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Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film6 d partir de i'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant ie nombre d'images nAcessaire. lies diagrammas suivants illustrent la mAthode. rrata to peiure. □ 32X 1 2 3 i 1 2 3 4 5 6 l^ ' 0^ S' ■ HYPOCRISY DETECTED; IN A LETTER TO THE LATE FIRM or HALDANE, EWING, asd Co. 0^ jiO V WITH A PREFACE, CONTAININO THE NARRATIVE OF MR. JAMES REID, A MISSIONARY SENT BY THESE GENTLEMEN TO UPPER CANADA. t tJ \\ ,• HberHeen: ' . FRINTSO BY J, BOOTH, JUN. MORTK STREIT. .,• . ^-•" -Ml „JW»^,I i»V-- M^" ,■j-v«!^ ft ' VI pnF.F\fi. the Confession of Faith contains a proper summary for the direction of godly Miniitcrs, it is clearly inferred (if his asser- tions are true), that the Clergy are all hypocrites, professing principles with which their conduct does not correspond. These inferences flow from the Journals of the other Itine- rants as well as Mr. Ballantine's ; they qeve- find any thing good in the establishment, and every place is dark and in the gall of bitterness, which does not furnish them with large con- gregations. Notwithstanding the melancholy evils which these preachers produce, the Society have the base effrontery to boast, that they arc doing much good— giving feet to the lame and eyes to the blind. Indeed, they congratulated them- selves not a little for sending Mr. Reid to this country} and if all the evils which were anticipated did not follow, it was owing, in a great degree, to the harmless peaceable disposi- tion of this Missionary. He did not calumniate the Minis- ter who was already among the people, nor did he adopt any sinister means to raise his own credit at his expence } for he soon became acquainted, to his cost, with the hypocrisy of his former associates and masters, endeavoured as much at possible to allay the fury of his adherents, though not with suflicient success. Finding that this poor young man had been grossly deceived and had good intentions, I began to pay him some little notice, for his situation was deplorable. The people he preached to being too poor to support him, it wau expected that Messrs. Haldane & Co. would assist him ; they made indeed some remittance for the purpose of build- ing a Church, but afterwards they threw him ofT entirely. These Gentlemen had got the fame of sending a Missionary to Canada at a vast expence-~of building a church there, of which they did not pay one- third — and it was no longer necessary, in their opinion, to trouble themselves any far- ther. Mr. Reid was, therefore, left destitute in a foreign land, without any friends or acquaintance that could be of use to him j for, having come from persons deservedly sus- .. , ^ pccted ,-t jA'iiv-^v^s-^ PREFACE. VII pected, people of sense and influence kept at a distance. The young man was forced at length to leave the people, from absolute want* and to teach a small School in the neigh- bourhood, by which he earns a scanty subsistence, and has much cause to regret that he ever left his father's farm to be- come a Preacher. In this distressed situation, he communis cated to me the following Narrative, which will be read with interest, as it exposes the conduct of these SaintS} and the deceptions which they practised upon the foolish youths, r'hom they allured from the paths of honest industry. If NARRATIVE ^' I' iyM I ■: l> 'H I,' «.« fW '^m'mwm'9- 11 7 >> ,., .,;i«jajrTSf ■will 1 1 II i!^!r"''-rT(ip Wjre^ NARRATIVE OF MR. REID. TO ROBERT IIALDANE, ESQ. Comfort is frequently experienced in detailing grievantcs, even \v lien there is no hope of receiving redress To communicate sorrows which oppress the mind is felt to lighten it, and this is, with me, a strong motive for troubling you with thi^ letter. But lest the length of time which has elapsed since our correspondence cer.sed, and the events which have taken place, may have effaced, from your memory, all recollection of me^ you must excuse me for addressing you in public ; the more especially, as what I have to relate may be of greater advantage to others than to myself. To bring me back to youi" remembrance, amidst the multiplicity of affairs which daily solicit your attention, I shall give you a very concise narrative of my life and fortunes, from the time that I first attached myself to your Society. In the beginning of 1801, Mr. Campbell appear- ed at Dunkeld, in the vicinity of which I was born^ preaching the Gospel. I was pleased with his man- ner, and became one of his most diligent and pas- sionate ^ ..«;' ■..■.» • «( .Jt] NARRATIVE OF MR. REIO. '?''• -If- 4: sion&ijiiearers. Deeply impressed with the glorious views of the Gospel which he displayed, I became more desirous of obtaining a better acquaintance with religious truth, and for this purpose I applied for admission into his Church. With a mind early imbued with reverence for Religion, I was anxious to qualify myself to perform the part of a good Christian, and to discharge the conditions required by our Saviour. After some conversation with Mr. Campbell, I very cordially embraced his doctrines, being, as I then thought, the truth as it is revealed. At this time I was nineteen years of age, and lived with my parents on a small faiii), which they rented of the Duke of Athole. My education had not been neglected ; I had learned to read, write, and cast accounts, and had the Shorter Catechism by heart. Before Mr. Campbeirs arrival, I had regularly followed my parents to the Parish Church, but after hearing him a few times, I attached myself entirely to his congregation. From this Gentleman I learn- ed, that a Society for propagating the Gospel at home, had been formed in Edinburgh in the year 1798. It owed its rise to a supposed conviction in the minds of its members, that sufficient means of religious instruction were not enjoyed in ma.ny parts of the country: to supply this defect. Christians of various djnominations united themselves together, under the above designation. They publicly avow- ed, that they had no intention of forming a new sect, but wished that Christians of all divisions would join in promoting pure and undefiled Religion. As a proof M I NARRATIVE OF MR. REID. XI proof of their sincerity in this particular, the Society occasionally employed Ministers, whether Episco- palians, Presbyterians, or Independents, to preach through the country. They proposed to preach the Gospel wherever they had access, to establish sab- bath-day schools, and to distribute religious tracts : but as it was difficult to find suitable Ministers, he also told me that you had, with the most commend- able liberality, established a Seminary for educating young men, and qualifying them to be preachers. This opened to me a new view of things ; I had al- ready pleased Mr. Campbell, and two or three of bis congregation, by the answers which I gave to tho questions which they propounded, when I solicited to be a member of their Church. They had express- ed much satisfaction with my knowledge of divine truth, and this early approbation suggested the wish of becoming a Preacher of the Gospel. I found that the time, reckoned necessary for qualitying me for this great work, was not long, being commonly from fifteen months to two years ; and I was earnestly desirous of becoming useful to my fellow-raen, in the way of imparting religious instruction. After much private and serious consideration, I communicated my wish, with extreme diffidence, to my Pastor. He encouraged me, and advised me to make appli- cation to you as soon as possible, as you intended to receive a new class of students, to begin " sary for spreading the Gospel." From this time these churches engaged in Missions to go abroad, seemingly distinct from the Society, which appeared to weaken as they gained ground, and to be disparag- ed, as the declaration above cited was adopted. The truth, however, appeared to me, that the Society did not disappear, but changed its principles; and instead of being ( as it professed to be at first) friendly to all denominations, it sunk into the sect of Con- gregationalists. I must confess, that this revolution, at the time, gave me some uneasiness ; but I was reconciled by the hope of good which might still be effected, when I saw the zeal with which the plan» were put in execution, and the collections, subscrip- tions, and donations, which were daily received from all parts to forward Missions. These particulars^ which arc all familiar to you, appeared necessary for 'Mm- A XIV NARRATIVE OV MR. RE10. % for understanding what follows, and will be (lie more easily excused^ as I promise not to be tedious. At Aberfeldie^ I continued from January till May, and had the satisfaction to find, that I was very acceptable to the people, who were unanimous in requesting me to become their permanent Pastor ; but this request I declined, as I had given you my promise to come out to this country. You must recollect the letters which these good people sent you, to solicit you to relieve me from this promise, and that they dispatched one of their number to Edinburgh for this purpose j but you were inflexible. I had many inducements to keep me at home, but I had passed my word, and therefore declined three other invitations from difierent congregations. In^ deed, the accounts which you gave me of the reli" gious state of this country, and the urgent applica- tion made for preachers, weighed more vnth me than every other consideration, and induced me to make the greatest sacrifices, in the expectation of being eminently useful here. Elevated with this, I left my congregation at Aberfeldie, and my relations, bathed in tears. On the 25th of May, 1806, I was ordained, by prayer and laying on of hands, to preach the Gospel to my countrymen in Canada : and soon after, I embarked at Greenock for Quebec. I received a suit of cloaths, a few articles of little Talue, and Camp- bell on the Gospels; my passage was paid, and I got n NARRATIVE OF MR. REID. tr and I got got a draft of thirty pounds, to be given me when I landed in Quebec. Although I w&a a stranger to business, and unaccustomed to the ways of the world, from my continual residence in the country, I coald nut help observing a* great difference in the outfitsi allowed to me, and those which had been given to the Missionaries, which you had sent out to Den- mark, New York, and Quebec. They were furnish- ed with all the necessaries which their situation re- quired; they were supplied liberally with money, books, and clothes, as appears from printed accounts of expenditures on Missions. This marked differ- ence caused some uneasiness in my mind ; but being accustomed to place implicit confidence in your in- tegrity, I repressed every disagreeable feeling. So great was my diffidence, and my faith in your pro- tection, that I never mai^'? any particular inquiry, how I was to be supported after my arrival in Ca-* nada; but was contented with the general promise, that my wants should be supplied. This credulity was strengthened, by the ceremony of making me write my name in your book, that my hand might be identified. Now, Sir, my difficulties began ; for, as if my preparation for a long sea voyage had not been sufficiently slight, I found myself consigned to a steerage passage. Surely this seemed to' be taking advantage of my simplicity, and ignorance of sea affairs; for, had I known what a steerage passage was, I never would have entered the ship. I am aware, that a Missionary should be humble, and I was prepared to encounter unavoidable and unfore- seen v% XVI NARRATIVE OF MR. RCID. seen difficulties ; but this belonged to neither cld^s : on no other occasion} as far as I know, was any Missionary treated in this manner, eyery one had a Cabin passage. Did you suppose, that it was a matter of indifference, or was it to save money, or was it to give me a lesson of patience, by accustom- ing me, during a long voyage of eleven weeks, to all kinds of privations, that 1 might be the better qua- lified for my important oifiice ? Was it sincere, was it honourable, to conceal from me, the miseries of a passage among the sailors, which subjected me to many insults, and took away from me all considera- tion and respect ? Was this a situation to sooth my mind, bleeding with sorrow at my departure from all those I loved, never perhaps to see them more ? My sufferings suggested doubts of your sincerity, which became the more painful, as- I had been always accustomed to look up to you with the greatest respect. ..A!-' When I lauded at Quebec^ another unforeseen difiiculty exposed me to much uneasiness, and might have been attended with the most serious evils. I had been seat away without any certificate that I was a Missionary, and without any letter of recom- mendation. To most people who are acquainted with mankind, and the established intercourse of society, this will appear to have been owing to my own folly, and I must confess, that when the matter occurred, I was astoviished at myself; but when it is recollected, that I had little knowledge of things of this 1 ■ ■p NARRATIVE OP MR. RfilD. XYli this kind, and never for a mnmont suspected the vvisdornas well as purity of your intentions towards me, I shall not b*. looked upon with much severity, for thus appearing in the colony, without proper and necessary credentials. But although my sim- plicity and credulity, in a great measurCj exculpate myself, surely you arc to blame for all the trouble and inconvenience which this mission occasioned. As I had no means of proving myself a loyal subject of his Majesty, or even an honest man, it would not have been astonishing, or perhaps contrary to custom, had I been taken up as a suspicious character, who had been driven, by my crimes, to a foreign shore. Not being able to give any satisfactory account of myself by the papers I had with me, or by any friends, I certainly could not have blamed Government, had 1 been treated with rigour. That 1 was left unmo- lested, excites my gratitude to the Provincial Go- vernment: but what can I say to you. Sir, who had been accustomed to send Missionaries abroad, and was well acquainted with every facility and con- venience which they required ? My situation brings forcibly to my mind, the charge which the Rev. Mr. Ewing brought against you, when you pro- posed to send some of the preachers to England : " This proposal appeared to me little better than a " convenient way of sending them to starve, ot at' " least to struggle against the greatest hardships at a " distance from their friends, who might have been '* more clamorous, had they witnessed what they " had endured." Here was I in Quebec, liable to, B be A' A'- ■ 4i.4- m rmi'Tm^umm mm n XVlll NARRATITE OF* MR. R£II). be seized as a vagabond^ witliout friend or ac({u:iiii' tancc^ and still two hundred and fifty miles from the placeof mydestinationj with the slender provision of thirty pounds. I did not then know, though I have dearly experienced the truth of Mr. Ewing's accusation aga st you : " that it was an avowed " part of your pian, to bear the Preacher's ex pence* " to the place he w^as destined to go, and when he " arrived there, though he might not know one in- '' dividual, nor have a single letter of recommenda- '' tion, be was to be left to Providence ; that is, he '' was to expect no more support from the friends " who had turned him adrift." The truth of this charge has been fully exempli6ed in your usage of mc, who have been left to struggle with the most grievous difficulties, unprotected and alone. Per- haps you might not consider this treatment as just or honourable, far less becoming the spirit of Christianity, were you to reflect for a moment, and to place yourself in ray situation, and rae in yours, would you then feel reason to be grateful for my treating you as you have treated rae ? .,, . , Towards the end of October I reached Glengary, and here I had no introduction ; but recollecting the name of the person who had written the letter which you had published, I called upon him. My reception was not very agreeable ; he asked me, with evident signs of regret and perturbation, how the Society could have paid so much attention to his letter, as to send out a Preacher. This remark made me recur to his letter, on reading which atten- tively. l4ARttAtIVE OF MR. REID. XiX tivc.ly, I am forced to admit, that he mii^ht very well wonder that a Society^ assumin|^ to itself functions so important* should have paid the smallest attention to a production so utterly con- tempt ibie. 'J'his letter not only appeared to be an enthusiastic effusion, dictated by vanity and pre- lum ption^ but was filled with false statements, which might as easily have been detected in Scotland as in Canada It invites twelve Ministers, and an equal number of Catechists, to come out ; that the reformation they would produce would hardly be surpassed by that of Luther, Calvin, or Knox; that the population of the country increases so rapidly, that an hundred are born for every one that dies. I could not for a moment suppose, that this letter, which, from one end to the other, is a tissue of absur- dities, could have induced you to send me out : I there- fore inquired, whether or not other persons had also written to the Society, but I could discover none. I was now struck with astonishment; to give credit to a letter of this sort, and from it to send me into a foreign land, was to expose me to ruin with your eyes open. Even if the letter had not carried within itself its own condemnation, as it came from an in- dividual, something more was necessary, before any Preacher ought to have been sent out. Yet, this was all the ground upon which you proceeded to dispatch me to Canada, and upon this farrago lof falsehood and nonsense, was the following resolution adopted by you and your colleagues : " It is with '' great pleasure we now state, that a Gaelic Preacher, " Mr. James Reid, is earnest! v desirous of goin^ " out 1 I %x NARKATIVE OF M». REID. " out to hk cotintrjmen in Canada, and it is intend '* cdto send him by the first opportunity, which '\% "expected to occur about the end of this month. Vr We hope, that much advsmtage will arise from '^ his being amon^ the Highlanders in that country, ^' of whom there arc many thousandH who can only " speak their mother tongue. Their situation re- " specting religion is represented as truly deplorable, " and we have had many urgent applications to send '' over to their help. Like all the other brethren " who have gone out from the churches, Mr, Reid " has prosecuted a eourse of studies for the cultiva- ^"^ tion of hisgifti^, and the acquirement oftheori- " ginal languages of the Old and New Testament. " He has also been a considerable time engaged in '' preaching in the Highlands, and has had different " invitations tothateountry to undertake the pastoral "office, which he declined, hi ocder that he might " go to his destitute countrymen and others abroad/'. On this resolution, you must allow me to make one or two remarks : it says, " that there are many thou- " sands who can only speak their mother tongue." This is a misrepresentation r there are not twenty persons, and these very old, who do not speak and understand the English language. It fartbcr says, *' their situation with respect to religion is truly de- " plorable." As this representation came only from one person, whose letters were filled with such ab- surdities and falsehoods as deprived them of all credit, it ought not to have been so easily adopted l>y a grave Society — and the truth is just tlie re- t , , verse. i!jt. .- ^. im-^ VAKKATITE OF MR. IUCI0. XXI ,♦•:■ verse. The Hi^hlaiMlei's in die County of Glen- ^ar}', in Upper Canada, occupy a space not so large KH 8omc lihglilaiid Parisiies, and are supplied witli two clergymen of the most res pociable character!; one -a Catholic and the other a Presbyterian. The inha})itnnt8 are nearly equally divided, one Imlf Ca- tholic, tl»c other Prcsbyierian. With the Coit^lic part, it is evident, I couM have no influence; and iiif, Hcv. Gentloman who directed the spirFtual con- cerns of the PresUyfcrians, attends to his d^ity witli >i<)€h rt'uil knowledge and christian charity, tluit I was forced to c-oiifess that, in point of religious in- structioQ and example, very few had se goodopp«r« tfinities as the persons whom I had come «iit to ti^ach. Thereso'lution proceeds to say, '^tAiatfnany " urgent app]>ications bad been made to send over " to their help." As I know ocily one person wbo ap^flied, tbe word nuuiy must mean repeated appilioii- tions from him ; but inthat case, it is not very^ex^licit, «inoe it misleads the pu4»lic Mto the (supposition, tlMt many apf lications from different persons bad been made, which certainly was not (lie case. . . ;^ ...... , . ....,.,... • ~ ■•' ....... J I now found myself in tfie most 4isagreeable^ua- tion possible to be conceived ; I had no opport-Mfiity of teaching religion to people who were ignorant -of it-*— I could not begin my mission, without making a division in a congregation thiit lived in peace and harmony with each other, and who all loved their worthy Minister as their father and friend. Shall I endeavour, said I, to destroy this beautiful scene, B :i this •■A M i f i \ L.j / \ y ■■;■ u -5^ ZXll NARRATIVE OF MR. REID. I a ibis christian famiivf* In point ofprcuniary niadcrn also, J WM not at case— in^ thirt)' pounds had been considerably exhausted in cominp; from ^lebec, tiie cold vveaJier was coming on, and I had hardly enough to purcbasc cloathing to guard against it. In this dilemma, I was at a loss what to do, and wished myself at home a thousand times : I was look- ed upon, not aH a Preacher of the Gospel, but a lower of division, a promoterof schism— the respec- table part of society refused my acquaintance—- the nan who had invited me out by his letters to the So- ciety was found to be a perston of no influence ; on the contrary, rather mean and contemptible— I had no person to look up to, and no one to consult. While in this situation, and very uneasy in mind, I received an invitation from a few families, who had left Scotland very lately, to preach for them. As they lived at some distance from the clergyman of the place> and were more attached to our modes than his, I thought myself justified in going to them, and with them I have continued till very lately, preaching the Gospel. I had determined never to speak unfavourably of the opinions of others, and neither directly nor indirectly to diminish the good which the worthy clergyman was doing. I did not place myself in array against him, for I never can suppose, that we promote Christianity by raising the malignant passions. | , !