further exertion, the spiritual welfare of the people, or the interests of the Church, and of the Nation, But let such remember, that it is not enough to return the talent, entrusted to their keeping, unimpaired. It is necessary that it "be received again with usury." Let them rouse themselves from their lethargy, and let them never rest from their labours, until the voice of the blas phemer is no longer heard in our streets; until the people have returned in some measure to their primitive habits of morality and good order. Further, it is the im perious duty of each master of a family, or head of an establishment, to contribute all he can towards so desirable an object. For how can any reliance be placed on the honesty or fidelity of a servant, when the ties of religion are broken, and the moral principles undermined? The fear of temporal punishment has never yet been found effectual to deter men from the commission of crimes, and never will be a sufficient restraint. If we would wish to repel successfully the assaults of guilt, the seeds of early piety must be sown, a love for virtue and abhorrence of vice must be implanted in the breast from earliest infancy, aud carefully cherished and preserved through the slippery paths of youth.

Most fully then do I agree with your Correspondent, that one of the obvious remedies which suggests itself is the establishment and support of Sunday Schools, for the instruction of the young of both sexes, solely in the rudiments of religion. I know that an outcry has been raised against the education of the poor, but without stopping to answer the illiberal cavillings of such friends of national barbarism, I shall only remark that in theory it cannot be wrong to propagate to the utmost extent the knowledge of salvation, and make all partakers in its com forts, and to let none be ignorant that there is a God who sees and

knows not only our actions, but our thoughts, that there is a Saviour who shall one day judge the world. If ill effects have arisen in some partial instances, if in some places the growth of iniquity has not been u checked, the fault is in the practical mode of applying this mighty engine, in the extent of counteracting temptation, and the want of due cooperation. In a manufacturing town Sunday Schools can never produce much general good until these obstacles are removed. Let us then consider them separately, and if possi ble suggest some remedy. And first I must deprecate the extending the education of the lower classes beyond the Bible. As the object of instruction is the advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth, and the promotion of the spiritual happiness, as well as temporal comforts of the people, it is quite sufficient that they should be fully acquainted with the truth of our holy religion, and the indisputable evidences upon which it is built; that the duties of life, and requisites for salvation which it prescribes, should be impressed upon their minds, and that they should be strengthened in at¬ tachment to that pure form of religion, established in this kingdom. All beyond this is worse than superfluous, and yet Dissenters, doubtless from the best intentions, have carried the education of the poor much farther than this, and with a very natural zeal for making proselytes, have endeavoured, as it were, to entice the children by larger sup plies of intellectual food. Thus religion has become amongst them almost a secondary consideration; the study of the Bible has often given place to the study of arithmetic; and though this prevails to a much less extent in the schools of the Established Church, yet they were compelled, however reluctantly, to make some advances in order to prevent an absolute desertion. But this evil, though one of the greatest magnitude, is not the

only one. There are schools supported mainly by Dissenters, where, to reconcile the jarring opinions and various creeds of the subscribers, and under a profession of liberality, the sacred word is taught without note or comment; where the children are taken alternately to Church or Chapel, and as is the natural consequence, are so tossed about by various winds of doctrine, so distracted and perplexed in the mazes of theological disputes (for with the ignorant, the sophistries of the most pitiful casuist have equal weight with the solid arguments of the sound divine) that they at last abanden in disgust a religion admitting, as they think, of so much doubt and uncertainty. Such are the faults, and the very serious faults, in the practical mode of instructing the poor; and I see no means for effectually preventing the mischief thus occasioned, except by the interference of the Legislature; for though there exists not a warmer friend to religious toleration than myself, I do think that this is a matter too important to be trifled with, and that some restrictions are absolutely necessary, both with respect to the persons who teach, the things to be taught, and the mode of teaching them. I have purposely abstained from saying any thing here of a monster of modern growth, the establishment of Sunday Schools for propagating the principles of reform, or more properly, insubordination, infidelity, and treason. Upon this subject, which if considered in this place would extend my remarks too far, I may perhaps be induced to trouble you with a few observations at some future period.

The second obstacle which I mentioned, is the extent of counteracting temptation; and upon this I need only appeal to any person acquainted with the manufacturing towns of England, whether it is possible that greater incentives to guilt could be found. At the early age of nine (and until a recent enact

ment still earlier) the child is sent to a factory, the nursery of every vice, and every pollution. Here its young mind soon becomes familiar with scenes of the grossest iniquity, and gradually imbibes the tastes and habits of those who are more advanced in years and profligacy. The most disgusting obscenities, as your Correspondent justly observes, are here the common topics of conversation. Delicacy and modesty are unknown, and when these are want ing, where, I would ask, is the shield of chastity? Debauchery naturally ensues, and hence arises, disease and misery, entailed from the guilty parents on the wretched child; and what effectual struggle can the exertions of a pastor, however zealous, for one single day, make against the contaminations of a whole week? Individual good, may be, and has in no few instances, been done. A brand has now and then been snatched from the fire, but it is in vain to expect a general melioration, whilst the "great enemy" retains these strong holds. But the fortress is not impregnable. There needs only the cordial co, operation of the owners of factories, and the heads of families and establishments with the labours of the Clergy; the want of which forms, as I before remarked another for midable obstacle, and on this point your Correspondent, though he seems fully aware of its importance, has been altogether silent. him I attribute by far the greater part of the wickedness prevailing among the working classes of the community to the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, so long as they continue to work in company, the poisonous infection will never be got rid of. But from what I know of the process of manufacture, there exists no absolute necessity for this, The females' work is generally distinct from that of the men, and might be made entirely so. Why should not a classification be made? Why not place them in separate

