THE Social principle applied in carrying out the designs of charity and benevolence is a remarkable feature of the present times. There are so many objects of this nature which it is quite clear no single-handed exertions could compass that the union of numbers to effect them must be regarded as an improvement of vast importance. It is this spirit of aggregation which has extended so widely the scope of philanthropic efforts, and given them a larger sphere of action. The entire world is grasped in the designs of modern philanthropy: the strength of individual charity has perhaps been weakened by the effort. In old times how splendid were its noble gifts and endowments. Though directed towards few objects, the benefit conferred was generally substantial and often of striking utility, evincing a liberal and thoughtful public spirit which we cannot think of without a deep sense of admiration. Many of the founders of our grammarschools, who perhaps came to London from some remote part of the country in VOL. V. R early life, and raised themselves from indigence to wealth, marked their sense of the blessings they had enjoyed by endowing an institution for education in their native place, where boys were to be instructed "in learning and good manners;" or "in grammar and other good learning;" or "freely and carefully taught and instructed;" or "piously educated;" or instructed "in religion and good literature." The number of these nurseries for youth in every part of England are noble monuments of the wisdom and charity of our ancestors. The schools which early in June every year pour forth their thousands into St. Paul's belong to another era in the history of educational charities, and such of them as are endowed were mostly established during the last century, though two or three came into existence just at the close of the seventeenth century. The assemblage of the children took place for the first time in 1704, in St. Andrew's, Holborn, when 2000 were present; and subsequently they met at St. Bride's, Fleet Street. In 1782, 5000 of the children assembled for the first time at St. Paul's, where they have since annually been collected, and the effect of so large a number uniting their voices in the responses and the singing is highly impressive and affecting. That eccentric but powerful artist, Blake, was probably present at the anniversary of 1782, for in his singular little volume entitled Songs of Innocence,' he has the following lines on the occasion: "Twas on a Holy Thursday, their innocent faces clean, The children walking two and two, in red and blue and green. Proceed we, however, to the more complicated schemes of modern charity, or at least those of them which naturally suggest themselves in connexion with Exeter Hall; and something must we say also of the general influence which brings the place into importance as an actual and living part of our institutions, as, in these days, a sort of "fourth estate" of the realm. St. Stephen's is not better known as the seat of legislation than Exeter Hall as the recognised temple of modern philanthropy. The associations connected with it are peculiarly characteristic of an age which, in many respects, is marked and distinct from all other cras in the history of the national manners, and which had scarcely exhibited any of its phases half a century ago. He who would rightly estimate the present power and influence of our various institutions, must be blind if he omit all consideration of the moral and religious feelings which are concentrated at Exeter Hall, and there find a voice which is heard from one extremity of the kingdom to the other. In order clearly to understand that the spirit which animates the frequenters of this place is distinctly a feature of the present age, we must go back to the period when Exeter Hall was not, before Freemasons' Hall or the Crown and Anchor had resounded with the plaudits of the religious and benevolent, even before the "religious world" itself existed. We must retrace briefly the progress and the efflux of improvement in manners and habits, for at times the tide has advanced, and then again it has receded. The supremacy of the Puritans, and their fervour of spirit, might, under more genial circumstances, have produced enlarged and comprehensive schemes of benevolence such as we now see; but, as it was, under the influence of political and religious fanaticism combined, zeal degenerated into bigotry, and warmth of devotion into a narrow ascetism. A more healthy tone would have succeeded this fever, no doubt, but the national feeling of merry England revolted against the puritanical system, and then succeeded by way of reaction the trifling and profligate temper of the Restoration. The thoughtless spirit both of the court and the country, at this period, were altogether incompatible with earnest moral efforts of any kind. The Revolution checked the light-heartedness of the nation, which had been already over-shadowed by the gloomy character of James II. In the reign of Anne a more zealous religious temper again prevailed. In 1692 societies were instituted for the reformation of manners, which dealt much in warrants, and placed too great a reliance on the constable. In 1688 the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, now the most venerable institution of the kind, was established for the education and religious instruction of the poor in the principles of the Established Church. In June, 1701, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, which had been already some time in existence, was incorporated, its chief members being the prelates and dignitaries of the Established Church, and some of the most eminent persons in the State. In the third year, after it had received its Charter, the receipts amounted to 8641.; and the first printed list of subscribers, in 1718, contained 260 names. The British Colonies are to be understood as the "Foreign Parts," to which the Society confined its operations. The year before it was incorporated, the question of counteracting the political influence of the French Missionaries in Canada was much agitated, and partly from political motives, as well as from feelings of interest in their welfare, the Society's first efforts for the conversion of the heathen were made among the American Indians; but at a very early period the Society gave its support to the Danish Foreign Mission, which was commenced under Frederic IV., about 1705, and sent spiritual labourers to the Danish settlements in India. The reports of these missionaries were translated from the Danish, and for many years published annually in England, under the title of A Brief Account of the Measures taken in Denmark for the Conversion of the Heathen." Nearly a century elapsed after the establishment of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel before any kindred institution arose in England. The existence of the two Societies above-mentioned, and of those for the reformation of manners, is a proof of a more zealous spirit having partially found its way into the Church, and also to some, though not perhaps to any great extent, into society generally. But it is unquestionable that the reigns of the First and Second Georges were characterised by an extraordinary degree of apathy in the Church, and amongst the higher classes, on religious, moral, and social questions. At length the zeal and energy of Wesley and Whitefield aroused the Church from its slumbers, and it began slowly to awaken to a sense of the duties required from it, and from all who enjoyed wealth and influence; but not until the religious fervour of the poorer classes had been already powerfully excited by the system of Methodism, and they were ready to point indignantly at the Church as an obstacle rather than a guide. There needed yet a religious regenerator, whose voice would be listened to in high places, for there the moral insensibility was as dull as ever. At the period which just preceded the French Revolution," the gay and busy world were almost ignorant of Christianity, amidst the lukewarmness and apathy which possessed the very watchmen of the faith."