Forgetting that natural and spiritual gifts come alike from God, and that, in many instances recorded in the Sacred Volume, He has been pleased to give peculiar grace and wisdom to his youthful servants, we presume, "to despise his youth;" and that, not because there is really cause for it, but because we conclude, without trial, that his services must be little worth, from the mere circumstance that he is young. To do so, is not only foolish in itself, but indicates also a regard rather to the preacher, than to the truths he delivers; and thus, that spiritual benefit which might otherwise be gained, is precluded. It ought, indisputably, to be our impression in hearing the word of life, that God "has given us this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might appear to be of God, and not of man." And of what real consequence is it to me, whether the same truths be urged upon my heart and conscience by a youthful, or a by a more aged minister; provided it be done with faithfulness, affection, and earnest ness? It is a ridiculous conceit in any man, however great his knowledge and talents, to imagine that another can add nothing to his stores. I would not in any degree depreciate the advantages of experience; I would not at all interfere with the preference of one man to another, which any one may entertain; but certainly, the mere circumstance of a youthful minister occupying the pulpit, ought neither to induce us to neglect attendance on our regular place of worship, nor to go there with a conviction, previously settled, that the expected preacher can teach us nothing which we do not already know; much less that he is incapable of efficiently discharging the sacred duty which devolves upon him. To expect, in such a person, the experience of age, is absurd; but grace does not depend on age, and therefore it by no means follows, that because a minister is young, he has not discovered enough of his own heart, and of those of others, to convey, even to aged saints, most valuable lessons. Let me reflect that most of the eminent servants of God began their course in youth; and let me rejoice, that the burning zeal, and the unwearied activity, and the impetuous energy of the youthful mind, are still combined with the calmer and more experienced exertions of riper years, to carry on the same great work; and that, while the aged servants of God are fast falling around us, others are rising to supply their place. And though I would that the remembrance of the glory of Him, who works in all and by all, should settle on my mind, and still every unholy feeling, while in humility, and peace, and joy, I listen to the message which he is pleased to send me, by whose lips soever it may be delivered; yet, if I have a thought to spare on the instrument he is pleased to use, it is to me a delightful sight to behold the youthful preacher standing forth as the undaunted messenger of heaven; while the shade of Spencer, who is gone, and the images of others, whom, if not living, I would name, rise before my imagination, in all their loveliness, and in the moral grandeur of a soul, which, even in youth, presses on foremost in the path of immortality, and teaches others how to reach the skies. But the remarks to which I refer, tend to cherish a very different class of feelings, and to confirm very injurious prejudices, and therefore, in my opinion, had been better withheld. But what are others, as well as those of our own principles, to think, when they find that we ourselves consider some of our preachers as "half-taught Students?" It will be remembered that this appellation refers to style, and to the proper occupations of the pulpit. As Dissenters, we consider that the possession of a very inferior degree of learning, (properly so called,) does not incapacitate a man for preaching the Gospel to the poor; and where no better means can be resorted to, we would encourage even those who are incapable of delivering their sentiments without offence to a critical ear, to preach to others rather than these should "perish for lack of knowledge." We rejoice, however, when we see men of profound learning, and of commanding eloquence, advocating in our pulpits the cause of Christianity; and we consider, in all cases, sound sense, and in every case, except those of necessity, correct delivery indispensable. Yet we have seen, in one of our own most respectable publications, a direct and gross attack upon a body of our preachers, who, in no very courteous terms, are styled, "half-taught Students," preaching "nonsense." Now, if in our theological academies sound sense and correct taste are not prevalent, where amongst us can they be expected to be found? The very grossness of the imputation shews its absurdity. But though "Marcus" did not mean it to extend thus far, and though our own friends will naturally revolt from such a supposition, yet it will give opportunity to our enemies to triumph. They will hail it as a full admission of what they have long in vain endeavoured to prove that our ministers in general are low, ignorant men. While "Marcus" has exposed himself to a suspicion of considerable personal arrogance and conceit, he has by no means benefited the cause of Dissent generally, by attempting to fix upon a particular description of our officiating ministers a charge which has very little application, even to the whole body