probably, convince them that he is not delivering a dry, uninteresting lecture, but that he is speaking to their particular cases; and, therefore, that they are concerned to listen to him. We may observe, thirdly, that ministers by speaking extempore are more at liberty to address the passions, It has been observed that sermons ought not to be destitute of reasoning and argument. Yet these alone will make but little impression. Even after the understanding is informed, and the judgment convinced, it is necessary that the passions be interested, or else no lasting effect will be produced. It is really astonishing, how little men in general are influenced by argument alone. Very few indeed are rouzed to earnestness and activity in any pursuit, where their passions are not touched, and their hopes or their fears excited. Hence appears the necessity of a particular and lively application of every point of importance handled in a sermon. Now, as this part of a discourse does not require that closeness and connection which is necessary for argumentation, there is the less need of a written preparation. Nay, the extempore speaker seems to have considerable advantage. It is probable, if he enters into the spirit of his subject, that he will deliver himself with greater carnestness and zeal. The sight and circumstances of his congregation may furnish him with suggestions for an animated address to them, which might not have occurred in his study. His concern for them, while present before him, and the importance of the subject he is treating, will, probably, excite many affections in his heart, which will be visible to the audience, and cannot but affect them in return; while he may be led to speak with a warmth of expression which he would in vain have sought for in his retirement. The poet's observation is confirmed by general experience: "Si vis me flere, dolendum est, Primum ipsi tibi." And it is probable the preacher will then be most animated, and most affect his audience, when engaged in the solemn service of the sanctuary. It may be urged, fourthly, That by preaching extempore much time may be saved to be applied to other important purposes. Preaching, though a considerable part, is not the whole of a minister's duty among his people. There are many situations, such as large and populous parishes, or where several churches are to be attended, in which a great share of a minister's time is necessarily taken up with the care of his flock in private, and the occasional services of the church, Allowing him but a small portion for retirement, for study, and for the necessary preparations even for speaking without notes, it is probable that the whole of his time would be filled up. Now what expedient is left for one thus situated? If written sermons be thought adviseable, must he from year to year read over the same compositions? It is obvious, what lifelessness and weariness, if not contempt of the preaching, this is likely to produce both in himself and in his congregation. Or must he neglect or superficially perform the very important office of private visiting, that he may have time for the composing of his sermons? Or is not this rather an unnecessary expence of time in writing, which might be more usefully employed, if he can attain to a readiness and propriety in speaking? It is needless to observe, what a laborious business it is to make constant preparation for the pulpit in written discourses; and where a minister's time is otherwise much filled up, it will probably be at the hazard of his health to adhere to the practice of writing. This is by no means urged as a plea for indolence, for the neglect of study, or that time may be had for the pursuing of vain recreations. A minister ought, above all other men, to redeem his time, as considering it entirely devoted to God; and if he is excused from the labour of much writing, he ought not on that account to be the less employed in the service of his master. It appears, therefore, that written sermons, however expedient and necessary in certain circumstances and situations, may be laid aside in the following cases: 1. Where the plainness of extempore preaching may be used without much offence, or where the violence of prejudice against it seems likely to subside. But even there it cannot be proper for all ministers to adopt an extempore mode of address: and therefore it is recommended only, 2. Where there is a faculty of speakng with tolerable readiness, and in a solid as well as animated manner. As this perhaps cannot be known without much trial and preparation, it seems proper that young ministers especially should direct their studies with a view to attain this faculty, and endeavour, at least gradually, to adopt the practice. But lest this should encourage a rashness and presumption in young and unexperienced men, we must add that it were highly improper for them to venture upon extempore speaking, except 3. After a long course of previous study and preparation in writing.This appears highly expedient to guard against the hurtful and reproachful habit of speaking in an ignorant, careless, incoherent manner. - Cui lecta potenter erit res, Nec facundia descret hunc, nec lucidus ordo. It may be observed, that a great part of the objections which are urged against either written or extempore discourses, may be obviated by care and attention in those who deliver them. Those who write for the pulpit should be cautioned to avoid a dry and unaffecting, as well as a pompous and ornamented stile; and to endeavour