pendent churches, as in other communities, the few appoint, and the many obey.'

We know not, however, what sort of Independent churches there may be in the West of England. Mr. Binney seems to represent them almost as so many debating societies.

• The voice of the society decides every thing, for to it every thing is referred any necessary, or supposed necessary measure, is proposed and discussed; each member is at liberty to express his opinion; the majority determines the matter, their opinion being considered as the expression of the collective judgement of the church.'

This description will just as aptly apply to a parish vestrymeeting or to any other open committee. Of course, Independent churches must, on certain occasions, have business to transact, which can be conducted in no other manner; they have, however, their chairman and his church wardens, the deacons. So far, there would seem to be nothing in this account peculiarly characteristic of Independency. Episcopal and Presbyterian churches proceed in a similar way. The practice, however, of proposing and discussing every measure in full church-meeting, is assuredly not common to all Independent churches, nor does it form any essential part of the system. In our opinion, it is neither recommended by its wisdom, nor justified by Scripture precedent, nor conducive to the peace or edification of the body. What were the seven' whose appointment is recorded in the sixth chapter of Acts, but a committee, strictly and literally such, for the conducting of the daily ministration? What are Dissenting deacons, whose appointment is generally rested on this precedent, but a committee? A great part of the details of church matters must be confided to their management; and we have reason to think, that, in a majority of instances, their powers are, if any thing, too extensive and absolute, rather than too circumscribed. We can positively assert at all events, that we have known deacons actually order the tiling of the conventicle to be repaired, a new pew to be fitted up, an old cushion to be replaced, bills to be paid, a poor member to be relieved, and other ecclesiastical arrangements, without any reference to the body corporate, or giving a single brother opportunity to express his opinion! On the other hand, we have heard of matters being brought before a society, and discussed, which common prudence and common sense might have led the people' to devolve upon their officers, or which even those might have been set to judge" and decide, who were " of least esteem in "the church." But we must protest against making Independency answerable for imprudencies and follies of this de

scription. Dissenting churches were never designed to be made theatres of discussion and debate. A church may be considered as a sort of open committee; and every one who has had the least experience, well knows how ill adapted such a body is to entertain discussions or to transact business. The only prudent or practicable method of determining matters of detail, or such as are likely to give rise to debate, is by means of a sub-committee deputed and chosen by the general body. The term committee has not found its way into our religious nomenclature; but the practice extensively prevails. Where there is the proper number of deacons, they form, in fact, a standing committee. It ought not, however, to be taken for granted, that they must in all cases be the only proper persons to have matters of business referred to their decision or management.*

And now once more to advert to the choice of a pastor, it may be submitted, whether many of the evils complained of might not be obviated, by devolving the preliminary steps and the necessary inquiries on some three or four or more members specially entrusted with the business. It might be that, by this means, the jealous spirit of franchise might find gratification and vent in the choice of such committee, before the final appeal came to be made to the body, by which the appointment must be ratified. The representative principle is an admirable one for preventing the collision of great bodies, and it admits of being very usefully applied in the smallest communities.

The causes to which the evils of Independency' are attributable, are classed by Mr. Binney under four heads: 'doc'trinal extravagance; absurd expectations; departure from the I principles of the system; and the nature of the system itself." In the above remarks, we have endeavoured to shew that the last-mentioned cause is not fairly and truly set down as the source of the evils ascribed to it, but that they class under the third head; to which, did our limits admit, we should be able to add further illustrations. The first and second of these

* Mr. James, in his Church-member's Guide, remarks that, in some cases, the unscriptural plan of committees has been resorted to, that the tyranny of lord-deacons might be avoided.' It may be presumed that he refers to committees chosen from persons not members of the church; otherwise, the plan would not easily be shewn to be unscriptural, although that condemnation applies in all its force to the case he describes, that of a deacon who is at once ⚫ the patron of the living, the bible of the minister, and the wolf of the 'flock.' Can that be popular and democratic' system which admits of such things?

VOL. XXVI. N.S.

G

causes, Mr. Binney has treated of at some length, and many of his observations are very forcible and important. By doctrinal extravagance, the antinomian pestilence is chiefly intended, which assuredly is not endemic in Independent churches only.

'Wherever it appears, the angel of peace departs. Fostered by perversions of scripture, and indulgent to human depravity, it begins by libelling God, and ends in corrupting man. Without intellect, it cannot be convinced; without feeling, it cannot be mortified; with nothing to learn, instruction is unnecessary; with nothing to do, exhortations are absurd; with malignant selfishness, it delights in diminishing the number of the redeemed; and without the capacity of benevolent desire, it surveys the wreck of the reprobate with savage satisfaction. It has nothing to hope, for all is attained; it has nothing to fear, for sin is harmless: eternally elected, anxiety is guilt; eternally sanctified, contamination is impossible:-it first abuses an eternal truth, and then subsists by an eternal lie.' p. 214.

This is not more strong than true, but it is a strength bordering on a strain, and the preceding paragraph is in very bad taste. Mr. Binney may become a very good writer, if he do not aim at being a fine one, or permit his pen to run at random. Under the head of absurd expectations,' occur the following judicious remarks.