• A short acquaintance with your correspondent did not raise his character in mv estimation, I found .* i him ---■■' ^ ,'- ■'. ♦ • , •■ fV. u.?i'.»r,;i; .■> » : .{l^: '!->,r •:/.(, . ■' < i ■.;>?■ :« '.'] J!. ■ ' •: . 1 , I'.if. . .X^JK'.: ')^'i: <• NAilRITIVF. OF MR. KF.ID. XXllI bim a paltry fellow, alwayfi iiiferfering with other people's aD'airs : he was vain of bcin^ a correspon- ilent of (he Society, though ashamed at their lending; out a Preacher, and did not hesitate to put the grossest falsehoods in his letter;, one I shall notice: he never went a foot for the religious tracts which he says refr'islied him so much, but, being in Mon- treal on business, he borrowed them. Instead of being infliienrcd by religious motives, he seems to have no other principle but gross vanity, which he Mill gratify even at the expence of his morals. While he was applying to the Society for Preachers and Cateehists, he was also writing to Mr. M'Diar- mid, a Minister in the Relief Church, for as many from their Synod, and for no fewer than one hundred f^chooolinasters. 4a In consequence of this, Mr. M'Diarmid sent out his own brother, a decent virtuous young man, as a Schoolmaster, who has been grievously disappoint- ed, and exposed to the most bitter difficulties, as well as myself. It would be easy for me to men- tion many facts against the character of your corres- pondent, by whose letters I was brought out ; but these letters are a sufficient testimony against him, and I fear against you, who could not but perceive, that he was unworthy of notice. But, perhaps, a portion of that vanity for which he is distinguished, entered your eyes from his letters, and suggested that it would appear great for the Society to have to announce^ that they had dispatched a Preacher \ ~'-m V ■•4,-^T.- XXIV NAARATIVfi OF iMR. RSID. ;i u to Upper Canada io enlighten the miserable High- landers— -as to ^h«^t became of the Preacher, that, as Mr. Ewing observed, was no concern of jour^^^^, >{|^ ti; Less dian hsdf a jrear finished the last farthing of my money, though I lived as carefully and narrowly as possible, and indeed meanly. Knowing that 1 must soon be in want, I wrote you, in January 1807, requesting a supply; but you had already taken care to anticipate a deniand of this kind, by writ*- ing Mr. Dick in Quebec, that it was a preacher's duty to remove to another place, if he meet with no support from the people among whom he laboi s. 7Jut would it not have been prcner fo have accom- panied tiiis advice with the means of removal— -and was it agreeable to the general engagement when I left Scotland, that my wants should be supplied, or even with the following extract of a letter, which ivas written in March 1807, from one of the breth- ren who was not perhaps fully acquainted withyouf intentions^ *' I trusted," says (he writer, '' that yo« would have applied to Mr. Dick when you was in want of more money, though it is to be expecl- " ed, that those anoong wliora you labour will not " be unmindful of your wants. The bretjiren " have every confidence in you, deat brother, ainl *' will always be glad to assist you. You can, thcre- " fore, inform Mr. Dick what at any time you may *' have occasion for, and we will most cheerfully " supply your wants." I did apply to Mr. Dick when I was in want of mere rioncv, and he fee- , . nucntlv tt t( vt ^mt NARRATIVE OF MR. REID. XX? /«^ quenily wrote to ibe biretliren on the subject^ but nothing came. Your determination not to assist Preacbers, but to leave them to Providence^ after tbey reached the place of their destination^ had more weight tban the writer above quoted^ and I found myself totally abandoned to the mercy of strangers in a foreign land. After my first applica- tion for money failed^ I discontinued to write to the Society, except, I believe, two IctterSj in which I mentioned the ill usage which I had received ; I fonldnot think of continuing a correspondeooe witii persons who had forfeited my coniidence, and wiio had placed me in a situation which exposed in^ to the greatest haj-dships, without possessing the lueans of extricating myself; I found myfoif even in a worse situation, in exteiriof matters, than a banished maa. I was sent away wiih littkor no moot^y or necessaries, exposed to the insults of common seamen, without acer4:ificate lo tell who I Avas, without Any iiecom- mendation, placed among straitgers without friend oi^i4i€quai:rutance, and then forsaken by those who had s: ,ut tae out, as if I had been a vile miscreaot My preseitt hope, bowever, is, that my bardshipK wili not be aUogelher uselfs&*— from nay treatment other young maii may learn w bal they have to ex- pect, and be ilet^rred from trying the s&nie «xperi* ment, even iliou^ you. Sir, sliould exiiort tJieoi to it, and pi^iime faithfully to supply tiieir future wants. Wlien my money was spentj I wtis obliged *oru;iin i/« lU 'Ll.ls.i. When my circumstances were 'alinost desperate, I obtained a School, which, tiiough the wages were but small, greatly contributed to my relief; and by taking a few scholars to board, I was enabled* in the space of two years, to discharge the greater part of my debts. During all this time I was assiduous in preaching: I was going on in this way, living very homely but with comfort, and gradually obtaining the respect of those who did no* approve of my reli- gious pursuits, and who had always considered me an intruder ; and I had even forgotten, in a great measure, the unmerited treatment which I had re- ceived at yours and the brethren's hands, when your conduct, and that of your brother, again blasted my affairs. This was owing to your change of opinions. At first, the reports concerning these charges were viewed as calumnies. It could not be | supposed, that men who had so long distinguished themselves by finding fault with the religious opi- nions of others, had not yet fixed their own — that they had been all this timeHdisseminating error, bringing young men forward to support it, exciting divisions among christians, and drawing them from the truthj to support what they now declared them- . - sfelves '•m^^mmni. MARRATIVE OP MR. RKID, XXVIl I, ■li- selves to be pernicious errors. There was something 80 immorcl in all thi», so utterly destitute of all correct principle^ that it could not be believed, and I did not hesitate to call the reports the grossest falsehoods. To teach errors voluntarilj is the worst of vice — to pretend to teach before we have learned, is the most wicked sort of pride ; but I was soon re- duced to silence, the changes were avowed in your own publications. The people finding me connect- ed with a denomination so unfixed in their principles, and so little to be admired in their practice, with- drew their children : my hearers decreased, andthe few that remained were discontented and trouble- some, lest I should imitate you in plunging them into the river, I continued another year struggling with these difficulties, teaching a few children, and preaching as before, but with no success, and I found myself obliged from absolute necessity to re- tire. But where to go, and what to do with the Church which I had built, and to which the Society had reluctantly given some assistance, were ques- tions which I could not answer. At length I ob- tained a small School in Cornwall, the ccuntv lown, and sold the Church, much below its value, to the Presbyterian Congregation. Here I am teaching a small School, without the means of returning home, still surrounded with difficulties, and after passing five years of the greatest misery that can befal a man who is conscious of no crime — ^^and all Ibis misery I have suffered from mv connexion with vou and jour Society. I do not write you in this public manner 'V. )• V Iv t '' ■'i- XZflll MARRATIVC t)F MR. REID. manner in expectation of any redress^ but to pre* vent other young men from being deluded as I have been. •'•.r*ih#'V'l r*'»rj ffjt/O'^ t^ in:M ; 1 ain, biR, >, , , , r>u.,i)"- '>i.'.'iT!'f <:.*--*•• ^'j' ,' 'ii - > ;!7fr> Your most obedient humbler servant, ;j|^; ^)l.'l'ffr J' (•,..> M*)i' .-r-VtiV^i "^li JAMES REID. ? ., . - ,.....^,,.. • ■./- ijji .7, r*;i' ■" .;■ :»n< ■ >? -^ -i't- ••»vf''» 'I. '.■'i';:/.!^^'r; ■.1 •>fB-. ;/*-.. iJ -vf ': f IV ;/-'j;s «' (i ,'^^■! ^i:"'. .i'.u ya"/'- -'hi :i!ji8 ■It ' >j:','i(U'. ,i--/i: ■ifi;:1 > ^!H ■i-i \, FREFACB 1*'' a"1 . ■ ^ « •ifi.a '■*fi##ir'''jit ,-r! ?<.':trJl- t!i. ■/ * it* J ♦''s'* '• ' i u, v -X4:^ ;Ji ' n:^Ai( Ui ::*-! f^^ . v*l:>'Ii^k.i£^f. &5^ ■'*» PRE1'AC£. JCXIX have < ! Hi • i EID. f lEFACB * SUCH is the story of Mr. Rcid, and his miserable situa- tion at present. After I had perused iti I was induced to inquire what the Society had been doing since I had the honour of heating Rate belch forth his blasphenueS) and Rowland Hill his conceits, in 1799; and this inquiry pro- duced the Poetical Letter to the late Firm of Messrs. Haldane, £wing» & Co« I wrote in verse that I might, as was said of A late celebrated Satyrist, have pegs on which to hang my notes } bot}i, however* contain matter which ought to be more generally known, to serve as an antidote against hy- pocritical attempts in future. Had these itinerants gone round in a peaceable manner, and never preached against regular order and subordination, they might have done some good and little harm } but in that case, very few would have attended their harangues. It was their declamations against the establislied clergy, whom they branded as lukewarm, preaching nothing but old morals, neglecting the poor, &c. that give a lest to their sermons. The common people were delighted to hear these false and slanderous allegations, and they were puffed up with spiritual pride, to see all the members of a fellowship-meeting gaping attentively to their explanations of difficult passages of Scripture. When these fanatics not only spread dissension through the land, but begin also to be defended in periodical publications, if not with much ability^ yet with sufficient aeal and acrimony, it becomes men of liberal minds to step forward, and over- whelm them with tl^ force of truth. It has occurted to me, that some of the expedients, which they use eo disseminate their pernicious principles, might be very prcperly turned against them. If the Teachers of Sunday Schools, for ex- ample, instead of ignorant enthusiasts, were men of sound religious principles, who had received a good education, and were capable of giving a rational account of the questions and the tekts on which they rest, and to lead the pupils more to practical godliness than to mystical opinions, the greatest J,, ' good XIlX PREFACE. f'» Li ll. s if ^dod might be anticipated. Such men would keep theif pupils always in mind that they were accountable beings, that there was something for them lO do : and there is every reason to think, that the scholars thus instructed would be easily on their guard against the ravings of the tub. It has been remarked, that sectaries had little or no influence in Scotland till within these few years. Before the Erskinet broke off ftom the church in 1734, there were none : and at the time that this Society commenced, their numbers were insignifieant compared to the whole body of the peo- ple, not surely equal to the increased population. Even the Methodists, whose arts are astonishing, have made very little progress. The reason appears to be, that so long as the parish schools were an object, the people were too well edu- cated to endure the miserable cant of the sects, which have increased as these parochial seminaties have declined. In order to stop their farther progress, and to clip their wings, the Schools ought to be put on a more respectable footing than ever ; and the clergy ought to make this a main point in alt their deliberations. It is however notorious, that the Gene- ral Assembly, amidst all their plans for bettering the situa* tion of their owti stipends) have never done any thing for the Schoolmasters : a circumstance the more extraotdinary, as all of them are under the greatest obligations to that most deserving class of men, and many of them were themselves Schoolmasters, before they had churches. Were the re- gular clergy to take a pride in having excellent Parochial Schools, and instead of shewing their miserable' elf llcjll dignity, by keeping the Teacher at what they call a respect- able distance, to encourage him and promote his usefulness, they would not have the mortification of finding Sectaries in their Parishes. In Scotland, except in the large towns, the Parochial Schools are much better than the Lancastrian scheme, which, with all its advantages, is neither so liberal nor extensive in its operations. That this scheme is m\ PREFACE. XXXJ the is deserving of the highest praise, and may be made exceed- ingly useful in England, is manifest from experience i but the confining the people to reading as Dr. Bell does, is a mockery to the poor, and bears a strong affinity to the miser- able Casts of the East, from which its author may have taken the hint. Education ought certainly to have no other limits than what necessity imposes. It does not appear to me, however, that this method of teaching will be found to be of much use beyond the mere elements ; when the judg- ment ripens and requires food, a teacher becomes necessary to direct its efforts. Among the laborious articles of a famous Literary Journal, I have often wondered, that the writers never thought of passii g an eulogium on our Paro- chial Schools, where so many men of eminence have laid the foundation of a liberal education. Surely in praising the system of Bell and Lancaster, they might have found room for doing justice to the Parish Seminaries of Scotland, and for pointing out, in some respects, her great superiority. Nor ought they to have forgotten that, even in the article of economy, these Schools have long been and still are not inferior to those of Mr. Lancaster's. I have seen scholars taught a whole year for four shillings ) and have full recol- lection, that one shilling for reading per quarter, i s. 6d. for reading and writing, and as. for reading, writing, and arith- metic, or Latin, were the usual fees : a school of 80 or 100 scholars, salary and all, not amounting to more than L.50 per annum. If it be true that some of these Journalists, who really at times give us splendid articles, have derived the fi'St dements of their own knowledge from our Parochial Schools, they are not very grateful in not calling the atten- tion of the public to their more liberal support. As I have falleo upon JournaUsts, I cannot help reverting to another Journal, which has been humbly suggested by our Edinburgh one, and, without equal ability^ has copied its defects ; both Journals introduce at times articles of extraordinary imheci- •^f '• lity, u XXXlt PREFACE. I I': H ^ Yityt but our Scotch Critics have commonly a set off in the same number, a mode of retribution seldom adopted by our London quarterly>men. The article to which I allude is the 1 3th of No. VIII» in i/rhich we have a laboured defence of the Methodists, drawn up in a very singular manner. I had indeed seen some strange assertions of theirs in the article on Missions, recommending the Baptist Mission to the protection of the English Church, as if these men did not hate all kinds of establishments, more strongly than they hate idolatry : yet there was so much good sense in that article, that I was not prepared for their strange defence of Methodists and Evangelists. This aiticle, which appears to be laboriously drawn up, censures, with much acrimony, the hints of the Barrister, who, in bis desultory attacks, has given great offence to all the sectaries. The Journalist stoutly denies, that the doctrines of the Methodists and Evangelists tend to demoralize the people ; but here the Banister is too strong, the specimens which he draws from the writings of Hawker, Hill, and Toplady, 5cc. cannot be refuted by ten thousand empty assertions, and therefore the Journalist, after some vehement denial^ finding the warfare unequal, passes to a general defence of the Metho- dists and Evangelical Preachers. I read the article over several times, before I could bring myself to determine whe- ther it was an ironical satire, or a serious defence } but when I came to the assertion, « It is not indeed possible, * *( for an unprejudiced or even an honest observer, to doubt *< that the Methodists produce great and certain good among " the lower classes," I found the Reviewer in sober earnest friendly to the sectaries, to the doctrines which they teach, and in general to their mode of teaching them. He tells as, that" they instruct the grossly ignorant in their duties, and « they frequently reclaim the idle, the profligate, the drun- «' ken, and even those whose habits of ferocious brutality «* seem to be inveterate, and would certainly be inveterate o PREFACE. xxxiii F in the by our Uude is fence of iner. I in the ission CO men did han they in that ience of " appears crimony, acks, has Journalist dists and here the 'aw8 from c. cannot therefore iding the \c Metho- tticle over nine whe- iencej but possible, ' ■, to doubt ood among ler earnest they teach, tie tells as, luties, and , the drun- 18 brutality : inveterate i« by '* by any other means." Again, <* go into the collieries, or " to the manufactories of Birmingham and Sheffield, and in- " quire what are the practical consequences of Methodism "wherever it has spread among the poor j industry and ♦* sobriety, quiet and orderly habits, and the comfort which " results from them will be found its fruits." Now, if we !>hould freely admit, with this conciliatory wtiter, who is unquestionably one of the Church Evangelical Preachers, that the Methodists do all the good which he asserts they do, still it may be reasonably asked, whether this good is not much more than counterbalanced by the evil. To prove that the evil wonderfully predominates, we need only ex- amine this article. Their confessions to one another docs infinitely more evil, in which they ask the most trying ques- tions, expose the most secret thoughts and temptations, make the young familiar with ideal crimes, accustom their imaginations to all sorts of impurity ■, and from hearing of the struggles and failings of others, they become much less disponed and less able to resist temptations. Here the mo- desty, the chastity of the soul is forever destroyed ; and as the writer justly remarks, this practice is more likely to make more street-walkers than their preaching can ever re- claim. Now, as all must attend bands or classes, the minds of all must be corrupted by this pernicious practice ; conse- quently, all share in the evil, and but few in the good. No person will say, that all who join the Methodists are re- claimed even from their exterior vices, for it is only exterior vices which call out their v/rath j but all confess, and this one practice evidently produces much more evil than all the good which they do. - But this is not all, the spirit of exclu- sion is terrible— had they the power, there is not the smallest room for doubting, that they would persecute in the most cruel manner, for already they hold all those not of their society with Turks, Jews, and Infidels, and in a state of damnation. Marriages without their pale are strictly C for. ■m XXXIV fUEFAtC. ^; t\\ f! N Ef' If'' fii forbidden— they even destroy the liarmony of domestic union by their absurd restrictions — the women shall dress as they direct, not to please their husbands — they are filled with bigotry, fanaticism, and uncharitableness — they cor- rupt religion with miraculous interpositions of Providence^ and believe in them more strictly than in Revelation itself — they cast lots on the most frivolous occasions, bring back faith in apparitions and witchcraft— they delight in consider- ing themselves a distinct people, and their looks, tones of voice, dress and manners, prove them to be so. They have no national feelings, no regard for the public welfare and prosperity of the nation; if they proceed prosperously, what is the rest of the world to them. In their private relations also, they loose all that sympathy and affection which bind society together j every thing centres in the Tabernacle, and in its good fortune only they rejoice : they have arrived at a stoical apathy by a very different principle from that of ZenOk If they lose a father, a wife, or a child, they are not satisfied with being patiently resigned, but they think it meritorious to prove that they do not feel. They are seen exulting, therefore, in calamities that press the feeling heart to the ground. The writer of this knew of a woman, belong- ing to the Methodists, whose husband was accidentally killed i but this heroine, although she h^d eight children, thanked the Lord for his mercies, and harangued the peo- ple at the grave. That tliey are desirous of overturning the establishment, and rejoice in the destruction of the play- houses, &c. I think of less consequence, because, though bad enough, these do not include corruption of heart ; but will the execrable conversions they make be an equivalent for their intolerance, for their miserable views of Christianity, for their seclusoin, for their night feasts and field meetings in America, for the poison which they dally disseminate in their periodical publications. I am certainly of opinion, that he who does not think that they do ten times more evU than f I PRF.FACE. me Stic 11 dress re filled licy cor- vidence^ itself — ing back :on3ider- tones of hey have [fare and sly, what relations lich bind ibernacle» e arrived m that of cy arc not \f think it ' are seen ling heart n, bclong- :cidentally : children, d the peo- urning the f the play- 86, though heart-, but , equivalent Ihristianlty, Id meetings seminate in of opinion, ;s more evil than 41 XXXV lli^ti they db good, is incapable of reasoninn;, and can tell the moment of his conversion ; indeed, they make more people insiinc than they make holy. Yet the Methodists^ taken all in all, are not so bad as the Haldanites, who give public accounts of their conversion in person, and tell the whole congregation a long story of former wickedness, com- punctions, struggles, convictions, and conversions, to their groat edification, all of which is false. Nor do the Metho- dists intrude themselves so much upon the public, or appear 80 inveterate in their demeanor towards the establishment. You never hear of a Methodist going to hear a respectable Clergyman, and haranguing the people at the Porch, tell- ing them that they have been hearing damnable doctrines. It is curious to reflect on the alacrity with which the good people of Scotland assent to the eternal damnation of all their ancestors; for if the new opinions which the Haldanites have broached are good, or those of Ewing and his brotlier con- gregationalists exclusively founded in Scripture, and present* as they say, the only saving system of faith, then are all our forefathers lost. This, indeed, is an inference which many of these deluded people do not wish to draw i buc were they to consider the matter rightly, they would per- ceive it to be borne fully out by their conduct. Not the in- trepidity of John Knox himself, his zeal, his fortitude, his sufferings for the faith, could save him, for he neither be- lieved as Haldane nor as Ewing believe. Wishart, that holy martyr, whose life resembled in every respect one of the Apostles, and who suffered the most excruciating torments at the stake, belonged to the Kirk of Scotland i professed and believed what she still professes and believes ; and con- sequently, in Ewing's opinion, was a Son of Babylon, and could not be saved. And are you ready to pass sentence of condemnation, by your conduct, ye people of Scotland ! oa the blessed Martyrs and eminent Reformers of the Church ? Are you ready to consign the famous m;utyTs Andrew Mill, ,....,.,,, Q2 . Cargill, 1 '% \ -Vs f- •:■ ■■■< - ■ ■ ■ ■ ..'fJ;-*...