A Defence of Christian Liberty and A Reply to the Layman's Defence of 111 THE question between these writers is simply, Whether persons, members of Dissenting churches, can be justified in exercising their supposed ministerial gifts without the approbation of their respective churches? for as to those who are not members, it cannot be made a question. The affirmative of this proposition is argued by our Layman, both from the Old Testament and the New; and he endeavours to "that the call of a' church is, prove 1, Unscriptural in its origin; 2, Absurd in its principle; 3, Injurious in its tendency." Philokosmos, on the other hand, thinks this principle dangerous and destructive to all good discipline; and, therefore, controverts all the Layman's arguments, and endeavours to support the opposite posi.. tion. It is not our province to enter into the controversy; we would only remark, that as churches should be cautious of discouraging young men of piety and good natural ta lents from offering themselves to the work, especially in present circumstances; so such young men should be extremely cautious of obtruding from a conceit of their own talents, themselves into the work, merely without the judgment of their judicious and experienced brethren, whereby they may plunge themselves into disgrace, and bring reproach upon the name and cause of the Redeemer: but we refer to the pamphlets themselves, which deserve the consideration of those whom they particularly concern. LITERARY NOTICES. MR. Burder is about to reprint a scarce book, written by Dr. Cotton Mather, of America, entitled, “ Essays to do good." Dr. Franklin said, that all the good he ever did to his country or mankind, was owing to this little treatise, which he read attentively in his youth, committed to his memory, and determined to make doing good the great purpose and business of his life. A second edition of Theological Leetures on the Peculiar Doctrines of Christianity, by Mr. Robertson, of Edinburgh, may be expected shortly. SELECT LIST OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. The second volume of the Works of President Edwards, royal 8vo, 9s. Antidote to the Miseries of Human Life, in the History of the Widow Placid and her Daughter Rachel, 12mo Primary Charge of the Bishop of St. Asaph, 4to, 2s. Tracts, on various Subjects, by the Lord Bishop of London, 8vo, 7s Hervey's Dialogues of Theron and Aspasio, with his Letters in Defence of them. Three vols. 18mo (neat) 10s. 6d. An Expostulatory Address to the Members of the Methodist Society in Ireland; together with a Series of Letters to Alex. Knox, Esq. occasioned by his Remarks on the above Address. By J. Walker, late of Trinity College, Dublin, 3s. 6d. Beddome's 20 Short Discourses. Second volume, is. od. Talents improved, or the Philanthropist. By the Author of Inte resting Conversations, 12mo, The second edition of Peter Edwards's Address to Baptists and Pædobaptists, 12mo. 6d. An Essay on Baptism, by Daniel Tyreman, Is. 6d. sewed; 2s. boards Statement of the Evidence of the Obligation of Christian Churches to celebrate the Lord's Supper every Lord's Day, 6d. Consideration on the Alliance between Christianity and Commerce, 2s Sermon on opening the Chapel of the Philanthropic Society. By V. Knox, D. D. 4to, 2s. Catechisms for Children, adapted to their different Ages and Capacities. By A. Kidd. Second edit. 4d. Pious Instructor for Children, with Cuts, 6d RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. MR. Morrison, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, and Mr. and Mrs. Lee, having embarked in the American ship Remittance, Capt. Law, for New York, intending to sail from thence to India, &c. were detained for some time in the Downs, waiting for a favourable wind. On the night of Tuesday, February 17, a violent gale sprung up, which occasioned awful devastation among the shipping, so that a great number of vessels went on shore. Great apprehensions were entertained on account of the Missionaries, especially as it was reported that an American vessel had sunk. From these apprehensions, however, the Directors were happily relieved by letters from Mr. Morrison; the last of which was dated Monday, February 23. ` off Beachy-Head. From a foriner letter, dated off Cherbourg, Thursday, February 19, 11 P. M. we extract the following: Yester "God has preserved us! day morning I hoped to have sent this letter on shore by the pilot; but the gale came on so suddenly, that he could not leave the ship. Before day-light our anchor snapped in two, our mizen and foresails split, and we scudded down Channel under bare poles. The sea ran mountains high; and the atmosphere was so thick with snow, that we could not see the length of the ship around us. "In the midst of our extremity, an alarm was raised that the ship was on fire, owing to the bursting of some bottles of oil of vitriol. The pilot and one of the men leaped into the mizen-chains, in order to jump overboard, which was to cast themselves into the arms of Death; as they preferred death in that form, to being burned to death. Happily, however, the other men had courage enough to seize the bottles, and push them overboard. 11 "We fear much damage has been done. Our people saw a boat, bottom upward, floating past us; and another driving before the wind, with two men lying in her, in the utmost hazard of perishing. I need not add, that, in the midst of this, we were extremely ill. We are now bearing away for the English coast, to put our pilot on shore. 