Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

APPENDIX.

INFLUENCED by a desire of directing the attention of those who are officially or personally interested in Mr. Hulse's Will, to a consideration of the provisions in which he requires the printing of the whole of the Sermons delivered annually by the Christian Preacher or Lecturer, I have taken the liberty of inserting in this Appendix a few additional remarks upon that subject. My only anxiety was, and still is, that it should be carefully examined and decided, whether some alteration, either in their form or extent, may not be judicious and possible: and what the nature of that alteration ought properly to be, in order to preserve, if not increase, the advantages of the office, in a religious and literary point of view.

There appear to be three different methods of modifying the provisions of Mr. Hulse. First, it may be done by absolutely reducing the number of Sermons, to be both preached and printed, from twenty down to twelve or ten; in which case the Lecturer would be able to devote a greater portion of his time and attention to their composition, and by labour in writing and condensation of thought, be enabled to render his ideas at once more clear and forcible. A second method which suggests itself, is that of leaving the number of Sermons to be preached unaltered, and making a change only in the provision which relates to printing; which change may be effected either by stipulating some number less than twenty, which shall always be committed to the press, or by leaving the matter entirely at the option of the Trustees, or of the Lecturer himself. The third method, is that of both reducing the number to be preached, and removing the necessity of printing altogether. But in this there would be so great and manifest a violation of the Founder's intentions, that no one, I apprehend, would venture to recommend it as either judicious or just.

Which of the three preceding changes should be adopted, I

presume not to decide, but I would venture to offer a few sug gestions upon two schemes, in both of which the labours of the Lecturer would remain undiminished, whilst the usefulness of the situation would probably be increased.

Mr. Hulse has pointed out the months of April and May and the two first weeks in June for the delivery of the ten Sermons which are to be preached in Spring; and as the University con tinues filled, both by Undergraduates and others, during the whole of that time, no period would seem to be better suited for the purpose. But the case is very different with the Autumnal course. For the ten Sermons to be delivered in the Autumn, the months of September and October are appointed, during almost the whole of which months the University is, comparatively speaking, deserted, and the ordinary inhabitants of the parish of St. Mary, form the principal part of the Congregation in the University Church. At such a time, therefore, the more erudite labours of the Hulsean Lecturer would seem to be much out of their place. Under such circumstances it would surely be no improper step to alter the time, at least, for the delivery of these latter Sermons; and to transfer them to some other period. Now, it so happens that, under the present arrangements, the Morning Sermons at St. Mary's are by no means so fully attended as those in the Afternoon: probably because the Select Preachers are appointed only to take the Evening Discourses, and the supply of the Morning Preachers, being left to individual choice or chance, has gradually generated a degree of inattention and neglect, which cannot but be very seriously lamented. It may seem, therefore, to deserve attention, whether by making the Hulsean Lecturer responsible for ten of the Morning Sermons during the continuance of the Terms, and whilst the University is full, we should not have a prospect of restoring that regularity in attendance, which cannot but be considered as desirable, both for the character of the University itself, and the spiritual edification of its members.

Another plan, and one which, if I might be permitted to express my private sentiments, I should prefer, is this; to change one half, at least, of the Sermons to be delivered by the Hulsean Preacher, into Theological Lectures. The Founder has given

to his Preacher the option of delivering his Discourses either on the Friday Mornings, or the Sunday Afternoons; thus plainly, I think, declaring, that he thought they might often assume the form of Lectures in Divinity, rather than of Discourses upon practical religion, and consequently be but little suited for the spiritual improvement of those who attend the worship of God upon the Sabbath-day. To make a partial change from Sermons into Lectures, would not, therefore, appear to be any great deviation from the Founder's intentions. Now the Norrisian Professor of Divinity delivers his Lectures only during two of the annual Terms at Cambridge. The third, the Midsummer Term, is at present destitute of such Lectures. Would it, therefore, be injudicious to permit the Hulsean Lecturer to combine the whole of his labours into that Term, and whilst he is preaching eight or ten of his Discourses from the pulpit on Sunday, to deliver the remaining ten or twelve to the Students in Divinity on the other days of the week? I merely allude to these propositions as perhaps not inexpedient.

But the great question still remains to be considered, and that is, whether there be any possibility of making any alteration, however necessary and just, and where the power of making that alteration rests.

It will be found, by a reference to Mr. Hulse's Will,* that, in case the persons appointed to fill the offices instituted by kim do not discharge the duties he has specified, their respective salaries are to be divided in equal shares amongst the six Senior Fellows of St. John's College, in Cambridge. It further appears,t that the Bishop of Ely, as Visitor, has authority "to see that the benefactions and endowments of Mr. Hulse be all of them applied to the uses intended, in a just and proper manner; and in case of any perversion or misapplication in all or any of them, to rectify the same in a summary way, with reason and equity." Hence it would seem, that if the Visitor and the Trustees and the Six Senior Fellows of St. John's College, could reconcile it to their consciences to permit any deviation whatever from the strictest letter of the Founder's Will, by waving the exercise of their † Mr. Hulse's Will, p. 23.

* Page 23,

authority and the assertion of their claims, they might certainly do so in any instance in which they apprehended that, from the beneficial nature of the change, the endowments of Mr. Hulse would still be applied, in a just and proper manner, to the uses intended; which uses he frequently declares substantially to have been, the diminution of infidelity, and the promotion and increase of religious learning. The interpretation I have here given of the Founder's words, may not, perhaps, be that which is literally and legally correct; but it is undoubtedly most perfectly consistent with his ultimate views and wishes; and it remains, therefore, with those who have the power to act upon this occasion, to consider with themselves, whether they would be justified in allowing of any alteration at all, or whether, in particular, they would adopt any one of those several alterations which have been already proposed. With them it rests to examine, whether the religious and literary advantages to the world, to the University, and to individuals, may not become greater by a general conformity to the principles of Mr. Hulse's bequests, than a rigorous and undeviating adherence to the very letter of a Will, which, in many instances, it would be inconvenient, and in some almost impossible, to follow.

I shall only conclude by expressing my hopes that the observations I have made will stand excused from the accusation of presumption, and be regarded as arising from a simple sense of duty.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE III.

MATTH. chap. xi. ver. 2—5.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?......Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.

CHRISTIANITY opens to our view a wide and almost boundless field of moral and religious speculation; of all that tends to the promotion of social order, of domestic happiness and inward peace. To love God and to love man; to be thankful to our Maker and Redeemer, and have fervent Charity one towards another; to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world; precepts of the most earnest piety, the most refined purity, and the most exalted and extensive benevolence;

E

« AnteriorContinuar »