286 Necessity of a Dissenting Education for Lay Dissenters. "Give peace in our time, O Lord, and scatter thou the people that delight in war." IGNOTUS. Manchester, March 31, 1815. N common with many of your readers, I have derived great pleasure from the accounts with which your correspondent V. F. has favoured us, of the students who were educated at the Warrington Academy. And I am sure that if any one equally qualified would undertake a similar account of the members of those other academical institutions, from which our churches have been supplied during the last fifty years, he would perform not only a very interesting but a very edifying work. The list of the students at Warrington has particularly drawn my attention, because, beyond any other of our Academical Institutions, it was instrumental in the education of Laymen. When I look over its lists, and see how many of those educated there, have since distinguished themselves as respectable and enlightened members of society, and as steady friends of those principles of civil and religious liberty, which it was the object of their education to instil, I feel that a spirit of prophecy as well as of poetry dictated those beautiful lines, in which Mrs. Barbauld anticipates the future usefulness and eminence of its alumni. "How bright the scene to fancy's eye ap ment of similar establishments. Making every deduction, I am persuaded that Warrington Academy was not only the means of supplying the Dissenting churches with many valuable ministers, but also of fixing an attachment to the dissenting cause in many young men who would otherwise have been lost to us from the indifference or dislike to that cause, which they would have acquired at other places of education. It is this reflection arising out of the history of the Warrington Academy, which induces me to request a little space in your Repository, for some remarks on a subject to which I think the public mind amongst us is not sufficiently alive— I mean the necessity of a Dissenting education for Lay Dissenters. I shall not enter into any arguments to prove, that it is of vital importance to the permanence of the Dissenting cause, that the higher classes of our laymen should be retained amongst us by every honourable method. The thing is too obvious for argument, and my wish is rather to shew, how essential it is to the attainment of this, that the education of youth should be carried on and completed as much as possible within our own bosom. Nor shall I think it necessary to prove, that a parent infringes no right of conscience in his child when he endeavours to subject his mind to those impressions which will naturally dispose him to continue a dissenter. These chimerical rights of conscience been held unfair to teach a child even have been pushed so far, that it has the being of a God, until he was of an age to judge of the argument ; and certainly if the principle were good for any thing, it must be good even to this monstrous extreme. But every judicious parent acts on the belief that it is his duty as early as possible to impress on his child's mind those ture conduct to be regulated, and to principles by which he wishes his fusubject him to those influences which shall most effectually conspire with his direct instructions. The only question then can be, "Are my own principles, as a Dissenter and a Unitarian, of sufficient importance, to make me wish that my son should continue in the profession of them?" If there be any one amongst us who hesitates to answer this question in the affirmative-if there be any one calling him self a dissenter who does not think, that in doing what he can to perpetuate the number and respectability of the dissenting body, he is discharging a duty to the civil liberties of his country, and the true interests of religion if there be any one calling himself a Unitarian, who cares not whether his children will bear their testimony to this fundamental doctrine of reason and scripture, or relapse into conformity with a Trinitarian church, I cannot expect that any appeal of mine will rouse him to a proper feeling on the subject. If, how ever, there should be any, who do value their own religious principles and wish their children to adhere to them, and yet think they may safely leave them to associate almost exclusively with members of the establishment, or join habitually in its worship, during the period of their education, they must be very little aware of the effect which habit, combined with the other motives which draw back dissenters to the bosom of the church, is likely to have upon them in future life. of Man, and the investigation of his moral nature; of the literature of their own and foreign nations, which forms so large a topic of discussion in every refined society. To meet this increased desire of knowledge, the plan of education amongst us has been enlarged. At Daventry, at Hackney, at Warrington, at the Academical Institution formerly in this place, and now removed to York, it has been made an object to prevent the necessity of our youth being sent to English or Scotch Universities for the completion of their studies, by offering them an opportunity of pursuing a similar, in some points even a more extensive, course. The Trustees of the last mentioned institution have very recently laid the particulars of the plan of study pursued there before the public, who can thus judge how far it is calculated to attain the end which it proposes. I believe few will deny, that a young man who has been led through such a course, with proper attention on his own part, will have acquired an extent and variety of knowledge, and a general enlargement of mind, of which he will continue to reap the fruits as long as he lives. The number of Lay-students at York has varied, but I think it never has been such as might have been expected from the numbers, opulence, and love of knowledge which are to be found in that class of Dissenters with which it is virtually connected, though it disclaims all party objects, and opens its doors, without regard to religious denomination. This has been owing in a slight degree perhaps to young men having been sent to an English University, more, I am inclined to think, to their increased resort to the Scotch. It is not in the earlier part of education that dissenters are chargeable with this carelessness or inconsistency. Their children, if seut from home, usually receive initiatory learning at Dissenting Schools; and certainly whatever may have been the case, no one now can plead that he is under the necessity of sending his son to a school kept by a member of the Establishment, because he could not be made a good scholar any where else. Formerly, a school terminated