* Amongst the most conspicuous of those who endeavoured to regenerate the national spirit were Wilberforce and Hannah More. Wilberforce proposed to form an association, like its precursor in 1692, to resist the spread of open immorality. His plan was, in the first instance, to obtain a Royal proclamation against vice, and then to form an association for carrying it into effect. Writing to Mr. Hey, of Leeds, in May, 1787, he announces that in a few days he would hear of " a proclamation being issued for the discouragement of vice, of letters being written by the Secretaries of State to the Lords Lieutenant, expressing his Majesty's pleasure that they recommend it throughout their several counties, to be active in the execution of the laws against immoralities, and of a Society being formed in London for the purpose of carry into effect his Majesty's good and generous intentions . . . The objects to which the Committee will direct their attention are the offences specified in the proclamation,-profanation of the Sabbath, swearing, drunkenness, licentious publications, unlicensed places of public amusement, the regulation of licensed places, &c." He mentions in this letter that he had received a formal invitation to cards, for Sunday evening, from a person high in the king's service. In June, Wilberforce was visiting the bishops in their respective dioceses, as he wished to communicate with them separately, "lest the scruples of a few might prevent the acquiescence of the rest." His sons state, in the biography of their father, that "the Society was soon in active and useful operation. The Duke of Montagu opened his house for its reception, and presided over its meetings,—a post which was filled after his death by the late Lord (Chancellor) Bathurst, who was followed by Bishop Porteus; and before its dissolution it had obtained many valuable Acts of Parliament, and greatly checked the spread of blasphemous and indecent publications." Its existence was, at all events, a proof that the apathy of former years was passing away. In 1788 Hannah More published Thoughts on the Manners of the Great,' with a view of inducing them to reflect on the levity of many of their pursuits. In fact this class began to be seriously annoyed at the invasion of their pleasures by the greater strictness which public opinion now demanded from them. In 1791 Hannah More again endeavoured to arouse attention by her Estimate of the Religion of the Fashionable World.' In 1796 she had commenced writing the first of the modern religious tracts. Bishop Porteus, writing to her in January, 1797, says, "The sublime and immortal publication, of the Cheap Repository,' I hear of from every quarter of the globe." Two millions of these tracts were disposed of in the first year. In 1797, Wilberforce published his Practical Christianity,' a work which had undoubtedly a great effect on the higher classes. Within half a year, five editions, of altogether *Life of Wilberforce,' by his Sons. 7500 copies, were printed. This popularity is to be attributed partly to the author's intimate friendship with Mr. Pitt, and his connexion with the most distinguished men of the day, and partly also to the warmer and more earnest moral spirit which began to prevail. In 1798 attempts at legislative interference having been dropped, Wilberforce was active in inducing persons of the higher ranks to adopt a voluntary engagement to promote the observance of the Sabbath. Hannah More, writing from Bishop Porteus's, at Fulham, in 1797, says, "The Morning Chronicle,' and other pious newspapers, have laboured to throw such a stigma on the association for the better observance of the Sunday, that the timid great are steering off, and very few indeed have signed." The Bishop of Durham laid the declaration before George III.; but Wilberforce states in his Diary,' that the king" "turned the conversation." Wilberforce himself waited upon the Speaker to induce him to give up his Sunday parliamentary dinners, but the first Commoner in the land grew angry, and took his interference as a personal insult. In 1799 a bill was brought into Parliament for the suppression of Sunday newspapers, which Pitt promised to support, but Dundas induced him to retract his pledge, on the plea that three out of the four Sunday newspapers supported the ministry; and after Sheridan's gibes at the measure it was thrown out on the second reading. Hannah More relates a more hopeful incident on the authority of Lady Cremorne, who told her that on coming down stairs on Sunday morning at eight o'clock, she found "Admiral C., another Admiral, and a General, with their Bibles, each separately, in different parts of the room, and so at times all the day." Then, in 1805, seven years afterwards, she writes from Fulham that the Bishop of London was making a stand against Sunday concerts. "He has," she says, "written an admirable letter, very strong and very pious, but temperate and well-mannered, to all the great ladies concerned in this un-Christian practice. They have in general behaved well, and promised amendment." Again writing from Fulham, in 1809, she says that the Bishop (Porteus) having heard of the institution of a club, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales, which was to meet on a Sunday, he asked for an audience to entreat the Prince to fix on some other day. "Supported by two servants, and hardly able to move with their assistance, he got to the apartment of the Prince, and with agitated earnestness conjured him to fix on some other day for this meeting. The Prince received him most graciously, seemed much affected, said it was not a new institution, and that it was founded on charity, but that if the day could be changed to Saturday it should." A few months before, Perceval, the Prime Minister, had been induced to alter the day for Parliament meeting, which, as it was to have been Monday, would have involved the necessity of a great amount of Sunday travelling. Wilberforce drew his attention to this circumstance, and the Minister apologized for the inadvertency; and two days after he wrote to Wilberforce, stating that the meeting was postponed to Thursday," to obviate the objections which you have suggested." In his Diary,' Wilberforce says, "The House put off nobly by Perceval, because of the Sunday travelling it would occasion." Sunday card-parties and Sunday concerts amongst the higher classes are now unheard of; as the more thoughtful views which this class entertain, as well as the general state of public opinion, have put an end to such a mode of spending any portion of the Sunday. |