The fact is, in our religious community two evils are often committed, both unfavourable to the preacher, the combined effect of which he is compelled frequently to feel, which of course increases and exasperates the influence of each:-boys are preposterously encouraged to preach, and then they are insulted for not being men.The Son of Mary, "to whom the spirit was given without measure,' began at the age of thirty his public career: the sons of the nineteenth century can commence, soon after passing the moiety of the period. The example is not introduced for the purpose of insisting on its literal imitation, as that would be impossible; but surely from its spirit, something might be learned by teachers themselves; while, from the facts of every-day existence, the unalterable course of man and nature, a people might learn, if they would, what to expect with propriety from the inexperienced and the young.—A very youthful minister cannot be a "tried" and mature character; to insult him for immaturity, is irrational and cruel; to wait with candid confidence, will at once be benevolent and wise;-but, to insist in insinuating, as is frequently done, a necessity for the appearance of personal acquaintance with certain peculiarities of feeling, this, I do not hesitate to affirm, on the known and acknowledged principles of human nature, will lead, in some cases to designed, and in others to unconscious, hypocrisy.' pp. 238, 9.

We shall make room for one more paragraph,

• The extensive public engagements of many dissenting students,

is greatly injurious, I am persuaded, to their personal happiness, their public reputation, and, what is of most importance, their solid pastoral utility. The first suffers, by their subsequent and rational regret, in discovering the grand error which prevented their previous attainment, of what, now, can never be attained:-the second, by the vicious and tumid style which immature minds generally contract, and which, by remaining immature, they never relinquish :and the third, the most disastrous of all, by what the reader most likely has frequently observed. The young man acquires a mode of preaching, suited, perhaps, to temporary attraction, but far from being adapted to permanent advantage; it conveys nothing; it excites, but does not instruct; the people assemble to hear, not to learn; and they retire, to judge the preacher, but not themselves. The influence in such a case is reciprocal, and on both, bad; the taste of the audience is diverted from what is nutritious to what is stimulating; and instead of hearing in the desk the simple solemnity of earnestness and truth, you observe the criminal display of rhetorical affectation. No one need hesitate to affirm, that, the commonness of such facts, by excluding from the church apostolic instruction, and by producing in the world a sentiment of contempt, is most deeply injurious to solid and permanent ministerial success.

It is dreadful to observe, under such circumstances, with what sentiments a congregation of sinful beings will habitually assemble;— the preacher-the sermon-is the grand attraction. The social worship of the Great Supreme-the most sublime engagement of earth or heaven-appears but a secondary purpose; the hearing of Holy Scripture, seems like a necessary, but tedious delay;-the feast to be furnished by the preacher absorbs all attention, and afterwards affords a topic for the tongue. And what renders it dangerous to censure such proceedings, is the fact, that this solemn amusement involves a deep deception, which both parties unconsciously practise on themselves. The incessant readiness to hear, though in fact it arise from no such principle, is yet regarded as a proof of spiritual vitality and the love of Christian ordinances: and the incessant readiness to preach has such an appearance of fervid and active zeal, that to suspect it, is like a voluntary surrender of your own claim to conversion, although, all the time, it is nothing in the world but a particular form of the worst of weaknesses.' pp. 163-5.

Mr. Jay, we believe, has somewhere ventured to say, that he never knew the pews to be in fault where the pulpit had not been to blame. The people require to be better taught; for, after all, Mr. Binney's four causes of the evils of Dissent resolve themselves into one-ignorance; ignorance of Scripture, ignorance of the principles of Christianity and the grounds of moral obligation, ignorance of the principles of Dissent, and ignorance of themselves. And how can this be remedied but by effective religious instruction? The preacher whose object is to please men," cannot be the faithful" servant of Christ."

66

If he "reprove, rebuke, exhort," he will have need of much "long-suffering;" for, in every church, there are those " who will not endure sound doctrine." But, were due pains taken, on proper occasions, to instruct the people generally on all points of Christian duty, social as well as personal, including the subject of Christian institutions, the nature of the pastoral relation, and the grounds of Protestantism, there can be no doubt that the peace and prosperity of Dissenting churches would be far less liable to interruption or decline.

Art. IX. Arvendel; or Sketches of Italy and Switzerland. 8vo. pp. 124. Price 3s. 6d. London. 1826.

THES

HESE sketches bear the stamp of an elegant and elevated mind, and they have the charm of piety superadded to all the interest of poetry. We speak of the prose sketches; for the Author's verse is not equal in merit to his narrative style. Endued with fancy, feeling, and enthusiasm, with the poet's eye, and something better than the poet's heart, whether from indolence or from want of skill, his lines' are not much above mediocrity. But, as a prose-writer, his sketches only leave us room to regret that they are so brief and few.

The design of the volume is to fix and perpetuate the remembrance of certain scenes and impressions which the Writer is anxious not to forget. These sketches are intended, we are told, to serve simply as stones of memorial.' 'In a day in which many youthful wanderers visit the classic shores of Italy, he wished to offer at least this slender effort to connect in their minds the interests of Truth and of Eternity with the claims of external beauty and Art.'

Childe Arvendel is of course the Author. May we be permitted to express our regret that this thin disguise has been adopted? The only end to be answered by it, is, that it enables the Writer to speak the more unreservedly of himself in the third person; but we question whether this compensates for the unpleasant effect of so very slender an artifice. A manly, simple-minded egotism is far more interesting. Such names as St. Clair, Albert, and Arvendel, remind us too strongly of Hervey and Mrs. Rowe, or the Author of No Fiction.

The Widow's Tale is very simple and touching, but it will not afford a detached extract. Albert, whose portrait amid the ruins of Rome, we are assured, was taken from the life, is a delightful character, on which the mind loves to rest. Some readers, perhaps, will feel a curiosity to learn something further respecting Albert's sister. The Author of " The Author of "May you like it”