The proprietors were the first to measure their strength with the authorities. The struggle was arduous and protracted, but the perseverance, courage, and address of the former prevailed, and the beaten myrmidons of the Stamp Office tacitly acknowledged their defeat by shifting their attacks to weaker opponents the printers of the forbidden works. The cowardly manner in which they proceeded has already been described, in an article entitled "Persecution of the Unstamped Press." Here they were driven from their ground by popular odium, and at last they were brought to a confession that "It was impossible to proceed against the printers of the Unstamped Press." Thus beaten in almost every way, the wretched street-vender became the only being on whom they could wreak their dastardly vengeance. I say vengeance, because prevention of the offence was and is out of the question. Were the authorities to incarcerate a thousand victims, the poverty of London would furnish forth a thousand more before the rising of the morrow's sun. But even from this last ground have they been driven, by a recent decision of Mr HALLS, the magistrate, as the following report will show: "THE UNSTAMPED.-Martin Robinson, who handed in a petition to the Magistrates, was charged by ROBERT CURRIE, a common informer, with exposing for sale on Saturday night, in Clare Street, Clare Market, the Weekly Police Gazette and Twopenny Dispatch. The prisoner had only been very lately sent to prison for fifteen days for the same offence. Mr HALLS observed The conduct of Mr HALLS on this THE REGISTRATION. THE Conservative and Liberal parties both lay claim to a considerable gain on the present year's Registration. The Conservatives ground their statement on the vast number of objections they have succeeded in maintaining; which argument the Liberals meet by citing the increase in the number of Liberals registered, which, say they, is sufficiently large to enable the Liberal party to afford to the Conservatives the rejection of twice as many as they have succeeded in rejecting. It is as yet quite impossible to make any accurate estimate of the truth. This much, however, may be affirmed, that if the statements which have appeared in the provincial papers be correct, the Liberals,--including under that term the Whigs, for the present purpose,-have really gained considerable ground. When it is stated, however, that the Conservatives have expended vast sums of money in most of the boroughsbringing, thereby, into play all the vexatious machinery of Agents, Attorneys, &c., which money, so readily put in motion, it will easily be believed that the "gain" has not been without considerable personal sacrifice. In one county alone, 5,000l. is said to have been expended upon those clogs upon the franchise which I have just namedBy a Scotch paper the Registration has been characterized as "a most haras sing business for the Liberals." And such indeed it is. The expensiveness. of the Registration, and the loss of time it involves, are in themselves a cause of extensive disfranchisement. I myself-am acquainted with several persons who could not afford the time to attend to answer objections, and to whom it was not convenient to employ an agent. The defects of the system of registration have been rendered abundantly apparent by the events of the present year. The proceedings of the Revising Barristers' Courts will afford ample evidence in favour of a radical change in this obnoxious portion of the Reform Act; but as the question involves matters of too great importance to be dismissed at the fag end of an article, I must take another opportunity of going into the question at length, unless, indeed, some more fit person take up the pen, in which case I shall cheerfully give way. Advertisements. This day is published, price 6d. a new edition of AN ESSAY on the FIRST PRINCI PLES of GOVERNMENT, and on the NATURE of POLITICAL and CIVIL LIBERTY. By JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, LL.D. F.R.S. London: Charles Ely, 14 Tavistock street. On Saturday, the 17th of October, will be published, in the form of a Pamphlet, price Twopence, THE FIRST NUMBER (to be con tinued Weekly) of the NEW POLITICAL REGISTER, by JOHN BELL, for three years Editor and Joint Proprietor of the True Sun. Published by A. Yates, 26 Bride lane, Fleet street; and sold by every Bookseller and Newsman in the United Kingdom. THE LONDON REVIEW, No. III, will be published in a few days. This Number will Contain :-Articles on-1 Law Reform.-2 Lamb's Specimens of the early English Dramatic Writers.-3 French Comic Romances.4 De Toqueville on Democracy in America.5 Chili.-6 Character and Manners of the German Students.-7 Journal of Frances Ann Butler (Miss Kemble).-8 The Irish Church Question.-9 Political Economy, useful or not.-10 Close of the Session. No. II. Contains:-Articles on-1 The Church and its Reforms.-2 Napier on the Ionian Islands.3 Crabbe's Life and Works.-4 Rationale of Political Representation.