the education of all, but those intended for professions, or of young men of great expectations; it still does of a large number amongst ourselves, and still more generally among the orthodox Dissenters. For many years past, I believe that very inaccurate ideas however, the increased desire of know- prevail respecting the discipline and ledge, which has arisen, among other course of education at the Scottish causes, from the improving condition Universities; for I can hardly suppose of the community at large, has creat- that if they were accurately known, ed a necessity for extending the limits parents would not be deterred from of a course of education. Parents na- exposing their children to the hazard turally wish their children to possess of wasting at least, if not misemploy-` something beyond the mere elemen- ing, so precious a portion of their tary knowledge which can only save lives. In none of them is there any them from the imputation of ignorance kind of discipline or controul over -to know something of the wonders the students, beyond fines for nonof natural and mental philosophy of those principles of political science which are deduced from the History attendance, or non-performances of exercises; in the University of Edinburgh not even this degree of super 288 Necessity of a Dissenting Education for Lay Dissenters. intendance is exercised, except in the lowest classes, those of the languages, which very few Englishmen think of entering; such is the miserable state of classical learning there. The Professor receives his fees at the commencement of the session, authorizes the student to attend his lectures, but never considers it as his duty to observe whether he really does attend, or call him to account if he plays truant. Now there may be something very attractive to a juvenile fancy, in the prospect of this emancipation from constraint; but should it not be exactly in the same degree alarming to a prudent parent? To what hazard does he put both the morals and intellectual improvement of his child, by sending him at the age perhaps of sixteen, just emerging from the watchful discipline of a school, to a land of strangers, to associate with the promiscuous crowd, which such a place of education collects, far from the sight of all whose authority might have influence over him! What will it avail that different branches of science are taught by men of the first eminence, if it is left to the option of a youth, in whom the habit of application cannot be very strong, supposing it, to exist at all, to determine how often he will attend their lectures ? I impute no blame to the eminent men who teach in that University; for I am not sure that upon the whole things are not best as they are but I am sure that any parent who sends a son thither, unless his habits of application and self-government are most decidedly fixed, exposes him to a very awful risk. At the University of Glasgow, more care is taken to secure the regular attendance of the students at the hours of lecture, though they are equally masters of the rest of their time. The system of examinations, though much less efficacious than it might be made, awakens diligence and emulation. But the excessive numbers which crowd the class-rooms of that University, make it almost impossible that the proficiency of a student should be such as it might be, where more attention can be paid to each individual. The classes of Greek and Latin shew the evil of excessive numbers most strikingly, both because the overflowing is the greatest in them, (a Scotch College being not only a College, but a grammar school) and because it is far more difficult to teach a language accurately to such a multitude, than to lecture with effect on chemistry or moral philosophy. The defect is not in the teachers but in the system. The professor of Greek stands deservedly high in reputation, not only as a scholar, but as a disciplinarian and a lecturer--but he cannot, any more than the French Marshal who was sent to defend Lyons, achieve impossibilities. I leave it to any of your readers to calculate, how often each individual can be examined in a class of 150, meeting for examination once a day; and to all who have attempted to teach a language to say, what effect they could expect to produce under such a system. Some may be disposed to argue with Dr. Paley in a similar case, "that we must sow many seeds, to raise one flower;" that we must take the chance of instruction being improved by those to whom it is addressed; and that more than this is impossible, where many are to be taught at once. This may be satisfactory to one who reasons on the matter, without any personal interest; but I should think no parent would very calmly contemplate the probability that his own son might be represented by one of the seeds, which, by this broadcast sowing, are lost, or choaked, or at best get no depth of earth, when a little care in the placing and the coverring would have secured its vigorous growth and abundant productiveness.. Is it presuming then too much to hope that those parents among us, who are tempted by the name of a University to send their children to finish their education at either of the places to which I have alluded, will consider with themselves, whether they have that decided turn for study, which can dispense with all superintendance of the employment of their time, and such a strength of good principle as will be in no dan. ger from the removal of old restraints, and the occurrence of untried temptations. If not, perhaps they may think that they shall consult their intellectual and moral improvement better by placing them in a situation, such as the institution at York presents, where under the immediate observation of their teachers, their sc veral peculiarities of intellect or tem per can be perceived and remedied; and, collected in one domestic establishment, they are removed from the risk of promiscuous society, and incited to correct deportment by a knowledge of the notice that is taken of their conduct. The expences attending the two modes of education are not so easily compared, since a session at a Scotch University lasts barely six months, and at York rather more than nine. I believe few will think that the terms at the latter place could be lower than they are stated in the paper circulated by the Trustees, without injury to those concerned. As to the incidental expences of books and clothes, &c. it rests with every parent to fix them as he pleases. They may be moderate or extravagant as he is profuse, or economical in his allowance to his son. Something must be left to a young man's own discretion: it is one great object of an academical education to teach this discretion, by