-. .; .^.'■■•T(' ■ '-•.;.//■<:.. ^ .^ ^. '';"'-i.*,'» »a-'*. IR F as ■ . ,'"..v-('sp.*, ifTcred iu [f you arc tur Parish you hear atturCf hU lorant and ,';> \ .,v. » "■' S-'.ff;, '■'»" I ' ' jfc » 1 1* ;!.. t ',a ■»,% J^ // YPOCRISY DETECTED. » 'I ' Oil! Brollifir llaldanc.l Satan's greatest dread, . Of temple brokers wisely decm'd the head; • • Let Mupe and Baring^ dable in the stocks, A richer miiie you find in training flocks. • j Oh great Apostle, of u faith unknown, , , Unsettling others yet iiufix'd your own, - ; , r , Who tried above Pope VVesIcy3 fur to soar, OrWhitefield* grave whom thousands still adore. 1 Mr. Robert Haldane was at the bcid of the Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home, iic is a Gentleman oif independent fortune, part of which he has expended in pro- niotiag oatensibly its designs ; with what motives and views wiil afterwards appear, from the statements of ^ Us quondam friends. The letter is addressed more particularly to Um as the Chief, but his brother, Mr. James Haldane, and Mri^ Ewing, receive a full share of the Author's attentions. .. ,,. 3 Hope and Baring, eminent Merchants and Money Len- ders in London, .m. A,.,.- ^/i .oii<^:ao'*^ •- 3 and * — It is well known, that Mr. Wesley, as well as Mr. Whitefield, were the absolute Sovereigns or Auto- crates of their sects. Nothing was done without their per- mission. Established Churches have regular canons and ordinances J consequentlyi those who join them liave aa "i t ' rk ^^jjwpwf*""""" 38 IIYPOCRISV DETLCTEl). I ^i Alas! like Phaeton "^ from this heig-ht you Icli, But yours like his the praise of daring; well; Le ' faithful Priests your wainiiij^ fame purloin. Or for a share their paltr^y titles join.' A very worm 6 takes up his candid pen, > To hand thy virijies down to future men ; To prove that ojice you boldly sat alone, IJ pun opportunity of previously ascertaining the terms, and may adopi or reject them at pleasure j but those who joined them- selves to the Founders of the Methodists were obliged to sacrifice their own reason and understanding, and blindly to follow the commands of a Despot. If this be religious freedom, it is of a new kind. A similar obedience was at- iempted to be established by Mr. Haldane, in his new sect. 5 Phaeton's story is beautifully related in Ovid. This Tash young man failed as much in guiding the Chariot of the Sun, as Mr. Robert Haldane in becoming the leader of his xect. Fhseton thought that he could perform the duties ot his father's office as well as his father Phoebus himself, whose jremons^rance and affectionate advice he despised. Guided by his own heedlessness, he set fire to th, .,..', 't^-m-'.i. HVPOrniSY DETECTED 30 in IJ poll md nay d them- bliged to d blindly reHgious ; was at- cw sect. [d. This riot of the der of his duties ot elf, whose Guided , and was Mr. Hal- eld, pa»ti- alas ! oue soon, and iself, V ith lis sect — a. heart. It ttial oti the entary viU Upon tlu^ Scottish propag^ating throne ; V By brother James^ upheld, who works unseen. An " Mr. Robert Haldanc commonly settled with the Prea- cliers on their return from their itinerani excursions, and was very keen in his reckonings. They were paid at the rate of L.24 per annum, carefully deducting a proportion of this, when they were entertained in the houses of their hearers. As some of these Gentlemen, who came down from Eng- land, went through the country, in a much more expensive manner tliun this small pittance would allow, I ?3ked one of the Students how this might bf accounted for. Ah ! says he, these people are treated very difF:rently from us; on our return we may get five pounds when they receive fifty or sixty. — They make a good job of itinerating. 8 Mr. Robert Haldane never preaches himself, but the Commentator had once the curiosity to go to hear his bro« ther, Mr. James Haldanc. I'he sermon was just what a rational person might anticipate, a most incoherent rhapsody, with at any particular reference to the icx^. A Httk sense would indeed escape the Preacher at times, but he delighted in darkr ss and obscurity. It fs astonishing, that this man should pretend to have any share in Christianity, who did not hesitate to go round the country preaching, before he had settled his own opinions. He and his brother were not content with sev arr ting themselves from the Kirk of Scot- lan(^, but they mu«t form a party — they must take advan- tage of the weak and ignorant, to fill them with doubt and hesitation. None of the sfts already established pleased tht.^ — they must form a new one : this they did in Mie most deceitful hypocritical manner. They pretended that the So- ciety, which they had promoted for propagating the Gospel it Home, entertained no design of forming a new sect, but wished Christians of all denominations to unite in stirring up pure and undcfiled religion. Now, that lliis is a lie^ ^ ^i*>ffe-i 40 HYPOCRISY DETECIT.O. :» \^( 4^' a;*-- \m I-; 1. ^f .% I ■ ^ . '■*; i An Aaron ^ he, a MoseslO jou have boon. How chang'd alas ! by fortune trampled low., Tiiat may be proved from a thousand facts. They have formed a new sect, nay two or three sects, although they have fail- ed to gratify tlieir own ambition ; and instead of peace, they have br ught a sword. After filling the country with Churches, and placing in them ignorant fanatics or design- ing men as Preachers, and Officc-hearers, (as they call them) the Messrs. Haldanes turn Anabaptists. We may safely infer from their past conduct, that their motives for this change were as corrupt as those which induced them to aspire to the direction of the Independents. In both cas-s, the greatest evil was don? as far as they were capable • ." doing evil, to the true religion, by filling the christian world "with division, and by raising among their own deluded fol- lowers and former associates, the most rancorous enmity. But what do these Saints (a^ they call themselves) care for the quarrels which they breed } When were they found to exercise forbearance and brotherly love ? They now declare against all regular Ministry, and change their assem- blies into brawls. Every man exhorts, preaches, and prays as he is moved — all decency, regularity, and order, are banished — gentleness, charity, and honectty, ceem to have fled along with those exterior rules of propriety, which have been observed by Christians in all ages. v^-* • 9 Mr. James Haldane is reckoned a great orator by his party, and most wonderfully gified. He declaims against all establishments and all denominations. He walks not in fellowship with any that differ from him, even in tlie smallest matters ; for he reckons small and great equal. He pays the same respect to anise and cummin, that he does 10 the weightier matters of the law. The mob attend to these declamations with pleasure, they love to hear their superiors slandered. To calumniate the Reformers, to v.KJi ^F mm HYPOCRISY DETECTED. 41 to That Jadell who realms and sects can oyerthrow; The snuffy coblcrl2 now you mildly kiss. And Cowgate damsels chuckle at the bliss. ......... , .. ...n,s-. . • .- By accuse them of errorSf and to declare by word and deed, that no church but that over which he presides^ possesses the truths necessary to salvation, is exceedingly grateful to the chosen few. Yet the passive observer might still doubt, whether Mr. James Haldan?, if as eloquent, be wiser than Aaron ; he has changed so often, that it would not be surprising to hear him declaiming on the excellence pf Paine's Age of Reason, and worshipping the golden calf ; and I make no doubt, but that his ingenuity would discover reasons for the change to edify the people. ^0 Moses. — Mr. F ' ert Haldane possesses all the tem- poral influence — he lends money, settles with the Preachers, &c. Mr. James is satisfied with his spiritual dominion : he suggests new opinions — reprobates old ones. Some of the people get tired and break ofFj but honest Robert swears as he swears — rejects what he rejects— and believes what he believes. They have both the wonderful gift of bclievinfi whatever ihey wish to be true. V 11 Jade. — Fortune (or rather bad management) used the T others very ill, after all the pains they had taken to establisii .?.f authority over the various Churches which had been ■Ah ;ted through their influence ; she had the audacity to sii nn rivals against them, to raise up a spirit of Indepen- dence. Their influence was resisted. , The dcmr lucy which they had cherished, recoikd upon themselves- cHcy were unable to manage it, for the Preachers feeling their precarious situation, rebelled aji-ainst their Masters. 12 CoBLER.^ — After the Holy Brothers despaired ofshin- ing on thrones like the Wesleys, they turned Anabaptists j hut .'.lot satijtied with this, they discover thut anticnt Chris- . ^l,J l^|[^ ^ | | | | l Hll^l^ l ■i I I » ii |i || | l ( i «*' i mlf: ■ tmm* mm 42 r * k... J HYPOCRISY DETECTED. By frequent salivations render'd fair. They press your knees that envied bliss to share; ' Andjiquortsh flsh, wives piously begin To think it sweeter than their morning gin. ,?• In niuciy-eight, while pond'ring in your breast. The dreadful gloom (hat circuniserib'dthe East, ,, A vision bade you drive it from the land. But dreams and visions Merchants vile withstand. >' If v.Talfh, these worldlings cry, you have to spare, jLet / -thome derive some little share ; In Brii, :i thousands you may quickly find. To all the comforts of the Gospel blind. A spark will issue from a frigid stone, Andsav'ry fatness from a dunghill bone ; '■•'t, ;,r So tians frequently saluted one another with a holy kiss, and they fall to kissing j for according to their acute way of inter- preting, which is to take the words according to their single literal interpretation, not to understand them by sentences, nor with a reference to the context, they think, that the same form of salutation is a Christian duty not to be neglected. Every person who is acquainted with the diseases, &c. com- mon to such a large town, must acknowledge the boldness of this change ; but if the Saints are infected by this carnal communication, they have the satisfaction to say, that it is in the way of their duty. It may appear ridicuk)us to the world, and even indecent, if practised in public, but what care they for public decency. We may expect to see these eminent Reformers discarding Marriages; for St. Paul very clearly prefers a single life, a suIHcient warrant for those who take every expression in its literal insulated meaning. Why should the people of God be bound to one husband or to one wife ? Above all, if it happ*n that one is an unbe- liever, that is, goes to the Kirk, or, in the cant of the Ta« m Mm n HVPOCRISY DETECTED. 43 c; ^■tK So kiss, and of inter- leir single entenccs, the same leglccted. &c. com- : boldness this carnal that it is ous to the but what ) see these Paul very for those meaning, lusband or an unbc- of the Ta- I jast. t St, .. >. M 1 and. ' spare, ','"'1. !^j7y H '■ ' '3 So light from cold Dircctorsl3 hereappear'd, f ;: You saw its beams although they only sneer'd, ' •> To Eden's Halls you liasten back with speed. And bcrnacle, to Babylon, and the other attends the Baptists, why should the believer be troubled with an unbelieving husband or wife ? It is, however, to be hoped, that all friends to purity of manners will keep their wives and daughters- at a respectable distance from this kissing as> scmbly ; and remembering the serious evils arising from the Jove feasts of the Methodists, consider every ceremony which immediately leads to evil as not from God. That the first converts, from the peculiar nature of their situations, surrounded by danger, and frequently few in number, might occasionally, when they met, adopt the mode of salutation common in their respective countries, is very probable j but that this same mode should be promiscuously adhered to, not occasionally, but every time the Church convened, is never to be credited, except by those who prefer licentious- ness to purity. It might be worth while to notice, how much oftcner the young and sprightly women will be salut- ed than the old and ugly, and to keep an exact register ; the result would best expose this absurdity. I need not tell the jealous to beware of this new institution, they will at once perceive its turpitude ; but may we not consider it impracticable ? Suppose Mr. James Haldane's congrega- tion to consist of five hundred persons, is the worthy pastor to slabber all those in turn, and they one another, several days would not sufHce for the salutation ; and then, what a con- junction of snuffy lips, snotty noses, foul breaths, ulcerous chops, &c. &c. : to confine the precept to kissing the next neighbour is ridiculous, it is general or nothing. 12 Directors. — Among christians there can be but one opinion respecting the conversion of Indians. Those who wish to stifle every attempt to remove the dreadful buperjti- :4 44 UyPOCRISV DETECTED. %^ And Riichiel* call, a man of Gospel sect]. To bid the Holy Brcth'ren, looking East, Attend their pious Champion's new request. The ':>; d ' f ; i ■ tion that darkens the minds of this unhappy people) cannot repeat with suicerity the Lord's Prayer } and if the intem- perate zeal of the persons who have undertaken to spread the Gospel in the East, should be attended with some dreadful catastrophe, the Directors will be chiefly to blame, since they have not empbyed men better qualified— > men who would have tempered their zeal with prudence and sympathy— who would have, on all occasions, used only the language of conciliation, and nnade purer moral princi- ples march before the light of the glorious dispensation which ihey revealed. It would have been an easy matter to have onlbted the present adventurers under any regular definite plan, and with proper direction and occasional checks, they might have been siigularly useful. They are to be re- spected for the generous sacrifices which they have made *, for their wonderful exertions in promoting the caase ii; ^?hich they are engaged. Their intentions are good, their principles not so free from error as might be wished, or with management they might have been rendered ; nor has their conduct always been unexceptionable, for they are not always guided by discretion : but no one can justly des- pise what they have dene till he has done more. That the Directors are not well qualified to decide, where religion and education are concerned, must appear evident, from their haste to destroy the noblest monument of Lord Wellesley's glorious administration. The College at Calcutta was high- ly beneficial in disseminating light and knowledge, morals and religion, through India} but the Merchants in Leaden- hall Street look at the ezpence, not at the advantages. What do they care for India except as a source of wealth? To make chtistians of them yields no profit, why then 'J ,^'ib:. ■^ fr*i»- ^i tf« ff «^ ■ * ■■ ■ rlJi inPOCKISV DETLCTKD. 45 ^^^ The Saints convene, and tVom jour Popeshii) liear, That nigher home their souls may harvest cheer ; 41a8 ! my friends, hehold the present race. They nothing know like us of special grace ; Why should we then in Coromaiidcl roam. Since Infidels and Heathens grow at home. The Savage wild who worships stocks and stonei;, Than native Heathens less deserve our groans; To rescue men befits our zealous toil. Who cherifiU darkness in a Gospel soil. Of liberal souls nosep'ratcA5 Sect we raise. To should thcj patronize it? Often hath the Kirk repented, that she had not used her influence to get Messrs. Haldanes and their friends shipped off to Coromandel ; in that event, much evil nuist have been prevented, and many a pang to herself. 1* Ritchie.— There is always something to attach par- ticular tradesmen to new schemes. Mr. Ritchie is Secre- tary and Printer. The numerous tracts printed for the So- ciety, their proceedings, the controversial pieces for de- fence and attack, and now the Scripture Magazine, con- vince this Saint that, in joining the Haldanites, he has not done amiss in the way of trade. ' v '^ It might be doubted, by many well-meaning persons, whether the Society ever aflirmed, that they had no inten- tion of forming a separate sect, as they appear to busy them- selves about nothing else— are collecting followers in every city, building churches, placing teachers over them, re- fusing the right hand of feUowship to those with whom they formerly associated, and shutting their pulpits against all those sects who were In the habit of opening theirs freely to them. Such a barefaced change, from public professions voluntaiily made, has eeldom "been exhibited; and their -*p#-t 6kM ir> JiVPOCRrSY DETKCTED. To all, if sound, wo give; our meed of praise ; And if sweet bowel sermons can persuade^ From .1 impudence is only equalled by their hypocrisy. *' The So- ciety for Propagating the Gospel at Home was instituted from a conviction in the minds of the members, that sufl'i* cient means of religious instruction were not enjoyed in many parts of the country." From this extract from their proceedings in ijgg, soon after they begun their operations, the candid reader would suppose, that the first object of the association would be, to supply the means of religious in- struction to those parts of the cou^try where they were deficient. He would look for the establishment of Schools and Chapels in districts ♦"ar removed from Parish Churches ; and« understanding the matter in this way, he would be ready to patronize an undertaking so useful. But what would the same person say, when he afterwards discovered, that instead of building Churches and establishing Schools in the unfrequented Districts of the Highlands, they were established in the most populous situations. That among all the Churches erected through the influence of this Society, there is not one built according to their professed design, nor one where it was necessary. After knowing this, would he hesitate to name such a Society hypocritical, who behave like the waterman in a boat, rowed one way and looked the other ? The same report farther states, that " they regrett- ed also, that the extent of the Parishes in general, particu* larly in the Highlands, renders it hardly possible for a Mini- ster, however faithful and laborious, to instruct his people in the manner he would wish." Now, what shall we say to the framers of this report, who have not built a single Church in those destitute places, and who proceed to blame the re- gular Clergy for neglect of duty and erroneous doctrine, be- cause they do not believe their crude fanatical reveries. The report also remarks, that « they had no plan of forming a .',V ^i^«*at_»V,-r* JIVI'OCRISr DETECTED. At V'tom ill I wc boldly hope some ghostly aid. liCt hearty prayers and praises therefore rise, ;., To rear and perfect this sublime emprise, * . To send us Funds and Holy Gospel views. And eager Saints to spread thejoyful news. In these sage thoughts the canting tribes agree, The' some reserves 16 were made for James and thee : , . And new sect, but wished that Christians of all denominations should join in seeking to promote pure and undeHled reli- gion." They have observed this promise as they have donr the rest. They have built Indopendent or Baptist Chapels in almost every town — they have betrayed the sects who were the most friendly towards them — and they have ac- quired numbers by their hypocritical deportment and affected zeal. There are examples of Congregations, among the Sectaries, which have been entirely ruined and scattered since they commenced their operations, altogetK*" by their management. It Is well known, that the Independents never found any encouragement in Scotland, before Mr. Haldane and his friends began their career ; and so wedded were the Scotch to Presbytery, that no sect attached to a different form of Church Government had any chance of success. For this reason the Burghers, Anteburghers, and Relief, adopted the same polity with the Kirk, and differ more in name, and perhaps exterior deportment and empty pretensions to piety, than In doctrine. 