HENRY THORNTON, ESQ. M.P. Late Treasurer to the Bible Society. London, Published by T. Tegg, Nm, Cheapside, 1March, 1815. THE NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND Theological Review. APRIL 1815. MEMOIR OF HENRY THORNTON, Esq. M. P. Late Treasurer to the Bible Society. BIOGRAPHY, when properly executed, can scarcely fail of being conducive to general utility. Hence it was the opinion of one, whose profound judgment should command, as indeed it is always entitled to, respect, that there has rarely passed a life, of which a judicious and faithful narrative would not be productive of good. To record the praises of departed excellence to exhibit whatever was eminently meritorious in the conduct of the dead as an example of imitation to the living-and, above all, to display the power of true religion in counteracting the influence of human depravity, and raising fallen man to that rank in the creation with which it is the high and gracious design of the gospel to ennoble such as cordially receive it, is an object that our best reason must approve, and to which revelation certainly lends its sanctions. Rarely indeed has our age furnished a fitter opportunity of doing this, than in the subject of the present article. HENRY THORNTON was the youngest of three brothers, the sons of the late John Thornton, Esq. of Clapham, an eminent merchant in the Russia trade, having establishments both in London and Hull. The prudence of his father appeared, amongst other things, in the attention which he paid to the VOL. I. education of his children. To him it was not sufficient to have procured, by his industry in mercantile. pursuits, a competency for their support, and the right of holding a distinguished rank in society; it was a leading object of his pursuit to cultivate their minds with every liberal endowment, and especially, as far as in him lay, to inculcate upon them "the fear of God," the first lesson in true religion. The early habits of piety which were thus implanted in the mind of Mr. Thornton, under the fostering care of his venerable parent, became established and confirmed by succeeding years, and laid the foundation of that eminence of character for which he was distinguished through life. Religion in its native form, exalting the man, and ennobling his nature; religion controuling the wayward passions, and regulating the general tenour of the life; inspiring true benevolence to man, and unfeigned piety to God, formed the essence of Mr. Thornton's character. From the munificent hand of the Creator, he had received superior mental capacities, which, when perfected by education, and an experience with the world, produced a judg ment remarkable for its solidity, great variety of information, un paralleled gentleness in his private, and moderation in his public con him an ornament to the age in which he lived. duct, with talents that rendered | cence scattered among them, has a voice that is not easily silenced; the blessing of him that was ready Mr. Thornton chose a mercantile to perish is loud; the song of the profession, and was connected with widow's heart cannot rise unheard. his father in his commercial con- His assistance to the fair claims of cerns at Hull. At an early period indigence and distress, was on no of life also, he became a partner in occasion denied; yet in none of a banking-house, under the firm of his liberalities was he actuated by Down, Thornton, and Free; ana romantic sensibility, but by geestablishment which his exertions nuine feeling under the direction of greatly contributed to render ex- sound principles. He very proceedingly prosperous, and in which perly viewed himself as a steward, he continued to maintain his inte- to whom Providence had comrest to the period of his death.mitted treasures, of which he must These lucrative undertakings hap- hereafter be called to render an pily furnished him with the means account, and which therefore it of gratifying the benevolence of his was as much his duty to distribute heart, by relieving the wants of with economy as with generosity. thousands of indigent persons, in In the year 1782, Mr. Thornton well-timed and discriminate acts of was elected to represent in Parliacharity. But, of the extent of his ment the Borough of Southwark; philanthropy, his humanity, and an honourable station which he his unceasing charities, it is diffi- continued to hold to the period of cult to speak, so as in any measure his death, having been returned by to do justice to this trait in his his constituents eight successive character, and at the same time times. Sincerely attached to the avoid being suspected of exagge- constitution of his native country, ration. We have it from autho-his support, was always given to rity which we are inclined to credit, that branch of it, which seemed to that for many years he was in the him most to require it; at one time habit of distributing among the in- leaning to the democratical, and at digent, the whole proceeds of his another to the monarchical or arisbanking concern, amounting to tocratical part of it, as either ap£8000 per annum. Nor will this peared to be in danger of losing be thought incredible by those who its due weight in the scale. The calmly examine the subject; for noble independence of his mind what benevolent project can be was manifested in his not receiving instanced, whether originating in any place, pension, or other favour the senate, or among other public from Government, during the whole bodies, in which the name of of his parliamentary career, either Henry Thornton does not occupy for himself, his family, or his friends; one of the foremost stations, while and his attachment to the cause the sums which he secretly dis-of civil and religious liberty was persed in the way of private alms, evinced by his invariably voting are entitled to equal respect. It for a repeal of those penal laws was his wish to avoid ostentation by means of which Dissenters are in every act of benevolence; but prohibited from holding any place it was in vain for a liberality so or exercising any office of trust, active and overflowing to attempt civil or military, in the government concealment. The gratitude of the of their country. In all questions poor, the afflicted, and the father- of parliamentary reform, its friends less; of indigent families, too, re- had the uniform and active support lieved by his bounty, and rejoicing of Mr. Thornton; and his exertions in the comforts which his munifi- were unremitting for a reduction of those disgraceful sinecures and attention, and his talents; and pensions by which the public ex- whenever an estimate is made of penditure is so heavily burdened. the comparative merits of those He indeed was not a mere nominal eminent persons by whose laborimember of the finance committee, ous exertions the British name has but an anxious, intelligent, and