26 AUGUST 1837, Page 16

THE DISSENTER

Is a provincial periodical, whose being had passed unnoticed, if it was ever presented to us, in a monthly form. The publication, in size and getting up, is of a tract-like character; small, cheap, miscellaneous in its contents, and each paper brief. Its object is to advocate the voluntary principle, and the unlimited right of private judgment, not only apart from the dogmas of the esta- blished religions, but from sectarian interpretation; and so fairly and firmly is this principle maintained, that we know not to what sect the work belongs. The topics which it handles combine a due mixture of the past and the present, the general and the temporary. It gives short reviews of religious books ; old books are put under contribution ; existing abuses in the theological world, or to speak more correctly, the things of Ctesar represented as the things of God, are unsparingly attacked, by reason, by satire, and by rhetoric; the statistics of the religious world are neatly stated ; and sometimes Scripture is illustrated by criticism, sometimes by commentary. With all these points of merit, are occasionally mixed up rather too much of a provincial spirit, and the writers now and then deal in declamatorial commonplace.

As a specimen of writing, we may take a passage which is smart and pointed, and is as applicable now as when it was written some twelve months since.

THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER..

This is a common cry on certain occasions amongst a certain party. But what does it mean ? Does it mean that the Church of Christ is in danger ? That cannot be; for it is founded upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. Does it mean that the Church of England is in danger ? So far as the doctrines and practices of that Church are in conformity to the New Testament, there can be no danger, for these must survive every shock. And as other sects are tolerated—even Jews as well as Christi:las—Episcopacy and its adherents may well be tolerated too. What then is the danger? Are its revenues endangered? are Church-rates likely to be abolished? are rich sees to be reduced ? are Deans and Chapters to be new-moulded to suit the reforming spirit of the times? are no clergymen to be allowed to hold two livings? is every pastur to be compelled to reside with his flock ? are the Bishops to be re- lieved from their Parliamentary duties? are clergymen no longer to lie chosen to act as magistrates? are baptisms and marriages no longer to be solemnized in the Established Church only? are the words of a late commander to be henceforth applied strictly to the clergy—'' England expects every par- son to do his duty ; " not to be found on the hustings, but in the pulpit ; not at Cheltenham or Bath, but in his parish; not in the noise and dissipation of field sports, but in the cottage of the poor and the chamber of the sick. Well, what is there iu all this to be afraid of? Hirelings may tremble, but goad men will go on undismayed. The Church is in no danger : it is only her emoluments, her bloated wealth, her unholy sinecures, her political preeminence —in short, ;he Church establishment. Suppose all these things swept away— suppose bishops without a peerage—deans without great landed possessions— pastors dependent on the Voluntary principle—formularies supereseded by a spiritual service—where is the loss to the nation, to Christianity, to pure reli- gion? Let theory then pass unheeded, or let its meaning be fully understood.

There is shrewdness in the following passage in an argument on the Jewish Disabilities; but the theoretical difficulty appears

to have escaped the writer. As matters now stand, our Legislature is a Christian Legislature,—that is, an oath is ad- ministered whose gist is a belief in those fundamental doctrines of Christianity which all believers admit without scruple, how- ever they may differ on questions of discipline, church govern- ment, and Scriptural interpretation. It is true that Theists, and even Atheists, may sit in Parliament ; but they take the oaths without challenge—pro &Into they sit as Christians. If Jews were admitted by an oath on the Old Testament only, a Theism would be placed on a level with Christianity ; Maho- metans might put forward a claim to be sworn upon their book of revelation ; Deists or Polytheists of various kinds might demand an analogous privilege; some might urge the text of the Saviour, "Swear not at all ; " and it is obvious that the connexion of Church and State would be loosened. In a strict theological sense, indeed, the latter classes might be rejected, on the plea that " their Gad

is not our God; " but it would hardly apply to the Malionietans, who admit the Mosaic revelation and the Mosaic prophecies, till, as they allege, they were superseded by the Arabian lawgiver.

To the mass, however, such refinements would be unintelligible or revolting : barring accidents, the admission of the Jews will not be a practical question until the separation of Church and State is ripe for discussion ; though the temporalities will retard the settlement of the latter, after it has reached that point.

If it be said, Can any thing be more unseemly than that Jews should act as members of a Christian legislature? in answer, we deny that it is a Christian le- gislature, or that they are all Christians, even now, who compose it ; but even ad- mitting that, it is not as Christians, but as citizens, that they sit there to legislate. How few questions of religion come before thou ; and even of these few, it may be asked, are they a proper tribunal for such matters. If we hail not had a religion mixed up with the State, and deriving all its dignities and emoluments from that quarter, we should never have heard of a religious question being agitated in either House—and so much the better. But supposing such questions to be brought before the House, a House composed of Christian and Jewish Members, let us recollect they would not be " how far the claims of Jesus to the Messiah- ship were well founded "—for no man would suffer such a point to be mooted for a moment—but whether the Irish Church should have ten or twenty- two Bishops • whether the Primate of all England was to have 17,000/. a year, or only 15,01kt. In short, the civil parts of religion—that is, the parts that regard men as citizens—and not the spiritual parts, would be those introduced. And if so, surely Messrs. Rothschild, Solomon, Levi, and Co. are as fit to de- cide on matters of this kind as my Lord Londonderry or Mr. Trevor. Of the statistics, which are a standing dish, appearing in every number, some are local and new ; others old, and depending for their effect upon the neatness of their statement. We subjoin a few of both kinds.

Ten Whig Peers possess 196 livings, ten Tory Peers possess 170 livings, the Lord Chancellor has 807 livings, and the Bishops 1,900. These are sufficient reasons for Whig and Tory support of the Church. The whole system of Church patronage ought to be abolished ; it stands on no better ground than the Rotten Boroughs did. WHIG AND TORT PEERS.—From the accession of George the Third to the present time, Tory Ministers have been 64 years in power, and have created 195 Peers ; the Whigs have been 13 years in power, and have created 69 Peers, leaving a balance in favour of the Tories of 126. FRENCH AND ENGLISH PRELATES.— The salaries of the Prelates of France and England have, within a few months, been determined by the legislative body of each country. The contrast is remarkable :

Cardinal Archbishop (25,000 francs) ...... £1,041 Archbishop of Paris (the same)

French Archbishop (15,000 francs) 1,60—)41

13

103

4

04

4:3'125 French Bishop (10,000 francs) 416 4 13

Archbishop of Canterbury 15,000 0 0

York 10,000

0

0 0 36,000

0

English Bishop 4,500 Bishop of Durham 7,000

0)

0

Annual difference

£32,875

RELIGIOUS STATISTICS OE DARLINGTON.

Average Attendance.

Established Church 1,200 Wesleyan Methodists 800 Ditto Park Street 100 Primitive Methodists 600

Wesleyan Reformers aso

Catholics 450 Independents 400 Friends 150 Baptists 36 Population, 10,000.

Working of the Voluntary and Compulsory Systems in Darlington.

One Sub.Curate £100 Assistant Curate 50 Compulsory System Suppose two Methodist preachers' maintenance, home • £150 rent, horses, &c. at 200!. per annum each £400 A third Methodist preacher, say 60 Independent Minister 180 Roman Catholic 250 Primitive Methodist 70 Friends, maintenance of their poor 100 Voluntary Subscription to the Lecturer in the Church 50 Reformed Methodist 62 And for repairs, painting, and other expenses among all the parties of Dissenters 100-1,200 Difference in favour of Voluntary system £1,070