16 It is notorious, that the two Brothers had the general direction of the Society ; every thing proceeded according to their wishes. Even, after Churches were built and regular Congregations were formed, they still (particularly Robert) possessed a secret influence, either by means of money or his power over the Preacher, by which all things were go- verned : alluding to this species of power, Mr. Ewing, in 48 HYPOCRISY DETECTED. ^1 P'V. I ■ ' [m! l< i And now the mighty plan hegins to bhizt*. And through the nation darts its »corching raytt ; Th»- darkness dissipates, aad brings the day To many a filthy, rotten piece of clay. First Brother Anderson n the work began, *" ' A zealot of the Anteburghcr clan ; • ,. i".. .■.•;...'...• But his " Attempt," page 1 16, observes — " The hostility of *< some to the appointment of one Bishop in a Church, seems ** to be entirely directed against the Bishop's oflice. They « have no objection, on general principles, to the exercise *' of superior power by an individual in a church of Christ. ** A person without oflice may have an eflective though ** nameless influence, not only in one but in fifty churches ; " yet all is well." Before Mr. Ewing published this, know, gentle reader, that he had quarreHed with Mr. Hal .lane : contentions among the Saints bring Hypocrisy to lighc. We shall have occasion to notice the power of Pope Haldane again, and also Mr. Ewing and his book. 1*^ Magnus Anderson being recommended as a fit person to be employed, from the personal knowledge of some of the members, he was desired to come to Edinburgh for exa- mination. On his arrival, his attachment to the Ante- burgher Synod led himuto prefer a proposal made him by that body to labour as a Catechist, under their direction. (See Narrative of the proceedings of the Society for 1798.) The revival of religion at Kirkwall, by means of the Ante- burghers, is mentioned, and many praises are bestowed on the Minister of that persuasion, who had preached with so much success as to render an addition to his Meeting'Housc necessary, in order to accommodate his increased congrega- tion. This was in the beginning of their career — it was then deemed prudent to conciliate the diseenters^ and in this they were wonderfully successful. .^ ,; V| -- ,. • ,j.i^v/ mmm >ani;i<«i»w0(RISY DETECTnii. 49 >,<'.i stillty of ch, sccniR e. They e exercise of Christ. re though churches ; his, know, Hal-«ne : ghi. Wc e Haldane fit person of some of gh for exa- the Ante- ide him by r direction. for 1798.) ■ the Antc- )C8towed ou hed with so eting-Houst d congrega- eer— it was and in thi*^ in Hut Krskino's scccjhis lib'ral oITorts spurn, Andthrout'ninu; voii|;raiicc qiiitkoii his return. Next holiest Ross,l''< tlie tuiiJie ta serve uppeur*, A skilful Caierhist not voiin^ in year.s, , \\'ith laws orniaiiner.i ea^er to dispeii.sc, 1, Aud boldly careless where lie j;ives otience : liikeDonaiisiij.ld this man is kiu;;lit to hate The heedless erew notdeein'd in Holy State; , OlTaithful iVIiuisters appoiuteiljiKlgcZ-^O D If '3 Hugh Rosa, the Catechist, was sent to Dunkcld ; and aUhough he had the impudence to take possession of a Church in which the Parochial Clergyman occasionally ofFiciated, without deigning to ask his leave, the Society very readily excuse him, declaring, that he did it at the urgent request of the people, on account of the rain. They made a sort of apology to the Minister ; but their relation of the matter i$ calculated to place the people and their regular pastor in op- position, and to represent the latter as an enemy to the dis- semination of religious knowledge. This we ahall find to be the conduct of the Society uniformly, in respect to the Establishment. ^ 10 DoNATiSTs were a sect very simlLir in tlieir notions to the Ilaldanites, .wid their former associates, not so much on account of their dangerous and perniiioud principles, as their maintaining rhat their own community was the true, thf; pure and Holy Churcli, aiul avoiding all conmiunicaiion with other Churches, from an i'pprehetibion of contracting their impurity and corruption— this is the source of their shocking uncharitableness and presumption. 20 Judge. — The Jtiner:.nts were instructed, " not to shew a preference to any denomination of Clwiatians, either estab- lished or dissenting, but to exhort the people to attend wherever the Gospel is preached in purity." By rule third, 1 I V '■• ^ i§ ■ -f i .-•UM— 50 ll\l'orUISY DF/rElTEU. % * l"' ' t li' i Ifconver(«ina(lc, no (iospt^l uid to c;riulj^e. Oh! hiippy (lay. (hut pivc ^tciit MaUVmh'^I birtli, A happier ne'er embnic'd this rriiiiriil rartli; For zeal and tahMits in your comiiirl shonr. And truth remov'dthe veil that hid her throne. '■ ■''-■ Heliold " they are to endeavour to strengthen the hands of all faith- ful Ministers of Jesus Christ, of whatever denomination, and as far as they can, discourage all bitter party spirit^ wherever they discover it among Christians." These two directions virtually appointed these itinerants Judges of all the regular Clergy of Scotland, whether of the Establisli- ment or of the Secession ^ and in explaining them, the So- ciety advise the itinerants to hear such Ministers only as preach evangelical doctrine : and again they are told, " in the neighbourhood of many places, through which you • s, there may be Churches of some denomination wIk Gospel is preached. Endeavour to get accurate information as to this ; and press upon all to whom you have access, tne necessity of attending on Divine Ordinances."^ Here we have a regiment of privileged spies sent through the coun- try, who seldom find a single Clergyman doing his duty. Every place is cestitute, no Gospel, no light. Suppose a Clergyman, in the course of his Lectures, should be com- menting on the marriage feast of Cana of Galilee, whicli the Lord beautified with his presence, and taking occasion to state to his hearers the difTercnce between innocent iind criminal enjoyments — that the former were increased, and the latter only condemned by Christianity, which was far from discouraging social pleasures, one of the Judges, after hearing this, would have immediately issued forth and told the people, that they were hearing damnable doctrines — that the Minister was exhorting them to riotous living, to crimi- nal indulgences, Now, gentle reader, this supposition was actually realized : and Clergymen were branded for preaching u spi A foil ca! i . ; if^jf»-y •^w K'J!Lt.'J\.ii'Ji% IIU'OCIIISY DI.TECTKO. 51 ill faith- inatlon, f spirit,, icsc two es of all stablisli- the So- only as old, »'in you • s, ¥h< 'ormation :ccs8, tne Here we the coun- hia duty. Suppose a be com- ee, whicli g occasion tocent und :ased, and :h was far idges, after th and told rines — that ;, to crimi- osition was ir preaching n RlJ wliatp^Iadcmnniotioni fill tlio land, * '! As South and North )oii stretch your rutHcd imud; TiMi tliousandn quaff llio liviupj draup^ht of life, ' Whoso da}'8 had roll'd in darkness, vice, and shift?. The j)ratinp 'raih)r h'a\es the goose profane, 'I'o |)rea Abstruser doctrines from the vulgar hide. .',> . ft .;i .n,i..v , ,i.. ,->i 1)2 . ; I. A preach. ag.iin3t idleness, drunkenness— or, in fact, for preaching upon any other topics than Justification, Faith, Grace, the Corruption of the Will, the necessity of Redemption : they never nicntion the conditions of salv.uion, never put their followers in mlud, that without Holiness no man can see the Lord. . ; ! I '^i Haldane. — Well may the Poet break out in this sttij^n, if it were true, as the various Journals of the Itine- rants assert, that they were the happy instruments of first spreading the light of the Gospel tJirough the country. Alas ! unhappy Scotland ! Ignorant of the Christian Re- ligion for eighteen centuries, and at last enlightened by a • few sapient Preacliers who had devoted themselves a few months to prepare for this arduous undertaking, men who followed the plough, made shoes or ropeg, till ilald-ine '- called them to become fishers of men. /'/' «' A • J,- A ^ ^smnF m 52 HYPOCRISy DETECTED. 1 If V r. 1 km t 'H A preachiiig-jobbei' uo such prudence knows, ^ No qualms or doubts his crazy march oppose; With brother tradesmen budly all proclaim, , Their lony; possession of the holy idame. To preach inspir'd, the darkest texts unfold. And from them draw sweet evangelic gold ; ^^ ,; And surely truth must hang upon their voicc^ , Since thousands at each holy word rejoice; Deep groans, responding haibingers of good, ^ By Wesley nam'd conversions rarly brood. Now brothei: Ballantine,22 bright learning's foe, . ^ ,: ; .., .■ , The- -2 Ballantine. — This Gentleman appears to be one of the greatest pillars o^ this connexion, and a sturdy polcnic. He tells Mr. twing, in a printed Iciter, " As you have called on Churches to have Seminaries of Education foi the Ministry of the Goipel, I would entreat you, consider tuat there is no warrant for them in the word of God — that they are the invenfions of men, and destrv.ctive to Christi- anity. I would also beseech them to walk in the command- ments and ordinances of Christ for their edification, which if they do, they may rest assured, that ihey will of »hcm- selves discover, that S^-hools of Lfivinity are altogether foreign to the nature of Christ's kingdom." Again he says, *' I am fully persuaded, that not one Seminary of the kind has any scriptural authoiity for its basis : there is not, so f^r as I c' bears't the dismal bell, O teeming careless, deadly mouth of Hell. With zeal our Brother in the wx)rk proceeds. And daily proofs evince the spirit's deeds ; The rabble throw their moral burden down. And intimated, that there would be sermon to-mprrow, half past nine. Distributed a few pamphlets at the meeting- house door. The people and especially tlie cliildrcn, shy in taking them. Understood they had been forbidden to take them by their teacher, who is also assistant in the Kirk. Wednesday, April 25th, preached here (Inverury) in the morning, at half past nine, to about 50 people in the Methodist Chapel. The young seemed very particularly at- tentive. After Sermon related to them the nature and ends of the Society. No Sabbath School here. Held up to the serious now hearing, the deplorable and jlupid state of the people of this place. Charged them with culpable neglect. Exhorted them to awake from their slumbers, and make attempts to save the sinners around them by Schools and Prayer-meetings open to all. May the Iiord send his quick- ening grace to this dead spot." Ballantine's Journal, 1 798. 25 d sense of e, or heard ; teach for e Doctrines lI who had his a', once. And seek, 011 easier terms, a Heavenly Crown. O did 3011 hear, ihey cry, the Sermon, Sir, Among our neighbours what a mightj stir. This Angel Ballantine from scripture brags Tliat works are dead, cold morals filthy rags. 2G Sweet Brother Rate27 in women boasts of skill. The slanderers cry he has a carnal will ; With 26 Racs. — These Preachers never exhort the people to purify their hearts, and to give proofs of their faith by the excellence of their live; They never tell then», that the only noeasurc of faith is good works; on the contrary, morality is thrown on the back ground, it is degraded. *' Think not foolishly (says Burdcr in his Village Ser- mons) to mend yourselves and then come to him ; you will never be better till you do come." *' Come needy, come guilty, come loathsome and bare, " You can't come too filthy, come juit as yuu are." 27 Rate. — This Gentleman, from England, was request- ed to Itinerate in Fifeshirc : he tvas one 0: lOse who were well paid. The writer of this Commentary heard him, and was less pleased than with Mr. James Haldane : he learned for the first time, that there were degrees of nonsense. As to the number of hearers published in the Journals, the Reader will come nearer the truth to divide them by three or four. If the itinerant say he preached to 900 people, say 300 i if to 300, say loc ; even then the number will be ex- aggerated- Mr. Rate's exertions were chiefly successful among the women. At Aberdour, there was a woman who gave very pleasing evideilces of her being alTected with the word. At West Wemyss, he went and visited a woman distressed, and apparently much concerned untler ilse sense of her spiritual danger. Endeavoured to explain to her the 56 HYPOCRISY DETKCTED, i. ( > fcn '*','■ m J i f if I • i. '■ With ghostly consolations lie can quid The qualms of g;irKv, whose flesh is running riot. O Leven2S thy profanity excels. And from an Angel's mouth the curse impels ; IuCfail29 the Preacher works with mighty force. And Gospel. Called upon anotber woman in the last stage of a consumption, who wished much to see me ; she was de- plorably ignorant, and was angry with me for asking her, if she was an enemy to God : she replied, hate God ! no, I am sure I never hated him. I then asked her, if she had al- ways lored him with all her heart, and soul, and mind, and •trength ? She replied, she had j and that the thoughts of God were never a moment out of her mind. After saying a number of things to her, prayed and departed. Again, a young person came to talk with me about her soul ; she seemed to be pious. An elderly woman, who hid come all the way from Lcven, expressed much satisfaction in what she heard, and said, she saw things in another light, from ■what she heard, than before. 28 Leven. — This place seems deplorably dead in respect to Religion. Every exertion to promote religion is mucli reproached. The number of illegitimate children, in this place, gives an awful view of its depravity of manners. A person guilty of such acts of sin is seldom or ever called be- fore the Church, but is adn; ted to the Lord's Table, after some slight satisfaction to the Session. He is equally severe upon other places : but how came he to get all tliis informa- tion as he was only a traveller ? He must have been inquiring into the private scandal of the inhabitants. 29 May 29, preached this evening at Crail, to a good congregation of r" it 400 people, who were very attentive. The Minister of i^e parish there heard .e most part of tiic lime. After sermon he came and shocV iiands with me, said •j',A): J: HYPOCRISY I>EtEttE!>. 57 ^:-' And courtly BcllSO commends the holy course. On Kettle31 next he looks with dismal grief. No light he sees except in cold Relief. O Bennet,32 thy rough probity is strange. With evil company thou necd'stmust range; Yet truth this saint to sectaries confines, A little truth fVora such in splendour shines. Thus helter skelter fsery Preachers run. To rant and rave to wretches near undone ; • Grave E\ving33 joins the tribe, his oath abjures, A better that thefe were the doctrines he was accustomed to preach to his people, and that he was glad to hear such instructions given to them. 30 Bell, the Minister of Crail, a slave to popularity, but too timid to go all lengths — he is neithet cold nor hot. 31 Kettle. — Mr. Rate cc^ipliments the Relief Minister, who was a well meanmg, but a very weak man ; and, as usual, says nothing of the Parish Clergyman, a gentleman in every respect greatly supeiicr to the other. 32 Bennet. — This Gentleman says, that he feels much less satisfaction in a Church than when addressing i: small Congregation out of doors ; because those who assemble in a house, where the Gospel is statedly preached, are not sfoch as need the labours of Missionaries : while the strangers, who aire attracted by a Sermon out of doors, are frequently persons who never otherwise hear the Gospel, This is, on the whole, the mo^t liberal observation that I have found in any of the Journals of the itinerants. Mr. Bennet is rather honest for an itinerant. ^'^ EwiNG has lately become ashamed of his hypocriti- cal associates, and they are as much ashamed of him. Wc shall soon have occasion to speak of him more freely. At SHslLu^. "4 •.■>?* :)S MVPOCRISY DETECTED, fs • ■ >4 v i m A better livings conscience smiles secures: Benii^hteU souls about Dunkeld^t he finds, And from her spouse a crazy wife unbinds. Let wise Relief and Biir^hers^^ dark relate. The this time he was a new convert, he had made his bargain with Mr. HaUlane, forsaken the whore of Babylon, and was anxious to shew his real j he goes, therefore, on a preach- ing tour : but the only thing remarkable in his Journal is the circumstance mentioned in the text. ^* DuNKELD. — " After leaving Auchtergaven, was much affected at meeting a woman in the road who was in tears, because her husband, she said, had refused to let her attend the sermon. She seemed deeply concerned for the salvation of her soul, but much afraid of drawing near to God while such a sinner j she was, moreover, heart broken by her liusband, who prevented her from her hearing cither the Itinerants or the Seccders, to the last of whom she said she was indebted for any knowledge she had of the Gospel. Gave hei a tract on the importance of family religion, and desired her to shew it to her husband *, but she said, she durst not : she had got some tracts before, but was obliged to read them by stealth. Endeavoured to speak comfortably to her both about her fears as a sinner and her domestic trials — promised to pray for her — have not been so much affected for a long time. How many despise the ordinances of Christ, while this poor woman would be glad to hear one sermon, if it were even by stealth. May the Lord bring her soul out of prison, and make me as earnest and desirous to preach as she seems to be to hear." There is more canting and whin- ing in Ewing's than in any of the Journals : he was a new convert, and it was necessary to be loud. We shall make Mr. Haldane judge of his sincerity a little farther on. •'55 Relief and Burghers. — Nothing could be more short-sighted than the conduct of the Scotch Swcdcrs to- ' '^'^-■" c£i^yi mm HYPOCRISY DETECTED. M The joy with which those preaching; sons they met, Assisting foes to Scotland's ancient Kirk, The fatten'd Clergy shall no longer smirk ; The crazy Beldame totters to her fall, The sects comhin'd shall raze her hollow wnll. O silly fools I Great IIaldane's36 mind conceives Your wards these itinerants. They received them with open arms — introduced them to their Churchef-~allowed them to preach to their people — caressed, praised, and encouraged tliem. This became an excellent introduction : it gave the travelling preachers opportunities of insinuating their own principles — of recommending that religious democracy, which obtains in all the Churches which they have collected. That the Seceders were blinded by their hatred to the Estab- lishment is evident, or they would have discovered the in- tentions of the Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home j but they received their Preachers as auxiliaries against the Kirk, nor did they perceive their error till they saw their congregations melting away. Then, indeed, they felt what they ought to have seen long before, that these vagrant ser- mon-brokers were enemies to all regular order and subor- dination, that they were commonly without education, and therefore generally without principle. I have often wondered, that the Relief Congregations do not form themselves into Chapels of Ease ; for, as they differ in nothing from the Establishment except in the article of Patronage, the moment that the Presbytery, in whose bounds they happen to be placed, is willing to receive them as a Chapel of Ease, with the power of electing their own Minister, they have no rea- son for continuing separate : but it is one thing to profess ifFerent thine to 7 up principles, and a 36 Great Haldane. — It is probable, that the Seceders were deceived by an assertion of the Society in their address, I m 1 '^inippMpii <«mpp^n u send abroad To preach and piuv, 3 ct know not \v hut is God. Reli- fJocicty for Propagating the Gospel at Home, send out iti- nerants, who are justly accused as setting themselves as su- perintendents of those who are establisiied the teachers of religion by the Church— erecting Sunday Schools without authority — connmitting the care of them to ignorant persons, and connecting these schools with secret meetings, assem* bling people in the fields, pouring forth loose harrangues> and freely censuring the doctrine or the character of the Minister of the Parish — alienating the minds of the people, and inducing them to leave the Church. It then proceeds to warn the people against those ignorant men, who have given no pledge of the soundness of their faith, or the cor- rectness of their morals, and not to prefer them to the re- gular Clergy, who must give full security on all these things : and while it wislies to judge charitably, and to admit, that there may be well meaning persons connected with this scheme, it asserts, that they must have been deceived, since the whole discovers more of ambition and vanity, and of a desire to claim a lordly dominion over your faith, than of the Spirit of the Gospel, which is a meek, an humble, and a peaceable spirit, and a spirit of order not of confusion j and the manifest tendency of the scheme is to foster the vio- lence of a blind intemperate Zeal, to unsettle the minds of many, to throw their principles loose, by distracting them with novelties, and to make them to become like clouds without water, carried about of wiuvls. It then accuses them of enmity to the Ecclesiastical Ectablishment, and sus- pects their Political Principles. Tiiis Pastoral Admonition, which was issued in the summer of J 799, has been so ac- curately verified in every particular, by the conduct of tliift famous Society and its associates, that, except in the article af Politics; the whole may be considered a