66 Friday, 20, 11 A. M. We have this morning been enabled again to join together in prayer, and read DISTRESSED GERMANS, &c. THE Committee for relieving the Distressed Inhabitants of Germany and other parts of the Continent, have just published a Sixth Report; in which they state that all their Remittances to the Continent, amounting to 20,820 1. have safely reached the places of their destination; and that they have received the most satisfactory accounts of the actual distribution, and of its beneficial effects; also that they still have safe channels of communication, and are anxious to pour some balm of consolation into the deep wounds which have so lately been inflicted upon many families. The following Extracts of Letters from various places, will shew to what miserable circumstances our fellow-creatures have been reduced: We must From Erfurth, Oct. 25, 18-6. "The last eight days have been days of horror; and all the business of life is still at a stond. live upon our terrors. We know not how to raise the contributious, &c. demanded of us: 100,000 florins in money, 12,000 bushels of rye and wheat, 16,000 bushels of oats, 2,200 beds, &c. From such exactions the town and country will not be able to recover for many years; but this is not the worst. Weimar, Jeua, Buitstedt, Greutsen, &c. have been plundered clean out. My mother-inlaw, &c. have been plundered of every thing: they had not even left wherewith to cover themselves; so that we were obliged to send them what we could spare of our clothes." From Weimar, Oct. 24, 18c6. "We are now almost reduced to beggary. The 14th of October was a day of horror. We were almost totally ruined by the Prussians and Saxons; then by the Murder, fire, and pillage drove us out of our habitations. I spent two days and nights with my wife and four children in the open air, while my house was plundering. In short, every thing is lost!"" From Ebersdorf. "On the 8th of October, the Prussian and Saxon troops began their retreat. Soon after, the foremost French hussars arrived, and gallopped with their pistols in their hands through the place. These were soon followed by others; so that in the first forty-eight hours, at least 130,000 men passed through our place. Till towards the evening of the 8th, every thing went on tolerably well; but then the num In bers of the troops crowding upon each other, they began to take up their quarters in the place, and encamp in the neighbourhood. The single brethrens' house (Moravians) was soon filled. Wherever they could find an opening they entered, demanding victuals and drink, and fodder for their horses. The cook was kept employed day and night in boiling and roasting; the baker was equally busied; and all the brethren had to keep watch and attend upon the troops. My barn was nearly emptied of its contents. Oats, rye, peas, hay, and hogs, --all were taken away from me without ceremony, and carried to the camp behind our garden, where 20,000 men were encamped, who committed all kinds of excesses. the house we had about 250 men, and many officers. On Thursday the 29th, the Emperor Napoleon arrived here, and took up his quarters in the castle. This day and Friday were the days of the greatest distres; for the number of troops that required to be furnished with victuals, &c. was enormous: the march of the forces through the place continued day and night. On the 9th, 250 men of the guards were quartered on the single brethrens' house, who occupied the chapel, dininghall, and most of the private rooms; besides which, we were abliged to furnish victuals for 230 of the guards to the castle. We were obliged to provide upwards of 700 bottles of wine. Thus not only the strength of the inhabitants was exhausted, but the provisions also were expended. Conceive, if you can, the distress into which the congregation was thrown, when, on Friday, 3000 men were again ordered into quar ters with them. Hitherto, they had satisfied the clamorous demands of the troops, by quickly furnishing them with whatever they wanted, and had been fortunate enough to prevent the commission of any considerable excess, though some of the inhabitants were rather roughly handied; and if we had had no more provisions, we should have been ob liged to quit our houses and fly, when every thing would have been demolished, as appears from some melancholy examples here and in the neighbourhood. Such was the prospect we had before us; and many had already embraced the re solution of leaving their houses and goods behind them, and removing to other places. Nevertheless, when the distress was at its greatest height, the Lord heard the fervent prayers of his children, and brought relief. Without doubt, the village would have been totally ruined, had not the reigning Countess succeeded, by prayers and repeated entreaties and tears, falling even at the feet of the Emperor, to soften his heart. He then promised her and her country protection. The troops also received orders to march to Schleiz; and Ebersdorf received an officer and fifty men as a protection; but, notwithstanding this, dreadful excesses were committed: all kinds of provisions were seized. The men seized on the bread before it was half baked, and threw it into the dirt. The scarcity of food and the general misery are past description. The warehouse and apothecary's shop were nearly emptied of all their conVents. To every remonstrance the French answered, "The King of Prussia will pay for it!" In the single sisters' house, however, no troops were quartered: the sisters were only obliged to cook, bake, and assist in washing. “At Gnadau, 1000 dragoons were quartered upon our people for a day and a night. The single brethrens' house had 400 men and a great number of officers. By a peculiar providence of God, the single sisters' house was left unmolested, and no privates lodged in it. The family houses had 20, 30, and some 60 men quartered upon them, who demand XV, ed every thing, particularly wine. In