rooms? or at least if it be absolutely requisite that they should occasionally be mixed together, why not prevent and punish any obscene expression, or impropriety of conduct? In short, why should not the masters of factories, so rigorous in the exaction of the stated task, be equally strict in requiring moral and decent behaviour from the work people. Let no one think this a mere visionary wish. The thing is not only practicable, but easy. It is well known that in every room there is placed what is called an overlooker. Now if men of strict and approved morals, fathers of families, were selected to fill such situations, if they were enjoined by their employers to check such offences as I have mentioned, or report those who are guilty of them, that they might be punished or discharged, if a dereliction from the paths of virtue were visited with dismissal, as a breach of honesty invariably is, and if each master would insist upon a character from the last employer, before he would consent to receive an applicant into his service, I am convinced that infinite good would be produced. This would be a much more useful and commendable course than the mere payment of an annual trifle, towards the support of Sunday Schools, and a total insensibility afterwards to the conduct of their servants whilst under their own controul. But it is to be feared that this will not be accomplished without legislative interference. I am sorry to agree with your Correspondent that the manufacturers in general are to the utmost degree, sordid and selfish, and I am almost persuaded that the measure will not be originated in them. Some exceptions I could indeed mention, and the adoption of the course here pointed out by two individuals, shews its practicability. But I do conceive this a matter well deserving the attention of Parliament; and I trust ere long the internal regulation of factories will be

taken into their serious consideration. These then appear to me the chief obstacles in the way of improvement, through the medium of Sunday Schools. When these are removed, there cannot I think be a doubt that they would be eminently useful; till then their operation must necessarily be confined, and the good they may produce, limited. On the subject of Saving Banks I am not sufficiently informed to make any remarks; and indeed I have extended this communication so far beyond the limits which I proposed to myself, that it would be unpardonable to trespass longer. I shall therefore merely observe, that in writing this, my object has been solely to call the attention of others to so important a subject, and I shall think myself fully repaid, if some more able champion in the cause of religion and morality will enter the lists, and rouse the public to a sense of their danger, and an attempt to ward it off by timely precaution. OXONIENSIS.

Manchester, July 25, 1820.

PROTESTANT INCONSISTENCY.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer, Sir,

I

APPREHEND the singular inconsistency of professed Protestants contributing to Roman Catholic Chapels and Schools, can hardly have occurred to certain persons. On the late occasion of opening the new Romish Chapel in Moorfields, not only was a large number of Protestants present at the celebration of Mass, but they contributed

* "Ifany person," (says the great Lord Bacon), "do scandalize the Liturgy, he makes a rent in the garment; but much more, such as are not only differing, but, in a sort, opposite unto it, by using a superstitious and corrupted form of divine Service-I mean such as say or HEAR Mass."-Judicial Charge on the Commission for the Verge.

only mean instruction in the princi ples and practices of the Romish re ligion; and a conspicuous friend and patron of these schools, congra tulated the public on the progress of religious liberty, which was kindly interpreted by a noble lord then present, to mean the concession of the Catholic Claims by a British parliament. All this, Sir, is very intelligible, and I cannot but admire the candor of the Roman Catholics and heartily thank them for it. In the mean time, and while Parliament has not as yet consented to sign the death warrant of the National Establishment, I would conjure those worthy but mistaken Protestants who are inadvertently forwarding the insidious designs of the ancient foes of Britain and British liberty, to pause before they are conducted to a point at which they may find it difficult to retrace their steps.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant, LUTHER.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. Sir,

YOUR Number for September (page 535), contains a letter, remark ing on a custom which is becoming more and more prevalent in our Churches and Chapels, viz. that of singing before the Minister begins the Service. I must say I differ from your correspondent on the subject, as I cannot see the impropriety of the custom in so strong a light as that in which he appears to contemplate it. There is certainly no rubrick for it, and thus far I agree with him that it may be improper. But with regard to the objection which he derives from the unfitness of man in his fallen and imperfect state to begin his worship by singing, I would humbly suggest that it may be refuted, by calling to mind that there are penitential psalms; and by a judicious selection of psalms of this kind, I think that Divine Service

To a Noble Lord who had opposed
the Divorce Clause in the Bill of
Pains and Penalties, lately under
Consideration in the House of in
Lords.

THE SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE
OF DIVORCE.

MY LORD,-I have read with astonishment and sorrow, the report of sentiments which your Lordship is said to have expressed in regard to those Bishops who gave their opinions and their votes, in favour of retaining the Divorce Clause in the Bill lately under consideration. In some of the papers, your Lordship's animadversions are represented to have been couched in the strongest terms, and to have reflected very severely on the conduct of those learned prelates. Had these animadversions proceeded from a quarter from which the Church is wont to be assailed, and all her best exertions to be attributed to secular and unworthy motives, I, for one, should have allowed them to pass without notice or remark: but, coming as they do, from a peer who has hitherto been considered, and, I think, justly considered, as a staunch and strenuous defender of the Church of England, they are calculated to produce very mischievous results, if they should be allowed to pass unnoticed and unrefuted.

My Lord, I am not able to sympathize with your Lordship in the distress which the want of unanimity among the Bishops on this question of divorce appears to have occasioned you. Where is the wonder that the Bishops should differ in opinion on a question which the

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