iiistory of fact?. r ■r^ 62 HVPOCRISY DETECTED. Rclii^ioiis dcmocratcs, to order foes, Must soon, she roars, the civil power oppose; r ^f. fyi t And A gfcat outcry was indeed raiscJ against this Admonition, by those who conceived themselves pointed at in its contents. That sage Apostle of ignorance and fanaticism, Mr. Rowland Hilly in one of his Journals, published the same year, re<< murks, that when he arrived in Edinburgh, Friday, Tunr /th, *< he found all the city quite thunderstruck, at the ful- minating Bull just uttered against us from the General A> sembly. And no wonder at the temporary panic, as the public must have conceived no body of people could presume to bring forward such pointed and direct accusations, af- fecting even our lives, unless they had some foundation for their charges. Four times have they been challenged with uttering the most gross and scandalous falsehoods : first, by the Society as a body j secondly, by Mr. Burder of Coventry, then on a visit to Edinburgh ; next by Mr. Ewing of Glas- gow ; and lastly, by their humble Admirer, the Author of these Sheets. Nor have I heard that they have come for- ward, in one single instance, to vindicate themselves in their wanton and cruel allegations against us, or in their scanda- lous imposition on the public, by spreading such a false alarm against a people the most innocent and peaceable in their designs." The reader will be astonished at the match- less impudence of this paragraph, when he finds every alle- gation made by the General Assembly proved to be true ; but our astonishment at the actions of these pretended Saints ceases, when we become a little better acquainted with them. Keeping of promises or attending to morality, &c. &c. are duties below their notice. If Mr. Hill did not possess a conscience endowed with the qualities of Indian Rubberi he would blush at the recollection of the remarks which I have quoted from his pamphlet, and even feel the greatest shame and compunction, were it possible for a Saint like iivi'o»;ins\ Di/n:cTK» (W? it \iuruTiHl<'r H»'rrf» conlcnliou tlironc,h i\\c fund, \ |»i'0(tr(liH( SutHii holds litem in (orninaiid. \ him 80 10 feel, at the tiotc appended to ihcm, .it tlic foot nf this paj^e. «» 'D rcc reasons alone can be assigned for their conduct i madiiesii, nulicc, or an attempt to discover our treasonable ploti : and the iirst of these reasons should seem the most probable, the Admonition being dated on the day of the New Moon." lint without stopping longer on this Spiritual ^swindler, I shall prove the diiVercnt charges con* taincd in the Pastoral Admonitioti, by facts which will ad- mit of no contradiction. These charges may be reduced to three — ist, Eimiity to the Church Establishment i 2d, The glaring ignorance of the Itinerants j 3d, The political ten- dency of their conduct and opinions. . ; ■ . I'/SSr — ENMITY TO THE CHURCH ESTABLISHMENT. *« A separate and distinct order of men in Society, created by ofTicial situation in a Church of Christ, is something en- tirely foreign to the New Testament dispensation." — View of Social Worship, by Mr. James Haldane, page 278. After illustrating at great length what he calls the evils of an Esta- blishment, he asks, page 429, but are there no advantages attending a civil religious establishment ? Does Religion gain nothing by the support of Government ? Does it not give respectability to Religion and to its Ministers? Alas! this it does communicate in the eyes of worldly men : but by means of this, it only liys a stumbling block in their way, and leads them to mistake its nature. It adds indeed to the sanctions of Religion — sanctions which are better calcu- lated to aiFect mankind while they do not believe the Gospel. But such sanctions, however necessary to civil laws, ouglit to have no place, for they can have no good ellect in reli- gion. Again, page 414. — Dissenters, who do not see the evil of the connexion between the Church and State, are led to look with a jealous eye on the loaves and fishes of whicb Jll M IIYPOCRISV DETECTED. Her sons she warns to ftlnin the preaching crc\T, Who dare in streets und hiius (heir poison spue; The t .'Ul IW they are (IcpriTed, &c. Quotations might be multiplied to any extent, as the whole Treatise evinces the most cool and ileliberate hostility to eutablished Churches. Thi» writer is indeed too weak to be formidable, and so hcklc in his religt« ous opinions, that we may soon expect to see him a stern advocate for Establishments \ as yet, however, we must prO' ceed without the aid of his superior talents, for he tells us, in a late publication, that Infant Baptism naturally leads to a National Church, like that of Israel of old, from whom it is borrowed. Mr. R. Haldanc, in his letters to Mr. Ewing, page 40, says, ** I began with observing the Lord's Supper, while you (Mr. Ewing) occasionally presided at that service, before you was appointed the Elder of any Church } or, if you once had obtained ordination in what you then called Babylon, and from the hands of such as you speak of as un- converted, or unfit to belong to any Church, or to observe any ordinance, you had afterwards fully removed it, by be- coming an individual member in what you deemed a Church of Christ, and had completely divested yourself of the office of Bishop, by choosing a Pastor over you." Again, in the next page, he tells Mr. Ewing — " you (viz. Mr. Ewing) was for several years a Minister of the Church of Scotland, and afterwards came out of it, declaring it was Babylon." To be sure Mr. Ewing was an apostate, and might be ex- pected to hate the church which he had left. Yet, after giving these little specimens of enmity mentioned by Mr. Haldane, he prints a pamphlet containing the following as- sertions : " I am a Dissenter, but a Dissenter and an un- dermining Dissenter are as different as a Churchman and a persecuting Churchman. When I hear of plots and con- spiracies against the Church and State, of engines to sap the foundations of the one and attempt^ to undermine the con- UVI»rtCriISY DF.TF.rTED ri5 The Clergy li(ist(! flio mandate t<» ohev, And preach uiiutliciiias wil.huiit d<>I:iy. i: New htitutioii of the other, and when these (tiiboltcal works of ilitrkness are imputed to me either directly or coiucqucti- tialljr, not by the irreligious, but by men wlu) profess to be the disciples of Christ, and of some of whom I have berii accustomed to hope better things — then, indeed, it is onlv on the history of my blessed Saviour that I can fnul at once a paralleltomy injury, and ancfTectua! relief from my cxcruci- ting pain." — Ewing's animadversions on Mr. Robertson's pamphlet, pages 13, 14. This gentleman was conscious, at the moment he was making this impious comparison be- tween his sufferings and those of our blessed Lord, that lie was using the inveterate expressions that Mr. Ilaldane men- tiuns against the Eatablishment, and taking every opportu- nity to inveigh against her. But what could be expected of ,v man who had publicly falsiiied his oath, and who to this (^a/ appears to have no fixed opinioq^ upon religious sub- jects, and even upon Church Government .'' Mr. Ballan- tine says, in one of his pamphlets, that every thinj:j In a Church of Christ, which discovers that its members bestow honours, distinctions, and authority on their Elders, such as worldly societies^ do on their Clergymen, evinces that they arc so far Antichristian. Indeed, this Geiiilenian not only condemns all established Churches, but all prepavation for the Ministry. As the Messrs. Haldanes, Mr. Ewing, and Mr. Ballantine, were *lie most ostensible men in the Society, and as they arc found, by the quotations now given from their books, to be inveterate against the Establish- ment, the first charge of the Pastoral Admonition is ^roved; indeed it was fully justified by the Society's instructions to their Preachers, by which a greasy Weaver was transform- ed into an inspector of the Clergy. Moreover, there is not a single travelling Journal, published by any of the Prca- 1 I! f fT-^ ■:i 66 HVPOCRlSSr DETECTEi*. V vi;^ 4^^' \ II t (1! -• \ >1 , ; New tropes and figures angry wits laspirr, Which give new fuel to the bhizing tire ; To chers, which does not prove the charpe. Every occasion is ofliciously taken to lower the Establishment in the poblic opinion, and to degrade the character and ofHce of vhe Paro- chial Clergy. SeCO.VD — THE GLARING IGNORANCE OF THE ITINERANTS. "When Mr. Robertson, ir. his pamphlet, proceeded upon the assumption, that the defenders of Lay Preaching were Patrons of ignorance, and even enemies to learning, Mr. Ewing replies with gr^at warmth, that the accusation was unfounded. But events have verified the charge of the Pas- toral Letter and Mr. Robertson's opinion, and proved how jgnoiant Mr. Ewing was of the charges meditated by his new ass'"ciates. It appears from his late publication, en- titled " an Attempt," that lie has discovered that his friends, Messrs. Haldanes and Ballantine, are truly the Apostles of ignorance •, for he is at great pains to shew that learning, mere human learning, is essentially necessary for a Bishop, or (as he means) a Clergyman. In page 57, he says, is now publicly recommended to the Churches to lay no stress upon learning It all ; tv^ confine themselves to such teachers t" *hey can find among themselves, whether learned or un- learned ; nay, to unite purposely in the same office, somf of the one Jescriptinn ?nd some of the other. What a monstrous scheme ci ignorance and confuiiion is this ? Is it nor high lime to change our course, and instead of trying how little preparation will aiiswer a supposed exigency, to inquire K as so many Churches were forming in the country j but observe what Mr. Robert Hal- dane says to thi» supposed necessity, at page 34th of his letters to Mr. Ewing. You assign a reason f(}r the short period allotted for the education of Preachers — here, I am concerned to say, you have not adhered to the fact. We were not tempted to fix a short period of preparation, when many churches were forming, or in any way to yield to the pressure of temporary circumstances. There was not one church formed when the length of the course was fixed. But do you not recollect, that fifteen months was the period of education first fixed upon, J^nd that in the view of no more being given, you readily undertook the charge of the Students? Do you remember, that in conversing with them for admittance, you told them, that fifteen months was the period assigned ; that it was enough for them ; and if that was not sufficient, they were unfit for the work I fcAnd I recollect well, that when I proposed to increase the time to two years, you observed, that in that time they would be very well instructed indeed. Here w« find Mr. Haldane giving Mr. Ewing the lie direct \^ and if we believe him, it was Mr. Ewing himself that patronised this ignorance. It is true, he comes forward to plead for learning, but this might arise, not sa much from a change of opinion, as from the fear of being reduced ro a common hearer ; for Mr. Ballantine, who ridicules learning in preachers, and declaims against all preparation, in which he seems to be joined by both the Messrs. Haldanes, thinks every Male in a Congre- gation has an equal right to discharge all those duties which we think belong exclusively to Clergymen. Mr. Ewing makes a miserable figure in the midst of these cxhorters and J:i.V4>. .-..v .^w. ■ V M>^" ■•■•••''^■l PI»W HYPOCRISY DETECTED, r,9 Thus Ilarpy Preachers through the country yell. And in each Parish leave ilicir noxious smell ; E 3 The expounders ; and when he looks around him, on the herd of Preachers and Office-bearers belonging to the Churches in connexion, he muse be ashamed of the mass of ignorance, stupidity, conceit, and self-sufficiency. We have already noticed Mr. Ballantine's hostility to learning — poor man, he despises what he cannot appretiate. A better proof, be- cause more forcibly convincing, may be ha'^9 gToan, Tiiey sought the Gospel, and they found a stone. The the close of tins very reply, they call upon such of their Ca- techists as have not taken the oaths to Government, to re- pair immediately to the nearest Magistrate in order to take them : hy which they virtually prove the allegation made against them, as no such call was issued, till after the accu- sation was made. Mr. Haldane's political opinions having been formerly more than suspected, he though it prudent to publish an Address to the Public, in which it appears, that till the 29th Nov. 1798, his opinions might have been just- ly suspected. On that day he acquired new light from Mr. Ewing's Sermon, and in 1 800 he declares himself a peace- able and loyal subject ; adding, that he would be so under any Government upon earth. But who was to know that this change of political sentiments had taken place in his mind, and were not his former opinions and conduct strongly calculated to raise suspicion, and something even more cer- tain than mere suspicion ? The General Assembly had re- ceived no pledge of his loyalty— the public received none — he allowed a year to elapse before he printed his Address. It is also to be remarked, that thejj Admonition of the vener- able Assembly had nothing to do with persecution, it was merely a warning to their people, not to allow themselves to be drawn away by travellers assuming the name of Prea- chers, and spreading their peculiar tenets a^ the word of God. But the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at Home studiously confound this warning with persecution : they go round the country speaking against the Clergy, act- ing as spies upon their conduct, railing occasionally against them at their very door, promoting disseniions in Parishes : and, because the Clergy expore them, they cry out Perse- cution, Persecution. They are desirous to persecute, they begin the attack — tl.ey proceed cooly to undermine a mcit MYTOCRISY DETECTED. 71 The cordial friends, whonithc) recciv'd withjoy. As fellow servants in Divine en)pIoy, Whose respectable class of men, co n;ake them contemptible in the eyes of their hearers ; and because these men act upon the defensive, they are loud in proclaiming their sufferings. It is not toleration that these men want, it is the power to per* secute, to ruin the established Church. The allies of this famous Society in London sent out a Mr. Bentom to Quebec, who not only resisted the law, insulted all the respectable people of the Government, but actually libelled the Courts and Public Officers in the most wanton manner. But if a standing Ministry be one of the beauties of Christianity, and if it be true, that the influence of a respectable Clergy is of the greatest utility, not only as it respects the private happi- ness of the people, but the public comfort and security of the society, any schemes which tend, directly or indirectly, to destroy this influcDce, are inimical to Governvnent. They breed liccntiousnes^^^f^ opinion, they make the common peo- ple disputers, and not religious — unsteady w, their faith, or rather of no faith. Being relieved from these checks which used to restrain them, they become immoral, and immoral men are always bad subjects. The people (says the Missi- omary Magazine, for October 1798,) of Wick and Thurso chu«e rather to travel many miles to hear the doctrines of the Cross of Christ, than to attend in their Parish Chur- ches, where they are usually enttrtained with empty ha- rangues, quite foreign from the nature of the Gospel of Christ. ' *'^ Celeno, jlie chief of the Harpies. 1 hey emitted an infectious smell, and spoiled whatever they touched by rlitir filth and eiciemenis. — ^Virg. JEn. iii. v. 212. 39 Antiburghebs arc the most intolerant of all the Seceders — they seem 10 think, th;u <* lovt* your neighbour" KM r>m /?». vz HVPOCRISY DETECTED, i I ^■if: Whose powers they wish most feelingly' to join With theirs, the sacred Kirkto undermine, Are slily pilf'ring half their soher Hocks, And inildl} terming it conversion strokes. The dismal Synod meets, no doves are there, Th^ vily serpent too is something; rare. Alas! they sigh, what bandage dimni'd our ejes. That none could sec these Hypocrites disguise : To stamp on order is their fav'rite aim. Our broken Congregations mark our shame. ■ No sect we form, we preach the Gospel free. No Churclies build, for travellers are we : No profit take, that pois'ner of the breast, ,: "We freely give what freely v.'c've possest. Such were the dogmas of this wicked race, When first they came to preach of guilt and grace; Alas ! our sins deserve this public shame. The rules are broke, our fickle souls condemn. Hold is a wrong translation, and ought to be hate your neigh- hours ; upon this excel ent precept they found their con- duct. In May 1 799^ they published a Synodieal Act against the Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home, and de- clared promiscuous hearing inadmissible. To shew what an intolerant sect this is, we have only to mention their treat- ment of Mr. William Grimmon, for the great crime of hearing his son, a Minister in the Relief Church, preach : because this aged Gentleman, now in the 83d year of his age, would not submit to a rebuke in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, for this great iniquity, they drove him from their communion, after having been with them half a century. In condemning the Society and their associates, I am not obliged to approve of the intolc- lancc of other sects. * I 1.1 HYPOCRISY DETECTED 73 Hold fast the tnitli, our sober fathers said. Promiscuous hearing* brethren always dread; It is of sacred purity the bane. Avoid all conuncrcc with the world profane. Hear brethren only, never dare to go To ueighb'ring Churches strangeconceits to know ; None else our Chairs of Verity should hold. Except the Parson's nurtur'd in our fold. Thcs2 laws we break, our sacred Pulpits lend To zealots vile, who ghostly pow'rs pretend; They steal our peo[)le's hearts with cunning wiles. The wicked laugh, and powerful Satan smiles. These calunniies and fears, and groans and lies. Raise in your Christian bosom no surprise :*0 The ^0 Mr. Haltlane and Ills brethren affect a most wonderful humility and forbearance. When we consider their publica« tions, we should be apt to think James and Robert para- gons of meekness, and that in their own Church every per- son was upon an equal footing. Know then, reader, that this is far from being the case. Every measure is carefully prepared, and its success insured by the two Brethren, be- fore it is brought forward — the whole is secretly managed. Two young men, discovering that every thing was carried on in a very artful and most arbitrary manner, drew up a remonstrance on the subject, and presented it to Mr. Hal- dane. Their language was decorous, but the offence was unpardonable — they were accused before the Church of re- bellion against their Pastor. It was in vain, that they of- fered to justify by facts every thing that they had said — in vain, that they offered to prove, that the equality promised tliem by Mr. James Haldane, in his view of Social Worship, vi'as never reduced to practice j they were admonished to repent of their sin, or the brethren could no longer walk in m 74 HVI'OCRISY DETECTED. The Wits*l assail you too, willi hitter siiccr.^, A. nionient listen to these miscreants jeers. Come, Brother Robert, what's thy secret view. In ord'ring round this mad pedestrian crew To head a furious sect; no, not so biwl, ' Thou art a holy but a prudent hid : A nobler plan exalts thy soaring niiiKl, That leaves the worldly Wesleys far heliiiid ; Where converts grow, your saU^llites pei'siiad* ' A Church to build, you freely give them aid. Mortgage li I fellowship with them. What is this but an intolerance equal to that of the Antiburghers ? But it will always be discovered) that those who profess equality in theory, are, in practice, its greatest enemies. This despotism in the churches will be resumed in a subsequent note. 41 Ridicule has been condemned in matters of religion on any pretence whatever j and it has been remarked, tliat the wildest opinions that ever were entertained in matters of re- ligion are more rational than unconcern in these matttrs. But although this remark be strictly just, and it be farther granted, that no religious persons sincerely attached to opi- nions, however absurd, provided they do not interfere impro- perly with others, are legitimate objects of ridicule, yet hy- pocrites are unquestionably fair game, and such we conceive the Gentleman mentioned in the text to be. That they pro- ceeded upon improper principles, were guilty of improper actions, disseminated doctrines which they did not sincerely believe, will be proved ; and that they were ambitious of power, and building castles on the ruins of others, will be shewn in the sequel : and these certainly render them as fit objects for contempt and ridicule, as the Priests of Baal were to Elijah. . V UiPOCttlSY DETECTED. 'ib Mortgage llic premises, the us'ry rix,*2 And in the mass tlieir own subscriptions mix. If ^^ At page 77, of Mr Haldane's remarks on Mr. Ewing's publication, he inserts the following Letter from his man of business to himself, regarding the money which he lent the Churches : EDiNBUHGHi igth Nov. iZoZ* « MY DEAR SIR, " IN answer to your favour of the 16th current (since receipt of whicli I have looked over the correspondence, and other papers relative to that bubiness), I have to say, in point of fact : " That with regard to the interest due to you, on the va- rious sums lent to Trustees for Churches, there are but two or three instances m here the interest has been regularly paid. Several have never paid any thing, and the others have paid partially ; it not being convenient for them, as I suppose, to have done otherwise. At Whitsunday, 1807, when al- most the whole of these Churches had got into a settled and organized state, I sent to each of them a state of the debt owing to you, carrying forward the interest to that term. This was done, that those concerned might have in view the amount of the debts they severally owed, and that they might not allow the interest to run on unsettled. As it hap- pens, this was not done at last Whitsunday, excepting in one case, (Musselburgh) where the loan was large, and a considerable sum of interest standing over unpaid. The ap- plication for the interest was made verbally by me to one of the trustees -, and although no payment followed, the appli- cation was not repeated. «* That in no case have you ever demanded up any of these loans. A few days ago, a letter was sent me by Mr. Hamilton of Armagh, proposing for the tru-.tces to pay up the loan to the Church there, and wishing to know how the f 75 ll\PO(nMV WETECTRP. If tlicv rppav, tliou pjaiiwf a vkoild i>f Lmie ; If not, the House falls in, a. surer ^ame; Thy [Ti* mortg.