the single brethrens' house, the master's rooms were fitted up for the officers but thinking them too small, they took possession of the chapel, and immediately demanded something to eat. No time was lost in providing their meal; but it was scarcely ready, before a crowd of privates rushed into the kitchen, and snatched from the cook the food prepared for the officers. These, to whom complaints were made, seemed to be accustomed to such scenes, and, without any ceremony, went in to the kitchen, and having demanded the materials requisite, began to cook for themselves. They then made a hearty meal, and emptied all the bottles they could get. The privates had meanwhile discovered the cellar door, and began to carry off all it contained. Notice having been given to the officers, they instantly drove the men off, and ordered all the wine to be carried into the chapel under their own protection. After dinner, they ordered a large boiler to be cleaned, emptied the wine into it, threw in two loaves of sugar, and made negus, with which they treated the soldiers, &c. during the night. This night cost the single brethren at least Z. 100, Everywhere great fires were kindled, at which they cooked and warmed themselves. It is a wonder that the whole place was not burnt to the ground, for they used no precaution whatever; but made great fires in barns and sheds, and in every outhouse. After this; Gnadau had to suffer from troops quartered upon them in great numbers. While the French were raging in the settlement, the single sisters were all standing, with their bundles of clothes under their arms, ready to fly into the fields in case the soldiers had forcibly entered their house; but, through a wonderful providence of God, they suffered nothing but the fright. "In another account it is stated, that some of the troops were to have occupied the sisters' house; but at length an officer and an army-phy sician were stationed there for their protection, who served them as their guardian angels. The soldiers, however, entered the sisters' farm-yard, B b carried away the poultry and hogs, went about the hay-loft with flambeaux, carried off the hay and straw, and extinguished their lights in the straw. "In Saxony, the famine and misery are extreme. The inhabitants are ready to despair. Weimar, Halle, Jena, and many other towns and villages, have been nearly destroyed. The field of battle near Jena, is said to exhibit a dreadful scene. Some of the officers, who were present, describe it as most aw ful. Twelve days after the battle, the corpses still lay uninterred. Many wounded, who had their bread-sack and water-canteen with them, lay alive in excessive torinents, among the dead, on the 12th day. From Gnadenfeld, in Silesia, the Rev. writes, that, further information having been received concerning the distresses of many families in that country, in consequence of the war, the Committee sent additional relief to several places by the Moravian brethren: one of whom related that the Roman Catholic Minister publicly exclaimed in his sermon, Is it not an astonishing circumstance, well worthy of our praises and thanksgivings to God, that these very people whom we have judged as hereties, and persecuted with such hatred, should now put us to shame with works of Christian charity, and administer such ample relief to the poor unfortunate members of our church ?" The Committee solicit the further aid of British benevolence. Subseriptions are received by Mess. Hardcastle and Reyner, Treasurers, Old Swan Stairs; and by Messrs. Hankey and Co. Fenchurch Street; Messrs. Hoares, Fleet Street; Mess. Smith and Holt, Old Broad Street; Messrs. Jones, Lloyd, Hulme, and Co. Lothbury, London. was often pro mpted to cry out with Peter, "Lord, I am a sinful man! I am not worthy of such demon strations of thy grace depart from me, and bestow them upon others more deserving of them than I am." The severe afflictions occasioned by the war, have brought many souls to a better knowledge of themselves; and I was enabled, on my journey into Austria and Styria, to speak here and there a word in season. I had everywhere to hear long accounts of what the inhabitants, both rich and poor, had suffered upon the invasion of the country by the enemy's armies, of the terror, damage, and losses which they had suffered; and at length, after they had unbosomed themselves to me, I always directed them to that Lord in whose hands alone are war and peace; and who, whatever he does or suffers to be done, never fails to bring to a glorious issue; when, finally, I added, our sins have merited these chastisements. How often and how widely have we wandered from the Lord! Should we not suffer ourselves to be brought by these severe judgments to recollection, and to turn again to Him? Most of them heard me with atten- . tion and approbation. When the children of God came to me, ---O with what joy and gratitude did they expatiate upon the wonderful preser vation and protection which they had experienced from the Lord, amidst the most formidable armies; upon the strength which they had received to bear their losses with patience; and the consolations which had been granted to their afflicted souls under the distresses of the war. In bearing such recitals, I often shed tears of joy and gratitude for what the Lord, out of pure grace and mercy, does for his people. And now to complete my joy, I was entrusted by a society of philanthropic Christians in London, with the distribution of a large part of the liberal contribution which they had raised for the relief of those countries which had suffered so dreadfully by the war, famine, billetting, rapine, and plunder. This I accordingly performed, under a consciousness of my weakness and |