opinion on the subject. The hopes against the Bible; if British Chrishe had expressed came from his tians do their duty whatever may be heart, he only wished that his voice the decision of Parliament or the could be heard where it would be positions of Dens, or the sophistry of use.' of the Romish Hierarchy, the Bible We cannot but press the con will spread throughout Ireland, cluding observation of the Arch. But for this purpose zealous, and bishop on the attention of our read- self-denying sacrifices must be made ers. Dr. Murray affects to regard -if government withdraw the funds the positions of Dens about persecu- once given to Scriptural education, tion, &c. as obsolete, but in fact, the deficiency ought to be supplied persecution still prevails in Ireland by Chuistian liberality. Is it so! to a degree of which Englishmen Have the funds of the Kildare Street have no conception. A Romish Society been brought up to one half peasant who has any doubts on the their former amount? Have the subject of religion, and proceeds to calls of the London Hibernian Somake inquiry, is always in danger ciety been attended to? There is a of losing his subsistence, is often trifling increase; but, alas! what is thrown out of work, frequently com this in proportion to the wants of pelled to flee his country, sometimes Ireland. Ever be it remembered, severely beaten, while instances from Popery cannot domineer in Ireland, time to time occur of individuals without also enslaving England; mysteriously disappearing, or being and Popery will not be put down found dead under circumstances by public disputation, nor by Parwhich preclude all idea of a re- liamentary enactment, but by the moval being either by their own preaching of the gospel; and by the hands, or by the visitation of God. instruction of the rising generation Meanwhile step by step, the ob- in the word of God. England exstacles to Popish domination are pects every man to do his duty, and if. gradually removed. The Bill for rulers neglect or mistake theirs, if appropriating the revenues of the they desert those who are on every Irish Church is now before Parlia ground entitled to their support; ment; and if it pass, it must weaken the private Christian is bound to the Protestant, and strengthen the step forwards, and by personal saPopish party; while we have only crifies, if necessary, bring forwards very faint hopes that its progress those pecuniary contributions which may be arrested, or its injurious may enable Protestant missionaries enactments in any material degree to preach, and Protestant Schools modified. to be established throughout the land; and this is more especially OUR DUTY. the duty of the ministers and memOur duty, however, is still the bers of the Churches of England same:-as Ministers to preacb the and of Scotland at a time when gospel of Christ :-as people to em- our Dissenting brethren are so brace and hold fast that blessed carried away with political prosgospel :-as Christians to sympathize pects, and so seduced by Jesuitical with our fellow-subjects in Ireland, sophistry, as to withdraw from those and to shew our sympathy by send- institutions which they at one time ing to them the word of life. The countenanced, and which have been revenues of the Irish Church may productive of incalculable benefit. be plundered. The spoil may be We allude especially to the Lonapportioned to the professed pur- don Hibernian Society once patposes of moral and religious educa- ronized, but now almost forsaken tion, or really to the promotion of by Dissenters of every description. Popery; but Popery cannot stand Notices and Acknowledgments. Received, A. F.-F. R. B.-J. P. L.-F. M. K.-C.R.A.-E. G. We fear that in consequence of the miscarriage of a parcel, some of the communications of our kind correspondents are delayed, if not irrecoverably lost. CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN, AND Church of England Magazine. SEPTEMBER 1835. MEMOIR OF THE REV. J. NEWTON. The sovereignty of divine grace bly be found acceptable to some is strikingly exemplified in the who have previously been accase of some of those eminent quainted with Mr. Newton's own individuals whom God has honour- letters, and Mr. Cecil's valuable ed with extensive usefulness in the narrative. church and the world. “I thank John Newton was born in LonChrist Jesus our Lord, says the don, July 24,1725. His father was Apostle, who hath enabled me, for many years master of a ship in the that he counted me faithful, put- Mediterranean trade, and went out ting me into the ministry, who was as Governor of York Fort, Hudson's before a blasphemer, and a perse- Bay, in 1748, where he died. His cutor, and injurious; but I obtained mother was a pious and excellent mercy because I did it ignorantly woman, of delicate health, loving in unbelief; and the grace of our retirement, and carefully devoting Lord was exceeding abundant with herself to the education of this her faith and love which is in Christ only child. It appears to have Jesus. been her