to shew by the earnest ness of their delivery, that they firmly believe, and feel themselves interested in, what they speak. Those who venture without the help of a written preparation should beware of getting into an indolent mispending of their time, as well as a careless manner of appearing in the pulpit; and should therefore study to avoid a low vulgarity, a wild incoherence, and tedious repetitions. To guard against a misconception or a misrepresentation of what has been urged in favour of extempore preaching, it is proper to add, that it is earnestly recommended to those ministers who adopt this mode of address, to study their subject well, and to digest their thoughts upon it, before they venture to speak in public. For this purpose it will be expedient, in general, to draw up, and take into the pulpit, a short plan of their sermon, in which they may put down all the chief heads to be insisted on, the texts of scripture and the principal thoughts to be introduced. This, indeed, in strict propriety, is not extempore preaching, as much previous study is supposed; but this is the mode of address which is here pleaded for: and therefore it is not in any case recommended to lay aside all written preparation for the pulpit. The advice here given might be confirmed by the most respectable authorities. "There is a middle way, used by our predecessors, of setting down, in short notes, the method and principal heads, and enlarging on them in such words as present themselves at the time. Perhaps duly managed this would be the best."Abp. Secker. Let all seriously consider the nature of their situation, and the extent of their abilities, and then judge, as in the sight of God, which mode of preaching seems most likely, in their particular case, to promote his glory and the interest of the gospel in the salvation of souls. It would be well, if, for this purpose, ministers would not determine entirely for themselves, but consult, and deliberately weigh, the opinion of prudent, faithful, and discerning friends. But whichever mode be adopted, all should be exhorted to remember their continual and entire dependance upon God, both to enable them to preach, and to make their preaching effectual. It is sometimes pleaded for extempore preaching, that this mode seems best adapted to keep the minister humble and sensible of his dependance; and that those who have their written compositions before them are in danger of falling into selfsufficiency, and of neglecting to cry to God for help. But far too great a stress has been laid upon this. We are in danger on every side, and it becomes us to consider, on which we are most likely to be assaulted. But surely a minister, composing his sermon in his study may be as devoutly sensible of his utter insufficiency without help from above, as another who stands up to speak in the pulpit what he has not previously prepared. Perhaps, indeed, the one may feel that dependance more immediately in the pulpit, which the other has done before in his retirement. In either case then we perceive the absolute necessity of continual and earnest prayer; since the most eminent are but as instruments in his hands, who alone giveth the increase. Vain and ineffectual are the most shining abilities either for writing or speaking, unless God is pleased to afford the powerful efficacy of his spirit. O for a greater importunity in prayer, that we may prevail to obtain the blessing! And while the ministers of Christ, with true devotedness of heart, are seeking his glory, and with unfeigned simplicity are following his guidance, let them rejoice in that animating promise, Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.AMEN. To the Editor of the Christian Observer, YOUR Correspondent, a Country Curate (p. 408) has desired an answer to a very important question, respecting the most advantageous mode of regulating a charity school. I trust that several of your correspondents, who have turned their attention to this subject, will communicate their thoughts upon it. In the mean time the following hints may, perhaps, be serviceable to him. Though from his making this enquiry, I have reason to believe he possesses a due sense of the importance of the subject, yet he will pardon me if, for the sake of others, I say a few words on this head. I have not been able to account for the inattention which many pious clergymen have evidently shewn to the instruction of the children of their flock, but on the supposition that they have considered it as a duty of very inferior importance in comparison with preaching. I would not undervalue the benefit of preaching: it is one part-if you please, the most important part, of a clergyman's duty; but it should not therefore supersede the rest. A clergyman with cure of souls, is a public instructor, set apart by God and man for the instruction and improvement of his flock. He is responsible to God and to his country, for the morals of his peculiar charge, as far as it is in his power to influence them; and this obligation surely requires him to use every endeavour in his power for their religious improvement. It is the chief advantage of an establishment of religion in any country, that, in every district into which the country is divided, there will be an individual regularly appointed to superintend the moral state of the persons in that district, to devote himself to their religious improvement, to watch against all the inroads of vice and corruption. In the discharge of this duty, it surely is not enough to read the