(pc was to be discharged. Mr. Hamilton stated the reason of the application to be, tlie expcncc and inconveni- cnce of remitting interest to Scotland. I answered, by sug- gesting to Mr. Hamilton the proprit;ty of consulting a Soli- citor at Armagh, in what way the discharge might be made out at the least expcncc. Since that time (June last) I have heard no more on the subject. " That there has not been a place of worship sold, which belong* wholly or in part to you, excepting only that at Haddington, in this neighbourhood, the property of which belonged to you and another. The Church there is very small, not above twenty-four members far as I know. Owing to this, and the audience never b g so large as to iill the Chapi:!, the Pastor and some of the members were accustomed to speak of the house as not being suitable. Last spring an application had, it seems, been made by a Presbyte* rian Congregation, to Mr. Hill, the Pastor of the Church, tu purchase the Chapel — he vrote one of the proprietors, in- forming him of the offer, wnen it was'understood, from the way in which they had formerly spoken of the house, and Mr. Hill forwarding that application, that the Church had not the smallest objection to the Chapel being sold. It was sold accordingly by the proprietors, who were careful not to give possession to the purchasers, till the Church were accommo- dated with another place. This is the literal history of the sale, and of the circumstances that led to it. I have only to add, that no change whatever in your conduct, towards those Churches to whom you had lent money, has ever taken place, so far as I know } and I presume that you have done no- thing in these matters, with which I am not acquainted. " I am," &c. Trom this letter it is evident, that Mr. Haldane encouraged nVPOCillSV UKlLcTtD. 77 Tliv r;nHioii«» wisdom still may fame obtain, l»csi(l('s (lio aids brcoinf your worship's gain. Come, IJrollicr llaldano, stare not with surprise, I'hc MM'pcnt crawlM in rather thin disguise; Ambition grows as wider grows the tield. Your poM'er extends when Congregations build, Apprcntic'd teachers, such you send to serve. Who from the rule you fix will never swerve, .Vnd all the flocks that in connexion stand. Submit unknown to thy dread commaml. Thus, mighty Sir ! success attends your choice. But spurn not those who love a humbler vice; One fancies cloaths, another fancies wine, A third a pack of hounds or concubine: You aim at praise^ the honours of a Saint, A mighty boon, for which ten thousands faint. To such be kind, nor hazard to condemn, Altho small Congregations to build Churches. That he secured the money lent them by mortgages — that he expected the in- terest to be regularly paid up. It may also be remarked, that the poverty of these Congregations would have .pre- vented tbem from building, had not pecuniary assistance been held forth : it was produced as a bait, and being a golden bait, it could not be resisted. As the people sel- dom paid cither interest or principal, Mr. Haldane acquired an influence among them of the most improper kind, be- cause derived from the most corrupt source — that of money. It was easy for him to turn them as he pleased, and we shall afterwards find him exercising his Pontifical Power. He had plenty of young Preachers ready to send to such places, and over them he might with prudence have long exercised power, had not Ewing, but not from honourable motives, sounded the alarm-bell. 11 78 HYPOCRISY DETFXTF.n. \ltlio' with your'H their phiiis arc not the same; Remember Stiiiits can find an easy way. To cheer the Brethren fallinp^ in decay. Tf caught in sin, you hid them stare and sigh. .\nd to some better interest turn tlieir eye ; For Saints, expert in Satan's crooked gins, Forgive with joy each others Iieinous sins. \t Dairsic*3 once, a Schoohiiaster hy trade, A straight <^ This is a true story, but It is hardly fair to class poor M— ch with such company. The Saints arc always very ready to blame the Devil for all their faults. I was better pleased with the expedient a man in my neighbourhood adopted, who was very subject to fits of anger, and dur- ing their continuance swore prodigiously. This man being admonished, on account of the dreadful curses and impreca- tions which he uttered, told his exhortcr, that it was the person who put him in a rage, and not liimself, that was to blame, and at his door shall the curses lie. It is notorious, that all the sectaries are more strict about forms than genuine holiness. Mr. Rowland Hill, in his answer to Dr. Jamieson, declares, on the authority of a friend of his, that sweating or getting drunk among the Antiburghers were deemed of- fences much less censurable, than hearing a Gospel Srr- mon from a Minister of any other denomination, and were passed over with a more gentle rebuke. But intolerance and odious separation are not confined to Antiburghers. The Haldanites have imitated this starched sect in this ami- able particular, and become, as their quondam friend Mr. R. Hill would say, a trading company, monopolizing grace, and declaring all Churches except their own polluted. Bro- ther Ballantine, the dear friend of the Haldanites, and their precursor In ail their changes, writes in his Journal, April 1798 — " Arrived at Huntly before six— received as a bro- ' . .JJmW. Ji.JiiL^Lyh. ' , .3'^.\ ttU'UtUlhtr JitrKiVBU. K ^Iraif^lil iiaii (1 < liiirli.sli cuntiii^ li({iiorisli )iIh able Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home, who were forming no sect, but wished that Christians of all denomi- nations should join in seeking to promote pure and undefilcd religion ; but this same Mr. Ballantine, who had been actr'e in forming a sect, the rules and intentions of the Honour* able Society notwithstanding, and had actually collected a Congregation at Elgin, answered a request from his old Bro- ther in Christ, Mr. Cowie of Huntly, to assist him at his Communion, 14th Nov. 1802, in the followijig manner: " I caimot come, for I do not believe that your Church is pure ; and I am determined no longer to support the un- scriptural manner in which we have all gone on, in celebrat- ing that ordinance." Now, it does not appear, that Mr. Cowie or his people were worse in 1802 than in 1798 i but Brother Ballantinc's eyes had been openrd. We shall meet with him again. ii.t^P)ii<««!W)r "!•' ^^i "w"»i!)Fi^OT'j'» .'. SO MYPOCRISV DETECTED. O r/hat a fall I a pillar once you were, A shining Hercules in grace and prayer. Alas ! the Dominie in an j;uish cries. The people startle at his fearful sighs. In ashes I deplore my deadly sin, Weak, weak is man unsanctificd within. For thirty minutes Satan sought for powV, His boon he got, disgrace on me to show 'r ! O ! was it Satun, said the melting Priest, His mighty power the Patriarchs confest ; The kirk forgives you, but in future try With, brisker force to spurn this enemy, 'Tis thus, ♦hese sneerers cry, that Saints demure, . For little flaws contrive a sov 'reign cure ; Such are the jeers and lies which round you float, Alas ! these worldly sinners know you not. •Once fleeting things weigh 'd greatly in your heart. Till better prospects Gospel truths impart : Long was the fight 'twixt piety and pride, 'Twixt grace and prudence, which should be your guide. Shall I my splendid patrimony sell ? A father's feelings such a thought repel. My daughter's claims I never can resist ; But grace replies, beware of selfish mist. 'Twas thus you reason'd, till a blaze of light Drove grov'ling, selfish prospects out of sight ; Airthrey was sofd, the Glasgow Circus bought. Old Nick surpris'd, another mansion sought : Enrag'dto see this dark prolific den, Chang'd from a trap that caught the souls of men. To one that rais'd them far above the sky. Hi* iif w|«f Jill ij»i>. '>i>y>f^"i vmm'ii«f!iW!^v;^i^'m''i'mi^^w»f 'W^BIP^ ' ' ■|. HYPOCRISY 0£T£CTE». SI l!is povy'r oppos'd, his servants made to Jly. ; . James often groan'd to see the sliibUora force. That always loark'^ your pious wishing; cfnirsc, < > Each proper chancre this fwve; , Saiiit pr'<>pos'd, ' Thy strong' but stift-aeck'^l rc^asou stiraigUt opposed : Till on tliy soul, sweet James, with pra'^orsBinccre, A deep conviction wrought through grace and fear. A.n error once corrected, vou were found To walk with fimuicss on the holy grouDf), ! When James declar'd Itinerants niustend, And steady Pastors to the flocks attend.** F ••,i£l This ** The Itinerants, who were sQpposcd to be of so much tttilily at firsE, gradually disappeared as Congregations tverc formed ; a circumstance in itself Bufficient to prove th« falsehood of the doctrine, that they intended to form no new i'jct : indeed, the melancholy proof remains— many Churches arc built, whose supporters assume the name of Independents, a sect hardly known previous to this in Scot- land. Ordinations, as they call ihcm, or appointing men to officiate as Clergymen, commenced soon after the Society W^ai) its operations ; and while the above falsehood was still warm in the mouth of its members, and stil) allowed a place amonij the reports, Mr. James Haldane was ordained, February 3, 1799. After this, the Missionary Magazine announces the building of Chapels, and appointing of Pastors, almost cv( month. The most extraordinary part of these ordinations is, the questions put to the person ^o be or- daiined, and his answers. In these, he commonly enume- rates his conversion, (for they have all been sad r^^probates h would appear) his expe!ienccs— his hopes — his certainty that h« liao had a call to preach the Gospel. We shall re- late Mr. James Haldane's ordination in a future note, as a specimen of this solerrm quackery; and w? shall ■sec how far he ha; acted up to iii* proffrs'iiuns. 1 . I MU i t HYPOCRISY DETECTKP. This plan you say, another seel will make ; That is, said Brother J ami^, no bra/en snake: Our Preachers thousands fiiul who never knew. In all their lives a single Gospel vicw.*> Souls now enliven'd bv conversion's fire. Thirsting for holy drink with brisk desire. ROBERT. This odious plan will numerous broile excite. And those divide we proniis'dto unite. ■' JAMES, '» ' Of perfect unity to talk is wrong. New lights illume us as we jog along ; ^ The humblesinner holding on his way, , Is taught to laugh at things of yesteiday.^S Are ■^5 Mr. M'AIlum discovered twelve Parishes in the High- lands destitute of the Gospel, yet there was a Clergyman in each who preached every Sunday ; hut they talked in their sermons only of morals. This fellow, who is so learned in the Gospel, cannot write English : it is notorious, that the Letters and Journals of the Travellers are manufactured over again at Edinburgh. I know that the Gentlemen, to whom my letter is more particularly addressed, will cry out, that they were only Members of the Society for propagating the Gospel : I answer one of them — true, Robert, but nothing was done except through or by you. 4« Yesterdat. — These people, incapable of reasoning, and not content with the simplicity of the Gospel, and those essential parts which arc so easily understood, are forever discovering novelties, and not so anxious to act with pro- priety as to appear skilful in the Scriptures ; they twist the meaning of passages, and uniformly raise positive institutions to an equality with the srost essential duties. By this ...wfSlfNr;: ■'"f^t' Wjii^Wfunpi!!! iii.i. miii.pwj MVPrtrrusr dktectko. $^ y Are we io guard tlio ra!;'s iliai blind the soul ? Let Scripture freedom reiii^ii without €ontroul.*7 ROUERT. The cozii!d sects will tax us with deceit. Aiul means, their moral feelings become blunted — they cease to have clear notions of pietv and virtue — things of little mo» ment become great in their estimation, and becoming mort- and more conceited as they proceed, they look down, lik* the Pharisee upon the Publican, with sovereign contempt on all who are not membera of the same dcnominatioiu These remarks are peculiarly applicable to the Congregation- slists who pretend to a remarkable purity both in doctriat and practice, and consider all other Churches a$ fallen from the first faith, and groaning under Antichristian Tyranny. ^7 These Saints quote Scripture at random : they never attend to the context and ihe intention of the writer. But as every verse contains a proposition, they keep to this, and giv^ it a meaning. In a few days their opinions are changed, and they give to the same verse a different interpretation—- but still without any reference to what goes before, or fol- lovrs after, because to fix the sense immutably would b;; to abridge their Christian liberty. Some of them discover. In the New Testament, a complete system of Churcli Govern- ment, but they cannot agree among themselves what that Government is. They all protest, that it is fully revealed ; but one party found it to be one Bishop in a Church, ano- ther many, and some none at all. Tlie Messrs. H?ldaneii can find no authority for separating the Ministry from the people, but contend, that every Christian man, if so inclin- ed, may preach, pray, and administer the Sacraments. It requires very little sagacity to discover, that this would not only very quickly lead to confusion, but to the destiuction •f Religion itself. " If any man may assume authority T .W^y'»??-:«»»^™B)l|i|.li.ipilliWi=i;i [j^i^W!" 'iwHW^f' •«• *W.W!W>HJIMJWPIi| ' [imewff^fft^m'l^f' IZTFOCRISY DJBTECTID-. M And straight demtu Ace our plans a lelfish cbeat ; Their pulpits open'd quickly atourwillj When trav'Uing Preachers shewed their Gospel fkill ; And shall we pinch them of their daily bread. By building Churches where the folks are fed. JAMES. To uf, dear Brother^ conscience is the law,** (saith Bnrnett) to preach and perform holy functions, it i« certain that religion must fall into disonler, and under con* tempt. Hot headed men, of warm fancied and Voluble tongues, with very little knowledge and discretion, Would be apt to thrust themselves on to the teaching and govern- ing otfiers, if they themselves were ttntlcr no government. This would soon make the public service of God to be loathed, and dissolve the whole body^"^ " If Ministers be self ordained (saith Hey) modest merit will never be called forth ; presumptuous vanity will be ever ready to obtrude itself: noisy ignorance will overpower diffident wisdom, and what will hinder vicious men from rising into power, especially if any considerable emoluments wer« annexed to the Ministry ? Nay, what can hinder doctrines opposite to each other from being taught, to the utter extirpation of all religious principle ? What can hinder different men from officiating in such different ways as to produce disturbance and confusion, and to put to flight all religious affection i** 48 Conscience. — Ae that secret testimony of the soul, which approves what it conceives good, and disapprvves evil, must be well informed before ic can be safely trusted. Con- science has frequently praised the most guilty conduct. St. Paul approved the death of Stephen. Many Christians hat* made it an affair of conscience to persecute and destmy their brethren. He that is ignorant of the wiU of Q9A ctn never possess a conscience void of effence. < r ^^TT iiPim'^' iu"*inpvR iiiui. (iiii«"w«.w'-"nnnnnijp»iiiiMij '^ HVrOCRISY DBTKCTE9. 81 Which bids us fly to root outev'ry flaw. Our errors blossom 'd whenwc first began, To err, dear Sir, belongs to sinful man ; To find and cure them Gospel knowledge proTei, The Lord directs the children whom he loves. ROBERT. New sects and new divisions thus we breed. With feelings diflTrcnt from true Gospel »ecd,*9 JAMES. No sects we raise, we are the shining light, Observ'd afar amidst the gloomy night ;50 The Scottish sect'ries little Gospel know, While we the road to dying Jesus shew : Tho' changing daily as the seasons roll. The changes flow from grace which hates controH.^^ F S The ^9 These people always pretend that they are under the influence of the Spirit, but what is the fruit— love, joy, peace, long suiforing, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekr ness, temperance ; yet they arc filling the country with hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, h«r«p ties, envyings-^nor are these works of the flesh confined to the common people, but they are exhibited in all their de>* formity by the principals. The quir'-els and contentionfi between Ewing and Haldane had long subsisted. Th« Con- gregation at Edinburgh was divided, they were ignorant of every liiing but how to promote evil, so One of the travelling Preachers signs himself the least rtf allS.ii(iri, although least, yet one. Such arrogance be- trays tli.il H'inti<<(l pride, which is t!je ruling passiot^ of them all—a vice liuuM«iittnt with true religion. *» Our Saviour rrprehcndcd the I'hiriiCf $ for tctchinj y *■;■ \ ■ «. .iS-t : i-»*'-1^ f\i Il I I w HVPOCniSY Df/rEClED. Thus Brother James your scriipN^s soon removes, , And brings you round to like what Uv. approves; Now, Ewing hating this improving course, First checks your progress as his stalking horse,5- Hnt the people how to reconcile breaches of the moral law with conscience. " But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother it is a gift, by whatsoever tliou mightest be profited by mc, and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandments of Godof none effect by your traditions. Ye hypocrites," &c. This trick of the Pharisees these new sectaries know well how to apply> in a manner that suits their own affairs. In all their turnings and twistings they plead conscience, new light de- rived from the Gospel ; or if these fail, irresistible grace. Every one is a Patriarch, an Apostle, a Saint filled with the Holy Spirit, and all the rest of mankind are corrupt, har- dened, perverse, the children of Satan. ."^s Stalking Horse. — Ewing, as Mr. Haldant declare* 5n his letters, was at first the most vehement of them all ■gainst the Establishment — he called the Kirk Babylon, the spawn of Antichrist — declared that no Christian could live in connexion with her, and that the Clergy were Infidels and Hypocrites . not one a true disciple. He was then a new convert, and he thought it requisite to shew his zeal by his hostility to those he had left. Now, that this Gen- tleman was acting the Hypocrite in all this, must appear morally certain, to every person acquaint* d with liuman na- ture. First, I can suppose, but only with dilRculty, that a Minister of the Church of Scotland rtpe iits of signing the Confession of Faith, and thinks the fcrm of ecclesiastical government objectionable. The reastvi why 1 find difiitul- ty in tWs case is, that no man is forced to be a preacher, nor is any one 50 young as tv be ignorant of the conditions »»/»> ^||BW,«i,IPim^Hi^|8Hr^>»""i"' '■"'"^T'«Wf»»fWWT ' >s 11¥P0CRI9V DETECTED. 87 lit But restive j^rowii, no loiij^er can lie mount Upon your shoulders to the sacred ibunt. Alas! with which he must comply. All these things ought to be well examined, and are well examined, by every sincere candidate for holy orders ; and if any scruples arise in hi» breast, he does not proceed. Now, Mr. Ewing was not a very young man, nor did he find any fault with the Kirk till within a short time of his defection. The difliculties which he had wiili iiis Colleague, the Session, &c. perhaps gave him new light. But v/itjiout insisting on these, we shall suppose a good man (however difficult the supposition) discovers, as he supposes, errors in the Kirk, he resigns hi« charge conscientiously, and joins himself to some other de- nomination, or becomes the head of a new one. What will be his conduct to those he has left ? If he be sincere, he will speak of them respectfully — he knowu from experi- ence, that men of the best intentions may still be in her bosom, for he remembers the time when he had no doubts of her purity. He will never speak against her, never preach against her, never hold her up to public scorn, or calumniate her with vile names. But, if he be a hypocrite, and his change is produced by interest, not conviction, or any other corrupt motive, he will be active in sland< ring the Society he has left, he will never tire of reviling them, and of holding them up to public execration. Nuw> to apply this to Mr. Ewing: — On the 29th Nov. lyyS, this Gentleman preached his last Sermon in the Established Church — the Missionary Magazine for December announced, that the Circus at Glas- gow had been lately purchased in order to be fitced up for a place of public worship ; so that beloic he left his situation in Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, he took care to have Mr. Haldane fixed by a bond to give him a salary of L.aoo per annum : that is L.50 sterling more than he had in u.e E-iab- ijshmcnt. By undertaking to teach vcung mea to be prea* <(M fl "W^ ■W^W^WPPIWW"^^ ^"IJIP" «s HVPOCRISY DETBCTEB^ Ui. Alas ! that Popes and Biahopn, filled with zeal, To fight the Devil for the public weal, Shoukl foes discover where they fancied friends, That cher» in fifteen months, he contrived to make about L.aoo rftorc, 80 that he bettered his circumstances by the change to the amount of L.250 per annum — this was a bait that lulled conscience asleep. Still the poor man might have «unk into contempt, with his perjury on his head, had he chosen to be quiet ; but instead of being ashamed of hit conduct, he comes forward with a paper on vows, publish- ed in the Missionary Magazine, for January 1804, in which he proves the folly of keeping any promise which we find to be inconvenient, and virtually recommends it to all Clergy- men of the Kirk of Scotland, to trample on the vow whick they made by signing the Confession of Faith. In this pa- per, the reasoning is indeed miserable, but the doctrine goes to destroy all confidence between man and man : wc •hall find it afterwards turned against himself. Hitherto Ewing had all the profit — Haldane all tlic loss. At first, the former had been more violent than the latter, and the first in proposing and adopting changes. But when Messrs. Haldanes began to doubt of the propriety of a regular Bishop or Minister to every Congregation, whom they ought to sup- port, Ewing got alarmed, and called a halt. Touch not my talary, and I am prepared for any change — his conduct had evinced the truth of this : but if all may preach and pray, why pay a man for preaching and praying ? This innova- tion filled Bishop Ewing with horror. He had not fore- seen all the changes of his Brethren, and now they went to deprive him of his living. But accustomed to brazen things out, he did not hesitate to contradict many of his former opinions, and to oppose his Master. What will not a man do to preserve his living ? Poor Haldane was made his stalking horse, his block to preferment. . \- '»"^»'TT>i''WpW»r>»"»T^T^WWIfiiP|P|^»fr HTPOCRISY DETECTED. 