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A CHARGE, &c.

MY REVEREND BRETHREN,

Bishop Horsley in his primary charge at St. David's, in which he exposes the inefficiency of what has been called "moral preaching," and the fallacy of the assumptions on which it proceeds-adds, "I flatter myself that we are, at present, in a state of recovery from this delusion. The compositions which are, at this day, delivered from our pulpits are, I think, in general, of a more christian cast than were often heard some thirty years since, when I first entered on the ministry." What Horsley says in 1790 may be stated with much less exception in 1835. Infirmity, no doubt, must ever cleave to all human teaching; but it can, by no means, be alleged now, that our proper office, "to publish the word of reconciliation," is lost sight of. There is, on

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the contrary, in the discourses of the clergy, a much fuller exhibition than in time past of the fundamental doctrines of holy scripture, as defined in our Articles and recognised in our Liturgy, and the people are fed accordingly with the "sincere milk of the word."

Is it, however, certain that their growth thereby in grace and heavenly wisdom is proportionate? I believe the fact to be both that our church is gaining ground in the minds of devout and pious. persons, and that the number of such persons has, of late, been greatly increased through God's blessing on the ministrations of the Clergy. Nevertheless, whilst secession from our ministry is frequent, we do not, even with our customary hearers, prevail for good in the measure that at least is to be coveted; nor, I fear, in the measure that might be expected, should we advert only to the improved character of public teaching. And if this be true, it is a grave matter, and it becomes a needful question how we may account for it.

Much seed of course will always fall by the way side, upon the rock, and among the thorns. And hindrances to our success may have arisen, besides, from some obvious peculiarities of the times in which we live. On these, however, as being little under our control, it is not my intention now to dwell. But one grand and frequent

cause of failure with us at present, may, I think, be amed, which it rests with ourselves to remedywhich, with due exertion, we might remedy in a good degree, and which, if we would "make full proof of our ministry," it is specially incumbent upon us to attend to now, both because peculiar facilities for the application of the remedy are, at the present moment, afforded us, and also, because those very things, if we neglect to make our advantage of them, may possibly ere long be turned against us.

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Preaching, as the term is commonly understood, that is to say, "the explaining of the word of God by a lively voice, and the application of it to the people's use, as the speaker in his wisdom thinketh meet, is, no doubt, a way of teaching, by which, through the divine blessing, men are wont to be brought to the saving knowledge of the truth. But it is not the only way ; neither will it do the work of other instruments equally needful to be employed. "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of thee,"+ and among the whole body of christian means, "those members which seem to be more feeble," will oftentimes, perhaps, be found to be most necessary." At all events, it cannot reasonably be expected that preaching should stand in the place of those methods which in the nature of + See 1 Cor. xii. 21.

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* Hooker.

things ought to go before it. And, accordingly, I am fully persuaded that a great many very honest and faithful, and, at the same time, very clear and well-digested sermons, which have cost the preachers of them much labour and research, and thought and care and prayer, are, nevertheless, in numerous instances, much thrown away upon the hearers of them-hearers, moreover, by no means unwilling to be taught-simply on this account, that in the instruction of our people, we have, of late years, too much neglected to begin at the beginning. The primitive order of catechising has, for causes which I cannot now stay to discuss, fallen into too general disuse; and "sermons," to use, with but little qualification, the plain words of an old writer, "can never do good upon an uncatechized congregation." In order, therefore, to our efficiency as religious instructors, this very necessary and ancient practice must, I think, be revived.

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I have somewhat to say, then, my reverend Brethren, upon this subject; but first respecting those facilities for our work, to which I have referred.

It is quite unnecessary for me to remind you of the great, and general, and still increasing demand, which is, at this moment, made everywhere for knowledge. Neither need I say, that,

* Comber.

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