appointed prayers and deliver a sermon weekly. Far more active exertions should be made; every probable means of improvement should be tried; and the spirit of the law, as well as its letter, should be fulfilled. If this idea of a clergyman's office is a just one, no reason can be offered why he should not pay particular at tention to the state of the children of his flock, except the impossibility of doing it, or the doubt of its answering any good purpose. The former reason may be valid to a certain extent, but not till he has conscientiously done as much as is in his power. It was the ancient custom in the Church of England, for the minister to catechise all the children of his parish every Sunday afternoon; and it is deeply to be regretted that this excellent custom has been suffered to fall into neglect. It gave the children an interest in the worship as a part of the congregation: it afforded to the minister an excellent opportunity of familiarly instructing the elder part of his audience, while he addressed the younger: and it served to constitute a direct and visible pastoral relation between him and the "lambs of his flock," which was calculated to inspire them with reverence for him, and to give him an interest in their welfare. Where it is possible it would be well to revive this useful custom; but where this is not practicable, a clergyman's care ought surely to be extended to this part of his flock in some other mode. The doubt of good being done, in any material degree, by that measure of attention which a minister may be able to give to the children of his parish, must arise from one of these causes: either that he is not sensible of the influence of education in general; or that he is not convinced of the efficacy of that degree of religious knowledge in particular, which may be communicated by education; or that he conceives the occasional labours of an individual to be inadequate to produce any material good amongst the children of a whole parish." With respect to the influence of education in general, it should be remembered, that man is almost universally what he is trained up to be- rude or polite, ignorant or enlighten- fore, become an instrument to put in ed, ferocious or gentle. The difference execution his plans; that the benefit between a savage New Hollander, and to be obtained by a school depends a highly polished European, is as much more on the system pursued, great as between animals of a distinct than on the time employed in superspecies. By education the most pow- intending it; that a minister may eaerful natural passions are either sup- sily contrive to interest a far greater pressed or strengthened. The Spar- number than the scholars in the betan was taught to embrace a life of nefit of his instructions, by communiself-denial; the American to endure cating them publicly at stated times, torture with apathy; the Gentoo wi- and engaging other parents to send dow to submit to death with compo- their children; that the portion thus sure. Powerful principles in these instructed and improved will be that cases were early instilled into the which, in general, is most neglected. mind, and strengthened by the force and most likely to corrupt the rest; of general opinion, they produced and that the little leaven, thus infused effects which appear almost incredi- into the rising generation, will spread ble to those who have not been simi- itself through the mass, and extend larly trained. its salutary influence to the whole. Surely, then, qualities of a more amiable and useful cast may be implanted, if means equally adapted to that end are used. Man, it is true, cannot by education be made a real christian; but by education he may be freed from prejudices, and delivered from the dominion of dispositions, highly favourable to temptation and sin. He may, by education, be endued with qualities friendly to the growth of christianity. His mind may be enlightened by knowledge, by scriptural knowledge, instead of being darkened by brutish ignorance. His conscience may be awakened, instead of being seared by insensibility. He may be made attentive, docile, submissive, rational ;'instead of being thoughtless, obstinate, intractable, void of understanding. The soil may be cultivated, and prepared, for the reception of the heavenly seed. It is readily conceded, that divine grace is in its nature distinct from the qualities which may be conferred by education: grace is the effect of the influence of the holy spirit on the soul; but surely that influence may be reasonably hoped for, where those means have been diligently used to which the promise of his influence has been in general annexed. What is preaching, what is prayer, but certain means in the use of which the blessing of the spirit may be expec ted? With respect to the ability of an individual to effect much good by the Occasional superintendance of a school; it should be considered, that a minister will almost always be able to form and direct the system of education there pursued; that the master will, there A minister then, in order to be useful in this branch of his duty, must be first fully impressed with the persuasion of the good effects which may be derived from superintending the education of the poor. He must animate himself with the hope of seeing a rising generation of young persons disposed to listen, with a lively interest, to his sermons; qualified by a previous stock of religious knowledge to understand them; prepared by good habits to attend regularly the ordinances of