89 That Judas^ Ewiiig, all your prospects rends. This cunning Priest you thought an humble man, Who, for the Gospel prize, with ardour ran ; So mild, so good, so fill'dwith heavenly lights That all his earthly dross had taken flight. What think you of thesordid fellow now ? A Saint you sought, and caught a filthy sow. O rebel Knave,53 to poison all the joy Ofhina who brought you into rich employ ; To mar the pleasures he began to taste. When Mother Kiik her sorrowing pains confest: When holy ploughmen, fill'd with Gospel truths Roar'd anguish, lire and brimstone. North and South ; Scarce did his bosom greet the golden hope. That our increasing sect would chuse him Pope, When you, the spawn of pride, began to groan. And like your master sought amitei'd tbroue. At *» •« Bishop Ewing informs us, that it was oner pretend- •d that, in an old £ngltsh translation of the Bible, St. Paul» instead of a servant, was called a Knave of Jesus Christ. The word knave originally signified a boy, a servant : and it hat long since become so extremely humble, that if any English translation were now to use it instead of Minister of th« Gospel, the term would not surely be objected to as likely to occasion excessive veneratioi\. Tet, if such a term could gain currency, it would soon lose its low association, and acquire, in spite of all the efforts of controversy, a degree of respectability suited to its new situation." Should any per- son wish to apply the word Knave to this learned Bishop, there will be no necessity for using it in the antient accepta- tion, for the modern will do better. wmm «« 90 nvvocntnv dkt£Cted. As RI«1iop,54 you di^laiii a Laynmn's sway. And tlio' well fec'(lS5 you dare to disobey. Two Popos at once can never. Sir, agree. From *■* Mr. Ewing proTCS, as he thinks himself, that there was one Bishop in each of the primitive Churclic:}, and onl/ one. He is the only Clergyman in the Congregation of In- dependents at Glasgow : ergo, he is a Bishop. Did this Gentleman recollect, •* let a Bishop be blamelestt' when he broke his oath. " Let a Bishop be no brawler," when he quarrelled with his friends and benefactors ; not greedy of filthy lucre, when he changed his conscience for L,5o per annum. — i Tim. iii. i. 55 As Mr Ewing could not be ignorant of Mr. Haldane's wish to become the Pope of the sect, it was not very honour- able in him to oppose this design, particularly as he had accepted of so much money for his acquiescence. It it true, he will put us in mind of his doctrine on promises, which will be found convenient on all occasions, but opposi- tion came too late after taking the bribe ; and if he pretend that he repented, the first step of this would have been to restore the money which he had received : to make resti- tution is the only solid indication of repentance. It is cer- tain, that all Mr. tialdane's ambitious views were ruined by Evving's early opposition, which had long thwarted him before it became public : — they were irreconcileable before the Haldanes turned Anabaptists. Ewing wanted to share the power, but to this the Holy Brothers would not consent — irritations commenced and increased — and finding it impos- sible to gain their purpose, they began to think of regaining their money. All other opposition could have been easily crushed ; but Ewing had more learning, though he has pre- cious little, and more ill nature than they, and a great itch for publishing. -,=-;i^; -"^.j^aj IIVP0CRI9Y DETECTED. ft rrom Uiis vonr precious liopcs br^.-in lo flee ; And novel ciiUnnnios with greater power. On your devoted head be^an tosliower. The lnjitlien laii^h'd lo seo tlie holy brawl. And you, with Kwint:;, o(|ually they maul. ** As we foretold, these hypocrites dissect^G Each ^s After quarrelling for many years in private, Bishop Ewing and Pope Ilaldane wrote books against one another, from which the good people of Scotland may sec what kind of men they are, who have been for many years reviling th« established Church, and drawing them away from their Parish Kirks, and pretending to teach them a purer doctrine. These Gentlemen may be supposed to know their rcspecti'C merits, and we shall learn Trom the characters they give of one anotlier, what claims they Iiave to be Saints. Mr* Haldane, in his letters to Mr. Ewing, published 1809, by Ritchie, Edinburgh, confesses that differences subsist be- tween M». Ewing and him, and that there is much evil be- tween them besides difference of opinion. These Saints pass each other in the street -vithout peaking. Mr. II. in- «inuates liat Mr. Ewing left tin Church from a corrupt prin- ciple — accuses him of a lust f. / 'K^"^'.^ ^ ^ ^^w w 0>ip/ 1.0 I.I I^|2j8 |2.5 £ Iffi 12.0 12.2 11.25 Sciaices CorporaliDn 33 WEST MAIN STtEET WnSTIR,N.Y. I4SM (716)S73-4S03 '^ '4^ • f " ■',■'. % -. "■ :.!" ' ■ ■' / ' ■ • _ '^^ -;'.'■■■,.>-. i''-~ •' ■;,.-: . ';.,''.-;-i.-,---^- :- ■.■■ 6^ ". W»«,"HT'V"'"" V " . " l'l:J«P(i-»'J1I.MPllflyp. 9$ HTPOCRISV BETECTEP. *' Each others character* with small respect ?f " Lo ! Haldane finding churches growing nice, "Hit able benefit from the rejection of human standards. Yo» censured and ridiculed clerical dignity, now the Bishop can- not be sufHciently exalted. You were an enemy to Ecclesi- astical titles, now you desire them," &c. Mr. Haldane also accuses him of gross tergiversation, and in page 69 gives Stioi the iie» reproaches him for his bad temper, and calls him a calumniator. Much more may be found in Mr. HaU dane's two pamphlets against Mr. Ewing \ and, indeed, I cannot conceive » worse character than the Pope draws of ' the Bishopi his quondam friend. Mr. Ewing wrote an an« tweri in which he draws Mr. Haldane's character. I regret that I have not a copy of it, that the Pope might have jus* tice ; but from the pamphlets already quoted, I gather the following particulars, of which Mr. Haldane is accused : Mr. Ewing says, that Mr. Haldane's conduct towards him is palpably immoral-^that he is distressing the Churches for money-^that he confesses himself that he had spoken evilof him (viz. Ewing) — that he is fickle and a lover of fihange — that he is covetous«~a deceiver-^ doubts his poli- tics.o-of a bad temper— accuses him of inhumanity, for hearing that the walls of the Circus of Glasgow were weak, }At. Haldane stood at the gable ends, while speaking of the necessary alterations, for fear it might fall, but encouraged iMr. Ewing and his Congregation to enter. If they had been crushed it was a Providence, and what would Mr. Haldano care-" but he would run no risk himself: so much for the hnmanity of the Pope. Mr. Ewing impugns his sincerity and integrity— accuses him of oppressing the Preachers — that h« had too much influence in the Church — that his heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Such are the characters . which these two Saints give of one another : justly may we apply to these men the words of the .Apostle—"" they pro- d.^ ;.. iL\^it.Cr'-:. .^ii^. ^»pfr'-'*, .f^'*" VT*"Tf'Ji^' I '•v'^'w/V'' MYPOCKItT DBTB€T£»» '^* Ill's cash Jcmaiids to purcUase glory twice, " The building jobs give oalj withering praise, "For Ewiiig's talc the base intent betra3?s." 8ce Ualdaiic fierce to get the Circus57 back. Since fcss that thry know God, but in works they deny kim, bd«s abominable and disbbedient, and unto crery good work rfr> probate." — Tit. i. i6. ... 57 Mr. HaMans'l design, in giving eo much money to the different Congregations to be laid out in buikiing Chur- ches, (on which this money was secured) was evidently to beget an influence, and in most cases a controlling poixrer. As soon as he found that this could not be obtained, he drew back. He had tempted Mr. Ewing to leave the Church of Scotland, by giving him the Circus of Glasgow, with a good salary annexed, as long as he lived. A legal bond was given to Mr. Ewing, before he considered himself safe. The condition vn his part was to preach the Gospel. After the quarrel, Mr. Haldane demands the Circus back^>-Mr. Ewing pleads the promise, and the legal bond : Mr. Hal* dane discovers great iniquity in this bond — affects to lament his error — abhors all reference to law — pretends that Mr. Ewing cannot keep the house in justice, though he may have a legal claim, and quotes his own doctrine on vow«, which goes to destroy all moral obligation, and to undermine faith and truth, the pillars of society. Ewing declares, that he i» daily fulfilling the conditions of the bond ■, but to thii Haldane demurs, as the various changes which he had adopted were not followed by Mr. Ewing. In tht dispute ttbout ihe hotne, the miserable hypocrisy of Haldane is evinc- ed threught>ut, and Ewing for once is in the right. Mr. HaklaM in point of religion, honour, and justice, had no liiore t» do with the Circus of Glasgow, till Mr. Ewing's death, than he had with the Parish Churches. The woeful . CMmt wbich he writes on the subject can deceive nobodf. ,.«.»' ■'?rit,:. "iipflF wm U HYPOCRISY OET£€TEf. -i;!^ Since novr the Pastor follows not his track ,' » But (hen the hand this holy convert chose, Before on Mother Kirk he turn'd his nose, • Stands in (he way. and Ewing Mont restore - ' ^ The sacred temple, while his lungs can roar. They cant, deceive, and cozen, but in vain. With knowing Saints this canting brings no gain: Both skill'd alike to cozen and deceive. They shine, profess, but neither will believe. This Church for Gospel purposes you gave, I daily preach, and daily thousands save : The classes all advance with quick'ning pace, ' * And soon will spread the work with special grace. These words to Ilaldauc no swee^t comfort give. Who now perceives the Churches on him live. -58 Stop Ilaldane, stop, with sober reason'seyc, • , „ Behold the good your various toils supply ; , .. You first perceive the Churches all in debt, .? The members jarring, and with ills beset; Your ready aid encourag'd them to build, *> On you they reckon'd as their firmest shield. Rut now the debt you forcd them to repay. With mighty costs and interest sans delay. Their faithful friend becomes their bitt'rest foe. Ensnares them first, and leaves them reaping woe.5* In 5S The Ex-Pope soon discovered, that in the present situa- tion of things, he had t«venty-one thousand pounds lying dead, and the Churches enjoying it, they reaped the benefit and he the loss i as long as he retained power, he was not unwilling to let matters) pass on, but the moment that his power was gone, he demanded his money. ... ; *-, *? It is evident, that the people in many place* wowW "^"•Hl i|»ipii|.M«^***Pf*" HVFOCRISY OETICTE*. m (n thisyour f!;lorioiis plan for crushing sin, . ; oi Vour cloak of faitli^ sweet Sir, I fear is thin; -j/i i In every Pai'ish ranc'rous jars are bred, ^^ -^ No more the Clergy are the sinner's dread : •' No more their gcn'rous hearts and tongues persuade The friendless poor^ and comforts round them spread : Dissensions rise, the firmest friends divide^ The Kirk they hate, and all its forms deride. The Parson pity, faithless and profane, ■■. • Doom'd with ;«*}■» Ill 11^* iliMmii*'Ai;. uii|i|i,f,ipviui.MV' ''I*' 96 arPOCUSV DETKCTIB. ■A To private profit turn each lucky case. »■ ■* ^t n't The mob converted, gpurn their lniitikif$fitLit, '4i i' Neglect their callings, evil habits get ; . • v ^ '; Tho' children starve at home, these Saiufts declare No worldly bus'nesi shall their souls ensnare. Domestic faarmocij forever flies ; To you, the Sire— to Kirk the Mother hies, * The Son a Heathen turns, thcdaughter's smiles Expose her quickly to some Preaclier's wiles. These cutting words your humble soul could bear. For what cau hurt the pious and sincere ? ., : But nearer pain disturbs your sorrowing breast^ Your pre ^pects clouds and poisons all your rest. The base ingratitude the Churches shew To you, their Father, sinks your thoughts in \voc ; .. ^ ;...,. . For asserts in a Pamphlet, that though young men sent from Scotland to Ireland by the Society for Propagating the Gos- {)ei at Home, under pretence of preachloig the Gospel, were in reality seeking their fortases. Tiiis truth was illustrated by their conduct in Scotland. Cleghorn and Ballantine go out as itinerants from Congregations aic Wick and Tkurso, get Houses built, and become the Pastors. Billantiae har* ing soon after some difieretices with Ima people, wcitt to Elgin. Here he quarrelled with hi? people, because they out Sailor, a Merry An- drew, Stage Doctor, &c. to become a Preacher — the trade, as such people managed it, was easier and more profitable. M wr l:vi»ociiisy np/rtJCTEn. 97 For Brother James you calh with eager speed, 'J'o give you counsel in this time of need ; Your rueful case the groaning sailor hears, , . And ponders sagely on your cares and fears. O Brother, Robert, all your Airtlucy cash Will tly like chalf, or any gambler's trash ; Its rapid flight must shorten social cjiecr, A dismal issue, which I sadly fear. How shall we plot, the money to resimie, Alas ! this scheme could only end in fume ; From OFme's62 tierce character you well may judge That for you Church or Pastor hate to budge : But kick with fatness at the verv man, Who first contriv'd their riches getting plan. Turn Anabapistj63 what. Sir, are you mad ? G The 62 Mr. Orme, after being a short time at Edinburgh, in the classes, went to Perth to preach. It appears the Church there elected three Preachers, of whom Mr. Orme was one. Inese did not agree, as might have been fore- seen. Mr. Haldane finding this out by a private letter from Mr. Orme, summons all the three, by virtue of his Aposto- lic authority, to Edinburgh j reproves them, and send* them back : quarrels still continued — Mr. Haldane turned Anabaptist, Of the Congregation at Perth, almost the whole rejected the novelty ; nevertheless Mr. Plaldane turn- ed them out of the Church, of which he was the Chief Creditor, anclgives it to the few who turned as he turned. Pie did the same with the Church at Dundee, and conse- quently did certainly oppress the Churches, and reaped a benefit from subscriptions. The facts are unquestionable, on the face of his own pamphlets against Bishop Ewing, G'-i We have abstained from saying much of Mr. James Haldane, that we might give a more distinct account of him in . n^ 1 I 'I i. 'A . i \ -it :,. I! 'M ,! : "I r ji^liVKi,*;,,?!: .<*,^MI f' "^ HYPOCRISY DETECTED. The truth, impugn, in faith I'm not so bad. JAMES. Stop Robert, stop, your rising fury check. My reasons hear, eonfirm thcin or reject. Your this place. He seems to be the religious projector, he proposes changes — Robert opposes, but at length yields. On Sabbath,. 3d February, 1 799, (says the Missionary Magazine) Mr. James Haldane was ordained, in the Circus of this city, to be Pastor of a Church recently formed here. Mr. Garie -went into the pulpit, and, after prayer, solemnly asked Mr. Haldane the following questions : 1st. As an unconverted Ministry is allowed to be a great evil, will you, Sir, be pleased to favour us with some ac- count of the dealings of God with your soul ? 2d. Will you inform us, what are the circumstances and motives which have led yoa to preach the Gospel, and to desire to engage in the work of the Ministry ? 3. Will you favour us with, your views of the leading truths of the Gospel ? 4. Will you explain your views and purposes, respecting the duties and trials thar are before you in the Pastoral Office ? To these questions, Mr. Haldane replied at considerable length, and in a manner that seemed to make a very deep and general impression. His account of ttie dealings of God with him, contained an historical sketch of his whole life, in which there appears to have been many remarkable displays of Providential mercy, as well as the most satisfying evidence of a saving change. His account of the circum- stances and motives, which concurred in leading him to preach the Gospel, were such as, in the unanimous opinion-, ef the Church, and of many others, established a very clear call to the work of the Ministry. The declaration of \di* - >ri«»/!' ■■ •; — - ||||.i,f^i»iH iinin.ifu^ffmr^^ MYPOCJIISY DETECTED. Vour cash to Churches lent you can't demand, While in connexion with the flocks you staud; G 2 See fjith was scriptnral, explicit, anl uncommonly striking. Ilis vie\\s and purposes, as to the work before him, shewed A strong sense of insufficiency, and a becoming dependence on promised Divine aid. Mr. Haldane here expressed his intention of endeavouring to procure a regular rotation of Ministers to assist him in supplying the Tabernacle. He declared his willingness to open his piilpit, for the occasional labours of every faithful Preacher of the Gospel, of what- ever denomination or country he might be. He signified his approbation of the plan of the Church which had chosen him for their Pastor, as being simple and scriptural ; but disavowed any confidence in it as a perfect model of a Church of Christ, to the exclusion of all others, &c. Here, Mr. Haldane declares his saving faith and his sat- ing opinion of himself — he knew the time of his conversion, the strange feelings with which it was accompanied — the per- ceptible dealings of God with his soul. But this implies a new revelation — now we suppose that man a Christian, who Is able to discern, to believe, and receive the Revelation already made in the word of God. This Gentleman receives a Divine Revelation himself, he feels that his sins are par- doned, that his person is accepted, and he builds his per- suasion of the truth of this, not upon any thing declared In iScripture, but upon the vividness of a sudden feeling. If Mr. llakl,ane speak true, then he is not a Christian, and his religion is not that of the New Testament ; for Scripture, ^o far from promising a new Revelation, expresses the con- trary, that there will be no more. These public confessions >iav(! been vAcn from the Methodists, wlio gain thousands of proieJytCb by such hypocritical practices, by relating sud- den conversions and h.-.sty illuminations. It nov/ happens, that Mr. IhlJanc jcVnjwlcd^fs virtually, that lis was de- i ^•if^m "i ) il '1 ■■■'■**^:'-' 7 100 HVPOCKISY DET£CT£1/. /' See Ewing's bond in log^al justic(r cloar. And conscience has no elbow room lo slecr : J{iif cclved. He disapproves of the plan of the Church which he then approved. He no longer troubles himself about pro- curing a regular rotation of Ministers, he tlunks regular Pas- tors useless, he has taken down the Pulpit as a rag of Anti- christ, and the Scavenger and Cady have as good a right to pray, preach, and exhort, ashim8elf,and will, no doubt, acquit themselves as well. The reasons of his turning Anabaptist are mentioned in the text ; but, as a specimen of his talents, we shall exhibit his sentiments on Baptism in 1805, taken from a book which he then published, called a View of So- cial Worship, and contrast them with his reasons for chang- ing his sentiments and practice, published in 1 8o9> As li- terary compositions, both these publication are much below mediocrity. View 0/ Social H^orshi/it 1805. Jews changed the outward lign of the covenant, and lubitituted Baptism for Circumcision, and the first for the seventh day of the vveek.—Page 325. It appears then, that in virtue of the divine commandment to Abraham, everybeliever it bound to have his children baptised — this is our explicit warrant. — Page 328. Acta vii. 12. — Some have ex- pressed their surprise, that chil- dren are not also mentioned here; but men and women include the whole human race. — P. 327. That children enjoy spirttual ble*singR, in virtue uf their con- nection with godly parents,isrvi. dtot from the whole Scripture. Reatontfora Change of Sentiments res/iecting Baptisnh 1809* Baptism not substituted for Circumcision. — Page 91. The sanctiBcation of the Lord's Day standsuponverydifTerentgrounds from Infant Baptism. — P. 91. The argument for Infant Bap- tism, from the Covenant with Abraham, proceeds on a mis- taken view of that Covenant. The ordinance of Baptism can- not be administered to Infants, for the subjects of Jesus are born not of blood, nor of the will of the ffesh, nor of the will of man, but uf God. As to children of believeri be- ing interested, because they are such, in the salvation of Chritty there is no foundation in Scrip- ture for such an idea. — Page 77. h if ■pi||r«««^|IRWilli ■« llPWIPil iiUHIi.r-'' 1''%. HYPOCRISY DETECTED. 