Knights, Survevers-Generall for the victualling of his Majestie's navie; part of which runs as follows; Surely (Right Worshipfull) if one heathen man could gather gold out of the writings of another, how much more may we (being Christians) gather not gold only, but pearles and pretious stones out of the religious and holy labours of Master Richard Greenham, being a most godly brother, yea more than a brother, even a most painefull pastor, zealous preacher, and reverend father in the church of God; of whom I am persuaded that for practical divinity, hee was inferior to few or none in his time."

THEOGNIS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. KNOWING you to be a friend to the education of the poor in general, and particularly of those who belong to the Church, I take the liberty to address a few lines to you in behalf of their teachers, and to request that you will insert them in your work;

so that if by chance they should there meet the eye of any well-disposed member of parliament, he may be induced to use his endeavours to relieve them from what I humbly conceive to be a great hardship.

I am a lay schoolmaster of the Established Church, having under my care upwards of 100 poor children, whom I instruct according to the new system, to the best of my abilities, but for a small compensa. tion. Being young, however, and unmarried, I should have nothing to complain of, was I not under a con tinued apprehension of being drawn for the militia, and thus dragged into a profession for which I am rendered unfit by my previous habits of life, no less than by inclination. Not far from me lives a dissenting schoolmaster, who, having obtained a li cence from the quarter sessions, is exempted from the ballot, and is thus enabled to educate the children under his care without interruption. Hearing of this, I of course concluded that the same exemption would be extended, a fortiori, to me; but I now find this not to be the case. To my sorrow, I am now well assured, that a conforming teacher of youth, however regularly licensed, is debarred from those privileges which are so widely and so liberally enjoyed by non-conformists of every denomination.

Having now stated a plaiu matter of fact, without the addition of any false colouring, I will leave you to judge whether it is right to tear away from his youthful flock, a licensed teacher of the established religion of his country, into the militia, especially as dissenting teachers are not liable to the same inconvenience.

Trusting that you will not hesitate to give publicity to this letter, I am, &c.

THOMAS NAILER.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I BEG to submit to you a few observations on an expression that occurs

in Hodgson's Life of Porteus, p. 316. 1st. edit.

In giving the last finish to the character of his venerable uncle, Mr. Hodgson observes: "In him were never seen the sanctified look, the depressed brow, the sullen spirit, the dismal and desponding countenance." Now, what I shall venture to remark is, why has Mr. Hodgson associated "the sanctified look" with such offensive and gloomy qualities; why has he placed it in company so unnatural, so uncongenial with itself? It may be replied, "These subsequent qualities explain what he meant by sanctity of look; and clearly shew that he condemned a spurious, an outside, sanctity alone. Or it may be said by others, "The point is too insignificant for notice." However, as "a sanctified look" is here, in some measure, condemned; and as this look is so fashionable a ground of charge against men of real piety, will you allow me to detain the attention of yourself and of your readers, for a few moments, on the subjeet?

The first and most obvious question is, why should sanctity be for bidden to make its appearance in the look? why is it denied this privilege of all the other good affections (good they are called at least) of the hu`man heart? No one quarrels with generosity, no one animadverts on tenderness or benignity, because their prevalence in the heart lends a corresponding cast to the countenance itself. The plain fact is, that where these amiable feelings operate strongly in the breast, they naturally flow into the visage. Indeed, such affections and such looks are so generally linked together, that we should almost doubt the existence of the former, if not at all attested and shadowed by the latter. It is well nigh superfluous to remark, that an opposite character of countenance would be thought inconsistent with such feelings, at least in an entire stranger.

With due deference to Mr. Hodg. son, I would ask him, why if the look may lawfully express all other

affections of the heart, it may not express sanctity; if our natural feelings may shed abroad all their loveliness upon the look, why may not those purer energies, which are implanted in the heart by grace, unfold their beauty and serenity in the very same scene? When a Christian is engaged in worshipping his God, why may not that "beauty of holiness," which he is commanded to cherish in his heart, beam even on his countenance? When his heart is satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness, as his mouth praiseth God with joyful lips, or as he sings praises to that Saviour whom he hopes one day to magnify in heaven itself; is he to be stigmatized as an enthusiast or hypocrite

"if that fire.