united; and which, therefore, he might have found other means to repel from (shall I say?) himself and his associates. It has thus become necessary distinctly to affirm, that though some uneducated men may be found in our pulpits, (and what church is free from ministers inefficient in one respect or other?) yet that such characteristics are peculiarly inapplicable to those among us, who are regularly educated for the ministry. Your correspondent seems either not to know, or to have forgotten, that many who enter our Theological Academies are well educated previously; particularly, that they are often no strangers to the classics, though he has thought proper to speak of the second and third year's classes having made but "a single progress through the Latin Grammar." To these, the instructions of an academy are chiefly useful in improving acquirements already made, and in directing them to the special object of the ministry. And greater attainments than the highest which he has been pleased to assign to the more advanced classes, are required of all, either before they enter those institutions, or at least before the first year is past. The fact is, that the greatest care is taken by those who have the management of our Academies, that none should be sent out from them to preach, who are so evidently unqualified, as they must be, to whom the remarks of "Marcus" would apply; and therefore, if in a few instances, (and they must have been very few), their vigilance has been eluded, I trust that he will in future be a little more careful in making charges of this nature. And I would particularly hope, that he will not again venture to cast upon our young ministers the imputation of idleness, with which his remarks close. This, at least, their enemies have never been able to prove against them, and I trust they never will. The diligence of our ministers has been, and is now, our glory as Dissenters; and it certainly ill becomes one who would seem to be a friend, even to hint at the suspicion of such a stain upon their character. OMICRON. MONUMENTAL REMAINS. No. I. (To the Editors.) GENTLEMEN, Feeling a lively interest in every thing which illustrates the history of Protestant nonconformity, I frequently visit, in my journeys, the graves of the dissenting fathers, whether ministers or laymen, and usually transcribe those epitaphs that are legible, and have not been preserved by Brooks, Palmer, or Wilson. I propose, therefore, occasionally to occupy a page of your valuable Magazine, with descriptive sketches of those hallowed spots, and with copies of the inscriptions, which I trust will be acceptable to your readers, and may induce other correspondents, of the same taste with myself, to contribute some of their collections also. YOUNG MORTALITY. 1. MASTER RICHARD ROGERS, the Puritan, NAT. 1550, Ob. 1618. This venerable minister was honoured with the persecutions of Whitgift and his successors, who frequently silenced him "for refusing to subscribe, to wear the surplice, or use the cross in baptism." He was an admired preacher, and Bishop Kennet in his Chronicle says, that England hardly ever brought forth a man, who walked more closely with God." His sons, Daniel and Ezekiel Rogers, were both eminent puritan ministers, and were blessed with extraordinary usefulness in their work. Weathersfield, in Essex, which for more than forty years was the scene of his faithful labours, is a retired village, 47 miles from London, and 7 from Braintree, the nearest market town. In this village church-yard his remains are deposited, beneath an altar tomb, on the right side of the path leading to the nave of the church. It is covered with a slab of marble; from which the action of the atmosphere, and the more destructive efforts of idle boys, have well-nigh obliterated the following inscription. The remains of two ejected ministers are also interred in the same ground, and it would be well if the large congregation of Protestant Dissenters in that village were to place the tombs of these confessors in complete repair. «They laboured, and others have entered into their labours." Here lyeth the body of Mr. Richard Rogers, Preacher of this place, who for the space of fourtie-one years and upwards, continued the faithful and painful labours of his ministry in this congregation, who died the 21st day of April, 1618, in the 68th year of his age. 2. JOHN FLAVELL, the Nonconformist, NAT. 1630, Ob. 1691. This holy man, whose fragrant name is yet precious in all the churches, died suddenly, while attending the Assembly of the Nonconformist ministers of Devonshire, held at Topsham, near Exeter, and at which he had presided. His remains were conveyed with general tokens of regret to Dartmouth, Devon, and were buried in the church of St. Saviour, on the confines of the town, because, as it is thought, the spirit of the times would not permit of his interment in the Town stall Church, where he had so faithfully laboured before his eject ment. Over his grave a brass tablet, inscribed to his memory was erected; but so bitter was party hate at that melancholy period, that it was speedily removed by order of the magistracy, and cast aside with the fragments of other monuments. In 1709, the pastor of the dissenting church, being somewhat in favour with the municipal authorities of Dartmouth, requested and obtained permission to remove the tablet, which