101 But Analiaptist turn, then boldly cry, Give back the Cluircb, and Ewing must comply. For tickle Conscience to the mob will shew. That Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of luch ii the kingdom of hearen. Again, the Apostles Bay, believe, and thou shall be savedi thou and thy house. — This ii inexplicable in the Anti- piedobaptist system. The Gospel to be preached to all creatures. On tlie whole, it appears that Infant Baptism is an ordinance of God — P. 332. Practice of ancient Churches in its favour, that is, in favour of Infant Baptism. — 331. PeUgius accused of denying Infant Baptism, but denies the imputation. Justin Martyr, who wrilfs toon after the death of the A- postlei, ai here stated only 40 years, speaks of Baptism as be- ing to Christians in the place of Circumcitioa. Irenzui speaks of infants be* ing regenerated to God, and he lived near the Apostles. So Clemens Alexandrinus Origen, •peaks expressly and repeatedly of Infant Baptism. He declares, that the Church had from the Apostles an order to biptise in* fants : he was born little more than 80 years after the Apostles -— Eusehius and Cyprian of the same side.— Page 33t. In 1809, four years after, he discovers in a house, house- hold, or family, no children, not even that of the Jailor'i,— > Acts xvi. 29. Only believers to be baptiz- ed. Infant Baptism is in op- position to the plain language of Scripture. — Page 57- The evidence of antiquity much against Infant Baptism.-— Contents. Tertullian, who lived about the year 200, is the first who mentions Infant Baptism, and argues against it. Ircnxus, who was his contemporary, and Jus- tin, who lived before him, are forgotten: and Origen, who was quoted in Social Worship as liv- ing before " 'tullian, but who lived some titr.j after, is also for- gotten. He finds few fathers to suit, and therefore sticks to Ter« tuUian* %^,>iA.fc,-. \- 1 J f i. 'lAs ;"••'»•«* rJ iM HYPOrniSY DKTKCTED. r^ f Tli.al sordid bonds the. Saints slioiild nevor lautr To mix with vvsuin religions swfet perfume. No He Jiicovcri now, that theie two Gieclc wordi ntver lignifjr any tliinj; but to immerir or plungr. Ho furgcti poor Dr. Owen. In 335, finirru and /3«Tr<^« do not always lignify to dip or plunfTCi but alto to v^ash i and Dr. Owen ii quoted to cunfirm thif, and lome paasagei from Scripture.— Page 335. . ^ These contradictory passages might liave been multiplied : and the natural inference is, that this man is not qualified for a public teacher, might perhaps have misapprehended » text, but the evidence of history cannot difTer from itself, and yet he discovers antiquity in favour of Infant Baptism, and again he finds it against it. But the two notable argu- ments which weighed in his mind arc, as he tells us in hiii introduction, ist, that he was staggered, because from time to time some Members of the Tabernacle went to the Bap« lists, but none of them came over to the Tabernacle. Is it wonderful that the mob, who ran after such a blind guide as this, should discover their folly *, but having lost the way, that they should continue to wander till tliey fell among new thieves. This second convincing argument is still more notable. I was a good deal struck with the justice of a remark made by one of my children, a boy of 6ve years of age, who saw me baptize a child — he enquired of me when I came home, how that child could believe, for the Bible said, that believers should be baptized* This able Theolo- gian of five years convinced his Father ; though some peo- ple might say, that if the question of the boy was any thing more than at random, it became an argument in favour of early Baptism. The true reason why Baptism was so long delayed in the early ages of Christianity arose from the be- lief, that the person to be baptised obtained remission of all his former sins. Sinners were, therefore, in the custom of delaying this ceremony as long as possible. If Mr. J. Hal-« . '!■ 11^ ii^^fiiiiliin pi IK I lapiiiui p«i ^•". XYPOCRISY DETFXTEB. loa t No carnal int'rcsts ever should prrsumr.fii. As with your Patron you no lonj^tT act, You must in justice give the Circus back. Or else the Anabaptist scheme pursue, The choice we offer to your serious view. He dare not turn, he dreads hisjeolous Uockj And such apostacy his frkmls would mock ; Or if he turn, of pop'lar favour bare, As Sampson of his strength, when shorn of hair. Our humble slave nill twist him as we please. And cast the fellow off with wond'rous ease. ROBERT. The classes, James, that dungeon of ex pence. To banish them what honest fac'd pretence. JAMES. That Brother leave to nie, I'll clearly prove. Such classes hostile to our Master's love ; Teach men6S Divinity, how monstrous vile. The dire contrivance of the Prince of Guile. Within dane he a man of common sense, these arguments could have •no weight upon his mind : the text therefore gives the only feasible accovnt of his ohange— and after the cash is all re- covered, we may expect him to recover his senses, and to return to the practice of Infant Baptism. 64 At length, rather than be longer plagued, Ewing gave the Tabernacle up, and Haldane sold it very profitably to the Relief Congregation. 65 See Note 22. Mr. Haldane borrows all he says against learning from Mr. Ballantine. See likewise the proof of th ■ :a Within themselves all things the rhiirchcs have. Their holj souls no customs should enslave: Let Elders rule, and all of good report Dispemc the masteries, preach and p raj, exhort: No Bishops can they wish, where all should he As much a Clergyman as you or me. , ,.^,. ^j^ ^ These sinful Classes are at present small, ,;>.,. Uti For many from the Churches have a call: i ;; ,» ; The rest disperse, as openings can be found. To spread the Gospel through some Heathen ground ; And promise large, when gone we can forget, .(/ Few will return to tell their dismal fate. If letters plague, this answer soon will tire. The labourer's surely worthy of his hire ; Your wants, your hearers always must supply. On our small Funds no longer friend rely. This scheme we found in operation quick, Itsilenc'd modest Reidand clam'rous Dick;66 '■' \ ■VA'. h: Our 66 See the Missionary Magazine, for April 21, i8o(J. Extract of a Letter from Upper Canada, dated Sept. 2, 1 805. " I received your Letter, dated the 8th March, 1 804, in due time ; but various unforeseen circumstances have pre- vented me from writing you hitherto. A month or two ago, I got the perusal of Volumes ist, 3d, and 4th, ot the Missionary Magazine. I went eighty miles for them, and now having read them, my spirit is renewed in me. I have also read many other Evangelical Tracts, so that I am made to cry out, O poor miserable Canada, miserable in the grea- test latitude of the word, however rich you may be in silver and gold, in wheat and in corn, for the want of the pure and unadulterated Gospel, for the want of evangelical preach- ing, for the want of regenerating grace, you arc poor indeed. ,*^. I IIU.MI^piiJI TF^^'W^""^' 'H»V:..,W.' HYPOCRISY DETECTED. 10S Our secret purpose they no longer serve. And let the sill v Rascals work or starve. ROBERT. O happy Britain, happy indeed, under the influence of that spirit, which enlighteneth thee in these latter day.\ when other nations are in more than heathen darkness. O Lord, do thou shed more and more of thy blessed Spirit abroad throughout my native country ; do thou fill the hearts of all the Highlanders, nay, all Britons, with thy quickening spirit. O send thy Spirit abroad also among the barren Canadian?. Ah ! dear Sir, was there ever heard of such a general awa- kening since the Apostles' days ? The reformation of Lu- ther, Calvin, or Knox, tan hardly surpass it, hardly a vil- lage but enjoys the labours of some one or other of the bless- ed Missionaries, or their Catechists : surely the good effects of the missions of this age will be matter of praise to future generations. Ah ! dear Sir, if we had in this barren wil- derness, but only for a few weeks, any of these men whose labours have been blest with the influence and manifestations of the Spirit, I would rejoice exceedingly. Then, I hope;, many of the strange and unaccountable opinions and preju- dices, the formality, and infidelity, which universally reign in those parts, would be plucked up by the root. In short. Sir, we have but few people in this country besides Armi- nians and Papists. There are a few Methodist and Mora- vian Congregations up the country, but nqne within eighty or a hundred miles of this place. There is both place and employment enough for six settled Ministers and twelve iti- nerant Preachers, and as many Catechists, in these parts. Imagine to yourselves a district of forty thousand square miles or more, that twenty-five years ago was a perfect wil- derness, and now is inhabited, few places here and there ex- cepted, with a mixture of various people out of every nation in Europe and state in America, Protestants of various de- nominations, Lutheriane and Calvinists, Papists and Jesuits, %• --.,«-.», 106 HYPOCRISY DETECTIW- I) ^ ROBERT. This plan, dear Brother, surely wears a ftice. But Conscience trembles at its close embrace; ■■'••• " Some Jews, Indians, Negroes, &c. &c. Every year new emi- grants come to settle in Upper Canada, and there is per* haps a hundred born for every ©nc that dies. There arc hundreds of persons at the age of twenty who are not bap- tized, and I have seen married people come to our church for baptism. There arc not twelve Ministers or Priests (i. e. Teachers) of any kind of religion, as far as I can learn, be- tween the confluence of the rivers St. Lawrence and Otway and Lake Superior, and none at all between that and the Western Ocean, among the millions of Indians that inha- bit the wilderness. You may reasonably ask, Why do no' so many people send for Ministers ^ I tell you plainly. Sir, they do not feel in anywise to be in need of them. I know there are many persons who sincerely lament the want of the Gospel, but these of themselves cannot support Minis- ters, and some know not where to apply for them. You will be good enough to let the religious condition of thit country be known to the Missionary Society, send them a copy of this letter, or extracts from it. I beg of them to have pity on their country people here, who feed on bar- renness and poverty, while they are dividing the rich spoils at home, and send out labourers to the great harvest. Let them send, if it were but one Missionary, to the Counties of Glengary and Stormont, or let them send one on a tour through Upper Canada, to see and know the state of the in- habitants. Let him stay if it were but a twelvemonth, if they choose, and then return to report his discoveries. I am sure it is much better, and more to God's service, and the honour of tlic Society, to send a few Missionaries to Upper Canada, than to send them to unhealthy climates among savages, who, if they arc not murdered, fall a sacri- I . ».!■ ^ifi'VIIVTTWnn^m^ppif' HYPOCRISY DETECTEB. 107 Some knotty doubts will still before me risCj And bowel twichiiigs take me by surprise. JAMES. O Brotber, Brother, cant with whining fools, Your bosom never yields to Conscience rules. Your craving passions form the blazing pole, Kound which your actions move without control. Our plan has fail'd, no power, no fame accrues,67 Our fice to the climate. It is absolutely necessary, that a person coming to these parts should be able both to converse and preach in the Ciaelic language ; if he understood French, and could preach in that tongue, he would not only find it much to his advantage, but might convert the ignorant French Cana- dians. Some persons who emigrated to this place, person* who know nothing of the power of godliness, were pleased to degrade and Asperse the Missionaries to their countrymen here, so that the wisdom and power of God seemed foolish* ness to them. Some rame over from Inverness-shire, and reported, that their country people had changed their reli- gion. When asked what religion it was they embraced, * God knows,* said they, * some curious religion, that puts them mostly out of their wits : they are constantly praying. Wc could not stay long with them, and so we came to America.** This letter, curious and extravagant as it is, would been infinitely more so had it been published as it was written ; but it has undergone a strict revision and correction before it went to the press. The folly and ridiculous affectation of the original writer are well known : but he cannot write a sentence of grammar, or of tolerable sense — we are, there- fore, obliged to the Editors for what portion of these may be found in the above letter. f 7 It was evident, before Mr, Haldanc turned Anabaptist, ippw^^ ■f^" I ,1 >^- 108 HYPOCUISV DETECTED. Our servants daily ^uin — wc daily lose ; . *. }]y turning to the Anabaptist side Wc break connexion, farther claims deride. The cash recover to the Cluirches lent. Their temples sell, or lease them at a rent. IIOBEUT. • ' This ofl'ers well, but are you, James, sincere. How can you in thischanging cause appear; ,^ •, You lately 'gainst these Anabaptists wrote. Their errors wailing, have you this forgot ? JAMES. I^'ll write again, ray errors all confess. Derive my healthy change from special grace i Besides, my privileges as a Saint •Give power to change, as proper gifts are lent ; The simple herd will view me with surprise. And from this change, a purer Saint I'll rise :63 < The Anabaptists, vying in respect. Shall hail as friends, the pillars oftb«ir sect. Thus, Brother, cash at least we shall not lose— From former schemes, too simple in their views. Which, that he could not be Pope — ignorance and ingratitude go to- gether : the Preachers were too ignorant to be grateful. Wesley kept his Preachers in order, not by gratitude, which he was never so foolish as to expect* but from power — 'f they opposed him, he turned them off. Had Haldane kept t^ie same hold, he might have really been Pope. 6« Ja.nes was rather out in his calculation, the people began to see through him. Their folly had gone past, and they were turning back to common sense as he was turning Anabaptist. He is, therefore! no longer thought a Saint. r > j.-« »sa te rr: :: ■i ■"«'^; f'.i hVPOCRlSY DETECTED. J09 Mhich, c;raml ami pruniising, could not withstand That serpent Ewing-'s secret working'hand : No prudent Sjiintj by long experience wise, Shallthrusi his linger in our future pies.Gi? e'J Among the Political Problems rcsolycd by the Amc- rican Revolution, the great utility of religious establish- ments is one of the most important. I believe, there are very few persons who have witnessed the almost total extinction of Christianity in this rising republic, and the consequent degeneracy of the people, who will not approve of some general form of public worship. In theory, many objec- tions of great weight may be raised against any mode that could be adopted } but herein lies the fallacy — they point only to the mode and not to the thing itself. It is not our intention to enter deeply into the question of religious esta- blishments, a full discussion of it would require a voliime ; but having seen the baneful effects of the want of such an establishment, in a state containing seven millions of inha- bitants, I cannot abstain from making a few cursory re- marks. It has been said, that a ReUgious Establishment was neither consistent with the true interests of Religion, nor the peace of Society — that it was a most violent in- fringement of the right of private judgment — and always turned into a Political Engine to support the State. These are plausible objections, and abstractly considered, they seem to have some force ; but when examined by the test of experience, their strength vanishes away. There is no rational being, who has ever taken the trouble to reflect, who feels not the propriety of worshipping God in some way or other ; on this there can be no difference of opinion: bbt shall the State supply the means of religious instruc- tion and a form of public worship, or leave it to every one to worship or not as he pleases .? Or, in other words, shall 6ie State encourage what v^ allowed on all hands to be use- fuly il ii.->^t- no HYPOCRISY DETECTKft* er stand an indifferent spectator ? I must acknowledge, thf C to me this question affords no r^lfficulty : if an oath be rt« quired, either for allegiance, or the duu discharge o^.he du<> ties of any ofHce — if promises are to be believed and perform* ed, then is Religion necessary, for without religion they have no basis. Had not Christianity been revealed, then every person would have been left to his own wicked imagi- nation j but as the Supreme Being has set limits to our It* berty by this revelation, which conBncs us to thia religion and to it only, I cannot think it any infringement of the general liberty to imitate this example, by affording the means of acquiring a true knowledge of what has been re- vealed. It has been farther stated, that no Government, pretending to be free, has the power of establishing a pub- lic form of worship. This objection has been in a great measure anticipated } but it may be farther observed, that no form of Government is capable of promoting the gene- ral benefit, unless it have the power to restrain evil and to promote good. This may be done in two ways— by mea- sures of force, which command obedience, or by encou- ragement and persuasion. As to measures of force, they consist of the laws of the land, which can only go a very little way ; there must, therefore, be another law, which shall take cognizance of the internal man — a law not to be obtained in books, not to be engraven on tablets of brass, a law which always subsists, which is every moment observed, and which condemns every species of wrong. Now as this internal law is of infinitely more consequence than the gene- ral ordinances of any country, it surely behoves Govern- ment to lend it their countenance and protection, as far as they can. If they are able, by encouragement and persuasion, to give it f jrce and energy, to prevent its corruption and ensure its proper direction, they are certainly acting favou- rably to the freedom and happiness of the people j for every thing that promotes virtue and religion, promotes happiness and "'»^ y ."A '^■IT'TT TT Of^limiJf^l^^PM^VMW',,' .'' !f* 1^1'" i.p.|liM,!l1i' i,).M>'»^lfm'.' in t wqifm.iu ^^W' ;Ff' nvrocRrsY detected. in r > a*iETE"«'>.',;pAim^iiiii THI FOLLOWING EXCELLENT SUMMARY, or THI . vise and hencflcial^ that it may be adduced as collateral evidence of the divine orig^inof that Religion by which it was form- ed and established. IL It is an institution so essential to a due moral and spiritual influence over the people, and it gives so permanent and universal an effect to vi-.il religion, that Parish Priests, and those autliorilits w hich ap- point and superintend them, become iini;or(ant and necessary branches of the Church of Christ. III. Every iJ^:.<' ^^ 116 f •■ in. Kvtry l*uri»li l*ri, \ ; *iWP 117 ** f 5rcr« oIIIm' poor in \\\k\ (listliarf;o of ,'. pir delicate :iiul iiii«>r<>sfiii^(lnii('H ; an» XII. He should be punctual in the hours of public ser- vice, and should perform all the rites of religion with devotional feeling and unvarying solemnity. Nothing in bis conduct should be indifferent ; and even at a feast, he should remember thri he is look- 4:d upon as the Minister of a holy religion, ^rl thai; his levities or sensualities will sanction greater vices in ■iiw'ii«mH/>. i^n^/ij <,"ii»i{iii»!«!i".,i' 119 \ >. r s ill those who rev*ieiice his character^ and quote ]iini as their example. XIII. He will find little difficulty in collecting his dues and tjthes, if he has succeeded in impressing his pa- rishioners with a well founded respect for his office and personal character ; but in all cases of dispute, he should convince them before he attempts to force them ; he should appeal to arbitration rather than to law; and I>: should endeavour to bring over the refractory by the influence of the liberal and well disposed. XIV. He should render himself the organ of the bene- volence of his parishioners, by recommending fre- quent collections for particular objects of compas- sion, and by superintending their distribution. He should, in performing this duty, increase the com- fort and the number of cottages ; encourage habits, of cleanliness, sobriety, humanity, and industry; promote ni(i,rriages and the settlement of young per-' sons; countenance moderatehilarity on festive days; distribute periodical public rewards to those who afford instances of peculiar good conduct; create provisions for the sick and aged ; and signalize emi- nent industi-y and domestic virtue in the humblest stations^ even after death. XV. Being considered by the great as a constant scetpf of preferment, he should be scrupulously modest and delicate in his advances to them, or he will ex- pose \ »■' ■att ■.-i.f^ '^. f. « *y\ '' * v.- 'I n ir 1^ •■••V ;! \ "^ ■'•*/. 120 pose himself to their ridicule, and defeat his piir*- j)ose, l)csides degrading the religion of self denial and humility. XVI. He should never meddle with the political parties of the state ; and in elections, or local questions of a mere political tendency, he should avoid com- mitting the infallibility of his sacred character, by joining in the errors and passionate ebullitions of par- tizans. lie ought insuch matters to withhold his in- terference, except in favour of those only who an; eminent for their personal virtues : and he ought never to become a partizan, except when evident virtue is opposed to or oppressed by notorious vice. His only criterion of decision should be the balance of vice or virtue in the objects. XVII. His station, character, and independent provision, whether it be great or small, render him an object of envy io other classes of society, and eminently qualify him to pass through life with respect, use- fulness, and happiness; and whatever may be the outv/ard pomp and shew of other stations of the com- munity, there is no social condition which unites so much placid enjoyment, and so many objects for the gratification of those passions which lead to self satisfaction, with so permanent a prospect of com- petency and CO mfort, and so great a certainty of pre- serving health, and attaining long life and future fe- licity, as that of the Parish Priest. COMMON SENSE. ,■'.' •'■•■•# •'+^1 "»h. (?»■ 4t3i, •'+v;