The Most Rev. John Moore D.D. Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

London Published Nov. 311803, by J. Spragg, N.16, King Street, Cov. Garden.

THE

ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN's

MAGAZINE AND REVIEW,

OR,

A TREASURY

OF

DIVINE AND USEFUL

KNOWLEDGE.

No man liveth in that commonwealth where nothing is amiss: but yet because God hath so placed us Englishmen here in one Commonwealth, also in one Church, as in one Ship together, let us not mangle or divide the Ship, which being divided perisheth, but every man serve with diligence and discretion in his order, wherein he is called.

FOR THE PROPRIETORS, AND SOLD BY J. SPRAgg, 16, king sTREET,

COVENT GARDEN,

ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC.

THE

HE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE has now been published upwards of two years; and it has received that kind of progressive encouragement, particularly from those persons whose approbation is the most flattering to the Editors, which affords the best earnest and the most auspicious omen of its permanent success,

The title of this publication sufficiently imports, that its main object is the preservation of the EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, in her characteristic purity, both in doctrine and discpline. Such, indeed, are the dangers, to which that Church is now exposed, from open enemies, and from false friends, that the want of energy in her cause would be highly criminal in any one who has the privilege of belonging to her communion. What those dangers are, it is our duty to unfold; that all who have any regard for the interests of the Church, may be inspired with a seasonable and salutary alarm for her safety. Suffice it, however, to say in this place, that, in addition to the imminent hazard into which the Church is brought, by the decay of religion in general, and the consequent increase of infidelity; by the lukewarm and sceptical character of the age; and by the active and daring spirit of her ayowed enemies;-she has still more to fear from a wild and furious spirit of Fanaticism, which has burst forth in her very bosom, which misrepresents her doctrines, seduces many of her votaries from her plain, easy, and gladsome paths, into the perplexed and gloomy mazes of error and enthusiasm, and inspires multitudes, particularly among the lower classes, with hostility to her pure and devout worship, to her salutary discipline, and to her faithful ministers.

The toleration, which above all other establishments, this Church has always liberally cherished, has been, and is now, more than ever, made the means of encroaching upon her rights, and of perverting her doctrines. Her most venerable, dignified, and pious ministers, who have adorned religion by their example, and defended it by their learned labours, are frequently represented to the people as unfaithful to their trust, and unsound in their doctrine; and those are pointed out as the only True Churchmen, who promote ENTHUSIASM and encourage SCHISM.

Such being the confessed state of things amongst us in these " perilous times," the Editors of the ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE cannot doubt that such a work will receive the sanction and support of every sound member of the Church of England.

In order the more effectually to expose and counteract the artifices and attacks of those who are hostile to the Church, as well as to exhibit, in a just light, the exertions made by her friends for her preservation, it has been thought expedient to combine, with the appropriate objects of a MAGAZINE, a REVIEW of such publications as more immediately relate to religion and morals.

In these several departments we have to thank many gentlemen for the most valuable and liberal assistance. Happily, indeed, this pub

lication.

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lication has had the effect of concentrating, in a considerable degree, the efforts of the friends of orthodoxy, throughout the United Kingdom, and of shewing that the established Church has a host of faithful adherents, fully able to cope with the legions of her adversaries. Never, perhaps, was a periodical publication so much indebted to gratuitous exertion never, certainly, was any one more benefited by communications from men of talents, learning, and piety. We hope for a continuance of that aid to which we, and indeed the public at large, are so much indebted and aware that the timely and public exposure of hostile machinations, is the ready way to render them abortive, we earnestly invite our Correspondents, from time to time, to transmit to us such well attested facts as may be calculated to expose the arts, or point out the progress of fanaticism, in different parts of the country.

We cannot refrain, on this occasion, from expressing an earnest wish, that our labours may be instrumental in securing to the Established Church the attachment of the rising generation. Our pages, we trust, will be deemed by those, who are invested with the important charge of education, well calculated to warn the ardent, but unsuspecting minds of generous youth, against the extraordinary snares by which they are encompassed, in these days of mad innovation, of wild fanaticism, and of daring contempt for the suggestions of experience, and for the institutions of antiquity, To those who in the shades of learned retirement are preparing for the busy scenes of active life, and on the soundness of whose principles and the correctness of whose views, will soon depend the welfare, the safety, and perhaps, the very existence of the state, we do not hesitate to appeal directly; flattering our selves that a regular and attentive perusal of this publication will inspire them with indignation against the base arts and sophistical reasonings by which our religious Establishment is now attacked; and, by convincing their judgment, and interesting their feelings, in favour of our Episcopal Church, animate them to a zealous defence of this essential part of the Constitution.

In order to render the ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE AND REVIEW at once more interesting and instructive, we have thought proper to furnish an Obituary, in which particular care shall be taken to delineate faithfully the characters of deceased persons whose lives have entitled them to particular notice but the chief object of which is to record, and thereby to perpetuate, the services which shall have been rendered to the Church, by the eminent piety, or the active exertions of her faithful children. In this department also we particularly request the assistance of our Correspondents; that those persons, whose lives have done honour to their Christian profession, may, though dead, yet speak" to the living, with all that increase of force which good example instantly acquires, when elevated above the sphere of envy and prejudice in which living worth is ever confined and obscured.

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