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lenge their doctrine , judgment on their teaching . In short , according to the theory which only a few have the courage to deny , they are invested with no authority . And yet , I dare to ask any clergyman in the world , whether his practice is in accordance with" this theory . Among the numberless duties I was called on to perform there was none which so humbled me in my own eyes as that of visiting the sick . I remember , with vivid distinctness , being called in to visit a sailor who was in the agonies of death . The disease was dropsy . He had passed through dangers the very mention of which would appal you . Often and often he had stood in the presence of death , hut he had never flinched from his duty . In the face of destruction he had never lost his nerve . He had obeyed the orders of his captain , when he knew that to obey Avas to run the risk of
perishing . He was full of courage , and yet his heart was like a woman ' s , full of love and sympathy . You talk of the British sailor , but you never know him till you see him in his home . Believe me , the lion can be tamed . He is not tlie swaggering , reckless roysterer that you imagine . I have seen the tear scald his cheek , I have seen him bowed down to very childish sympathy , subdued by a single word , although he had spurned the power of toe elements . Well , this man was dying . You may have heard of the physical torture inflicted by dropsy when it rises to the heart . When I entered the room I heard a howl of pain : the man was literally writhing . His wife was rocking , in wild grief , upon a chair : the room was crowded with women . I went up to the bedside , and took hold of his hand . He bad scarcely recognised me when all sense of physical pain was numbed by
the consciousness of spiritual torture . " Thank God , sir , " he said , " you are come . Why did they not send for you sooner ? I see hell flames before me . Look there l the devil has me in his grip . Priest , save me ! I know you , I have heard what you are . You have power . They told me that in the Sunday-school . If you are a man , take me out of his clutches . " He fell back , exhausted-with the effort . He was speechless , but he stared at me with his glassy eyes , beseeching , with dumb but awful eloquence , that I —a man—would save him from divine wrath . I knew that he looked upon me as a saviour . He could not live more than a few moments , and I gave him , with my own hands , a peaceful sedative . He was conscious enough to listen while I prayed . Had I been a Roman Catholic priest , had I ' even been a priest according to the theory of High Churchmen , I could have absolved him . I , of course , was not in full orders , and could do nothing ; but even if it had been otherwise , according to the theory of the school In which I bad been brought up , my serviqes would have been practically mill it could onl
. As was I y ask him , rapidly , a few simple questions , and tell him that if he believed , he was saved . I mention this as an extreme case . It is a proof that if one has not power to confess and absolve one ' s office is wellnigh useless . Gentlemen ! why will you not face facts ? You know that you must either claim supernatural authority , or lose your power . I insist , most strongly , that the only method of dealing with dying men , so as to satisfy them , and give them peace , is to confess them . Good God ! are you ignorant of human nature ? Do you think that they who framed the system of Catholicism were anything short of masters in the science ? They knew the comfort of pouring out a tale of sorrow into the ears of one ready to listen nnd able to apply a cure . They took advantage of this , and became masters of mankind . They wrung out every sin from the tortured breast . With authority from Heaven they gave absolution . Can you marvel that you are babes in comparison with such giants ? Either strike out from your services all passages which seem to recognise this Catholic theory , or carry them into effect . * * * *
I attended once an old woman who was dying of ago . She was a Dissenter—a Wesleyari , I think . When I first saw her , I said very little . She had a great deal to tell me about her miseries , the unkindncss of her friends , the wretchedness of her situation , the want of common comforts . When I reminded her that I wished to tnlk on the subjyct of religion , she told me that she knew as much as I did about that . Tolisten to her , you would believe that you were in the presence of some eminent minister . Afterwards , when I came to examine her more strictly , I discovei'ed that she had not the remotest conception of the meaning of her
own words . She used the ordinary platitudes about justification and the rest ; but , although I did my best , I failed to get from her , in her own language , the shadow of an explanation . Obviously , she did not know what sliji said . She told ino , very frankly , particular sins she had committed , but when I came to apply the doctrine she was at a loss to discover the relation between that and the sins . This is one among many cases . The Church of England has no remedy . It can only say , "If you believe , you are saved ; " i . c ., it cannot accept the act of confession for repentance . Certainly , it recognises the connexion between repentance and faith , but it not onloreo it it
Uoos as ought to bo enforced . Depend upon it , a priest without the twofold power of confession and absolution id no priest at ail-Now , do you boliovo these doctrines or not ? If you do , preach them . If not , you havo lost the key to your system . Ignorance cannot comprehend nbstraetions ^ It must soo a living priest in tho place of an absent God , Use tho knife , probe tho wound , claim absolute dominion , and you may still be lords , for a while . I only ask you to bo consistent . You profess to hold certain doctrines—why not tako tho best moans for enforcing them ? <» * «* January 10 .