worship; accustomed to revere him as their guide, and attached to him as their friend. This he may justly expect to be the fruit of the pains he will take with them, a fruit the more certainly to be expected, as his work will appear to be a labour of love, and not the stipulated employ ment of office. If this picture of success should appear too flattering to be justified by experience, it must be considered how very rarely experience can fairly be appealed to on this subject. The common education given in charity schools, it is allowed, is very seldom productive of any material good effects. The children are taught, it is true, to read, to write, and to repeat their catechism by rote. But all these are only mechanical operations, and have in themselves no necessary tendency to enlighten the mind, improve the morals, or mend the disposition. The term education is, in this case, misapplied. Education, properly defined, is that series of means by which knowledge is obtained, proper dispositions acquired, and a right character formed. But the ability to spell and join words together, though it may be come the means of obtaining knowledge, is not knowledge; and it must act by some strange magic charm if it has any effect in meliorating the disposition. The means are here confounded with the end; and a very limited part of education is considered as the whole. The schoolmaster is not, in this case, to be blamed. He was engaged, perhaps, only to teach reading and writing; and he may have executed his task properly. It is the narrowness of the received system which is in fault it is the defective idea annexed to the term education: it is the folly of expecting an end without the use of means properly adapted to produce it. To the score of this false idea of the nature and effects of education may be attributed the prejudice which has, of late years, been so unhappily excited in the breasts of many, against the communication of instruction to the poor, as tending to diffuse jacobin principles. Whatever truth there may be in this idea can only apply to that mistaken form of education, which consists solely in enabling the children of the poor to read, and which of course opens to them sources, otherwise shut, of democratical poison, If it is said, as frequently it is in defence of communicating such knowledge to the poor, that with the poison you supply the antidote; if they are able to read bad books, they are also furnished with good ones: the defence is not satisfactory; for, in the present corrupt state of man, the bias towards evil is stronger than that towards good. The valid answer is this: that a true system of education, the only one which ought to be defended, is expressly calculated to counteract that discontented turbulent state of mind which is the proper soil of jacobinism; that its end is to improve the morals; its means, the diffusion of sound religious knowledge, and the cultivation of right dispositions. The writer of this paper has had frequent opportunities of examining schools for the poor. In those of the common sort, he has rarely found any thing to excite an expectation of much benefit. In some, conducted upon better principles, he has remarked a degree of moral improvement which equally delighted and surprised him. He has seen children of ten and twelve years old, well acquainted with every part of scripture, and possessing an uncommon degree of information for their age and circumstances; earnestly attentive to the instructions afforded them, easily impressed by admonition or reproof, and remarkably modest and humble in their deporiment. Upon enquiry he found them to be exemplary in their conduct at home, dutiful children, and qualified to become faithful servants*. I would advise the country curate, before he lays down any plan for the regulation of his school, to form in his mind a distinct idea of the cha racter he would wish his charge to possess when they enter into the world. The school is to be the place in which that character is to be formed, at least in which its outline must be trace l. Every quality which he would wish his pupil to possess in after life must here be implanted, nursed, and cherished; and the attention should be given to each in exact proportion to its future importance and value. I will imagine the kind of character which your correspondent might think it right to aim at forming in his pupils. Though he does not want them to attain much science or acquire elegant accomplishments, yet he wishes them to become rational and thinking beings, accustomed to reason justly on the principal objects around them, disposed to listen attentively to the instruction he will communicate to them from the pulpit, and prepared by previous religious knowledge to understand it. The school will thus be a preparation for the church; and it is evidently owing to the want of such a preparation that so little good is done by preaching. *It is but a piece of justice due to the excellent Mrs. H. More to say, that the writer principally alludes, in the above paragraph, to one of the schools under her patronage. He had the opportunity of learning some very striking facts corroborative of the above remarks. These facts will one day loudly speak to the character has devoted talents and learning, calcuand designs of this much injured lady, who lated to instruct and delight the highest circles of society, to the improvement of the lowest; and whose benevolent labours, like those of her great master, have been rewarded with calumny and reproach. |