la- been rescued from the foul stain of borious co-operator, in preparing African slavery, there are not many its reports, and in forwarding that who will be found entitled to higher and every other measure of poli- praise than the subject of this metical purity. To his individual ex-moir. For should the names of ertions, we are indebted for an Wilberforce and Clarkson, or those arrangement, which a few years ago of the distinguished statesmen who took place between Government brought the influence of Governand the Bank of England, by which ment to bear upon the question in £200,000 is annually saved to the 1806, occupy the first place in the public. If Mr. Thornton's name grateful recollection of the friends does not appear so often in the of abolition, the friends of Henry debates of the House of Commons Thornton may fairly claim for him as those of a few others of our the second. Nor was this the exsenators, yet is there probably no tent of his general benevolence; one who was more frequently em- he contributed largely to the peployed upon committees, or who, cuniary demands of the Sierra in this respect, was a more efficient Leone Company; the African Inand valuable member; and though stitution; and every other plan the main object of the finance which had for its ultimate object committee has, through the coun- to promote the amelioration of the tervailing influence of administra-state of the poor degraded negroes, tion, been hitherto frustrated, we are not therefore to consider the exertions in which Mr. Thornton persevered with invariable steadiness for the public good, as useless, for it is impossible to say how great may have been their effect in preventing the accumulation of that evil which they failed radically to cure. But the great object of his political life; that with which he mingled his strongest hopes and fears; which called forth his warmest and most unwearied exertions; and which indeed engaged his fixed attention, from an early period of his life to its lamented close, was the abolition of the slave trade. Upon this subject, which so deeply involved the interests of suffering humanity, the feelings of Mr. Thornton were all alive. He entered into it with an ardour of mind corresponding to its high import; spoke repeatedly upon it in Parliament, and out of doors bestowed on it his time; his and that to an extent which was only known to such as were the witnesses of his activity. In short, there was no measure which tended to promote the happiness of his species, "where'er mankind and misery are found," which did not meet in him a supporter, either by money or personal attention, and generally both. The British and Foreign Bible Society was another important concern which engaged the fixed attention of Mr. Thornton. He took a lively interest in its proceedings, as involving in them the present peace and future felicity of myriads of his fellow-creatures; and while he generously encouraged it by liberal contributions, gratuitously acted as treasurer to this invaluable institution, devoting much of his time and talents to the regulation of its pecuniary affairs. Of the National System of Education he was also a firm friend and supporter, and from him it received much encouragement. But important as all these topics | on occasion of his death, by a very respectable clergyman, the Rev. W. Dealtry, and the substance of which he has since kindly communicated to the public. He informs us, that though Mr. Thornton had the benefit of a religious education, he was far from resting, as is the case with too many, in a mere nominal profession of Christianity. He was early engaged in an earnest inquiry upon the important subject of religion, and through the blessing of God, the result was, a deep conviction of the truth of the holy Scriptures, in the divine authority of which he not only acquiesced, but cordially embraced its doctrines, so as to form his life on its precepts, and found all his hopes on its promises. were, and deeply as they must have pressed upon his attention, a habit of carefully husbanding his time, enabled him to cultivate with great success various branches of knowledge, and particularly the science of political economy. When the Bank of England found it necessary to suspend its payments in specie, the circumstance engaged the attention of all our economists, and consequently gave rise to numerous publications on the subject; but in the opinion of the most competent judges, the work which Mr. Thornton produced upon that occasion in 1802, under the title of "An Enquiry into the Nature and Effects of the Paper Credit of Great Britain," was incomparably the ablest; it contains the largest portion of new information that has for a long time been offered on the subject of political economy; and has continued to maintain its reputation, being still repeatedly referred to as an authority, amidst the shoal of publications to which the bullion question has given birth. On that much agitated point, he delivered his sentiments in Parliament, and communicated the substance of his speeches to the public, in a pamphlet replete with useful knowledge and sound reasoning. In all these discussions, Mr. Thornton's superiority over both his friends and his foes was manifest, inasmuch as he obviously united the practical information of the banker with the clearest views of the man of science and the philosopher. But the christian character of Mr. Thornton is that which falls more immediately within the province of this memoir, and to delineate it under that view, the remainder of this article must now be devoted. Happily, indeed, the labour of doing this has been greatly facilitated by the able sketch which was given of this · great man, in the sermon preached His religious principles strongly interested his affections. But by this is not meant to be insinuated that his religion was made up of warm sallies or visionary raptures. As the subject of these remarks was happily exempt from this false and forced warmth, so did he equally keep aloof from the error of men who would resolve all religion into a mere system of dry and cold reason. His too was a religion of reason, but it was also the religion of the heart. It was a religion of warm attachment, and reverence, and gratitude, and trust. It consisted in supreme love to God, and benevolence to man, and it led him to rejoice in the Lord alway. It taught him that there are such things as consolations in Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit. It was a religion that persuaded by fear, that constrained by love, that saved by hope, that wrought by charity, and that stimulated by example. Another distinguishing feature in Mr. Thornton's religion was, that though naturally of a very speculative or philosophical turn of mind, yet his religion was wholly practical. He could indeed, on suitable occasions, discuss the |