-5 Portugal and its Political Economy.-6 Retrenchment; Military Abuses.-7 Tennyson's Poems.-8 Philosophy of Dreaming.9 Canada and its Grievances.-10 Prose Fictions. H. S. C. 11 Government and People of Austria. 12 Retro. spect. No. I. Contains:-Articles on 1 The State of the Nation. 2 New South Wales.-3 Municipal Corporation Reform.-4 Recent Spanish Literature.5 Professor Sedgwick's Discourse-State of Philoso phy in England.-6 South America.-7 Tithes and their Commutation.-8 Musical Reminiscences.9 Poetry of the Poor.-10 The Ballot-a Dialogue.11 Postscript on the State of the Nation. London: Simpkin and Marshall; Edinburgh, Wm. Tait; Liverpool, Willmer and Smith. Just published, in 1 vol. price 3s. cloth boards, THE LECTURES and ADDRESSES of Miss FRANCES WRIGHT, delivered in the principal Cities and Towns of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. Contents: 1. The Nature of Knowledge.-2. Of Free Enquiry.-3. Of the Important and Essential Parts of Knowledge.-4. Religion.-5. Morals.-6. Opinions.-7. Existing Evils and their Remedy.-8. American Independence, July 4, 1828.-9. American Independence, July 4, 1829.-10. Opening of the Hall of Science, New York.-11. Defence of the French Reformers of 1789.-12. State of the Public Mind.13.-A Review of the Times.-14. Address to Young Mechanics.-15. Parting Address. London: Printed and published by J. Watson, 18 Commercial place, City road, near Finsbury square. Sold at 126 Strand; 1 Shoe lane; Purkess, Old Compton street; Yates, Pearl row, Blackfriars; Hey. wood, Manchester; Guest, Birmingham; Hobson, Leeds; Smith, Liverpool; Smith, Nottingham; and all Booksellers. LONDON:-Published by CHARLES ELY, for the PROPRIETORS, at their Office, No. 14, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden. From the Steam Press of C. & W. REYNELL, 14, 15, and 16 Little Pulteney street, Haymarket. A CHURCH, WHAT? A STATE CHURCH, WHAT? BY J. A. ROEBUCK, M.P. LEGAL WISDOM--THE REVISING BARRISTERS. BY J. A. R. SOBRIETY OF THE WORKING CLASS-THE BY H. S CHAPMAN. 18 EDITED BY J. A. ROEBUCK, M.P. [PRICE THREE HALFPENCE.] A CHURCH, WHAT? A STATE CHURCH, WHAT? WE hear much talk of the CHURCH.- In the early times of Christianity its professors constituted but a small and insignificant minority of the People among whom they lived. In the midst of surrounding Jews or Pagans, they lived in small and detached assemblies, united by the bond of a common faith, and common observances. They were accustomed to call each of these collections of Christians, the Assembly, or Meeting, or Ecclesia, or the Church. In Jerusalem, for example, the small body of Christians lived together, had all things in common, and endeavoured to distinguish themselves from the Jews around them. In speaking of themselves they were accustomed to call themselves the Ecclesia, or Assembly, or Church of Jerusalem. In Antioch, in Rome, and in the other places in which the Christians were, they did the same thing; and thus we have them speaking of the Churches of Jerusalem, of Antioch, of Rome, and so on. In the same way that each little community of Christians desired to separate and distinguish itself from the enemies of their faith among whom they dwelled, and to live in one united band or company, so did the whole body of Christians, in whatever country, desire to consider themselves of one united flock, and to be distinguished by one common name. Thus the various Assemblies or Churches of Jerusalem, of Antioch, Corinth, Rome, &c., were all called the Assembly or Church of Christ.-As Christians in From the Steam Press of C. & W. REYNELL 14, 15, & 16 Little Pulteney street, Haymarket. Rome, for example, were united by the circumstance of their being of one faith, so were all the Christians of the whole world united by the same circumstance. Therefore, when speaking of the Christians collectively who lived in Rome, a Christian of those early days would have called them the Church of Rome; when speaking of the Christians in the world at large, he would have called them the Church of Christ. The great tendency of all language is towards abbreviation; and one great leading principle of human nature is to exalt ourselves. Thus, in process of time, the Christians introduced the expression simply of the CHURCH; and it was quickly understood to mean themselves alone:-they were the Assembly or Church, by excellence. This is a very common process, and may be observed in the case of every separate sect or community. The Reformers, in their early days, were accustomed to speak of their religion, as the religion, and the faith: and the various denominations of dissenters at the present day, are in the habit, each in its own case, of calling themselves, the congregation, or the meeting. The expression is not in reality intended to signify that there are no other congregations, or no other meetings--but is used merely as a distinctive mark for their own peculiar sect or community. An instance of the same kind of proceeding in language was afforded by the