leaving him more to himself than he has hitherto been left; and thus preparing him to become entirely his own master. I would only ask, where are those habits most likely to be acquired which lead to profuse expenditure? Where young men are subject to no controul as to the choice of their society, and the place and manner of spending their time, or where they are under the salutary restraints of academical discipline? I may seem to your readers, Sir, to have wandered a good deal from the subject which I professed to discuss; but if they will consider that the Institution to which I have referred is the only one in which a Lay Dissenter can receive a Dissenting education, after leaving school, they will see that the deviation is not so wide as it might appear. Hoping that by calling their attention to an important subject, your Repository may render another service to the cause of reliligious truth and liberty, I subscribe myself A Friend to the Permanence of Unitarian Dissent. SIR, THE HE subscribers to the Unitarian Fund must have been highly gratified with the list of pulpit-subjects, and the plan of sermons, furnished by their intelligent and laborious Missionary, Mr. Wright, in your last Number (pp. 259, 260); but some serious doubts have arisen in my mind, with regard to the propriety of " No. 32, The Existence and Influence of the Devil," as a topic for popular preaching. Is the doctrine of the New Testament sufficiently clear upon this point to warrant a Missionary in deciding upon it? Is it not, upon the whole, probable, that our Lord and the apostles believed, in some degree, in some sort of evil spirit? Does not the statement of such a subject shock and terrify serious Christians, holding the vulgar faith, and close their ears against a missionary? And does it not furnish low-minded, irreligious men, who will not examine the scriptures, and who care nothing about missionary preaching, with an authority for scoffing, and introduce the maxim of "no devil" into alehouses and other places of like character, where it will be esteemed a licence to vice! Above all, is it not generally dangerous to pull down, rather than to build up the faith of the common people, and would it not answer every purpose of the worthy missionary, to assert the sole, all-perfect, and infinitely just and merciful government of Almighty God? Submitting these questions to your readers generally, and to Mr. Wright particularly, I am, Sir, SIR, A Subscriber to the Fund. ET your readers look into the 290 Occupations and Miracles of King Ferdinand VII. stand in need of support; and I would recommend that in every congregation there be an Auxiliary Society in behalf of one or more Unitarian object, the Fund, the Academy, York College, the Christian Tract Society, the (London) Unitarian (Book) Society, or some one of the Country Book Associations. Where the income of the Auxiliary Society is considerable, it might be divided according to the discretion of the members, amongst several or even all of these institutions. The benefit of Unitarian Auxiliary Societies would not be confined merely to the institutions which they would assist. These minor associations would draw forth the young people of a congregation, encourage their zeal and public spirit, and prepare them for usefulness. Ministers who should sanction them, would, I apprehend, find them in a few years no mean supports of their ministry. Happy should I be if this sugges. tion should produce the effect designed, and I should be gratified if the Rules of the first Auxiliary Society were to be inserted in your Magazine. For one, I mean to make the attempt, which I recommend to my brethren. An Unitarian Pastor. Occupations and Miracles of King [From the Morning Chronicle.] Tand during his captivity in HE occupations of King FerdiFrance were alluded to by Mr. Whitbread in parliament. We have been, through the favour of a valuable correspondent, put in possession of the authentic document, setting forth the holy and miraculous works performed by Ferdinand, and we have been presented only by the overflow of temporary matter; from making an extract for the improvement of our read ers. The document is a Sermon, preached by Don Blaz de Ostoloza, Chaplain Mayor of his Catholic Majesty, and his Confessor. The following is an extract. The Confessor begins by giving a picture of the life of the King at Valency: "The King," says he, "rose at eight o'clock, heard mass, breakfasted, made afterwards a party at billiards, entered his closet to read his letters, or some portion of holy writ, embroidered at the tambour_till_two o'clock, at which time he took a short. airing in a carriage-he dined on his return-made a short prayer, received his brothers, or those who were admitted to pay their court to him, supped, and before going to bed recited with all his household the Litanies, which he toned himself. An agent of Napoleon, whose impious presence he was forced to endure, employed all means of seduction to draw the infaut from his holy occupations. He brought a troop of female dancers from Paris, and even his own wife to endeavour to charm the King; but I perceived by certain signs (adds the Confessor, whose words we translate literally), that the breasts of these women indecently exposed, were beginning to have a dangerous effect on the Prince, who was ready to fall into the seventh deadly sin. I admonished him in time, and like the slave of Potiphar, Don Ferdinand escaped these new syrens. The King was above all things incensed at the poverty of the chief altar of the parish of Valency; and at there being in the chateau, a playhouse, while there was neither a chapel nor an oratory-while the people were luxurious in their furniture and feasts, and miserable in the decoration of their temples. The King embroidered himself a beautiful robe of white silk, with gold pullets and gold fringe, for the Virgin. He had raised a superb altar, gilt, and he sometimes served himself the mass at the feet of the Queen of the Angels. The Queen of the Angels was most sensible of these royal attentions, and manifested to him her content by many signs. It happened in particular that one night an ecclesiastic of the district being overcome with sleep in the church, the Virgin appeared to him as coming out of the altar-She advanced towards the ecclesiastic, made several turns round him to display the elegance of her toilette, and said to him, sighing, that her son received the vows of the King in recompence of the fine robe that he had given her; that the Spanish princes would not remain long without being delivered; and that they must form an order of the Holy Sacrament, with which all the chevaliers should be armed for his defence. |