will render you so popular among all ranks, and by that means give force and energy to your administration. The people will see and feel that you are their friend, and that you take a cordial part in their distresses, while you are attentively occupied in relieving them." After enlarging upon the peculiar hardship of this duty, from its depriving the peasantry of many little comforts, he continued, "I will now venture to confess that for some time past, I have had it strongly on my mind to take the liberty of speaking to you on this very subject, wishing from my heart to see you as popular as your merits and abilities assure me you ought to be."

He had the highest esteem for the many estimable qualities of this upright statesman, and no difference of views ever disturbed the cordiality of their mutual regard. The language of these letters indicates how truly Sir Richard Hill had at heart the comfort and real welfare of the poor; and it was the way in which he entered into all their little wants and assisted their domestic economy, that shewed them he was their true friend, and prepared them to receive his admonitions respecting their higher interests and the care of their souls. The terms

in which he is spoken of by the aged cottagers who remember him at Hawkstone, prove that he had, amongst the many precepts of Scripture he delighted to obey, not forgotten the command, "consider the poor."

CHAPTER XX.

INCREASE OF EVANGELICAL RELIGION. OPPOSITION TO IT. CHARGE OF BISHOP TOMLINE IN 1803. STRICTURES ON IT BY SIR RICHARD HIS VIEW OF " EVANGELICAL" PREACHING, AND ITS LEGAL" MISREPRESENTATION. TESTIMONY OF SIR RICHARD

HILL.

OPPONENTS.

HILL TO THE EVANGELICAL CLERGY. THE ARTICLES. THE RIGHT MODE OF DEFENDING THE TRUTHS THEY CONTAIN. GOOD WORKS. SENSIBLE IMPULSES. CAUSES OF DEPARTURE FROM THE CHURCH. METHODS OF FILLING A CHURCH. INDUSTRY HALL. REV. BRIAN HILL AND REGINALD HEBER. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

EVANGELICAL DOCTRINES.

THE religious energy which marked the commencement of the present century, was far from being viewed with complacency by a large body of men in the Church, who totally misconceived its nature and tendency. Providentially, however, for our country and its establishment, there were not wanting persons of talent, station, and influence, who appreciated and were willing to defend evangelical doctrines against their mistaken opponents. To them we owe a perpetual debt of gratitude; for by their instrumentality the leaven was infused into the mass of the people, which has spread more or less into every corner of the land, and has, under God, become the life and preservation of religion amongst us. The

CHARGE OF BISHOP TOMLINE.

477

names of Wilberforce, Hill, Hannah More, and others, who, though they wrote less, laboured in the same cause with kindred zeal, will be cherished with increasing respect as each successive year adds new lustre to the light they helped to enkindle. Their gifts and opportunities were of different kinds, but their design was one -the safety and usefulness of the Church by a revival of its forgotten doctrines and dormant energies. The part taken by Sir Richard Hill was characterized by high moral courage. courage. He was ready to contend with the opponent of evangelical truth under any apparent disadvantage, and was totally fearless of opprobrium when religion was the subject of his exertions. I am now about to give a remarkable instance of this in his defence of the evangelical clergy, against the strictures on their doctrines contained in the charge of Dr. Tomline, Bishop of Lincoln, in the year 1803. No one can deny the learning and ability of that well-known Prelate; but he was an example of the extreme misconception and prejudice to which the most lettered minds are subject, when relying on the wisdom of this world, so often proved to be "foolishness with God." His Lordship commenced his charge thus:-" My Reverend Brethren, at our last meeting, I endeavoured to warn you of the danger which threatened the general cause of Christianity, by the alarming growth of infidelity and atheism. present I wish to call your attention to a subject which relates more particularly to the safety of our own Established Church. Upon that occasion, indeed, I briefly mentioned the mischievous effects of what is miscalled evangelical preaching; but the late progress of the opinions which it professes to inculcate, and the recent attempts of its advocates, seem to demand more full and immediate notice." The Bishop then proceeded to as

At

478

EVANGELICAL MODERATION.

sert that the essence of evangelical doctrine was Calvinism. A great mistake this was in the outset ; for there is nothing more certain than that evangelical preaching is by no means grounded either upon the tenets of Calvin, or those who differ from his views, but upon certain truths and experiences without which there can be no right knowledge of the plan of salvation, nor any vital Christianity. His Lordship in the midst of much loose argument, and still looser divinity, used this true expression-" Our Church is not Lutheran-it is not Calvinistic-it is not Arminian-it is scriptural." So are the doctrines of the evangelical clergy as a body.

Sir Richard Hill thought the tone of our Thirty-nine Articles Calvinistical; several of his pious friends thought them much more Arminian; but they were perfectly united in their opinions as to the work of grace in the soul and its effects upon the life. Neither of these views prevented those who adopted one or the other, from being equally good churchmen, and equally pious Christians. The Church of England with true moderation opens her arms to both classes of believers; and which of them would come forward and say it wished the other excluded? We have had many bright luminaries of our establishment of both persuasions, who have united in one communion; but these Calvinists professed doctrines the venerable Calvin himself would have owned, and not such as have been disfigured by the narrow spirit and wild extravagancies of visionaries; and the Arminians now alluded to, allowed no taint of Arianism or Pelagianism to mingle with their tenets. Hence either class of these divines might fairly be denominated evangelical, if they agreed in those truths on which the vitality of religion depends. But Bishop Tomline, and with him many others of a like prejudiced

NICKNAMES. METHODISTS.

479

spirit, cast upon the evangelical clergy the unjust stigma of a Calvinism so called, than which, in the inferences drawn from it, nothing could possibly be more incorrect. All sorts of names began to be applied to them. "The following," said Sir Richard Hill,' "are all now in good fashionable use and tolerable currency-Methodists— Enthusiasts-Schismatics-Evangelical preachers-Disturbers of quiet congregations-Calvinists-PuritansCanters-Hypocrites-Fanatics, and even Antinomians. The word Methodist, however, begins to get rather out of vogue." The reason of this was that it was more particularly applied to the Wesleyans, to many of whom, though he differed most widely from some of their notions, Sir Richard Hill willingly accorded the following commendation. "Amongst those people, I am not ashamed to avow that many of the excellent of the earth are to be found, whose vital piety, and heart-experience far outstrip their head-knowledge and doctrinal attainments."

Sir Richard Hill commenced his first letter to Bishop Tomline in these words: " My Lord, it would afford me the most sensible concern, if even my veneration for, and attachment to, the Church of England, were to cause me for a moment to forget the exalted station your Lordship holds in that Church, or the learning and abilities you are confessedly possessed of. To steer clear of offence, is my sincere wish, and shall be my endeavour in giving your Lordship the trouble of reading the following pages." After making some remarks on the opening sentences of the bishop's charge, relative to evangelical preaching, he proceeded: "The term evangelical preaching, when properly used, means gospel

In a note to his letters to Bishop Tomline.