. 1 his us one of tho most dangerous coasts in the north of England . Scarcely a wwtor passes but it is strewn with wrecks , nnd this winter has been marked by an unusual amount of destruction and death . Yesterday it blow a terrible gale from the north-cast ; tho waves rose like huge mountains , dashing down upon the beach in wild tumult . Already six vessels had failed in their attempts to gain tho harbour , and had been flung upon tho shore , in tlio sight of thousands of spectators , who could offer no help . Towards night , a largo Norwegian bark appeared in the ofling . Sho struggled fiercely against lier fate , but , within a few minutes after who had come within sight , sno -was Uttod up on tho crest of a giant wave , and thrown , with rosiatlesa ! n ?« X ° ' ^ ° , boaoh - Ifc scorned as if tho waves had lushed themselves wn ? ffi «? i T \ F QfKt oflort - In nn instant they rccoilod , and tho vessel was loll in tho shallow surf . of w ^^ r / f » tho BC ° no tllflt Allowed . Tlio cargo , consisting of casks o ! mm and cotton , was thrown about in all directions As if tho darkness
of the night was an excuse for the wildest excesses , hundreds of ruffians rushed through the surf , and began their work of plunder . Cask after cask was dragged on shore , and broken open . You might have seen half a dozen savages drinking from tlie same cask till they rolled away in stupid intoxication . All restraint was gone . Women were employed all night , sometimes in drinking , sometimes in carrying off their plunder . It was as if so many demons had been let loose from hell * * * * . _ Now it was to these people that I was to talk about religion . Why , they did not know what it meant . Many of them 1 had seen in their own homes . Some of course were the outlaws of society , who live by crime . But several were in the receipt of large wages , and had no motives for
committing any open excesses . And yet , they were simply brutes . Their language was that of savages , —they could not understand any but the simplest words , and such , as expressed common wants . When they were children , they had learned something about religion , and the words came back to their recollection , but without conveying any distinct idea . The only exception to this was their apparent belief in hell . They were possessed by a vague terror of physical pain ; and I found that it was the common practice of religious teachers to work upon this feeling , and to glory in the excitement produced by suck a process . But it was very clear that sucKnersons could derive no benedt from the services of the Church . I sometimes introduced the subject of Christianity , and they listened as if the act of listening were enough . But I never produced any impression ; I lelt that 1
never felt that I touched their hearts until T arlrlrpsfWl *> ic > m fWim «„; + « « never touched their hearts until I addressed them from quite a different point of view . I never asked them to come to church . But they knew that I was a clergyman , and 1 first tried to show that religion had not unhuinanised me . From the Christian point of view , even , the first thing was to awaken the consciousness of sin . But I certainly never followed the example of some clergyman who tried to produce a rapid conversion , by burning his '' patient ' s" finger in a candle , in order to give , her some notion of the fires of lell . Only think of any one being scorched into religion . If you will not make slaves of your people , you must meet them on some common ground , speak a language they can understand , begin with the religious instinct which is never totally obscured , but , above all , never forget to show that you are human . *¦ * * *
What can we hope to effect with the lowest classes , when those above them in the social scale are , in many respects , on the same level ? I do not mean that they are actually so ignorant , biit , for their position , they are quite as little open to new influences . It is astonishing , until one conies to know it , that a man can live in these days with open eyes , in the thick of everything , and yet remain as dull and narrow-minded as if society had not advanced a jot since the middle ages . Perhaps , indeed , it has not advanced so much as-ve _ are inclined to think . But I certainly was surprised to find what suspicion I excited as soon as I went out of the beatea priest-track . It happened that n Roman Catholic chapel had been built "i -7— snort time before I ¦ arrived . The priest was a cultivated man , having received his education partly at Douay , partly at Home . He knew nbt a soul in the place . His congregation was composed of the poorest of