Athenian and Roman people when speaking about their respective towns. When an Athenian said-the city, he meant Athens-when a Roman used the same expression, he meant Rome: and after the permanent establishment of the Roman dominion, the expression going" ad urbem "-to the city, always signified going to Rome. The speaker did not thereby signify that there were no other cities; but he used this form of expression to designate the chief city in his opinion. He used it, both for the sake of brevity and vanity. The Church, then, in this signification of the term, means the persons of the Christian faith, united together by the bond of that faith. Paul, one of the earliest teachers of Christianity, distinguishes the meaning of the term with accuracy. He directs one of his epistles " unto the church of God, which is at Corinth; to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints," &c. Another epistle he addresses "unto the churches of Galatia." Now, as there is but one church of God, and as there were many churches in Galatia, it is clear that the distinction which I have mentioned above, even then existed. Any assembly of Christians at a particular place, was called the Assembly or Church of that place, while Christians collectively were denominated the Assembly or Church of God in Christ. It must be recollected that this Assembly or Church, these Assemblies or Churches, existed all within one empire. All the various Assemblies or Churches were equally worthy, and the division was merely one of place, and not of faith. The faith of the Church of Galatia was the same as that of the Church of Antioch or Corinth. rate churches in those days did not mean hostile ones. Sepa It must also be borne in mind, that this Union, or Assembly, or Church, for purely spiritual purposes. The religion of the heathen world was a purely temporal affair. The aid of the Gods was sought in order that the people might prosper here on earth; and the Priesthood of Rome, maintained and fed by the state, were deemed of essential service to the state, in procuring for the people the good I will of the Gods. The religion of the Christian has a different end and purpose. Prosperity When speaking of themselves in this second, or religious point of view, the Christians were accustomed to call themselves a Church, the Church. The important circumstance was, they were united by one common faith, for the pursuit of one common end, viz. eternal happiness. It is evident that the State and the Church are two things in this way only -they are the same people viewed under two different aspects. In the same way, any individual may be called two things; John, for example, is a citizen, but John is also a Christian. The same John is both; that is to say, when you call John a citizen, you consider him in one point of view-when you call him a Christian, you look at him in another. How does it happen, then, that we find the two words State and Church united in this sentence "a State Church?" It is clear that the phrase "citizen Christian" would puzzle us. What has induced mankind to unite into one denomination matters So wholly heterogeneous? The answer to this question is not difficult. I have not long since said, that the People uniting for religious purposes, had laws and Magistrates in relation to those purposes. In the early Christian Church, those whom by analogy I have termed Magistrates, were of two orders only-Overlookers or Presbyters, and Deacons. The Presbyters, that is, old men, were appointed Overlookers; and to aid them had certain young men, that is, Deacons. In the very early days of Christianity, the business of an Overlooker (episcopos, from whence our word Bishop) was exceedingly multifarious. At that time the Christians often lived in common; and to govern this community and provide for its wants, was the business of an Overlooker. He prayed with, and he instructed the People. To this office the most worthy and efficient from among the People was elected by the People. In process of time, as the communities of Christians increased, the office of Overlooker became more important. In a few centuries the simple form of government adopted by the original Assemblies or Churches of Christians was corrupted by imitations of the proceedings, dresses, and even form of worship adopted by the Roman Priesthood. The Priesthood became a separate class, and considered themselves to have interests peculiar to themselves. In the ancient times, as I have said, the community of the faithful were denominated the Church: the vanity of the Priesthood soon arrogated that term to themselves. They attempted to confound the interests of religion with their own interests. The interests of the Church, they quickly inculcated, were identical with those of the Priesthood, and the transition was easy to the making Church and Priesthood one. In common language it soon came to be understood, that if you spoke of the Church without further explanation, you thereby signified the Priesthood. |