lady of Loretto.* His Holiness the Pope, and all priests under him, down to the Methodist minister, have no doubt heen useful in supporting spiritual tyranny, but they have been useful to truth, and consequently to men's best interests, no farther than they could help. Men are often useful to truth, while opposing it; but it were the highest degree of infatuation to infer from thence the impropriety of continuing such a course. No effect can ever justify an improper cause those who preached a Christ of strife and envy, in Paul's time, were useful, but did their usefulness justify them in this case? It is said that there are no fewer than 30,000 priests in Britain. The combined talents of so many men, in the course of an age, ought to do wonders. But what have the clergy effected? Nothing! at least little that does them any credit. In one way they have done much; they have, by arrogating to themselves the exclusive right of teaching Christianity, prevented the exercise of the talents of thousands, nay of millions, who, in this one way, might have immensely contributed to the prosperity of truth. Nothing is more true than that the man who is appointed to teach a church is often less fit for such an employment than many of those whom he undertakes to teach. When priests are able to disprove this one fact, we shall listen to their plea respecting usefulness.

Much might be said with regard to the proportion of talent possessed by the clergy. It is a well known fact that the weakest, in this respect, in a family is generally made choice of for the divine; if he should possess neither courage for the army, skill for physic, nor cunning for the law, he may, notwithstanding, through the blessing of God, make a most orthodox parson. In many instances, the priest is introduced into the company of his superiors, only that they may enjoy themselves at the expence of his weakness; and even those who lay claim to a good share of common sense, often, in their public exhibitions, conduct themselves like men who are insane. Some, indeed, of our most popular dissenters have no other way of filling the large houses they have built but by condescending to the lowest of wit, and often amusing their audience with religious buffoonery. But even taking the most favourable view of the matter,

More effectually--by glossing over the defects of the system, they assist in hiding its deformity, and retain all the ill effects of priestcraft (in excluding the whole church from the exercise of their abili ties in teaching), at the same time that they avoid the best, because the most vulnerable position of priestly subjugation, its gross and evident absurdity--EDITOR.

the talent possessed by them is a mere nonentity, in com parison with that which they hinder from being employed.

But if the priest will still urge his usefulness, let him shew wherein it consists. What actual benefit accrues to society from his employment? He tells us he teaches Christianity; but Christianity is taught, in a manner far superior to any thing of which he is capable, in the New Testament; there the whole appears simple and easy. The discourses of Jesus and his apostles are, in themselves, fully sufficient to give any one a complete knowledge of Christianity; and from them more may be learned in one hour, than from a thousand of the sermons which priests are in the habit of delivering from their pulpits. Instead of teaching, it appears rather to be the design of these men to darken Christianity. They represent it as being mysterious and obscure and to rescue it from this obscurity, a course of study, consisting of moral and natural philosophy, school divinity, logic, and mathematics, is indispensably ne

cessary.

By these, and such like arguments, are the great body of the people deluded, and induced to support in idleness, and often in luxury and debauchery, a race of men, to do what might be much better done without them. It may, however, be proper here to say who are meant by the term priest. By the term priest then is meant all, of every denomination, sect and party, who assume the exclusive right of teaching the societies to which they belong, from the first clergyman in Europe, down to the plain, though reverend, Methodist minister. Our Dissenters, indeed, are the weakest, and most inconsistent on this head. Their consciences will not permit them to dwell under the roof of the mother of harlots, yet they cling to the threshold of her dwelling as closely as they can. They must have their minister, and a pulpit to hold him in; he must be denominated the reverend, and dress like other priests, otherwise he would give offence to the pious people who built the chapel, or hurt the feelings of the lady who made the church a présent of the minister's gown, and the pulpit cushion. And, "that the word may become effectual to salvation," the Methodist parson must smooth down his hair, dress in black, assume a grave look, alter his very gait, contract his mouth, knit his brows, and cast his eyes towards the ground lest he should behold vanity. I know of nothing more calculated to make men dislike the amiable doctrines of Christianity, than such disgusting and wicked affectation in those who profess to be her teachers. The ignorant are

ever prone to identify Christianity with these vain gewgaws; in fact, it is difficult for the generality of people to read the history of divine revelation, without having associated together, in the mind, the idea of a minister and a man in a long black gown. Let no one soften down the subject by saying these things are harmless in themselves. They are indeed harmless to those who have knowledge enough to despise them, but they are far otherwise to the greater part of professing Christians. Such is the effect of them on the minds of some, that they are considered necessary to give effect to the word of God himself. If this is not so, will priests have the goodness to say why they do not lay them aside? Christianity needs not the aid of such trifles; and we find its great founder rebuking the priests of old for making use of them, and cautioning his disciples against imitating them. The titles assumed by priests are a complete burlesque on common sense. Let any one bestow those titles on men who are engaged in the common business of life, and the association will appear so ludicrous as that it might excite the smile of St. Job, or the right reverend father in God, Peter. Many of the Dissenting priests in this country are so fond of these titles, that they have been known to reprove their friends for omitting to style them "the reverend," in addressing their post letters. With these reverend gentlemen the country swarms, and yet we every day hear complaints of the scarcity of ministers. It is not enough that we have Moses and the prophets, Jesus and the apostles, to teach us; no! the scriptures are of little use to us without a priest to put a sense on them for us; for this the soldier must quit the ranks, the taylor his shopboard, and the cobbler his stall, and in company toge ther hie them away to the divinity school. After having learned to read a little Greek and Latin, to split up texts of scripture, and to bring something out of nothing, behold the priest! He is now considered fit for use, and those who can afford to give most for him, may have him. These are for the most part young men, who, in general, have a most miserable share of Christian knowledge; they are sometimes boys; but having obtained a call from heaven to undertake this work, they must of course obey; they must undertake the care of a church, and teach many who are much fitter to teach them, and who, by the way, are to sit as judges of the priest's own orthodoxy.

When these, and other absurdies connected with the priesthood are considered, need we wonder at the present dark state of men as it respects religion? surely not. This

No. 37.]

MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1814. [VOL. 4.

RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MODERN

PRIESTHOOD.

To the Editor of the Freethinking Christians' Magazine.

SIR,

WHEN Christianity was first presented to the world in

the association of her converts, her doctrines appeared so plain, and her precepts so lovely, that however much opposition was at times shewn to her precepts, the generality of those who beheld could not but admire her, and multitudes became obedient to the faith. In those days Christians' were denominated, "A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation;" and they were made such for the purpose of shewing forth his praises who called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Pet. ii. 9. Had things been allowed to remain in this their original form, Christianity would at this day have been so clear and so simple, that the most ignorant must have admired, the meanest capacity have easily comprehended it.

And such, indeed, it is as represented in the scriptures; but a very different thing according to those who make it their trade to teach it. At this distance of time it is difficult to say what were the precise circumstances which led to the introduction of what is now termed the priesthood into Christianity. But from the nature of the thing, and the effects it has produced, it is clear that a love of power was one, and, perhaps, the principal cause that produced this system of abomination. Under the former dispensation, the priests offered the sacrifices of the people, and also taught them the knowledge of God: with that state of things the order of the priesthood ended; and under the New Testament dispensation the whole body of believers, not the teachers to the exclusion of the taught, are considered as the priests of God. By their associating together; by their exhorting and edifying one another; and holding forth the truth in their whole deportment, they, as priests, offer to God a sacrifice acceptable, and well-pleasing; they teach the world the knowledge of their Maker, by shewing forth his perfections; and thus, from them, the word, or knowledge of God, sounds out to the surrounding regions;