the poof . He went about his work with the stern , straightforward resolution that seems to characterise all the priests in that Church . He bad no want of occupation , and his chapel was filled every Sunday ; but there was no friend who could enter into all his thoughts , or talk with him on subjects that he knew and loved . He was a stranger to human intercourse , except with , the poor , to whom he was nothing more than a priest . I made his acquaintance , and we used frequently to meet in our walks through tlie parish ; but I never could visit at his house , nor he at mine . The scandal was bad enough as it was . Heaven knows what would have happened had I been so imprudent as to enter his home . And yet this man had tlie courage to tell his congregation to receive my visits . He knew that I was no proselytising priest , hunting converts , and disturbing faith . God knows I often envied the simple belief of many a poor Catholic . * * * * The great event in the year is the meeting of the Missionary Society in n , neighbouring town . At this season there are meetings everywhere in this district , but is tlie capital , and a great centre of attraction . These
travelling secretaries of religions societies seem to look upon themselves as the victims of self-denial . They come into your houses with the air 01 martyrs . You will recognise the picture at once . You have ordered a sumptuous entertainment . The town of is to be enlightened on the subject of missions to the heathen z , and so the clergy of the neighbourhood have been invitod to dine . Incumbents and curates arc assembled in your drawing-room . Being only humble provincials , they await , in anxious trembling , the arrival of the eminent Londoner , who has struck fear from tho hearts of thousands with his eloquence . lie ia late , and you are painfully nervous lest you * dinner should bo spoiled . Presently , the rattle of wheels is hcai'd—an impatient cab stops at tlie door—all is right , for the popular divine is come . Ho outers smiling and condescending . Ho shakes your hand with a truly Christian grip . He bows to all the clergy , oven to tho shy curate who has slunk into a chair in the corner . How docs ho command attention as he speaks , with audacious confidence , of tho secrets of Court and State ! I never mot ono of these travelling secretaries who did not know everything that passed in tho Royal nursery . Then came
jofroshing and deli g htful anecdotes about the conversion of tho blacks . Surely , we began to think , tho days of miracles are not gone ! And as the blood was warmed with wine , tho interpositions of Providence wore multiplied . It was quite charming to witness tlie triumphant joy awakened in every hoiwt by the London pronclier . 1 fully expected , sometimes , to see a whole company of women rise i ' roin the table , and take shin to Coronmndel or Tingaroo . Good creatures , that tliey were , I believe that if the London preacher had but demanded tho unorifico , they would hnvo willingl y thrown their jewels at his feet . I could not suflioicntly admire tho quiet satisfaction that sat on tho features of this martyr . It was obviously a torriblo effort to travel about , at thq expense of u Society , to l > e entertained sumptuously , to bo worshipped by the religious public 111 every town that lie visited . Ho oat and drank of the best ; lie slept on downy berto ; but it was all under protest , all because society would have it , so . Now do toll mo why you cannot give your money to tho heathen without all this trouble P if you are really anxious for their conversion , you need not send for a London proaohcr to tell you liow to pay for it . II .
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sit in August 5 , 1854 . ] THE LEA DER . 741
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 5, 1854, page 741, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2050/page/21/
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