them, with "MS. sermons of superior composition, "warranted original, and orthodox, and upon any given

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text, or occasion, upon moderate terms." And does Mr. Burder, or will any man at all acquainted with the Dissenting Interest, venture to insinuate that some Dissenting Ministers do not preach sermons not their own? I could tell him of a Dissenting Meeting, where, year after year, Simeon's Skeletons furnished the grand staple of instruction; and what is the meaning of such advertisements as one which has repeatedly appeared in the Christian Advocate while I have been writing these letters, announcing" SKELETONS OF SERMONS, by the "late Rev. Philip Henry, intended for the use of extemporaneous Preachers and Students in Divinity. "Never before published 1."

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1 Since this letter was first published, the Christian Advocate has given a notice of another work, entitled, " Hints for Ministers, or Outlines of Sermons," by Thomas Jackson, of which it says, "These outlines' furnish ample materials, which, properly filled up, cannot fail to make discourses of great practical utility; and, as such, we happen to know, they have been advantageously employed by pastors;" and what is the use or the meaning of the Dissenters having such books as The Preacher, or Sketches of Original Sermons; chiefly selected from the manuscripts of two eminent Divines of the last century, for the use of Lay Preachers and young Ministers." Reviewed in the Evan. Mag. 1822. 483. And the "Exempla Concionum, or Plans of Sermons sketched for the Pulpit, intended either as outlines, to be filled up by written composition; or as notes to regulate and facilitate extemporaneous delivery." (1824. 204.) "To Young Ministers and Others.— On the 1st of October will be published, Part VI. price 6d. (when the work may be had in parts for 3s. or bound in cloth, 4s.), The Young Minister's Companion; or, Outlines of Original Discourses on the most Interesting and Important Subjects, &c. &c. By the Author of Outlines of Fifty Sermons.' The author's former work was well received. He trusts, however, that this will be found, in every respect, much superior. London: Simpkin and Marshall, Stationers'-hall-court. Sept.

All this, however, is mere trifling compared with the more important point to which I wish to draw the reader's attention. It may, indeed, be said that extempore preaching does not form any essential part of the Voluntary System; but that cannot be said of extempore prayer; and it is most important to consider, that he who is an incompetent, or foolish preacher-he who cannot make, or deliver, a proper sermon-is not likely to be fit to make or deliver the prayers of a congregation. I pass by the question of the propriety and expediency of forms of prayer in general, as one that has been already discussed by wiser men than myself, and settled in such a manner as must, I think, satisfy every reasonable and reflecting man of the benefits arising from a liturgy. I only inquire here how far the Voluntary System offers "grounds of security" for the "competence" of ministers in this respect. would offer one or two extracts. Concio ad Cleros, already cited, after recommending to his brethren due preparation, adds,

On this point I The author of the

"From the closet and the study you will find an easy step to the pulpit. You will not dread Black Sunday, as the children do Black Monday, nor be dragged to the assembly as a fool to the stocks,' if the preceding week has been properly employed.

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1834." Why, I say, have they these, and similar works, but because they have discovered (and a writer in the same Magazine very plainly and sensibly admits) that, as it is not easy to find a sufficient number of individuals who can preach with propriety, others should be trained for reading good sermons, which would be infinitely preferable to the unmeaning jargon which is sometimes poured forth upon the poor villagers for the Gospel of Christ."-(1825. 94.)

Instead of a dull sameness, which makes them suspect we have learned a form, they will perceive the rich though unstudied variety" [for you will observe that it is of this that they will be thinking,]" of a soul embosoming its most secret thoughts and emotions before its Father. Such prayers will make them pray. Instead of this, I bleed to think how some of us have extinguished our people's gifts and graces by the coldness of our own!" (1807. 11.)

Another writer, in the same volume, says,

"I have with pleasure observed in your Miscellany, at different times, various judicious and useful remarks on the subject of preaching, well worthy the attention of the gospel ministers in general, and especially of our young divines. But there is another subject of equal moment, which I fear is less considered, and that is public prayer."