Warming his heart, should at his looks transpire." COOPER.

I might pursue the same observation with regard to the effect produced by truly Christian eloquence, nay, Christian feeling, in the pulpit: the heart feels, and the countenance shews that it does so, If we were sitting in the British senate, and listening to the oratory of a Pitt, who would wonder if its electric force reached even to our look? If, therefore, the hearer of a sermon discovers his impressions in like manner (and I have seen Mr. Hodgson's hearers frequently affected thus), I may conclude that he is equally defensible. Not to be tedious; may we not allow of some sympathy between the heart and the countenance, when "the tender mercies of our God," and "the love of Jesus Christ," become (and why may they not sometimes become?) the subject of our conversation? Nay, if even the mind should, at any time, glance at the reviving theme, may not the face naturally catch an air of the most refined gladness? Or, if we are just risen from the contemplation of such a subject in the closet, and it leaves a ray of cheerful sanctity upon our face, is not this consistent with every principle of common sense? Is not this act

ing exactly as mankind act under the influence of their favourite pursuits? If a "sanctified look" were inadmissible, Milton would scarce have admitted it into his inimitable description of Eve.

"Grace was in ali her steps, Heaven in her eye."

Nor would St. Stephen's face have been described as "the face of an angel," when be confessed "Jesus of Nazareth," before the Jewish synagogue.

If the parallel I have ventured to draw between the cases of natural and religious feeling be just, I have only to observe, that Mr. Hodgson ought not to have spoken as he has done of" the sanctified look," without at least some explanation of his meaning. Had he said, "I speak of an austere, a melancholy, or an hypocritical look alone, (such a look has often covered feelings that are foes to sanctity), I should not have presumed to raise a single objection to the passage. But as religious persons, especially among the young, and those whose eyes are just opened to the stupendous value of religion, are very commonly branded

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HYMNS APPROPRIATE TO SUNDAYS
AND HOLIDAYS.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.
Matthew viii.

LORD! whose grace, in power excelling.
Wash'd the leper's stains away;
Jesus, from thy holy dwelling,
Hear us, help us when we pray!—
From the filth of vice and folly,

From infuriate passion's rage,
Evil thoughts, and hopes unholy,

Heedless youth, and selfish age;

From the lusts, whose deep pollution

Adam's elder taint disclose;

From the tempter's dark intrusion,

And from everlasting woes; From the miser's cursed treasure ;

From the drunkard's jest obscene; From the world, its pomp and pleasure, Jesus, Master, make us clean!

D. R.

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REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Report of the Formation of the Cambridge Auxiliary Bible Society; together with a List of Patrons and Subscribers: Dr. Marsh's Address to the Senate; Mr. Vansittart's Reply, &c. &c. Edited by the Rev. William Farish, B. D. Professor of Chemistry. Cambridge: Hodson, &c. 1812. Dr. MARSH's Inquiry, &c. (See our Number for March.)

Letter to Dr. Herbert Marsh, &c. By the Rev. E, D. CLARKE, D. C. L. Professor of Mineralogy in the University of Cambridge, &c. Cambridge: Deighton. 1812. An Examination of Dr. Marsh's Inquiry, &c. in a Series of Letters to

the Rev. Dr. Clarke, &c. By the Rev. W. DEALTRY, A. M. F. R. S. Fellow of Trinity College, and examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol. London: Hatchard. 1812. Price 3s. 6d. Three Letters on the Subject of the British and Foreign Bible Society, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Marsh and John Coker, Esq. By the Right Hon. N. VANSITTART. London: Hatchard. 1812. Price 25. Four Sermons preached before the University of Cambridge, in Nov. 1811, on the Excellency of the Liturgy, prefaced with an Answer to Dr. Marsh's Inquiry respecting the Neglecting to give the Prayer-book

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