earnest desire that he Among such striking instances, should be trained up for the sacred the case of the late Rev. John ministry, and she in consequence Newton, many years rector of St. taught him to read at a very early Mary Woolnoth, and St. Mary period, instructed him in Watts's Woolchurch Haw, deserves espe Divine Songs, and the Assembly's cial notice. His life indeed has Shorter Catechism, and required long been before the public, for, him to commit to memory whole some seventy years ago, the inost chapters and smaller portions of remarkable and interesting parti Scripture, often commended him culars of his early history were with many prayers and tears to published in a series of letters since God; and thus endeavoured by prefixed to his works, and imme- every means in her power to train diately after his decease his me. him up in the nurture and admonimoirs were compiled and published tion of the Lord. Of this tender by his eminent and highly esteemed parent and invaluable friend he friend, the late Rev. Richard was deprived by death, before he Cecil. There is however reason had attained the age of seven to conclude that many of our years, and his father being princireaders are still unacquainted with pally absent at sea, his education the history of this extraordinary was much neglected, and he was man, while the renewed perusal left to run about the streets, assoof an outline of it may very possi- ciate with idle and wicked boys, SEPTEMBER 1835, 2 T - and learn their evil ways. When into still greater depths of wickedeight years of age he was sent to ness. He was roused again, by the a boarding-school at Stratford in loss of a companion who had agreed Essex, where at first he made little to go with him one Sunday on board progress, but on the arrival of a a man-of-war. Mr. N. providentinew usher, who observed and ally coming too late, the boat had suited his temper, made such profi- gone without him, and was overciency as to read Cicero and Virgil set, by which his companion and before he was ten years old. Being several others were drowned. He however pushed forwards too fast, was exceedingly affected at the he soon lost what he had thus funeral of this companion, to think rapidly acquired. that by the delay of a few minutes On the day that he was eleven (which at the time occasioned years of age, Mr. Newton went much anger) his life had been preon board his father's ship at Long- served : but this also was soon reach, and made five voyages with forgotten. The perusal of the him to the Mediterranean. His Family Instructor' produced anofather was a man of good sense ther temporary reformation. In and great knowledge of the world, short, he took up and laid aside a and carefully watched over his religious profession three or four son's morals; but having been him- different times, before he was sixself educated at a Jesuits' College teen years of age. near Seville in Spain, he had · All this while, says he, my acquired an air of distance and heart was insincere. I often saw severity in his carriage which very the necessity of religion, as a means much discouraged his son, and of escaping hell; but I loved sin, seriously diminished his father's and was unwilling to forsake it.influence. When only fifteen, Mr. I was so strangely blind and N. was placed with a merchant at stupid, that, sometimes, when I Alicant, in Spain, under very fa- bave been determined upon things vourable circumstances; but his which I knew were sinful, I could own unsettled behaviour, and im- not go on quietly till I had first patience of restraint, occasioned despatched my ordinary task of his return to a sea-faring life. prayer, in which I have grudged About this period with a temper every moment of the time : when and conduct exceedingly various, this was finished, my conscience he was often disturbed with reli- was in some measure pacified, and gious convictions; and meeting I could rush into folly with little with Bennet's · Christian Oratory, remorse. the course of life there recom. But bis last reform was the most mended appeared so desirable, that remarkable. • Of some part of he began to pray, to read the this period he observes, I may Scriptures, and keep a diary, but say, in the Apostle's words, of this he soon became weary and after the strictest sect of our gave it up. religion, I lived a Pharisee. I On being thrown from a horse spent the greatest part of every day near a dangerous hedge-row, newly in reading the Scriptures, and in cut, his conscience suggested to him meditation and prayer. I fasted the dreadful consequences of ap- often; I even abstained from all pearing in such a state before God. animal food for three months. I This put him, for a time, upon would hardly answer a question breaking off his profane practices; for fear of speaking an idle word : but the consequence of these strug- I seemed to bemoan my former gles between sin and conscience, miscarriages very earnestly, and was, that on every relapse he sunk sometimes with tears : in short, I - - - |