He afterwards proceeds to say,

Prayer must be considered as a most important part of public worship; and, doubtless, much depends on the manner in which it is performed. Though I do by no means condemn the use of the Liturgy as unlawful1, I consider extemporary prayer, when properly conducted, as having some peculiar advantages, and the best support from Scripture. But, I am sorry to say, that many ministers, whom I have occasionally attended, are so defective in performing this part of public service, as greatly to obstruct the edification of the worshippers, at least of the more judicious part of them; and some con

"To

1 This expression reminds me of an advertisement which caught my eye while turning over the covers of the Evangelical Magazine :Ministers or Managers of Chapels.-An Ordained Minister, who is about to retire from the Chapel, where he has been occupied as Reader and occasional Preacher for the last three years, wishes for a similar engagement iu any place where the Liturgy of the Established Church is used, not as an accommodation merely, but as an essential part of Public Worship. Letters (post paid) addressed to T.E., 14, Prince's-street, Spitalfields, will be respectfully attended to." (July, 1833.) The precise and full meaning of the contradistinction I am really unable to explain.

duct it in such a manner, as tends to bring extemporary prayer into contempt. I hope, Sir, that I shall not be thought invidious, if I freely mention some of the defects and improprieties which I have heard others remark, and which I have too often observed myself. Some ministers have so little variety, that their prayers are, in reality, forms, though not pre-composed. The same sentiments perpetually occur, in nearly the same language and order. Others, who have a greater variety of sentiment and expression, run into the opposite extreme, and, from an aversion to any thing like forms, bring out whatever comes uppermost, and sometimes, with an appearance of too great familiarity and irreverence, such as they would scarcely use in addressing any earthly superior, unmindful of such scripture admonitions as Mal. i. 8, Eccle. v. 1, 2, Matt. vi. 7. Even some learned and able preachers, who study their sermons with care, seem as if they thought anything good enough for prayer ; and sometimes utter such expressions, as if committed to writing, they would be ashamed to see, and could hardly believe to be their own.” (1807. 266.)

This is surely bad enough; but what feelings are excited, and what a view of the evils of the Voluntary System in this respect, is given, by another writer, receiving the sanction of the same Magazine :

"I have," he says, "witnessed professors of religion availing themselves of the opportunity afforded by public prayer, to insinuate the most disrespectful things of their Minister, and utter the vilest slander against their fellow-christians. I have also heard Ministers offering something like complimentary remarks on each other, in their joint services in public; and when leading domestic worship, by the tone and emphasis with which they have pronounced 'thy dear servants,' &c., I have fancied they were anxious to ingratiate themselves with the heads of the family; and I thought I could perceive, in both these instances, that these indirect modes of flattery were not destitute of success. My conjectures may have been unfounded in some of these particulars. I hope for the sake of pure and undefiled religion, they were so." (1812. 95.)

Let us hope so too, Mr. Editor; but, at the same

time, for fear of any mistake, let us keep to the Liturgy1. I am, Sir, &c.

LETTER XI.

HAS THE DISSENTING INTEREST BEEN IMPROVING?— TESTIMONY OF MR. BARKER BEFORE THE YEAR 1751. -OF MR. WILSON, 1808.-OF MR. JAMES, 1829.DOES THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM PROVIDE A PROPER MAINTENANCE FOR ITS MINISTERS?

SIR, The extracts which I have given, and which might be not only multiplied, but extended to matters much more important, seem to me to afford a sufficient proof that the Voluntary System does not effect that which has been already mentioned as the first object to be aimed at by an ecclesiastical system-namely, "to

provide a sufficient number of fit Ministers, and to "exclude unfit persons from the work of the Ministry." I should, therefore, proceed at once to the second point, but that I am desirous to add one or two extracts in proof and illustration of a statement which I made in

1 Since this letter was published, the subject has been brought forward in the Congregational Magazine for October and December, 1834, and the Evangelical for February, 1835. These documents, which would occupy a good deal of room, it is unnecessary to transcribe. They speak indeed of the faults and ill consequences of the Dissenting System in terms which they would deeply resent from a churchman; but they do not speak more plainly than the extracts already given. From what I have heard I am led to believe that there is amongst some of the more respectable Dissenters, a sincere and even an expressed-wish for a Liturgy. How, indeed, can the thinking and educated part of them read and write such passages as I have quoted without such a wish?