LETTER VIII.

SIR,

Ir has occasioned me some little difficulty to understand what you mean by "tempting persons to attend the evening lectures at Mr.'s, where if they were once entered their conviction would soon follow, and the step from the conventicle to the meeting-house would be a matter of course." Some of your readers have supposed that you here refer to a monthly lecture delivered to young persons, at his own house, by the pious and exemplary curate of St. L-'s, previously to the period since which the more public lectures in the church have been established. They assert that there have been no other evening lectures in the town, except those at the public places of worship, which it is evident you have not here in view. It is however plain that, if this were your intention, you have involved the subject in no small degree of obscurity; which indeed is not surprising, for had you openly censured the practice of a clergyman who is so well known in Reading as the estimable person alluded to, and whose excellency of character as a Christian, and admira

ble conduct as a minister, are too eminently conspicuous to receive any detriment from the libellous remarks of a "Stranger," you would inevitably have brought on yourself on this subject, as in a degree you have on some others, the indignation of the inhabitants in general. If you censure a clergyman for delivering lectures in his own house, you certainly blame where you ought to commend, and evidently manifest that you are one of those characters" who call evil, good; and good, evil:"-for is it not the duty of a minister of the gospel to" take heed to his ministry, to give all diligence to save himself and them that hear him, to preach the word, and to be instant in season and out of season?" A clergyman not only has liberty to teach in his own house; but he may. likewise manifest his zeal, his piety, and his concern for the best welfare of his parishioners, by imitating the example of the apostles, and "teaching from house to house." Nay, he not only may thus act, but as he has opportunity and prospect of success, he ought to do so. Indeed, Sir, I can proceed further, and inform you of what perhaps you may at present be unacquainted:A clergyman of the Established Church may deliver lectures or preach in any place, or at any time, without transgressing any law, civil or ecclesiastical. And in this respect he has a very great advantage, when contrasted with a dissenting minister, in relation to the law of the land; as the latter

must not only be licensed himself, but the place in which he preaches must be sanctioned in a similar manner. Every clergyman at his ordination receives a general commission to preach the gospel-to go out and "seek after Christ's sheep that are scattered abroad in this wicked world, that they may be saved in Christ for ever."* Besides this, he has an appointment to a particular church as a pastor; but this particular appointment does not nullify his general commission, nor has any law ever yet passed to restrain him from preaching the gospel when and where he has opportunity. Clergymen were never censured for what has been termed the irregular exercise of their ministry, in preaching at large, till after the rise of Methodism. It was common for many clergymen, and even bishops, to preach at St. Paul's Cross at the time of the Reformation. It is said of Jewell, bishop of Salisbury, that he used sometimes to go to different parishes in his diocess with his English Testament tied to his girdle, and that being met by a person of quality near the close of his life walking on foot in the dirt, in order to go and preach to a few people, he was asked, why he should, weak as he was, expose himself thus: "Oh,” replied the good man," it becomes a bishop to die preaching."

After reading over the paragraph which has occasioned the preceding remarks two or three

* Ordination Service.

P

times, I must confess, Sir, it does not appear to me that you do refer to the lectures of the laborious curate of St. L-'s; for surely you would not call his house a conventicle, nor could you imagine that the persons who had received benefit from his ministry would relinquish it for that connected with the meeting-house. It seems more probable, therefore, that by "the evening lectures, and the conventicle" of which you speak, you allude to an excellent custom, which is not unfrequently practised in many families of Reading, of having the domestic worship performed previously to the separation of their tea-parties. It is not uncommon for some of the families in this town, who make a credible profession of the religion of Jesus of Nazareth, to have at their houses company to drink tea. The numbers on these occasions may consist of ten, fifteen, twenty, or more; and they are not unseldom persons of different religious profession; as Churchmen, Methodists, and Dissenters, feel no objection to maintain this friendly communion with each other. The conversation at these visits, (for your correspondent has sometimes had the pleasure of witnessing it,) is at times highly interesting and instructive; to which he can add, that he has never known these social meetings Schools for Scandal. Indeed, if this good lady who is so fond of the tea-table, and who would doubtless be a very agreeable companion for the "Stranger in Read

ing," were to happen to intrude herself where indeed she is never invited, she would instantly be recognized, and informed by some of the company, that, in the school in which they were instructed, they had been taught to "speak evil of no man." As, however, it would be her aim to inculcate a very different lesson, she would soon discover that her absence would be much more agreeable than her company.

But to proceed :-before the party separates, the family worship is performed. THE BOOK to which the good people of Reading, in your estimation, are so exclusively partial, is produced; and, as there is generally a clergyman or a dissenting minister present, it is placed before him. He reads a chapter, or a smaller portion; and sometimes closes the book without observation or comment, leaving the sacred text to form its own impression, and effect the important office of increasing the faith, hope, and charity, of the worshipping circle. At other times, the minister may either briefly notice the doctrines the passage affords-offer some critical remarks on the difficulties it may contain-propose some exhortations in relation to the duties it may inculcate or finally make some observations in regard to experimental religion, which may be suggested by the verses he has read from those Scriptures, which are "profitable for instruction in righteousness;" and thus, by speaking of the fears, the hopes, the joys, and the privileges of