he very judiciously erected on the left side of the meeting-house pulpit, where it still remains, with the following inscription over it. "This memorial was erected in the church of St. Saviour's, but being removed by direction of the magistracy, is placed here by the friends of the deceased, A. D. 1709." The constant lover of truth, piety, and friendship; the most determined enemy of vice At once the ornament of his church and Let these virtues be his monument, while here are deposited his most blessed ashes. ON THE CENSURE OF IMUS. (To the Editors.) GENTLEMEN,—I am aware, that like other conductors of periodicals, you feel at times the pressure of anxiety about a forth-coming number; and are obliged to regard the quantity, as well as the quality of your materials. At all hazards, amidst all the variations of the weather, in despite of all the contingencies which may affect your mental and physical competency, and notwithstanding your proportion of solicitude, occasioned by the confounding revolutions of the commercial world, (though I am happy to find, that the storms of "Paternoster," have not reached "St. Paul's Church Yard;") in such circumstances of distraction, you, Gentlemen, are expected, every month, to be duly prepared with all the requisite variety of rhyme and reason, that your own combined powers of invention, or the lucubrations of others, may furnish! Is it to be wondered at, if, at some unlucky moments, your grand caterer" should be "at fault?" Excuse the mixture of metaphors, though both may be considered as allusions to hunting. I see him," in my mind's eye,' emptying his green bag, with all the anxiety and excitation which those versed in mental obstetrics can well understand, if perchance some-thing may turn up in the shape of an essay, or a ditty, which shall just then-relieve him from his perturbations! It is more than possible, that such a crisis as I have imagined, may have sometimes caused to be recorded on your imperishable pages, an effusion of dulness, or of spleen, which might otherwise have soon returned to its original nihility! What a glorious chance for immortality shall I enjoy, if such a dilemma should render even this communication necessary to eke out your full measure of "composition," in your next number! But, Gentlemen, with all gravity, allow me to assure you, that I do most sincerely sympathise with you in the management of your literary affairs. For who, with any pretension to genius, can reduce his intellectual movements to the dull routine of mechanical regularity; and put forth, in weight or dimensions, just a certain quantity of thought, periodically? If, therefore, the voracious appetite of the public demand a prescribed bulk, or an exact measurement, it cannot excite surprise that the art of expansion should be employed, or "baser matter" be thrown into the scale, to make up the deficiency! May I not indulge in such conjectures as these, to account for the recent introduction of some "original essays," in your esteemed publication? Gentlemen, I doubt not your ability to present, every month, articles worthy of your work, and worthy of the Christian body, whose designation you bear, if you would employ your own faculties, or excite, by some honourable stimulus, the talents which doubtless exist in the country, couldy l you but draw them out. On this subject, I confess, that I have often felt regret on hearing the splenetic animadversions of certain personages, both in town and country, who enjoy their otium cum dignitate, and think, amidst their intellectual revellings, how much NEW SERIES, No. 16. better they could manage matters, if they had these monthly affairs to transact! I have reminded them, that every meal cannot be a feast;-that those who send nothing, and expect every thing, have no right to complain; and that, as their opulence is indubitable, they ought to have some charity for those who really have to live" by their wits," and are scarcely ever thanked for their pains! I mention these apologetiques, which I am in the habit of making for your work, to convince you that I am sincere in my professions of sym-pathy; and that I am really not surprised, that as "Homer sometimes nods," your individual united energy should be occasionally relaxed-and the "composers" sleep, as well as the readers! or Such, I apprehend, was your predicament, when you stumbled on the lucubrations of IMUS, whose harangue "lies floating many a rood" over the surface of your last two numbers, and, like "the log on the lake," seems to have occasioned an unusual croaking. For my part, Gentlemen, I see very little to be disturbed at; though I must confess that, independent of that obvious garrulity which will account for a great portion of the "original essay" in question, there are some topics introduced, which are altogether beneath the dignity of your work, and are adapted to produce invidious reflections, and to support censorious applications. The very title of the article is objectionable. It assumes, as a fact, what in my opinion is not only questionable, but false. If" profligacy" exist at all, either amongst "ministers' sons," or the sons of others, it is always "too frequent;" but it is the imputation conveyed by the term itself, that I disavow. That there are occasional instances, is admitted; and matter of the deepest and most serious lamentation it must be, 2 B |